Choosing a place for a tent on a hike. Choosing a place for a tent. Large open spaces

If you have ever traveled with an overnight stay, you have come across the choice of a place to set up a tent. Unfortunately, not everyone who seeks to merge with nature knows how to set up a tent correctly. The tent is one of the main attributes and symbols of the campaign. In addition, a properly set up tent is a guarantee comfortable rest on a hike. With a properly set up tent, you can forget about bad weather, dampness, cold and condensation on the walls of the tent.

To make the rest of the savage on Seliger as much as possible comfortable you need to take with you:
a tent, preferably windproof;
an air mattress, which is much more comfortable to sleep on than in sleeping bags;
rugs and blankets;
folding chairs and table;
a tripod for a fire;
kerosene burner;
aluminum pans;
kettle;
axes, saws, knives;
coal, since finding firewood on Seliger is a big problem;
garden rakes to clear the parking lot of needles and cones;
table knives and forks, a cutting board and a set of disposable plastic utensils.
. It is better to worry about the upcoming overnight stay in advance, before sunset.

Choosing a place for a campground

When choosing a place to camp, give preference to clearings protected from the wind and far from the reservoir. So you will be warmer and annoying mosquitoes will not bring you to white heat.
The next requirement for the camp site is the availability of water and firewood. It is difficult to say which of these requirements is more important. It all depends on the specific conditions of the trip. Usually hot summer time it is more important to find water. With firewood it's easier, but in early spring, when the melt water has not yet come down, this problem comes to the fore.

So, security, provision of water and firewood - these are the main requirements for the camp site. All of them are taken into account first of all when the bivouac site is marked on the map, and then when it is chosen on the ground.

Choosing a place to set up a tent

1. The place for setting up the tent should be flat. Not in terms of slope, but in terms of relief: no ledges, mounds, holes, branches. Practice shows that for some reason people sleep worse on roots, mounds and bumps than on level ground.

That's why:
1 If there are stones on the site that you have chosen to set up the tent, it is better to remove them.

Sharp knots are lying around - it’s better to remove them: not only will they not let you sleep, but also the bottom of the tent (waterproof by default) will be scratched and pierced.

If roots protrude from the ground, and there is nowhere else to become a tent, you can put some soft things in this place. Or just throw branches with leaves on the ground, it will definitely be more comfortable to sleep.

Yes, and pay attention that there are no anthills under the tent. Vengeful insects practically do not show up in the evening, but in the morning they will happily gnaw through the bottom of the tent and wake you up with "friendly" bites even before the official rise.

2. In the mountains, and in general, in any at least a little hilly terrain, where you are going to sleep, there will be a slight slope. It is important to go to bed with your feet down and your head up the slope (head above legs). Even if the slope is tiny, and lying down is not felt, at best you will wake up with a swollen face, and not at the best - also with a sore (from blood flow) head.

3. A sudden rain can derail all your plans. Therefore, when choosing a place for a tent, try, looking for salvation from the wind, not to stand inside any funnel or pit: everything will drain into it.

If there is a rather steep slope near the parking lot, water will flow from it in case of bad weather, and it is to your tent. Therefore, it is worth digging an already set tent with grooves. Once there, the water will smoothly bypass the tent and leave its inhabitants dry.

4. Pay attention to how far the tent is from the fire. According to popular wisdom, "a tent burns at a rate of $100 per second." Therefore, the distance between the fire and the tent should be at least three meters. In addition, try not to get smoke inside, otherwise a headache is guaranteed in the morning.

5. It is better to set up a tent away from the water (near which it is very cool and damp in the evenings), and also not on the trail. Otherwise, in the dark, the participants of your camp or some late tourists will stumble on the tent a couple of times, which could damage the tent or loosen the tension of the awning. As a result, you will have to get up from a warm sleeping bag and, cursing, hammer the pegs again.

6. Practice shows that it is more convenient to put up a tent with an exit to your feet. More precisely, it should fit in it with your feet towards the exit. Otherwise, if at night someone goes “to the wind”, and then comes back, he will definitely step on other people's heads, and a general upsurge for a stupid reason cannot be avoided. Legs take up much less space, and it will be much easier for the night unfortunate to enter.

The rest of the requirements for the camp site should be considered as desirable, but not mandatory. Among these requirements is the convenience of a place for deploying bivouac work.

It is desirable that you don’t have to climb into a deep ravine for water or sip in a mug from a barely noticeable spring, so that you don’t have to go far for firewood, so that the camp site is protected from the wind, and if there are a lot of mosquitoes in the forest, then, on the contrary, so that the place it was windy so that the tents could be pulled up on trees, and not on special stakes, etc.

