When my daughter goes to camp, she knows I’ll be asking her 100 questions when she comes home. This past summer she was gone for an entire month and I’m certain my questions numbered over 100.

Prior to digital cameras being so popular, I always would buy many disposable cameras so that she was able to capture photos of everything she did and everywhere she went. Even today, in the age of digital photography a disposable underwater camera is a wonderful investment.

We discovered the camp my daughter attended this past summer through her attending a one week program earlier in the year. When she attended the one week program the camp gave the kids their summer camp information. We saved those brochures for the beginning of her camp scrapbook.

As the months progressed, we began getting both postal mail and email from the camp about the summer ahead. We saved all of those communications so they could be copied onto acid free paper.

Each week my daughter was gone, the camp leader sent parents an email update of what the kids had done that week. There were also photos added to the camp website that parents could download. On my end, I was saving all of this for inclusion in the summer camp scrapbook.

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Last minute travel is a new trend that is cheap, surprisingly convenient, even fun.

Not only more thrilling and adventurous, it can also be a great way to surprise someone.

Whether you’re hopping the 49th parallel for the weekend or want to –?live by the seat of your pants’, booking last minute travel is exhilarating and fun (of course, provided you have an understanding boss who lets you take off with a couple days notice or as much as two weeks notice)

The proliferation of web sites dedicated to last minute travel shows just how widespread this form of travel has become.

The online arena is a global marketplace of time-sensitive, just released travel and entertainment offers, and there are usually terrific last minute deals available.

You can check the airlines website, or major travel booking sites to look for the best deals for yourself.

Taking the time to find the best deal that you can from last minute travel is definitely worth it.

The enhanced accessibility of last minute specials via the Internet as well as low prices on last minute travel makes it easier than ever.

One way to book last minute travel is to join a last minute club.

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Start a camp fire in the rain? Read how this can possibly be achieved.

Fire needs 3 elements to survive: Fuel, Air, and Heat. This is known as the “Combustion Triangle”. Deprive a fire of any one of the elements and it dies. Water does two things; it deprives a fire of oxygen and it cools the temperature to below the combustion point of the fuel being used.

Our job is to create a campfire when everything in the environment appears to be wet. Notice that the operative word is “APPEARS”. Even after a rainstorm there is tinder and firewood that is dry. Knowing where to look and what to look for are the keys to success.

Let’s start with tinder. Look around your site for fir trees. The smaller lower branches that have died as a result of being denied sunlight by the larger upper branches are the first choice. The same branches that shielded these dead branches from sunlight have probably shielded them from the rain. These smaller branches are usually dry and will break off in your fingers. Collect a good amount of these. Take a little extra time to fray and shred these with your knife or fingers. Also look for dry grass under these trees. Look for birch trees as the bark is impregnated with oil and will not absorb moisture. Bird nests and wasp nests (unoccupied of course) are also good sources of tinder. The wasp nests look like brown golf balls and the unoccupied ones are usually found on the ground. The bird nests are a little trickier and you will have to look for them. Also you can use a piece of cloth from a shirt or other article of clothing if necessary. Do not overlook the contents of your wallet. All those useless business cards burn very nicely.

The next step is kindling. Look for trees known as “Dead Falls”. These are trees that have fallen and are now in various stages of decay. Locate one that has been down for a while. Strip off the outer bark and cut chunks out of the rotting trunk. This will burn fast, so gather as much as you can. The larger branches can also be stripped of bark and the wood below used. Do not forget to look under and around these “Dead Falls” for wood that has been protected from the moisture.

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If you are going out on an extensive backpacking trip, then you will have to carefully consider your food provisions. Food and water are essential aspects of staying energized on a backpacking trip, so understanding the best ways to prepare and pack food can really help you plan a good menu.

Weight is always a concern with backpacking food, since you’ll be carrying everything on your back. You should try to bring food that is lightweight, durable, and easy to cook out in the wild.

Some backpackers like to cook elaborate meals with fresh ingredients, particularly on short trips, while others carry the gear and take the time to catch fish or hunt small game for food. However, especially for long expeditions, most backpackers’ food criteria are more or less the same: high energy content (particularly protein), with long shelf life, and low mass and volume.

Ordinary household foods brought on backpacking trips include cheese, bread, sausage, fruit, peanut butter, and pasta. Popular foods for snacks include trail mix, easily prepared at home; convenient and nutritious energy bars; and chocolate and other forms of candy, which provide quick energy and flavor. Traditional outdoor food includes dried foods like jerky or pemmican, and also products like oatmeal (which can also be consumed raw in emergency situations).

Another common variety of special backpacking food is freeze-dried food, which can be quickly reconstituted by adding hot water. One kind of special food is Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE), which originated from the United States military. They make excellent food for several reasons; they do not need to be rehydrated nor heated or cooked in any manner. They are very durably packaged. A single MRE contains a full meal, complete with snack and desert, and they offer a great deal of variety in each meal.

To make certain water is safe to drink you should filter it and add a water treatment to it. Iodine tablets are popular because they are easy to use, but they can result in the water having a weird taste. A solution to the taste problem is to add sugar free drink mix to the water. If you need to filter water due to debris it has in it, you can use cheesecloth. You could use a clean bandanna for a makeshift filter.

You should always consider the nature of the trip when you choose your backpacking food. Hot meals are much more important in cold climates, for example. Food and water are your main energy source, and if you are not eating right and getting plenty to drink, it can have a severe negative effect on your backpacking adventures.

Source : http://www.backpackhikingtips.com/