mapsgirl.ca

mapping our life's journey

You are here: Home / Archives for Travel

Awesome Things To Do When You’re Camping As A Family

by

Camping has to be one of the very best types of vacation for a family group. Not only do you get to explore the great outdoors, but you also get to spend time together away from all the distractions of modern life. Of course, if you take your family campaign you will want to make sure that they are amused and engaged during their stay. The good news is you can find some of the very best activities everyone can get involved in on a camping trip below. Read on to find out what they are. 

Do some campfire cooking 

The first and some may argue one of the most fun activities you can do while camping is cooking. After all, you’re going to need some hot meals during your stay, and campsite cooking is quite a different experience from cooking and eating indoors. Where possible try and do some proper campfire cooking, even if it’s just S’mores! All you need is gram crackers, chocolate and marshmallows. Although a spread like Nutella can make them pop. 

Campfire bread cooked by wrapping it around sticks and placing it in the fire is another firm favourite. This is because the kids not only get to search for and collect the sticks to cook it and make the dough, but they also get a fun savory snack at the end of the process. Although, you will need to make sure the kids are well supervised whether cooking on a camping stove or over an open campfire flame, and that you maintain proper campfire safety.

Try building a survival shelter

Another great camping activity that the whole family can get involved in is building a survival shelter. The idea of this is to collect materials that you find around you in the forest and then use them to create a structure that provides some protection from the elements including the cold and the rain. If you are a truly adventurous family you may want to spend some time in your shelters before you head back to camp as well. 

<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cfx6I0rajOo?si=JEt6AQS8WJhXeIKs” title=”YouTube video player” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen></iframe>

To prepare for this task, watching videos on the different types of shelters that can be effective is a good idea. You can even split the family unit into 2 teams and have a competition to see who is the best survivalist! 

Fly your drone 

Flying your drone is also a great camping adjacent activity to try. This is for two key reasons, the first is that it’s a great way of recording your trip and getting a bird’s eye view of the terrain you are in. While the second is that you can often find locations that are great for camping, and drone flying at the same time. A perfect example of this is camping in a coastal spot which allows you to to fly your drone out over the sea. 

However, some important considerations need to be made when flying a drone. First of all, you need to make sure you have a reliable and robust piece of equipment, like the DJI M30T which is lightweight but still portable. This is something which makes it perfect for camping when you don’t want to have to use up all your luggage space. 

Secondly, you need to plan the location where you will fly and film carefully. For example, densely populated forests tend to be a bad idea even for the most advanced drone users as it can be hard to avoid all the obstacles that they hold. Last of all, it’s crucial to remember that in many places you will need to hold the proper permits to fly your drone, so be sure to apply for these well ahead of time, or you risk confiscation and fine. 

Scavenger Hunt 

One of the most fun activities for the whole family during a camping trip is a scavenger hunt. The basic principle of a scavenger hunt is that you set a certain number of specific objects that each team or individual must find. The great thing about this is that you can tailor it specifically to your group or location making it easier for kids and more challenging for the adults. Another great thing about scavenger hunts is that you can get a wealth of premade sheets to use online. All you need to do is download them and then print them. 

Alternatively, if you are looking for something for the older kids or a more mixed group then what about giving geocaching a go? It’s very similar to a scavenger hunt but the idea is that you are given the latitude and longitude coordinates of a geocache and then you hike to that area to find it. The twist is that not all geocaches (usually small plastic containers to protect from the weather) are easy to find and some are rather deliberately camouflaged and hidden so you really have to search for them. 

Happily, you can usually get some clues from the notes that other people have entered on the geocaching website you use. Once you have found the cash, there is usually paper and pencil for you to add your name, initials or date. Sometimes there will be tokens inside which you are encouraged to take and then distribute in a different geocache so they move around the country and even the world! 

Go on a Hike

Surely a classic camping activity has to be to take the whole family on a hike? Hikes can be great fun for so many reasons such as getting out and exploring a new location, getting to see things that you can see from any other vantage point, and working up a good sweat. 

For the whole family to hike together successfully it’s a smart idea to make sure everyone is kitted out with the proper equipment before you begin. This means sturdy walking shoes or boots, along with natural fibre socks that provide comfort and a barrier for the foot so it does not rub, but that also lets the foot breathe and will dry out fast if they get wet when fording a stream. 

