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I've convinced four of my friends from college that its an excellent way of getting away from our families for a bit during the summer hols. At first they were determined to hate the idea of being "cold wet and muddy", then i told them how little it could cost (since my family camp regularly we have the tent ect) and they are all realy excited about going away this summer. But we cant find any campsites that will take a group of 17 year olds despite explaining that we are a mixed group of vevry well behaved teenagers who arn't going to be drunk or make lots of noise and disturb the peace. So it looks lik all my efforts have gone to waste!

 I'm workin on it at the mo with some friends. . . .  The hubby has done camping and loved it, but the wife likes her comforts and isn't sure yet.

 But we've talked her round to trying one weekend in the kids summer hols. We'll lend them one of our tents and equipment and then sit back during the weekend watching her watch her children and how much they'll enjoy it and start to realise just what she's been missing all these years.

Guaranteed newbie camper by the end

I was converted through defiance

My mum died last year and the evil step father was remarrying recently, he was getting rid of all their camping gear which I wasnt happy about so I brought it off of him, My 2 teenagers had always been camping with Nan so they made me take them back in march, it was my first time and I have to admit I am hooked,  

cornwall booked for end june- beginning july  then wales booked for july/aug

they are nagging now they want to see scotland......

oh well lol

My freinds and family all think we are Bonkers and go camping because we cant afford a proper holiday??????

WHO's Bonkers????

Quote: Originally posted by kirakira81 on 26/5/2007

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 But we cant find any campsites that will take a group of 17 year olds

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this site encourages groups according to their website. 

i was converted by my friend. I swore i wouldn't camp if it wasn't for a festival and went to the new forest to prove it was not my cup of tea at all. (and as an excuse to buy a tent you can stand up in to take to the festival ).

We actually enjoyed ourselves very much and will be going again...  but i did prove it wasn't suitable for a crowd of mixed age drinkers who want to sit round a campfire and sing all night .. which is how i came across eweleaze farm.  Right location but wrong time for our little group but i will be going there with my husband in august anyway.

Now i have decided that camping is quite nice after all

We were camping last month in North Yorkshire , when Angela recieved a text message from a friend of hers, saying they had bought a second hand khymer (?) tent . and a few bits of gear , and had just booked a pitch and were on thier way to join us for the weekend . They asked us if we would help them pitch thier tent as they had never done it before .

Glad to report that the "kyhmer" tent they turned up with was in fact a Kyham rigidome xxl , Have never erected a rigidome before , but have to say, was seriously impressed with speed and easiness of putting it up .

Thier 3 kids 5,4 and 2 absolutley loved it , was a big adventure for them and something new and different . 

The husband pretty much summed it up with the sentence .... Aw , this is the life eh ? Can't believe we've not joined you sooner  , we've been missing out .

They are now well and truly hooked and have been a few times since .

Quote: Originally posted by Dave+Angela on 27/5/2007

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, Have never erected a rigidome before , but have to say, was seriously impressed with speed and easiness of putting it up .

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if my ''tent to stand up in'' hadn't been a khyam ridgidome i probably still wouldn't have been converted! It is so easy peasy and quick that we managed to put it up without any falling out.

We took my 79 yr old mother with us and the 3 children last year to the Dordogne, albeit in a ready erected tent.  1st time we'd all been under canvas and we haven't stopped talking about it, we absolutely loved it, best night sleep we've ever had.  Took a couple of days for my mum to get used to sharing the toilets/showers with men!!  We've just come back from our 2nd trip in our tent in this country.  It rained, rained and then rained a bit more between some sunshine but you know what we were so snug and dry in our tent (no leaks thank god) that it didn't stop our enjoyment.  In fact I was really glad we'd experienced camping in rain as now it holds no fear for me.  We dried everything out really well when we got back home and I can't wait to go again.  I'm really addicted to life outdoors. 

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 21/5/2007

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Our best reluctant convert was my Hubby`s late sister. Once she had a baby she found her usual jetsetting hotel based holidays didn`t quite work, so she announced she would come camping with us instead. We only had a 4-berth TT at that point and were reluctant to go with her first suggestion of putting our two boys (then aged 4 and 2) with her two year old in a pup tent so as she could have the other berth. So she then decided I could go and find her a cheap trailer tent too. I came up with an amazing old bargain one (because she was pretty stingy) but then discovered that her idea of camping was to get her brother (my Hubby) to put it up for her on arrival, plus as she couldn`t (read wouldn`t) cook, I was going to get to do all the cooking as well. Oh yes, and I got to look after her two year old while she took Hubby to the pub as a reward for putting up her TT.

Fortunately the TT fell apart on the third trip. So she bought a tent that she couldn`t put up on her own either. Hubby was getting divorce threats from me at this point, so she took the hint and brought her au pair with her on the next holiday. They still couldn`t get the tent up, but it was more fun to watch. Did I mention she refused to carry a camp cooker because "she didn`t like gas in the car"?. I started catering for my family only, down to the last sausage counted out. I offered to carry gas for her too. She sulked. I pretended I didn`t notice. The au pair borrowed my cooker and made lots of very plain pasta for her and my nephew while SIL went out and bought takaways for herself.

The au pair left when the next camping holiday was due. SIL turned up anyway, when we weren`t there, and installed herself in the "spare" pod in our tent ...she made room for herself by putting my 10 month old daughter`s travel cot outside in the pouring rain.........

Words were exchanged.......I don`t often lose my temper, but when I do, I make up for lost time, lol! I told her and Hubby that next time they could go together with all the kids and see how they got on, but I wouldn`t be coming. Hubby, faced with the choice between a competent hard working camping wife (who always carries out her threats) and his parasite sister....well, he made the right choice, lol.

So I lost a camping convert there. Oh dear never mind. There have been plenty more. I tend to keep quite a lot of older kit, so though I don`t loan out tents (unless I`m on the same site to help put them up) I do loan out most other things, and I`ve got quite a lot of friends camping over the years.

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If there is one thing I have learnt from Val here is not to convert my sister back into camping - she is so like this!

Val you have had me PMSL with 'parasite sister' I call mine a Limpit - I love reading your replies to threads - you put a great smile on my face - thanks!!!!!!!!!!

Louise

We were introduced by out mates who are now our camping buddies.

I have convinced a neighbour to take it up and she has taken her family away this weekend for their first trip. I'm just a bit concerned for 2 reasons:

1. she is a very loud and opinionated person if you know what I mean, I hope she doesn't go annoying her neighbours with her constant yelling (and unnecessary swearing, especially at her 3 unruly kids) ... oh what have I done encouraging her to join our community.

and

2. She's gone to the west country this weekend with the rain and gails so I hope she's not put off.

We were converted last September and persuaded our friends to go with us last week.  3 familes, 7 children altogether and it was sooo relaxing.

We've definately converted them as we're all planning to go again next month.

Sarah