Hotels...or Camping?

Holidays. We’ve all been on them, and have had the opportunity to stay in a hotel/motel during the stay. They have all of today’s modern amenities: clean running water, toilets, showers/baths, sinks, fridges, televisions, and huge, ridiculously comfortable beds. Food in the form of grocery stores and restaurants is never far away. Pretty much a home away from home, right?

What about the other option, camping? Things are not nearly as accessible (or comfortable, in some people’s opinion). But, is it more fulfilling?

In the past two weeks I have spent more nights in a hotel or a campsite than I have my own bed. In both Montreal, Quebec, and Hartford, Connecticut I spent the night in hotels, both happen to be of the Holiday Inn chain. In between those two weekends I camped in Algonquin Park. I figured it would be a good idea to compare to two very different excursions.

Hotels. They’re pricey, needless to say. You’re confined to a small room with up to three other people, who, by the end of the stay, you may or may not want to murder (if you haven’t already). You have to fight over a single bathroom, so you better have a half-decent schedule set up if you want to be out of the room by a specific time. Having a television is great; you can keep up-to-date on shows that you just simply CAN NOT miss. Me, for instance, was able to watch The Bachelorette while in Montreal, to Dadda and Grandpa Heidi’s dismay. On the other hand, they could have left the room and gone swimming, or even the fitness center for arguments sake. But no, they decided to stay in the room and harp about how terrible the show is, as if I had somehow sealed the door closed to forcefully put them into misery. But, on the upside, there is generally a pool or hot tub around, which is always nice!

Camping. Now, that’s an adventure in every way possible. Personally, I love camping and wish I could do it a lot more often than I have done in the past few years. Maybe it’s the “getting back to nature” aspect, where cell phones fail to work for the textaholic, and where MSN and the overly addicting Facebook seem so obsolete that it makes you happy. During this time, you are just with the friends that you have with you, and noone else. It seems to bring in an entirely new atmosphere. While camping, the tent that you use is usually only used when one wants to catch some Z’s (although, with my friends, nocturnalness is the norm). You’re not confined to a tiny space, as the campground is large with different attractions such as beaches and trails. At night, the campfire is always going, and if someone plays guitar it makes for the perfect setting.

The downside, obviously, is the washing facilities, but it’s a part of camping you really can’t avoid. It doesn’t bother me like it does some people. Then again, this is coming from a girl who spent a month in the Arctic without ANY running water, showers, or toilets. Go ahead, let your mind wander…I’ve heard it all. Needless to say, camping is a luxury compared to that. However, some places are starting to get better. Where we stayed in Algonquin, a one million dollar “Comfort Station” that has clean bathrooms and showers with heated floors was installed. It’s pretty crazy. Really, the “downs” of camping are starting to become far and few between. Those pesky mosquitoes, though, I could without. Should have killed that species off when there was only two of them. But, again there is a cure for that – heavy duty bug spray! I find Off Deepwoods works wonders!

The things that you can do while camping is often a lot more economical than staying in a hotel. While camping, you pack your food in a huge freezer, and hope it holds ice long enough to keep the drinks cold and burgers semi-frozen. While you’re hotelling you might as well make sure your credit card can hold up to three meals a day at a place to eat, unless you have a kitchenette.

For me, I clearly prefer camping. There’s nothing that beats being outside in the gorgeous weather (or not so gorgeous, if we’re talking about the current summer) with some special friends to just chill out and forget about the crazy city life back home.

Have fun on your summer excursions! Make the best of it, there are only a few months left, and even fewer nice days!

Ciao,
Heidi.