Many of us enjoy getting away from it all. Pitching a tent in the woods or on a campground next to a roaring fire ready for roasting our dinner on a stick sounds perfect at times.

If you ever dreamed of spending nights under starry skies and surrounded by the sounds of birds and other wildlife, then you have got to go camping! There are some things to keep in mind, though. Read on for some practical tips for your first camping trip.

Caution and Safety are Top Concerns

First, check the lay of the land. Mark your area so you’ll know how to get back when you find yourself wandering from the site. Identify places where dry streambeds or runoffs are.

These areas should be avoided; you’ll never be certain when a flash rain will come and cause those pathways to flow once again with water.

Furthermore, you should check the kinds of plants and animals living in the area. Watch out for dangerous animals or poisonous plants.

Most of the official campsites have protective barriers constructed around them and they have employees trained in medical rescue as well as in acting as guides to hiking groups. For added security, you should bring your own medical kit, too.

The Rules of Camping

Being a good camper means being responsible for your environment and respecting the wildlife. Remember the Seven C’s of camping whenever you go out into the wild.

Show that you CARE for others

Always show consideration for others. A campsite is not one of the most comfortable places, and feelings of discomfort borne out of your unfamiliarity with the place are further increased by the forced grouping of campers in small zones.

Reaching out to others in your group will make your camping trip less uncomfortable and more fun.

Always practice CAUTION using hazardous equipment and materials

Always be cautious whenever you use knives or when you start a fire. Never leave your fire unattended. Some campsites use kerosene to build a fire quickly. Be careful in handling fuel and flammable materials. Lastly, keep the bonfire away from the tents, which easily burn when they catch fire.

Another thing: Always be on alert for wild animals coming into your camp site. They may be attracted by the smell of cooked meat and they thought you’d be willing to share. However, when they find out the humans weren’t willing to share their food, the animals become wild.

Mountain bears are the most common campsite visitors, but wild dogs, raccoons, squirrels and some birds also like to drop in and pick up some savory bits.

Make a habit out of showing COURTESY to everyone at camp

Just like showing consideration and care for others in your camp, you should also show courtesy to everyone. Good manners can go a long way in introducing you to interesting people. Most often, a person’s appearance isn’t an indication of his or her whole personality. Who knows? You might learn a thing or two about camping from experienced campers.

Aside from people, all campers should also be considerate when they bring their pets along to camp. The wild beauty can be simply breathtaking, but pets might not be safe or comfortable being there. Make sure they do not wander away or cause trouble for the other campers.

Observe CLEANLINESS at camp and wherever you go. Never leave anything behind

The cleanliness of the camp is very much important not only to the owner, manager, and staff, but also to the next group of campers coming after yours. It’s alright to bring junk food, candies and canned goods, but leaving their empty wrappers and containers behind only cause pollution to the environment. Observing cleanliness at camp also means you show respect towards nature.

Appreciate the value of COOPERATION with others at camp

Because you’ll be spending the whole weekend with stranger in a place that’s not your normal abode, cooperation between all members of your camp is vital, especially when climbing up steep hiking trails where reaching out to pull up a fellow camper is very much appreciated.

Through cooperation, peace is maintained within the group and order is established as campers follow the camp’s rules.

Save the environment through CONSERVATION

A camping trip is a great opportunity to contribute to the global conservation effort in protecting Earth’s natural resources from destruction. While camping, make an effort to consume enough food and water for yourself during your stay. If you are using the campsite’s water supply, then be careful in using too much. In case, there’s no water supply at the site, then the next best thing to do is find a small stream for washing and a source of fresh spring water for drinking.

Finally, never leave behind your COMMON SENSE when you travel

Often, we’d hear people’s sentiments about common sense not being common at all these days. However, this innate ability of humans to evaluate a situation and decide on a course of action based on reason will most likely become your strongest ally when you spend a couple of nights in the presence of Mother Nature.

Must Have Supplies

To enjoy these little breaks from reality, we must first invest in some camping supplies to make sure that our outdoor adventure, is a great one.

These days you can get almost any gadget you can think of for roughing it in the outdoors. Standar camping supplies range from 1-10 person tents, to showers we hang from a tree branch. This abundance and variety may make it difficult for a new camper to choose what items are necessities versus a luxury.

Being an outdoor lover myself, I have my own beliefs in what’s necessary to make any camping trip enjoyable. Certain camping supplies include; a well-made tent that can hold up in strong wind and rain, a nice goose-down mummy bag to ensure a warm night when it’s below freezing, and a high-end lighter, which may run around 40 dollars or so. The benefit of having a good lighter is priceless in my opinion. The way they’re made now days, 80-mile an hour winds aren’t an issue.

Get a Tent!

Most experienced campers always invest in a quality tent. There are outdoor companies galore to offer such supplies. Tents nowadays hold up well in storms and bad weather conditions, depending on what you’re willing to spend.

Must have Sleeping Bag

Some of the more popular camping supplies concern cooking and sleeping. and we all want to get a goodnight’s sleep. Sleeping bags can run from 30-300 dollars, depending on your preference and need. Online sites like Amazon.com offer a great variety of bags to fit anyone’s price range. Other numerous websites offer plenty as well. It all depends on what you’re looking for.

Cooking and Food

After all, no one wants to be deprived of a well-cooked meal while lounging away from home,

When packing food for a camping trip, you should always pack extra, just in case; especially if you are camping in a deserted area that may contain roaming wildlife. Remember to always store away all food, if possible, in coolers where it doesn’t smell. You don’t want animals to come looking in the middle of the night. All in all, camping supplies generally depend on the need and comfort levels of the camper. We all prefer different things and have things we can’t live without. Whatever your wish list may consist of, you won’t have any trouble finding it online.