It also makes sense to do a little research into your route before you begin. Look online to check the skill and fitness level of a potential route, and make sure it fits everyone including the weakest member of your group. Also, be sure to get information about potential hazards, the times of year that it’s safe to hike that trail, and how long it should take approximately. Be sure to take at least one fully charged smartphone and a powerpack in case of emergencies as well.

Relax 

Last of all, but by no means least, a fantastic activity to do as a family while camping is to relax. Indeed, there is no better place in the world to relax than in the wilderness because you are so far away from people, work, school, and all the little things that stress you out every day. 

With that in mind, what about hanging some hammocks between the trees and spending some time dozing in the sun? Alternatively, you may like to spend the time reading, or telling spooky stories around the campfire. (A great activity that helps kids develop their imagination and public speaking skills).

Although, if the weather is less than perfect you could build a pillow fort inside your tent. Then if the kids insist, you could all watch a movie on a portable DVD player or your phone while snuggled under a blanket! Add some yummy snacks like candy, chips, and popcorn if you have a gas burner and some Jiffy Pop and you can while away some happy hours altogether as a family. 

What To Wear On A Flight: Your Next Trip Sorted

by

flightPhoto by Killian Pham on Unsplash

When it comes to flying, throwing on any old outfit and hoping for the best isn’t always an ideal strategy. Sure, modern planes are super comfortable, but it’s not like you’re just taking a trip on the local bus. When you fly, you’re always on an adventure, whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure. Therefore, you need to be prepared.

Don’t worry, though, if you’ve never thought about this before. This post is here to help. In it, we take a look at some of the things you’ll need to wear on a plane to make the trip a breeze. Let’s take a look.

Plenty Of Layers

Imagine you’re flying from Lapland to Lagos. The temperature differential is enormous at any time of the year, probably over 30°C. 

That’s why it’s a good idea to pack plenty of layers. You never know when you’re going to feel cold, and when things will be absolutely baking hot. 

Beware of flight transfers. Aircraft air conditioning doesn’t always regulate the temperature perfectly, particularly if the new plane has been sitting on a hot runway for several hours before you board. 

Good items to take along with you include shawls, wraps, cardigans, and sweatshirts. If you get too hot, you can take layers off and keep them in your hand luggage. Remember, aircraft air conditioning systems can feel a little cold to some people, particularly if you are sensitive. 

Loose-Fit Clothes

Blood clots in the legs are a risk for passengers who spend a lot of time remaining absolutely still in aircraft seats for a long time. That’s why it’s a good idea to wear loose-fitting clothing. You want to ensure that you impede your circulation as little as possible.

Pay particular attention to tightness around the ankles. Ideally, these should be free from obstruction so the blood can easily travel back from the feet. 

Wear Slip-On Shoes

When you’re running to gates and trying to find your seat in narrow planes, the last thing you want to worry about is tying your shoelaces. Stooping down to tie wayward laces could actually be a hazard. 

For that reason, slip-on shoes make sense. And while they might not be the most stylish, they are certainly practical for the airport experience. 

Take A Scarf With You

Take a wide scarf with you on the plane so you have something that can transform into either a shawl or a blanket. If you sleep in your seat, you’ll notice that your body temperature drops significantly so you’ll want something to keep you warm. Choose a sweat-wicking fabric if you can, meaning no nylon. 

Slim Backpack

Look for a slim backpack for all your carry-on essentials. You want something with plenty of room for a laptop, headphones, and a shawl, but that won’t get in the way when you are trying to find your way to your seat. 

These days, there are plenty of brands offering slim backpacks exclusively for travel purposes, so take a look and see what’s available. Look for bags with pouches for the specific items you travel with. 

T-Shirt

When it comes to flying, you don’t want to wear anything too fancy. A simple Nike t-shirt will suffice. You can save all your elegant outfits and dresses for when you arrive at your destination. You want something that can cope with food being spilled on it during turbulence and you can easily wash when you arrive at your new location. 

A Warm, Neutral Outer Layer

Even if you are travelling between tropical destinations, it’s still a good idea to take a warm outer layer with you. Gates next to air conditioning vents can get pretty chilly. 

Look for something neutral that won’t make you stand out. Also, go lightweight. You don’t want to feel even more burdened than you already do. 

A Jacket With Pockets

Lastly, if you have a lot of luggage, you’ll want to take a jacket with you that has a lot of pockets. This way, you can load it up with a bunch of trinkets and avoid hand luggage weight limits. 

