Two Preparatory Steps to Take Before Going on a Camping Trip
If you are going on a camping trip soon, here are a couple of preparatory steps you should take before you leave.
Create a first aid kit
It is absolutely essential to create a first aid kit for your trip. This kit should be filled with items that you and your camping companions might need if you start to feel ill or if you sustain an injury.
It is particularly important to create a kit of this kind if you intend to camp in a very rural, isolated area, as in this situation, it could take an hour or more to reach the nearest pharmacy or medical centre. As such, it's vital to have a few basic first aid items on hand so that you can prevent any illness or injury you develop from worsening.
Some of the things you may want to put into this kit include bandages, antiseptic cream, burn spray (if you will be lighting fires or using a portable gas stove), a cream to treat insect bites, painkillers and antihistamines.
It may also be worth including some items that will reduce the chances of you being injured or becoming ill. Things like a bottle of sunscreen with a high SPF, antibacterial hand gel and insect repellent spray can all help to prevent the most common health issues that tend to occur during camping trips, such as sunburn, food poisoning (caused by preparing food with unwashed hands) and insect bites.
Inspect your camper trailer before you leave
It's a good idea to thoroughly inspect your camper trailer at least a day or two before you intend to head off on your trip.
If you don't do this, there is a chance that you will discover a problem with your trailer after you have set off on your journey, or even after you have already arrived at the campsite. You may, for example, realise that one of the trailer tyres is flat, or that the camper trailer's awning poles are broken.
To perform the inspection, pull the tent out of the camper trailer and assemble it. This will enable you to determine if any of its components are damaged and need to be replaced. Then, check the tyres and, if necessary, top up their pressure levels
Additionally, check that the camper trailer's lights are fully functional; if the bulbs are broken or the electrical wiring is damaged, make sure to address these issues prior to leaving.
This is important for two reasons. Firstly, in many Australian states, it is illegal to take camper trailers that do not have fully functional lights onto public roads. As such, if you do this, you could end up being stopped by the police during your journey to or from the campsite.
Secondly, a camper trailer with broken lights could increase your chances of being involved in a road accident if you travel at night, as the trailer won't be visible to other road users.
