Camping With the Family

There are different reasons that lead families to decide to go on camping trips. Most people consider camping to be a simple, affordable, healthy and pleasurable way to vacation with their families. It also helps them to get away from the business of life in urban areas and to provide an extraordinary experience for their children.

Should you be considering a family camping vacation this summer season, here are some tips on how to plan your trip:

1. In case you have young kids, you might consider purchasing a tent that is roomy enough for all family members. However, if you are taking older kids, it might be smart to invest in extra individual take out tents to provide them with the feeling of self-sufficiency.

2. If it is your first camping trip with the children, it might be a good idea to have them play in their tents in your own back-yard. It may give them a feel for camping and help them get used to putting their tents up which will save you time in the actual camp out.

3. There are websites on the internet which supply thorough information on countless camping locations. Checking on them may assist you not only to determine what gear, garments, and meals to take, but also which activities to do.

4. National parks usually offer very affordable camping areas with beautiful scenery and nice amenities. Additionally, whenever looking for a camping area, it is recommended that you try to find a spot that is located in a high terrain. In case it rains, your tent and gear are not going to get water drenched.

5. Making a list of the most essential objects to take and checking them out as you pack, will help you not to forget things. Here are some suggestions:

Cooking gear: A small cooking stove and a lighter, a frying skillet and cooking pots, cooking utensils and a kitchen knife, a square plastic bucket for washing dishes, a dish rack, and the new dish soap disposable washing pads, dish towels, disposable plates and silverware, napkins, a can opener, paper towels, plastic containers with lids (for leftovers), a tea pot or a coffee pot, and a cooler with some ice in it.

Food: Take things that are easy to cook, like hot dogs, barbecue meats, pasta, and potatoes. You may want to take some canned goods, chips, and some bread, cold cuts, mayonnaise and mustard and/or peanut butter to make some nice sandwiches. Bring your own water bottles and a big jug for camp, and whatever else the family likes to drink. Some people prefer to cook their meals before hand and bring them in containers instead of cooking at camp.

Clothes: Take light-weight clothes for layering, bathing suits and towels; include a few knit tops and jackets for the night time, and rain gear (I found a light wind breaker to be excellent). It may also be a good idea to take some extra socks and hats. If you are planning on hiking, it is important to take appropriate shoes.

A first aid kit: a spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide, ointment, Afterbite, aloe vera (also good for insect bites, sunburn and skin irritations), tape, gauze, tweezers, and scissors.

Campfire: a folding standup grill for the campfire, dry kindling (to get the fire going), some way to keep your wood dry - there is nothing worse than wet wood (all the rain stopped but you cannot start your fire), a sharp axe to cut the wood, tough long grill mitts, long bbq tools, and a long lighter.

The fire is healthy. It makes you feel happy and it helps to keep the blasted mosquitoes away.

Insect Fighters: Electric fly swatters (one for each tent, and one for the kitchen). Citronella refill candles or citronella torch fluid and torches (to keep mosquitoes away from camp area), lots of insect repellant (if, like myself, you cannot bear repellants, try Skin So Soft by Avon).

Other stuff: Sleeping bags, flashlights, garbage bags, toiletries, sunscreen, an extra folding table, a map of the area, clothes line with clothes pegs, a notebook and pens (for making quick notes for "next time"), and toys for the children. Also, on our last trip, we really benefited from a large umbrella tied to the outdoor picnic table.

6. When getting to the campground, choose a nice, flat, clean area to set up your tent or tents, and use groundsheets. Read the instructions for the campsite and play by the rules. Also, enjoy nature around you and be mindful of it.

7. Learn to recognize poison ivy and what to do about it in case you get it. You can avoid it by wearing long socks around fields, peeling the socks off inside out and putting them in a plastic bag for dirty clothes.

8. If you prize your good night sleep, look for radio-free areas. There will be people who enjoy partying all night playing their radios as if you were not there.

9. At night, lock all food away in the bear safes: the raccoons and bears will come (that is my experience in the US).

10. Leave the campgrounds in better conditions than when you arrived!

I hope these tips may help you to have both a secure and an enjoyable trip. You may also want to visit some camping sites on the Internet for a more thorough list and other suggestions.

Have lots of fun!

Traveling is my passion. I have traveled often by land, sea and air. So naturally, I have much to share with you! I enjoy talking about my experiences and hope they will benefit you. Please, click here for more information.

Electric Bug Killer

Are you looking to rid your home or yard of those pesky flying bugs? Want to start enjoying the great outdoors? You need an electric bug killer.

The electric bug killer is safe for the environment. No more worrying about having to use those aerosol bug sprays and actually hitting the bug. Toss out that nasty old fly swatter. The electric bug killer attracts the bugs so you don't have to chase after them. Just let the bugs find the zapper.

The hand held models look a lot like a little tennis racket. Just wave at the flying insect with the racket and bugs are zapped instantly. They are great to take on vacation or family outings where you suspect bugs may be a problem. Since they do have a low power output, there is no need to worry about harming children or pets. Light weight and portable, just toss the hand held model in the trunk and go. These hand held models are also great to have in your kitchen where you want to avoid contamination of food or perhaps in a children's room.