Just be sensible with how you load it. Fill pockets with small but heavy items that people would usually carry around with them. Don’t try to fit your laptop between the seams. Security probably won’t appreciate inventiveness like that. 

Today, there are numerous high-quality jackets on the market with plenty of external and internal pockets to choose from. Most have pockets large enough for the biggest smartphones and standard airline tickets. 

How To Ensure Your Family’s Safety When Camping

by

Camping is a great way for you and your family to escape urban life for a period. You can also learn new skills, connect with nature, reduce stress, increase physical fitness, and strengthen the family bond. While considering the excitement and education ahead, it’s advisable to take measures to ensure your family’s safety. The following tips will help keep the family and yourself safe while camping. 

1. Consider any risks around your tent

Image credit – Photo by Xue Guangjian

Irrespective of your excitement, it’s important to consider the risk around where you hammer your first tent peg. If you’re with your children, consider hammering your tent in an area not close to a river. This ensures that your children do not play around the river and end up drowning if they are not so familiar with swimming. You also want to avoid pitching your tent under a huge tree with many branches. This helps to prevent accidents such as some branches falling from the tree, especially when the area you find yourself in is windy.

2. Be informed of the weather

It’s also prudent to consider the season because the weather can be unpredictable. This will also help you to know the kind of clothes to pack, whether you need some sunglasses, thick socks, or hats, among others. That said, you can shield yourself from any unexpected situation.

3. Have first Aid equipment available

Your first aid equipment is essential when camping, as activities happen in remote locations where access to medical aid may be far away. You need fully packed first aid equipment to assist family members in case there are any emergencies successfully. Several websites help with first-aid medications, so feel free to consider them. For instance, your family member may have a cut and bleed profusely. When this happens, you need to prepare beforehand.  It is essential to have basic items such as bandages, some antiseptic cream, safety pins, disposable sterile gloves and a thermometer; preferably, a digital one is needed in your first aid box. Make sure to look through your kit and replace anything that’s missing. Consequently, you can visit site to learn how to administer CPR when needed.

4. Don’t neglect your food and water 

Image credit Photo by Clem Onojeghuo:

Knowing that you will not have access to your gas or electric cooker while camping with your family, you must take as many non-perishable foods as possible if necessary. This will save you the trouble of having less food to eat while camping. Avoid taking along raw chicken, meat, or seafood, as they require temperatures at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s also advisable to cook your fish on the day you catch it to avoid spoiling. Consequently,  avoid drinking water directly from the lake or stream. You must do well to purify any water by boiling it for at least one minute or get water purification tablets to control viruses or bacteria.

Practicing camping safety can help you enjoy your experiences. Hopefully, you’ll leverage these helpful tips for the best results. 

How Can You Cut The Costs Of Your Family Camping Trip?

by

Camping vacations are an excellent way to save money. You can either camp in a tent or stay in a caravan. The nicest part about camping is that you can prepare your food, which is inexpensive. Camping vacations are popular since they are inexpensive and allow you to do anything you want when you want. There are methods to lower costs even further if you try a few cost-cutting strategies. Here are some advice and tips for saving money when planning a camping trip this summer.

Photo by Djordje Petrovic

Stay Close To Home

You don’t have to go far to get a complete change of scenery. Swapping a long drive for an hour or two to a local beach or rural location saves money and stress, and it’s also better for the environment.

Stick To A Simple Camping Kit

There’s no need to invest in expensive equipment unless you plan on camping frequently or in harsh weather. Focus on the essentials, such as a good tent and a comfortable sleeping bag, before branching out with items you already own. Bring blankets and old pots for cooking, and never underestimate the ability of a warm pair of socks and a woolly hat at night. You should also think about packing a 18650 batteries button top so you have access to rechargeable batteries on your trip. 

Research Your Camping Equipment

Even if locating a cheap campsite is simple, you must still bring all of your equipment, which can quickly add up if you are not careful.

Before purchasing a tent, camping stove, or even a coolbox, see if any of your friends or family members have one you can borrow. People may even wish to give their equipment away permanently to make room in their garage or loft.

You may even borrow a campervan or caravan instead of purchasing one. “Many people don’t understand that you can even borrow a motorhome – a simple and cost-effective solution for those willing to try it for the first time,” explains a Pitchup spokeswoman.