If the camp does not meet such requirements, it will drag out the camping time and require more effort from tourists, but, ultimately, even in such conditions one can secure a good rest.

Aesthetic requirements for the camp site and appearance are also among the additional requirements. Of course, ceteris paribus, it is better to camp in some beautiful, eye-pleasing place. not without reason experienced tourists who have traveled extensively native land, try to remember such places and, if necessary, bring newcomers there. But, of course, aesthetic requirements for a camp site should not be given preference over basic ones.

.

The same can be said about appearance camps. Of course, it is beautiful if the tents are set up at the same distance from the fire or if the dining “table” is decorated with a bouquet of wildflowers. But in no case should it become an end in itself. Meanwhile, an inexperienced leader often forgets about this. And so, in order to put the tents in one line, the camp is not set up in the forest, where it is protected from the wind and partly from the rain, where the firewood is literally at hand, but somewhere on the edge of the field, near the road, open to everyone rains and winds, from where you need to walk three hundred meters for firewood. And for the sake of a bouquet of flowers decorating the "table", lunch is delayed for half an hour, and everyone eats cold food. In a word, when choosing a place for a camp, one should not forget about what is the main and what is secondary.

Setting up a tent in the forest

Find in the forest a good place for an overnight stay is the easiest. The main thing is that there are no old, rotten trees nearby that can fall on your head.
It is also important to make sure that there are no anthills nearby, otherwise the orderlies of the forest will come to visit you with an “inspection”.
You should also not put up a tent on the paths of forest animals - why disturb their peace? Yes, and you will not be greeted if a seasoned bear or a wild boar does not want to bypass an obstacle that suddenly appeared on its legal path.

A carpet of small shrubs - lingonberries, blueberries, cloudberries - an excellent spring mattress for a tired traveler. Even on a grassy lawn, sleeping is harder. White moss lichen covers dry places. True, in rainy weather it sags, but it's still dry underneath.
But on green mosses, so soft, tempting to look at, it is usually damp.
In general, before setting up a tent in a chosen place, pass the interlacing of stems through your fingers, feel the soil. If moisture appears after pressing, look for a drier place.

Lie down on the chosen place (it is possible on the spread rug), roll from side to side. So you better determine how to position the tent, where is the top, where is the bottom. And in advance, remove the stone or bough found at your side, cut off the bump from the turf of grass or ferns.

Shelter from the rain can be found in an old mixed spruce forest. As a rule, there are always powerful sprawling spruces here, under which nothing grows, they shade the ground so much. Under the trunks here accumulates a large number of old dry needles. Under such trees, wild boars, deer, and elks often lay down. If the tent fits in between the gnarled tree-like roots that often come to the surface, why not use this forest hotel for a person? This perfect place for an overnight stay. Warm, soft and dry!

Where is it better to set up a tent in a forest or in a clearing?

It is always warmer to sleep under a canopy of trees than in an open meadow. This is especially felt on spring and autumn nights, when in the morning the blades of grass on open space covered with frost, and there is no frost under the trees.
In the summer the dew falls heavily on the meadow and the tent gets wet. Nylon ropes stretch, weaken from moisture, the awning sags, begins to touch the fabric of the tent, and if the impregnation of the tent is old, moisture will penetrate into the tent.

In the forest you can always find shelter from the wind. Only in hurricane wind there is a danger that trees will start to fall. In such a strong wind you should not camp in a mature tall forest, especially among thick aspens - they are the most fragile and break first, easily, like matches. In such weather it is better to stop among young trees.

Setting up a tent in a swamp

It happens that the night of the traveler catches in the swamp and there is no time left to choose a place. It's OK. You should chop small pine trees, make flooring out of them, and put up a tent on top.

Setting up a tent on a hillside

If you find yourself on the slope of a mountain or a river valley and do not have time to find a flat area before dark, it does not matter. The slope can also be used. Set up your tent so that you can sleep with your feet down the slope. Place a log or large stones at the exit of the tent so that your feet rest against them and prevent you from sliding down.

Or, another option is to roll a roller out of clothes and put it under your “fifth point” - this also prevents rolling. Inside the tent, under the rug in places of dips, put shoes, a backpack, and food.
The next option is to collect grass, rotten, easily breaking wood, moss, lichen in a sleeping bag cover. And use all this for "profiling". The main thing is fantasy! Then you will sleep softly and evenly ...

Setting up a tent in winter

Before setting up a tent in the snow, the area should be compacted. The easiest way to do this is with skis or a wide board. Break fir branches as a mattress. It is better not to throw the spruce branches in disorder, but to stick them into the compacted snow at a slight angle to create a springy “mattress”. It turns out a wonderful spring bedding.

