The Do’s and Don’ts of tent life
There’s more to camping than pitching a tent and hoping for the best. We share some tips and experiences to make your outdoor holiday go smoothly. Today Thomas Manch on campsite etiquitte.
On a peak-summer’s night the scenic Uretiti Beach campsite transforms into something out of a dream.
A temporary community of campers come together behind the sand dunes to surf, fish and swim in the warm Northland water.
In the place of street lights, campers hang christmas lights on their tents.
‘‘It’s like a fairyland walking around… it’s beautiful,’’ says Glenys Foster, the campground manager.
Foster has managed the Department of Conservation (DOC) campsite at Uretiti since 2010.
She’s something of a veteran and can provide good instruction for would-be campers on how to behave.
The secret to a harmonious campsite: ’’Common sense, basically.’’
When greeting new campers, the instructions are straightforward.
‘‘Mostly the don’ts are: don’t light fires; don’t have any loud music, or loud talking, or anything after 10:30 that will disturb other campers.
‘‘We’re usually fairly lenient, but if it goes on after 10:30 they’ll usually get a stern talking to.’’
Uretiti Beach campsite doesn’t allow dogs, so campers looking for a spot this summer should check if they can bring their pets.
‘‘Our campers are told to leave a three metre space between you and your neighbour. So we can get an emergency vehicle between tents if we need it.’’
That three metres includes the guy-ropes for your tent, which will help prevent any late-night stumbles too.
Foster’s husband, Joe, keep tabs on the campers during the day as he mows the lawn and cleans the facilities.
‘‘So, if we do have any groups of young ones that we think could be a problem, we know exactly where they are.’’
Of course, there will be problems.
‘‘When you get 900 people in the camp, all at the same time, you’re going to have a personality clash,’’ says Foster.
They had one group who insisted on playing a game of cricket against the wall of their neighbour’s tent.
‘‘If you don’t want people being impolite to you, you don’t do it to them in the first place,’’ Foster said. That said, it shouldn’t be the campground manager’s job to foster community spirit – getting to know your summertime neighbours is part of the fun.
Pete Willcox is one of a growing number of Kiwis who head for farflung corners of the country every year in a motorhome.
‘‘I guess it’s the modern version of the Kiwi bach, if you like,’’ he said.
Willcox isn’t new to camping, he’s been a member of the New Zealand Motor Caravan Association for 18 years.
The alternative Kiwi bach looks increasingly affordable in a difficult housing market. The association has grown by 700 new members each month over the summer. When Willcox joined, he was number 13,742. Now they have about 70,000 members.
While members sometimes travel in a fleet, more often Willcox and his wife Robin head out on their own.
There’s a few pointers he can give to new campers.
‘‘How we park is very important, a lot of people pull into a DOC site and they park right across in front of a view and stretch out, and block it for others. I always try and park at 90 degrees to a fence, rather than along a fence, so it doesn’t take too much room.’’
As with Foster, he said being considerate of the noise you are making is important, and generators are to be avoided.
‘‘You’ve got to respect people’s quiet times, this is their holiday, they’ve got to relax.’’
But, that doesn’t mean you should stick to yourself.
‘‘I try and encourage everybody to meet their neighbours, introduce themselves and have a bit of a natter.’’
Willcox has a ‘‘happy hour’’ each night at around 5:00pm. He brings out a few drinks, invites the neighbours and any other campers passing by.’’
‘‘That way you get to meet a lot of new friends. We’ve got friends all around the country, it’s great.’’
Any conflicts with fellowcampers will only spoil a good time. ‘‘They don’t get resolved, it either results in an argument or worse.’’
So, if you can’t just get along, Willcox advises you just move on.
The Wish Child Catherine Chidgey Victoria University Press, $30
Catherine Chidgey’s first novel in 13 years, this is a startling tale about two children who meet in a bombed-to-smithereens 1945 Berlin, and form a lasting bond.
But more than that, it is about how whole populations can be brainwashed into accepting the unacceptable, in this case the rise of Adolf Hitler and the persecution of the Jews.
Chidgey is a wonderful writer and this is a complex, emotionally devastating tale threaded with golden strands of humour.
Five Go Parenting, Bruno Vincent, Quercus, $20
As novelty gift books go, this one is rather good. Enid Blyton’s dogooding Famous Five, now using iphones and Uber but still dressed like it’s 1942, are assigned to care for a baby whose parents they put in jail. Also in the series: Five Give Up Booze, Five Go Gluten Free, Five Go on a Strategy Away Day and Five on Brexit Island.
A Day With Dogs, Dorothee de Monfreid, Gecko Press, $35
Another gorgeous picture book from Gecko Press, which translates and publishes awesome kids’ books from around the world, including the infamous Poo Bum series about a cheeky white rabbit.
Colourful double-page spreads in which the dogs hang out at home, for example, washing the dishes and climbing into bunk beds, are charming and invite preschoolers to linger, and return again and again. My four-year-old particularly likes the alphabet spread.
Ima Cuisine, Yael Shochat and David Cohen, Random House, $55
Yael Shochat’s first cookbook, written with journalist David Cohen, is a feast for the eyes and stomach: zesty salads, hearty soups, platters of hummus, lamb and chicken, not forgetting the incredible baked goods. Get stuck in.
The Riviera Set 1920-1960: The Golden Years of Glamour and Excess, Mary S Lovell, Little, Brown, $40
Having written acclaimed biographies of the eccentric Mitford sisters, aviator Beryl Markham, Winston and Clementine Churchill and other notables from the early 20th century, Mary S Lovell is well placed to convey the allure of the Riviera when it became a resort.
Lovell’s informative and entertaining book tells Mazine Elliott’s life story, and also the story of her beautiful and innovative seaside home, later owned by Prince Aly Khan. – Eleanor Black