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We were on a C&CC site this year and a guy in front of us set up his BBQ.  Well obviously, he didn't want the smoke going into his awning and caravan so he moved the BBQ to within 6 feet of the front of our caravan. 

We quickly shut all our windows and Jeff said that if there was any justice, it would rain .... and it did.  The heavens opened and put out their BBQ. 

The annoying thing was that we were downwind (or is it upwind?) of the BBQ.  If they had put it next to their unit, they wouldn't have been affected anyway but there might have been a slight chance of the smoke and smells of going over our van instead of inside it!! 

Quote: Originally posted by TekkieAnne on 02/9/2007

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We travelled by train and bus.  (We could afford the fares in those days). 

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So did I, with my Bukta Wanderlust single pole tent. 

I first camped for my D.of .E in 1969 in a ridge tent with just ties to fasten the door (no zip), no groundsheet. Used a foam pad to sleep on, with a 38oz sleeping bag. It wasn't a camp site, just a corner of a farmers field. Used a primus to cook breakfast - it took ages, and our loo was made with a shovel

However, when I camped in the 70's, things were much better. Farm sites with a loo, basin & even a shower in a wooden shed. The tent was a canvas frame tent (no proper windows, just a mesh window with roll down canvas cover on the outside), a double burner stove which still took ages to cook a meal on, a home-made kitchen unit with 3 shelves, one of those hanging larders (bright orange of course), a black bucket outside the door for slops. Still the foam pads to sleep on & 38oz sleeping bags (although you could also get 44oz by then). Bedroom pod with SIG and a very tough PVC groundsheet for the living area.  And hey, we had a zipped door to the tent & a canopy too. Happy days  

In the old days I don't think we had such an obsession with MY pitch.  "people cutting across MY pitch"  "his windbreak strayed on to My pitch".  I suppose it's down to the (understandable) efforts of site owners to maximise profits by marking out the ground in such a regimented way.  Most sites were 'pitch where you will', most of the time you had plenty of space but if it was busy then you didn't - simple as that.  I still prefer to camp this way.

Another modern habit I find frustrating is regarding etiquette at the washing up sinks.  I don't think I'm imagining it but we all used to load the wet dishes back into the bucket/bowl and dry up at the tent. Nowadays people act as if they are at home, drying the dishes one by one from the draining board - hogging the sink for a further 5 mins and b*gg*r the queue of people behind.

Monday morning moans!