Shop Out Of Season

Spring and summer are usually the most expensive periods to buy camping equipment, so if possible, wait until late summer, autumn, or even the January sales, when many stores will be selling off last year’s stock.

Signing up for email alerts from your favourite merchants will also notify you of any upcoming discount events.

Plan And Pack Ahead

Buying something at the last minute frequently means paying more for it, whether it’s a next-day delivery sleeping mat or a can opener from the corner store. Make a packing list well in advance of leaving and double-check that you have everything before departing to avoid any surprise purchases.

Take Your Food 

Eating out is part of the fun of going on vacation, but it can get pricey if you do it every day. Bringing meals from home to eat on-site will help you save money, especially if you’re just heating things on the stove or campfire rather than cooking from scratch.

Create Your Own Entertainment

Camping is more than simply a cheap vacation; it also comes with its own brand of outdoor amusement, much of which is either free or inexpensive.

On a family camping trip, a frisbee, a football, and some campfire marshmallows will go a long way – and you can even make the preparation and cooking of an outdoor dinner into a fun activity if you approach it correctly.

Do you have any other ways of cutting down the cost of your family camping trip? Please share some ideas in the comments below. 

Travelling For Work? Here’s How To Stay Safe

by

If you’ve just got a new job that requires you to travel here, there, and everywhere in order to close deals, welcome to the modern workforce! So many more people are travelling for job purposes these days, and that can mean catching flights to other countries and trains to the other side of your own. 

However, travelling for work can be just as unsafe as heading off on a solo adventure to parts unknown. Commuting on a small scale is something we’re used to, of course, but travelling on this kind of global scale can sometimes get dangerous. Who knows what situations you might run into? 


Photo by Anna Shvets

Never Travel without Insurance

This is key whenever you leave your own country to jet set off elsewhere. Without insurance, you could be liable for any number of accidents or emergencies! If you get sick or injured, or you lose something or it gets stolen, you’ll have to cough up and cover the damages. And when you’re on a work trip, travelling without insurance isn’t a good way to impress. 

Take a policy out just to be sure; you never know when you may run into trouble and a company laptop or tablet could be damaged as a result. Do your research and double-check the policy before you buy to make sure it’s a comprehensive type of cover. 

Always Connect to Protected Wifi

If you want to check something on a personal account or your company’s secured server, make sure you’re connected to wifi first of all. Using the data on your phone can be dangerous; passing confidential details across servers tends to lack encryption on 4G and above. If you’re wondering how to keep your email secure, the best starting point is a proper connection! 

However, you should also stay proactive about the wifi you connect to and how you use it. If you don’t have your own hotspot to take with you, you’re going to have to use a public version. If you’re in a hotel, this isn’t usually a problem – only paying guests have the password! But in a cafe or waiting area, it’s a different story. 

Have a Backup for Your Documents

Of course, it’s best to have a hard copy of all documents on hand whenever you’re about to travel, but what about if you lose a paper or two? What if one slips out of your pocket or it gets drenched in water from a loose top on a bottle in your bag? How will you get past the airport security gate or into your hotel without the right passes on hand? By having plenty of backups to rely on! 

Start by keeping a copy of everything on your phone. Download confirmation emails and tickets or take screenshots if that’s not an option – you shouldn’t let yourself rely on needing an internet signal here either. If it’s downloaded to the machine itself, you’ve got proof of where you need to be and when you’re allowed in. 

You could also use a portable hard drive or USB stick as storage if you’re taking your laptop with you; if you can bring it up on screen, they’ll be able to scan it! 

Double Check You’re Meeting the Right People

Most of the time people are who they say they are. However, every now and then you can run into the wrong person or accidentally be taken in by a scam. This is especially true if you’ve never seen the person before, but speaking to people face to face beforehand over Skype or Zoom is helping to eliminate that! However, if you’re really not sure, there are a couple of checks you can do. 

If you’ve got the name of the person you’re supposed to be meeting, get them to introduce themself without saying anything; you can ask what their name is, but don’t let them know you’re looking for a certain answer. Similarly, be sure to check for an ID card, or call the company they’re representing and make sure you’re in talks with the right person. Verify before going anywhere else – staying vigilant is a good way to get ahead. 

If you need to travel for work in the future, treat these trips just like any other. You’re there to be professional, and you have more guarantee over the experience you’re going to have. However, when you’re not in a meeting or attending an event, it’s up to you to put your travelling safety head-on!