“Glamping” – A Real Woman’s Survival Kit!

Glamour Camping, or ‘glamping’ for short, was a term first whispered in my presence last year. And I must admit, as a regular camping enthusiast, I laughed at the notion of someone needing all the comforts of home to enjoy ‘getting away from it all’.

I mean, seriously?

But then I thought about it some more…

And I realised, from a marketing perspective, that a huge number of people are willing to pay good money to go glamping and visit a secluded place they wouldn’t experience otherwise.

While glamping refers to accommodation, such as stylishly furnished luxury tents (sorry – I mean ‘yurts’), safari-style tented resorts, or romantic eco-retreats, in remote locations, there’s not much real camping with a capital ‘C’ going on. Unless you include a daily supply of clean linen, fresh towels, special kitchen equipment and comfortable garden furniture as part of your ordinary camping holiday!

However, it then struck me –

Amidst my eye-rolling and head-shaking about glamping, there are, in fact, a few essential items a girl must take camping, to survive on the road with a little style and comfort. It seems that over my years of camping I’d unknowingly devised my very own girly-girl, must-pack ‘Glampers Survival Kit’.

Call me vain, I know, but here are the 7 fundamental items I can’t do without on the road. Starting from the most important to the most indulgent:

1. Disposable body wipes

These beautifully scented moistened towelettes are an absolute lifesaver for any female camping for more than 48 hours without access to a shower. Second, to a lukewarm bucket bath, the humble body wipe gives a woman the cleansing luxury she needs. Enough said!

2. Sunscreen or moisturiser containing sunscreen

Being outdoors camping for more hours per day than you’d normally be exposes your face and neck to a higher amount of UV radiation. As Aussies, we know the melanoma dangers of too much sun exposure, but what about the harsh sun speeding up the aging process? I suggest slapping on sunscreen or a good moisturiser with sunscreen first thing in the morning, even during winter, to keep your skin supple, smooth and protected. Oh, and looking younger!

3. Tweezers

Great for removing pesky splinters, yes, but most importantly, a girl likes to keep her eyebrows alluring and shapely. Rather…

4. A Hat

There’s nothing more terrifying than arriving home after a week or more camping and seeing John Howard peering back at you in the mirror! Agreed? Oh, you might want to pack a compact mirror too – unless you’re like me and happy to use the rearview mirror. Now that’s classy camping!

Actually, two hats, depending on what time of year and how close to the Tropic of Capricorn you’re camping. Every woman feels better with a cool hat to cover bad hair. Don’t you ladies agree? If you’ve got long hair, make sure you bring a supply of hairbands to tie your hair back and keep it ‘clean’, as well as seal up any busted food bags, and any other minor fix-ups that hairbands are so handy for. If you’ve got very short hair, well good for you. That’s the best for camping. Shave it all off, and be done with it… Unless you need to stay gainfully employed when you get back from your holiday!

5. Nail clippers

These don’t sound all that important, but out in the bush, the fresh air seems to make your fingernails grow faster. Have you noticed that? And then your long fingernails seem to catch on everything, especially when you’re preparing dinner, playing with the kids, pitching tents, collecting firewood and just pottering around the campsite. It’s best to keep your nails short, which keeps them cleaner too.

6. Sunglasses

Really, these are an essential item for everyday wear for most people, however, you’ll appreciate them much more when you’re camping and outdoors in the bright sunlight all day. Sometimes, they can also make you look glamourous…

7. Chewing gum

A good quality gum, with a strong peppermint flavour, can fill the gap between brushing your teeth and your next meal (or kiss!). If you forget the chewing gum, I really hope you remember your toothbrush and toothpaste!