It kind of started not that long ago, I mentioned to Brett that I would maybe one day want to go camping. Then we realized we had a three day weekend coming up and before you knew it Brett had bought a huge tent on ebay. So with a tent on its way, everything else just kind of fell into place. There are tons of lakes and coastal camping spots here in California so we are really lucky. We were planning on a two night camping trip, arrive on Saturday and head back on Monday. However, with the holiday weekend a lot of the places had a three night minimum. So, here I am, my first ever trip camping and we are going for three nights. {what was I thinking!} Once the tent arrived and we did a practice run setting it all up and making sure everything worked, I am extremely excited to get out there and become one with nature, or something like that. This tent is huge, it is about 7 or 8 feet tall, says it sleeps 6 and attaches to the back of your SUV so you can easily go from tent to car.
While I am a little bit of a rookie to the camping aspect, I have done my fair share of traveling abroad and taking quick spur of the moment trips and even my latest outdoor activity which you may remember, hiking in Yosemite, I had a few series of blog posts about the experiences and a few pictures of things I packed. {1,2,3} I thought I would share a list with you of some of my "camping essentials." I'm not talking about the basics here, I think we all know you need a tent, sleeping bag, padding, pillows etc. This list is more a girl friendly version of things you may need to keep you sane without our usual daily rituals; running hot water, a proper shower, sink with mirror.
1. Paul Mitchell, awapuhi moisture mist - This stuff is amazing! Use it for your skin & hair to freshen up. I literally spray it everywhere and rub it in a little and it dries in seconds.
2. Fresh Wipes - Seriously any kind of baby wipe or clean wipe. Use it if you've been hiking and get sweaty; it cools you down, soothes your skin, and makes you feel fresh again.
3. First Aid Kit - Always important! I actually usually buy a couple and then combine them and make my own. Always have band aids, insect sting relief, ibuprofen, hand sanitizer, gauze pads, sticky tape, and of course tide-to-go!
4. Platypus Hydration Pack - I personally like these better than the Camel Pack's, they are cheaper for one and I like that it's clear and you can put it in any backpack. But obviously bringing enough water is key.
5. Deodorant - Everyone knows to bring this but I actually prefer the men's kind. Something about the ARCTIC scent somehow does it better than 'cucumber' or 'baby powder.'
6. A Book - I think bringing an actual book instead of reading on your kindle / ipad seems more camping like and it is something relaxing to do by your tent or lake.
7. Bug Spray - Another probably obvious one, but I seriously do not like bugs, spiders, snakes, none of it so I bought the most intense looking bug spray I could find, it's almost 100% deet {I think that's good?} anyway it smells terrible but I do not want to be covered in bumps.
8. Vaseline - I actually love this stuff for my lips as chapstick, but if you also get a small cut or burn or dry skin it comes in handy as it has a lot of uses.
9. Makeup Essentials - Lets be serious we don't need a lot here, so I always have my foundation with spf, a little mascara, a black pencil eyeliner, a compact and some blotting sheets to take away any oil and dirt from the day.
10. Dry shampoo - This is a must for every time I travel, the actual one I use is from the UK and I have to stock up when I go over there but I've heard this brand is also a good one too. Just give it a quick spray in your roots & crown of your head, use your fingers and run through it, then brush it out. Don't you look beautiful!
11. TP to go - You never know what those "bathrooms" or Port-a-Potty's will look like, honestly maybe just hiding behind a bush for a quick tinkle with some TP is a cleaner option.
12. Flashlight - And lots of them! Sometimes it's hard to remember just how dark it is with no house or city lights around. Go for an LED one too, they are brighter & will last longer.
13 / 14. A good hat / headscarf - I have one of each and as you probably saw I wore them all the time on my recent trip to the Greek Islands. Sometimes you can't control the humidity or wind or whatever, so put your hair in a quick braid, throw the hat on and ta-da!
I really hope all of these will be helpful for any of your upcoming trips / travels. It took me awhile to get this routine down but I would love to hear your comments and suggestions on things you can't leave home without in the comment section below!
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