After all the deliberation, research and mind-changing, I've finally done it and ordered our new Outwell Sun Valley 6 plus carpet plus 'kids room' and even a Kampa Khazi for good measure! Not that you needed to know our toiletting arrangements!! We go away 3 weeks on Saturday, can't wait! Thanks for all the advice and help.
Just need to sell 2 other tents now ..... !
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
I'll post a review when we've used it, otherwise we will put it up beforehand to check that all is ok, last thing we need is to arrive in West Wales minus a pole or several guy ropes short!
Yup, Ebaying the other 2 tents comes next, will still keep the Outwell Oregon as it's great for the short breaks when it's just me and the small-but-getting-bigger ones!
Incidentally, I was helping at 'Beavers' the other night (my 2 have just joined and absolutely love it) and the talk turned to camping and some of the Mums were quite stunned when I said that I take my 2 children camping on my own. It wasn't quite the time to ask exactly what they were gasping about but I wondered if people just flap their hands at the idea or that people have genuine concerns? I know there are a few other Mums on this forum who also take their children solo, do you find that others gasp with horror when you mention it?!
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
I know there are a few other Mums on this forum who also take their children solo, do you find that others gasp with horror when you mention it?!
I hope not ! There is already too much narrowmindedness and shallowness in the world without people being shocked that a woman can take her children camping on her own.
If there are people that are shocked then we better not tell them that we can also change electrical plugs, car wheels and fuses lol
I camp with the kids and OH stays home most of the time. When I tell people I go alone , they find it funny. I think it comes as shock to non campers that women can actually put tents up ,Often better than men.
They are usually the ones who can't even change a lightbulb, and wouldn't dream of trying to . Non campers seem to have the idea that camping is the very basic, dig a hole for a toilet type of thing, not a holiday in a family sized leisure tent , with hot showers loos and electric if you want it, on a site with all facilities, swimming pool , playground and plenty for kids to do, where you could stay a week and not have to go anywhere offsite if you didn't want to.
Like I said I'm not really sure which aspect of camping (if indeed it was the camping itself) provoked the reaction (it's not the first time i've seen it, I get called 'brave', my mother-in-law calls me "a game girl" - which I quite like tee hee, she's pretty stoical herself !!), I get the impression that it's the idea of "coping" with the children on my own that surprises them. Discussing camping with a friend's wife (they have no children by choice) she once asked me "How do you get them to stay in bed at night?" and I was surprised but responded "by saying it's bedtime and when it's bedtime, it's bedtime, they don't question it". (I will hastily add that I adjust bedtime when camping and can read the signs when the littlies are flagging and would love bed but don't want to admit it!). I wondered what on earth she was imagining, that I tied them into their sleeping-bags?!! Hmm, I think next time I will have to be 'brave' enough and lead the conversation into exactly what aspects/imagined images provoke the reaction. I've even suggested taking a couple of them camping to let them see how the children would like it (although I hope they'd say no, I do like a bit of me-and-the-smalls time!)
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
I have been away just my daughter and I on several occasions. OH isn't very adventurous. If it requires a bit of effort and inconvenience he just won't consider it.
When we have been away on our own I first hired a little motor home and she loved that. We then purchased a conway crusader and I managed to put that up myself entirely alone. In fact on the couple of occasions he joined me he got in the way, not doing it my way.
I have now decided to purchase a tent for short trips. Folding camper went as I was finding too much like hard work getting all the gear connected up etc etc.
My OH isn't adventurous, doesn't like to rough it, but doesn't like to spend a lot of money either. That would really put limits on experiences for our little girl, so I just often find it easier to leave him at home. It doesn't seem to worry him either.
Whilst still looking around for an easy tent for us to put up I still find myself looking at the headroom to see if he will be able to stand up in it. Don't know why I bother though.
Hope you enjoy your new tent Angie.
------------- Neelie
<(*?*)>
Don't forget to leave a review of all tents you've used, for a chance to win fantastic prizes
It's worth persisting in looking at tents that he can stand up in, he won't feel excluded that way if he ever does give it a go! Without making a big deal of it, you can still get away and have adventures with your daughter and he can do other stuff with her - my OH cannot swim and has decided not to get into water with our children in case he passes on his fear of water (I will say he is perfectly normal in all other aspects!) so I do the swimming with them and he does the techy discussions about how engines, planes etc work!!
A lot of my tent choices have been about ease of putting up, I do not see the point in spending half the weekend sweating over a tent that needs to be taken down 30 hours later!
One suggestion of a tent which I found pretty good is a Vango Venture. I could put it up alone and was fine for us 3 with standing height and cosy for when it was 4. I later sold it on Ebay and as Vango are a good make, you will ensure someone wants it rather than an unproven brand.
Keep camping!
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
What tents are you looking to shift on Angie? Not that I have any lolly but your never know who's reading this!
A Sunncamp Retreat SE 2006 cotton frame tent 6 berth & a Sunncamp Odyssey XL 4 berth tent. I'll probably put them on Ebay, both are in great condition. I did have a post about selling the cotton tent as I know a lot of people look for them but it got removed ..... presumably I broke some unwritten rule within this forum!!! (It might be an idea that they have a sheet of rules somewhere obvious and accessible?!)
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
It arrived this morning! Well done Outdoor Megastore, it was only ordered on Wednesday afternoon. The tent comes in a wheelie-bag which OH is convinced we will not get it back into and the children have done their best to get into the box containing their room. The first box I opened was the one containing the carpet - priorites after all! If the weather is ok (fingers crossed!), we'll put it up this weekend.
------------- Angie ~~
~ If you see someone without a smile give them one of yours ~
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Done it!
!!), I get the impression that it's the idea of "coping" with the children on my own that surprises them. Discussing camping with a friend's wife (they have no children by choice) she once asked me "How do you get them to stay in bed at night?" and I was surprised but responded "by saying it's bedtime and when it's bedtime, it's bedtime, they don't question it". (I will hastily add that I adjust bedtime when camping and can read the signs when the littlies are flagging and would love bed but don't want to admit it!). I wondered what on earth she was imagining, that I tied them into their sleeping-bags?!! Hmm, I think next time I will have to be 'brave' enough and lead the conversation into exactly what aspects/imagined images provoke the reaction. I've even suggested taking a couple of them camping to let them see how the children would like it (although I hope they'd say no, I do like a bit of me-and-the-smalls time!)