The plug-in type electric bugkiller comes in 15 watt for half acre protection up to as high as 80 watts for commercial and/or industrial locations.

The rechargeable type is designed to hang directly in a tree in your back yard or place it on your patio table. They come equipped with UV light and fan to attract the insect. They can run up to six hours on a single charge.

There is a 12 volt bug zapper that you plug into your car's cigarette lighter outlet, and zap in and around your vehicle.

Prices vary, with hand-held models as low as $10 and the plug-ins from $30 up to $270. They are great money savers, since you purchase once and your done. No more wasting money buying cans of bug spray or fly traps.

Warranties vary depending on the manufacturer. You can also purchase extended warranties on some models.

Warm weather is coming and so are the bugs. Plug in your bug killer and enjoy the outdoors.

Jason really loves her home and family and lives life to the full and has been writing about her knowledge and experience. Feel free to see some of her material at Electric Bug Killer and Electric Bug Zapper.

Electric Bug Swatter - Is This Type of Bug Zapper Worth Buying?

Electric bug swatter is nothing but a hand held pest-control device. It looks very much like the tennis racket, but smaller and it is designed for quick insect killing. A brief and powerful electric shock does the trick, and when any conductive part of the insect or bug touches the device, it is killed instantly with the electric shock.

Normally, the electric bug swatter comes in similar patterns from most of the manufacturers in the market. It will have a handle consisting of batteries as well as some charging mechanism. Usually the mechanism is either a capacitor or a transformer. It connects to the electrically charged grid that is located on the head face.

The electric grid in the electric bug swatter kills the insects through electrocution. High voltage is maintained on it. When the fly comes into contact with it, a fatal shock is administered and the fly dies in result.

Since this type of bug zappers requires the grid on head face to be charged constantly, ideally, a good, reliable and rechargeable battery is the most essential element for it. Such battery will not only ensure regular power supply for working of the tools but also keep the consumption centrally under control.

Good and reliable electric bug swatter will help you eliminate the requirements of flying insects in a clean way. They will be equipped with electrified net ordinarily and should be able to kill the bug on contact making around 900-1000 volt discharges. Most good manufacturers are also providing a recharge set with the original tool as a promotional gift for the item. Above all, this device would be safer for human beings as well as the environment around.

On the market, this electric bug swatter is also recognized with many other names, such as electronic bug/fly swatter (zapper) racket, or electric fly swatter. Before buying it, it's necessary if you also learn the safety issues about this type of fly zapper.

How to Use Your Electric Bug Zapper

Zapping bugs with stationary electric devices has been a popular pest control measures for decades. If passive bug zappers aren't enough for you, you may want to opt for active bug hunting with one of the new zapping rackets. They're affordable and can actually be fun to use, making you put to use your skills and improving your eye-hand coordination.

They may look daunting at first. In fact, if you've never seen anyone use an electric fly swatter before, you may wonder just how is this odd looking tennis racket going to do its job? In the old days, rubber swatters would swish through the air and all the way to the wall, or even the table, squishing the poor bug into oblivion with the sheer force of the blow. Swish and bang and you're done... well, except for the cleaning part.

With the new electric rackets, you can't simply swat it on a hard surface like that. Bang it into the wall or unto the table too many times, and you're likely to quickly ruin the electric circuits, or even smash the plastic frame. Then again, can you really take a fly in mid-air, while it is flying around in circles, or more likely arbitrarily around the room? I know some people who can, but they really are the chosen few. For the rest of us mere mortals, it takes a technique and some preparations. Let me share my own bug zapping tips and tricks with you here.

Technique is everything here. Wait for the bug to land on a spot and carefully note its location. Slowly bring your electric swatter, placing it so that it rests on its side with the frame leaning on the surface. The net should be facing the bug, about 10 inches away. If, for example, there is a fly sitting on your table, let your racket touch the surface of the table with its plastic frame, standing vertically.

Hold down the switch, so that the light is on and the net becomes electrocuted. Now, quickly move your racket along the surface in the direction of the fly. The fly will try to get away by flying upwards, but if you're quick enough, your electric net will be sweeping over it, catching it at about 1-3 inches above the surface. The key here is to keep your racket touching the surface with the frame the whole time, for extra stability. That way, you bring the net in, sifting through the area above the bug's landing point. It works like a charm, and takes very little skill to perform.

As with everything, this technique does take some practicing. It is still much easier than trying to get the fly while it is flying around the room. What you do need it to have the bug on a flat surface, either vertical or horizontal, so that you can move the racket along that surface towards the bug. The support generated by the surface ensures a steady swift blow. If your adversary happens to be sitting at a less accessible spot, just wave around and let for it to land at an appropriate spot.

One more tip: if you can, try to chill the room for a bit before you start hunting. Insects thrive in warmth. Make the room cooler, and they are likely to become slow and sluggish, and you get the advantage.

Happy hunting everyone!

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Need an electric zapper racket? Check out my blog for the Best Electric Fly Swatter on the market. My site is full of more pest control information, with various guides: http://www.pest-control-hub.com