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Just wondered how much time you find you put into getting ready and car packed to go for a weekend trip?

Although I've not managed to note exactly how much time is spent on it as it is maybe in parts ie getting clothes packed the day before, but I do know it is hours and I think what is that all about!! I guess it'll get quicker with practice and we do have things in crates that just go straight in the car, and all our camping gear is together, but it still takes ages. This week most of the gear is still in the car, from last weekend, as we thought what's the point of unloading just to pack again. It'll still need to be taken out and packed properly as some stuff had to come out, like the crate with some perishable food in it, but at least we're not having to haul down from the loft.

Off to get started for trip tomorrow.........

Exciting isnt it lol.

Pobably take about a hour for us to take everything down to the car from various places in the house. Then about a hour to pack it up.

Thats not including the time i spend washing & vacing the car out before all the above is done. (like to have a clean & tidy car car before we go, does anyone else?)

Hope you enjoy your weekend..

About 30min from scratch, however, I am only packing for one plus a dog!

DK

It takes longer to get it all down from the loft than it does to load and pack. I'd guess about 2-3 hours in total, but then I don't really do it all in one hit.

All the bits of kit live in their 2 crates and is sorted and cleaned before being put away, so that's easy. It's just the big stuff, tent, stove and so on that takes a bit of tiome. I usually get all the blankets out a couple of days before, iron and pack clothes as they turn up the preceding week, then on the day it's just food, pillows from the bed, dog stuff and we're away.

I usually go shopping the evening before to pick up food and things I intend taking...milk, bread, and not forgetting the beer of course. I would be going shopping anyway at some time over the weekend so perhaps that bit can't be included as 'time spent packing'.

Then the evening before I pack my bag with all the clothes and bits and pieces, get out my sleeping bag to give it an airing, and gather everything together ready for an early start the next day.

Then the next day I have to load everything into the car. Now living in a first floor flat that means up and down the stairs more times than I have counted, and then gathering the main bits from the shed etc. It probably takes a good hour to pack the car.

I did buy a caravan once, one reason being that I could keep everything in it and have no packing to do, but it doesn't work out like that because you can't keep clothes in it and anything that could attract mice or insects so I found myself emptying most of the stuff from the caravan before putting it into storage and this also takes time.

I really don't find camping a relaxing break at all...it's blooming hard work at times! The most relaxing breaks I have had were in B&B's where I just grab a bag of clothes and go, but camping is cheaper and needs must.

Spend a couple of hours the night before packing clothes and preping food... The trailer is already loaded with the rest of our stuff so we can just hitch up and go.

It used to be a right faff before we had the trailer, getting all the gear out of storage and stuffing the car right to the brim!!!

Quote: Originally posted by dk168 on 22/7/2010

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About 30min from scratch, however, I am only packing for one plus a dog!

DK

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When I said from scratch, it meant from the point of loading the car and roof box.

If I take the roof box, it normally gets put onto the car 1 or 2 nights in advance, and I would load it up if it is still bright enough to see what I am doing.

As for food planning, that could be done as much as a month in advance, as I prepare them, like marinade them etc., and then pack them in single portion vacuum packs before sticking them in the freezer. I just need to pick a variety sufficient to cover the duration of the trip before I leave.

I find camping relaxing, as I tend not to do anything except to eat, read, surf the net, and walk the dog once I have set up camp!

And I get up and go to bed whenever I like, without the contraint of restaurant opening times - that's one thing I do not like about staying at hotels that includes breakfast as it means having to get up early when I feel like having a lie in!

DK