P&PS

I'm going camping next week, for the entire week and because of this excitement I'm making lists.  Lots of lists.  So here's one entitled 'Things To Do After Throwing Your Phone in the Lake': Hike/Walk Explore (including local flora/fauna) Swim Beachcomb Stargaze Sleep Nap (on the beach, in the grass, in  the tent in the middle of the day) Meditate (in all the above places) Read books (limiting myself to one bag and therefore two books... Outlander and something else that's long) Play cards (spit, spoons, war, solitaire) Arts and crafts (mostly knitting, maybe some hand sewing, or knotted bracelets of some sort) Cook campfire food (hot dogs and marshmallows) Take photos Write (letters, blog posts, journal entries, and stories) Talk with friends/tell stories Expect photos and tales of giant mosquitoes when I return.

Having spent quite a bit of time in hostels and hotels lately I thought I would but together a list of some of the most helpful tips I've discovered.  If there's something I should add, feel free to let me know. • You're going to want earplugs and a sleep mask.  You may think you sleep through everything but there's always going to be someone that gets up earlier than you or goes to bed later than you.  There's always going to be that one person that gets up in the middle of the night or the bathroom across the hall with the really loud hand dryers.  You might end up with the bunk next to the east-facing window or the one directly under the overhead light. • Even if you're travelling within your own country you're going to want one of those gadgets that split to allow you to plug more than one item into a socket at a time.  Power outlets are at a premium in most hostels.  If you're travelling internationally make sure you have at least one adapter...