In Namibia, we love the outdoors and camping right? It's an adventure. Sometimes, camping can be a hassle, especially in remote spots. (somewhere in the wilderness)
I have compiled a list of camping tips and tricks to make your life easier.
The first tip to enjoying your camping trip is to be organized. A checklist has never hurt anyone. We know you are the expert when it comes to packing your 4x4 but wouldn’t it save you time to have a checklist? (Rather than walking up and down for hours trying to think what you have forgotten?)
Essential packing for essential camping
Every camper should have Tinfoil. It comes in handy for almost anything. Use it to cook vegetables or as a plate substitute. Wrap dirty utensils in the foil on the last day, to wash at home. In colder conditions, line the inside of your shoes to keep your feet nice and warm. On very warm days, make sure your ice lasts much longer by lining the inside of your cooler box with tin foil. Cover all the items once everything is packed inside.
For your fishing gear, tinfoil comes in handy to separate hooks. Line your fishing gear box with tin foil, it will prevent rust build up.
When you get a bit bored you can use tin foil as masks and scare your neighbour. (Always a great way to get a laugh but make sure he doesn’t sleep with a bowling bat)
Something to have various sizes and shapes of are Ziplock bags. These nifty locking plastic wonders can be used to make omelettes or as a jug substitute. Be sure it is tightly sealed. You don’t want a collection of breakfast ingredients splashed all over yourself or the ''just cleaned'' utensils.
Now I have your curiosity tickled. How on earth do you make ziplock omelettes? It's easy.
Ziplock Omelettes
Boil water in a pot on the fire.
Ingredients - (Per serving)
Add all the ingredients to the Ziplock bag (medium sized)
Do the hippy shake to mix (make sure the bag is sealed) and gently squeeze the air out of the bag.
Put the bag in the boiling water for 3 minutes, making sure the ingredients are nicely spread out at the bottom. If it leans to the side too much, your omelette will look like a yellow blob.
Take out of the water, slide onto your plate, garnish with parsley and enjoy.
More Ziplock tips : They are great to separate your toiletries. We all know a wet bar of soap is like a wet dog. You don’t want to touch it. Prevent the soap from clinging to everything after your shower, by placing it in its own bag. (This does not apply to dogs.)
Duct tape: A great emergency quick repair item. It can be used to patch tents, mend poles and patch torn shoes.
Kitchen Cleverness
Let's take a peak at meals and dishes. Plan your weekend by doing some precooking preparation at home, it will be much easier at the campsite. Precook rice and warm it up over the fire. For potato salad: cook and cut the potatoes in pieces at home. At the campsite simply add your spices and other ingredients.
A fab way to get corn cobs cooked in the bushveld is with an empty cooler box. Oh yes, I am serious. Simply fill the cooler box halfway with boiling water, add the corn cobs, close the lid and 30 minutes later they are freshly cooked. That's how you improvise.
Bread on a stick recipe: (Makes 8 stick breads)
Combine the dry ingredients; add the oil and enough lukewarm water to form dough. Knead until its smooth, elastic and doesn’t stick to your fingers. Place it in a greased bowl, covered with cling wrap. Leave it in a warm spot to rise till the dough has doubled in volume.
Roll out the dough on a surface sprinkled with flour and cut into strips. Get the kids to help roll the strips onto a stick with a diameter of about 4 cm stick. If I may give you advice - wash the sticks first.
Braai until golden brown and enjoy with butter and jam. Mouth-wateringly lovely.
Gondwana Collection Campsites. Click on the images to visit the website
Be sure to catch part 2 of "Camping Tips for Namibia".
Happy Camping!
Compiled by:
Jessica Schoombee is a local freelance writer. She is an eccentric young lady who has a love affair with writing. Get on board her journey of discovery.
