How long does it take you to pick a camping spot?
You’ve got to laugh at the small things when camping, and laugh we did, at Lorella Springs. Some people roll into a camp ground, head to a corner and set up. Others drive every square metre of campsite, get out and check everything out and then finally commit to a place to camp.
We’d been at Lorella for half a week in their main campground at the homestead, and were well set up, relaxing one afternoon in the hammock when a group of vehicles rolled in. They pulled off the track towards the creek, only about 50 metres away from us. The satellite dish popped up on the van, angled itself and started going round and round. I assume it is searching for a signal, and after a few minutes the dish went down, they hopped back in their cars and moved.
I watched them do this several times, before the satellite dish finally found signal, and they set up, right between us and the toilet block. I really had to chuckle; as long as there’s TV reception, you’ve got the right spot.
Now, I’m not having a go; I just thought it was hilarious that TV reception was that important, but it does beg the question; how long does it take you to find the right camping spot?
I saw a few families arrive a couple of days later and the same saga happened but without the satellite, with vehicles moving here and there for a good hour and a half before they actually started setting up.
We aren’t the quickest to find a spot to camp either, and this relates to the solar panels that fold out on the camper trailer needing to face north, east or west, and wanting to have some shade near the camper without putting the dreaded annex up. EDIT – We now travel in a Reconn R2 and can setup anywhere!
It’s also got to be relatively flat for the camper trailer (as I can only level it in one direction), be safe for our toddler and within reason have something to look at, or do nearby. We probably spent about 20 minutes driving around Lorella before picking a spot, but it was also our longest stay; 7 nights, and I wanted a good spot. That, and you have 100 acres to choose from, so there are lots of choices!
It makes sense to put some time into finding the right camp site. If there’s a chance of rain, camping near a river, or at the bottom of a gully is a very bad idea. There are some trees that you shouldnt camp under, as the branches have a habit of breaking off and badly hurting people. Having access to a creek for water to wash and shower with is important, and I like to camp somewhere out of the way; I can’t stand being too close to other people.
How long do you spend looking for the perfect camp site?
