Your first few Camping Trips have two possible outcomes... They can be relaxing and fun OR they can Be A Nightmare ending in desire never to try again....

The Beginner's Guide To Getting You Started With Comfortable Tent Camping In 12 Easy Affordable Steps"

Beginner Camping Tips

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Now, I quickly learnt whilst preparing (more mentally than physically) for my first trip that tents are not just tents.

It seems that tents come in all shapes and sizes and for some ... size really does matter.

As soon as I acquiesced, and a date for our "adventure" was set, we set off in search for a tent that this city girl would be comfortable in for more that an hour or two. What a surprise I got when we walked into the camping shop and I stood in front of a plethora of tents differing in size, shape and colour. I had no idea that I was going to be asked to choose between 1, 2, or 3 rooms mansions.

Lucky for me I went prepared. It is amazing how knowledgeable you can look when you google a word or two before setting out on a shopping trip.

Here is some of what I learnt in my search for the perfect tent.

The first and foremost function of a tent is to protect you and your family and the first thing you need to do is decide the size of the camping tent that you need.

In the market you will find the tents with labels telling their capacity, or for how many campers it is made. Think carefully and decide cleverly on the biggest number of people that you may end up sharing your tent with. It is much better to have too much room than not enough.

Basically every camping tent consists of four components. They include: tent body, the poles, the tarp and the rain fly. The tarp is basically a material that you put down first on the ground which helps to protect your tent floor longer.

Tips to choosing camping tents based on your needs:

Just think what you require. Before going to purchase, consider the below factors:

* Your camping place or spot (beach, flat grass, rocky terrain)
* The season (now as far as I am concerned, if it is winter, he camps on his own)
* Whether you will be backpacking or not

Also consider if you have any other requirements and then decide the type of camping tent that you need.

Your budget is going to play a large part in your decision as well. There are some fantastic budget priced tents on the market which is opening up camping to a greater range of people these days.

Decide your budget and how much you are going to spend on your tent. Once you have decided your budget need to stick to it.

* Decide on the size and weight of the tent. Again, there are may choices
* If you want to go backpacking then it is better to spend the extra and invest in a lightweight camping tent.

Select a durable fabric tent. Check what sort of light filters into the tent and how the shade flaps spread out. Shade will be important to you once you pitch your tent. Some colors make the interior of the camping tents brighter, whereas some colors make it dim and gloomy.

If you are planning for a summer camp, it is better to choose light color tents. For cold seasons, pick dark colored camping tents, as they absorb the heat from the sun and keep the interior of the tent warm.

Some popular tent brands include: Spinifex, Kookaburra and Coleman. This is now way all the brands, just the ones that we focused on in our search for a tent to keep me toasty warm and dry.

So, think carefully and choose wisely while you are buying a tent. Just remember that the tent you chose will be your home away from home and that there are no changing minds once you are out in the middle of nowhere and you find that you cant stand up in your tent.

THE ULTIMATE CAMPFIRE KITCHEN & CAMPING GUIDE is more than just a cook book. It contains two important sections:

One section helps you plan ahead for your camping trip to ensure each trip is a success.

The other is jam packed with 580 delicious and easy camping recipes. Everything from breakfast to dessert is covered in this book. These recipes are so great that you will want to use them when entertaining in the back yard too.

There are even two day and five day sample menus and food ideas for backpackers!

This is a great recipe but make sure that fires are permitted before setting out to make this damper.

1kg Self Raising Flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons sugar

Milk (alternatively you can use half cup full cream milk powder)

Mix all dry ingredients together and then add milk (water if you are using powdered milk) a bit at a time until doughy consistency. Dust with flour & wrap in aluminium foil loosely and place on wire rack in camp oven. Push hot coals to one side of the fire and place camp oven on top of hot coals. Put some hot coals on the lid as well. Replace the coals after - 20 minutes. Ready in approx 40 minutes (depends on heat from the coals and size of damper)

Place the trout in a large piece of aluminum foil and season it with salt, pepper and lemon. Place a thick slice of onion on top. Wrap the trout up in the foil and place it on some hot coals in the campfire. Be careful not to put the trout directly over the fire.

Check it in about 10 minutes and put it back for a few if you need to. Cook the trout until the meat is white and flakes easily.

Its at easy as that and tastes superb

Each year, millions of campers head out to campgrounds or other designated camping areas.

Unfortunately, not everyone is able to enjoy this type of camping. For many people with small children, any camping trip can soon turn into a logistical nightmare.

Instead, many families opt for a backyard campout. There are many benefits to this style of camping not the least being that "mum" can retain what sanity still remains after chasing the "rug rats" all day. By being close to home in case of emergencies, mums mind can rest easy and she can actually relax and enjoy the campout as well. Despite the closeness to your home, you may want to avoid actually using the home during the outing as much as possible. This can help to make your backyard camping experience seem more real.

To prevent your backyard campout from being interrupted, due to multiple trips inside the house, you should devise a plan. Your plan should not only include camping equipment, but toys, snacks, food, and drinks. The best way to develop this plan is to pretend that you aren't camping in your own backyard. By imagining that you will not have access to your home, you can better develop a camping plan.

When it comes to camping, whether it be backyard camping or not, one of the first things that you need to consider is your sleeping materials. Many campers use tents, while others use nothing, but a blanket. If you are planning on sleeping in a tent, you will want to make sure that your tent has all of the needed pieces and equipment. It may also be a good idea to setup your tent in advance. This may help to ensure that you can repair your tent or purchase a replacement, if needed.

If you are interested in sleeping under the stars, instead of using a tent, you will want to keep a close eye on the weather. Despite the fact that you will be camping in your own backyard, you will still want to make sure the weather is appropriate for sleeping without a tent. Regardless of whether or not you are sleeping with a tent, you will need a sleeping bag or blanket. Additional sleeping equipment may include pillows or an air mattress. In the event that you do not have these supplies, you can purchase them from most sports stores or department stores.

After you have decided how and where you will sleep, you will then want to prepare for other aspects of your backyard campout. What many campers enjoy about camping is eating outdoors. If you wish, you may also want to incorporate a backyard barbeque into your camping adventure. Simply by moving your cooking grill near your other camping supplies, you should be able to create the illusion of a campground. The type of food you cook should all depend on your preference and the preference of the other campers. If a backyard cookout is not possible, a pre-made picnic can be used as an alternative.

In addition to a full dinner meal, you may also want to think about having snacks on hand. There are a large number of snacks that are ideal for campers. These snacks may include, dry fruit, chips, pretzels, cookies, and other dry foods. Although it may be easier to keep your food, drinks, and snacks inside your home, you may want to store them in outside ice coolers. This will not only help to keep your food fresh, but it may also reduce the number of camping interruptions.

Finally, depending on the length of your backyard campout, you may want to consider brining along outdoor toys. These toys may include water guns, water balloons, a ball, a Frisbee or other similar items. Even if these items do not get used, they are still nice to have on hand. At times, even in your own backyard, camping can be a little boring. Having a fairly large selection of outdoor activities to choose from will help to ensure that boredom is a thing of camping past.