CAMPING ESSENTIALS LIST

So you have got your tent, rucksack, sleeping bags and outdoor gear? But what else are you going to need on your camping trip?

If your a first time camper there is alot more stuff you will need than you think.

Most the time you don't realise you need something until you start cooking or preparing etc.

Below is a simple list as a guide for you to follow. Of course you can add or take away things as appropriate to your situation and party numbers.

* Aluminium Cutlery, plates and bowls (Lighter to carry and easy to clean)
* Metal Pots and Pans
* Insulated plastic mug with lid (to keep your drinks warm and cold
* Thermos flask (to keep food warm or cold the same)
* Washing up bowl, washing up liquid**, dishcloths and a scourer*

** If using a lake or river to wash up use biodegradable soap instead, as washing up liquid will pollute the water.

* Portable Grill. Or if cooking over an open fire take long handled cutlery to stir
* Matches
* Tin foil (for steaming vegetables or baked potatoes). Also good for wrapping up fresh fish if you intend on catching some.
* Small containers of olive oil and other condiments
* Containers with your food your going to cook
* Bottle and tin Openers
* Oven Gloves

MOTION SICKNESS TRAVEL PATCH

Many of us suffer from travel sickness, but some people have found that natural remedies and wrist bands just don't work for them.

There is a patch called Transderm scop travel patch that looks like a plaster, which you simply put behind your ear.

The way the patch works is it helps prevent nausea and actual vomiting that would usually come from being Motion Sick.

The patches work for 3 days (or 72 hours). All you do is apply it 4 hours before you are due to travel

Unfortunately though you cant just buy these over the counter. You will need a prescription and have to be 18 years old at least.

There may be other reasons your doctor wont prescribe them such as any existing medical conditions you may have like Glaucoma, allergies or bladder problems.

As with all prescriptions that are some side effects. Typical ones include drowsiness, blurred vision or dry mouth.

But if you are considering this your doctor will be able to provide you with more information about it.

BIG BEN CLOCK TOWER, LONDON, ENGLAND

This is the Big Ben clock tower, that is famous worldwide for it's impeccable time.

On new years eve i always watch Big Ben on TV, and watch the clock chime at midnight, and have done for years!

It's become a tradition for Londoners and tourist travelling from afar to gather round the clock for the celebrations. It looks amazing at night lit up (see picture below)

Big Ben became operational on 7th September 1859. It's a famous symbol of Parliament to remember the end of World War 1.

The bell inside the tower weighs 14 tons, and the clock is named after the man who ordered the bell called Sir Benjamin Hall.

The clock has 4 faces, and has an Latin inscription on the base meaning, 'Lord save our Queen Victoria I'

You can see Big Ben from many different parts of London. It's a really interesting Tourist Attraction that's full of history, and hopefully many more years to come too.

MANCHESTER TRAVEL GUIDE

One of the United Kingdom's most popular cities to visit is Manchester.

Whether it be for it's premiership football stadium, art scenes, landmarks or other popular tourist attractions like the Soap Opera Coronation Street film set.

Many have dubbed Manchester as 'England’s second city'

But if you want to see what Manchester is all about yourself, you should have a look at the choosemanchester. com site, and see the 'About' section, where you can find out all about Manchester.

Here you can see what history the city carries, even from the point where the Romans settled there in 79AD and stayed for centuries.

There is also a nice travel guide on there, that tells you all the best places to visit in the day, and if you stay how to spend your evenings there too.

If you do intend on staying overnight you can get some good Manchester Hotels with decent rates off the site too.

You can easily do a quick search with your date of arrival, departure, number of party etc, and this will then match you up to suitable hotels in the area.

If your travelling from afar there are even searches for flights or car hire information. You really have got everything you need in one place.

DESIGNER LUGGAGE

Your all set to go on your holiday. You have got all your clothes, accessories and travel immunisations sorted out. But have you got some decent luggage bags?

If you can afford it, you can get some really good quality designer luggage from the Louis Vuitton site

The materials in designer luggage are very high quality like this Pegase 50 edition bag in my picture, that is made from Monogram Vernis leather.

This particular bag is ideal as cabin luggage.

These type of bags are likely to last you for years, and are less likely to get damaged in transit or fall apart on you on the luggage conveyor belt!

DEATH VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Pictured here: Flowers appear after laying dormant for years due to a rare wet spring

Death Valley National Park is based in California. It is well known for its dry lands, that only get 2 inches of rain every year.

With Suerra Nevada mountains being less than 50 miles east away, the moisture that comes from the Pacific Ocean gets taken by the upper elevations there, meaning hardly any moisture reaches Death Valley.

This is shocking seeing as Death Valley is 100 miles long and nearly 6-15 miles wide.

With land as dry as this, and it being secluded by high mountain ridges and cooling breezes you can imagine how hot it must be.

In July/August temperatures reach a massive 130° F/ 50° C and 100 degrees/38 C at nigh time.

The Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells

If you ever wonder where the name Death Valley comes from, it was back in 1849 when a wagon train full of overland immigrants headed for California. Instead they became lost in the valley for weeks.

They ended up burning their wagons and cooking their Oxen to survive. One person didn't make it, but when they finally managed to get out a women was heard saying 'Goodbye Death Valley' and the name stuck from there.

Related blog post of interest:

Big Ben Clock Tower, London