Why You Should Start Sleeping Outdoors While Travelling
When visiting a new and exciting country,
it can be tempting to fly into a city, set yourself up in a hotel room and flit
from coffee shop to coffee shop. While
this is a beautiful and relaxing way to experience another place, it’s only one
way to do it. I’m an advocate of taking
your travel off the beaten track, getting outdoors and spending time with
locals (whether those locals be human, fauna or flora). Here are some of the key reasons you should
consider taking your next adventure outside.
What is hands-down the best reason to pitch
a tent? It costs next to no money. If
you invest in a decent tent, you’ll soon reap the rewards and be savings
serious dollars. Even if you’re only
camping every second night if your adventure, that frees up a lot of extra
money, which you can use to splash out on a luxury hotel suite, souvenir or
unforgettable adventure. In real money
terms, my Bergans of Norway tent set me back about £220 and accommodation in
Scotland usually cost me £60. I’ve only
got to use the tent 4 times before I’ve paid it off and every stay I do after
that is absolutely free!
2. You’ll get better pictures (no,
seriously)
Whenever I post a picture on Instagram of
my tent pitched in a scenic location, it reaps the most likes. There’s something exotic and inspiring about
pictures of a tent pitched atop a waterfall or in a forest of tall trees. Nicholas and I have a bit of a running joke
that if we don’t camp for a few days, what will we post on social media?!
Arriving in a new city and not knowing
where you’re going to sleep is an adventure in itself. Arriving in a new city, heading into the
woods or up a mountain and THEN not knowing where you’re going to sleep is its
own kind of magic. Even when the weather
turns, it’s pretty exhilarating to unfurl your tent and curl up listening to
the rain.
4. You’ll get up close and
personal with nature
Does the thought of opening your door and
spotting a wild stag fill you with excitement? Have you ever dreamt of waking
up to the calls of hundreds of wild starlings flying overhead? These things actually happened while I was
travelling through the Scottish Highlands!
Obviously some places will require you to exercise a bit more caution –
you don’t want to come across a grizzly bear!
If you do your research, you’ll be perfectly safe.
5. It’s good for you! (and the
environment)
There’s no better way to justify gorging
yourself on locally-sourced treats than a mini-trek up a mountain! Getting some fresh air does wonders for your
lungs, your skin and your mind. If
that’s not enough to get you inspired, you can be assured you’re doing good for
the planet too. Skipping a night in a
hotel means you’re reducing the carbon emissions, waste and water that would’ve
been used to service the linen you only used for one night. It’s a win-win!
6. It makes for some excellent
memories
If you’ve ever huddled up around a campfire
and let sweets caramelise or lay cosied up in a warm tent while a storm raged
outside, you’ll know what I mean! I feel
like camping in school gave me the wrong idea about pitching a tent and
sleeping in nature…. If your destination allows it, bring some matches, collect
some dry wood and cook yourself up a delicious dinner. I like to bring along a book of short stories
or folk tales (relevant to the area if possible) and read as the sun goes down.
Spending a night in the wilderness is an
unforgettable experience, and it allows you to experience a country in an
entirely new way. Many Scandinavian
countries are exceptionally safe and have fantastic access laws, enabling you
to wild camp almost anywhere. Consider
that these are some of the most expensive destinations and you’ve got an
exceptionally scenic budget trip on your hands!
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