Climbing into the tent should be done carefully so that once again you do not push through the snow with your hands and do not create holes at your side.

What Not to Do

The most common mistake of novice tourists is putting polyethylene under the tent, supposedly in order not to get dirty, not to wet the bottom. What you fear will happen even faster. If the edge of the polyethylene even slightly protrudes from under the tent, water from the awning will inevitably flow onto it during oblique rain. The only time this is justified is when the corners are bent and attached, for example, with a clothespin to the walls of the tent.
Don't be afraid to pitch your tent on wet grass. Let the bottom get wet, but the mat will still remain dry. If you're really afraid of wet grass, lay some polyethylene inside the tent. The main thing is not to put up a tent in the depression of the relief!

Shouldn't camp on low pebble beaches mountain rivers. Although it is tempting: in the ventilated space, mosquitoes and midges do not annoy. However, the rain that has passed in the mountains and has not even touched you can dramatically increase the water level in the river, and the tent will simply be flooded.

In the mountains in winter it is life-threatening to put up a tent in avalanche-prone places - on slopes covered with a thick layer of snow, in narrow valleys, couloirs, gutters. Do not stand on peaks, snow ledges hanging over cliffs. They can just break off under your weight. It is dangerous to stand under steep slopes from which stones can crumble.

Tips for novice tourists - little tricks.

In the spring, when the snow has already melted, but the ground has not yet completely thawed, you can first make a fire in the place of the tent. In an hour the earth will warm up, the fire can be extinguished, trampled and covered with fresh spruce paws. And set up a tent on top. Sleep will be much warmer at night. The main thing is not to leave large coals so as not to burn the bottom of the tent!

If you're camping for a few days and the weather is rainy, it's a good idea to dig a shallow trench into your tent. So you will avoid possible flooding of the tent.
If you have a choice, try not to put up a tent on the sand - it will inevitably get inside your house.
Try to set up your tent away from dense bushes or tall grass, a haven for mosquitoes and small midges.

All these prohibitions were made for our alcoholic barbarians who come to the forest to get drunk and pass out...

Normal people in the forest can light a fire and put up a tent. Just follow some simple rules so that no misfortune happens.

For such a trip, it is desirable to have a small sapper shovel "MSL-50" or another similar one (folding tourist shovel, etc.).

How to make a safe fire pit...
1. Choose a place so that even the wind cannot blow the flames and sparks towards the bushes and trees. It is advisable to place it closer to the center of the meadow. Do not place a fire under overhanging tree branches, even if they are quite high. The flame can be high, and the flow of hot air raises the burning sparks to several tens of meters.
2. With a shovel, tear off a round piece of turf or the top layer of soil to a depth of 10-15 centimeters, and set it aside. It will come in handy later. Cover the extinguished fire with it so that the wind cannot blow up and scatter the embers.
3. There should be a entrenching tool near the fire, in case of emergency extinguishing. The same shovel, and if possible, a container of water.
4. Do not place combustible objects close to the fire, especially paper, cardboard, bags, clothes. Even in calm weather, a fire emits a constant "heat" (infrared radiation) of sufficient power to ignite many combustible materials. If you need to dry clothes or shoes, be sure to follow the process and turn them over in time to the other side of the fire.

Bonfire...
1. The fire must be under the constant supervision of an adult.
2. It is best to make a special fire pit for a fire, which will ensure fire safety.
3. Combustible garbage (cardboard, paper) and tin cans must be burned and burned in a fire before leaving. Tin cans that have been burned in a fire can be buried in the ground. There they themselves will gradually turn into rust.
4. Collect plastic packaging (bags, jars, boxes) and glass containers in a trash bag and throw them into a container in the city.
5. Before leaving, completely extinguish the fire - fill it well with water or cover it well with soil.

Place for a tent...
The best place for a tent is a flat elevation. The natural elevation will remain drier even during heavy rain (water rolls down from it). If there is no ideal flat tubercle, you can place the tent on a gentle slope, going down. Having set up the tent, make a drainage groove around it, 10-15 centimeters deep, with the calculation of the slopes of the canopy or roof, so that the flowing water does not flow under the tent. At the lowest point of the groove, make a drain for water. In this case, even heavy rain cause the least damage to the home.
Under the tent itself, put a layer of thin branches or coniferous spruce branches - this will even out the bumps and pits in the ground under the floor, and ensure the floor is dry in rainy weather.

Bloodsuckers...
Now there are a lot of mosquitoes and ticks in the forest. Be sure to take mosquito and tick repellent (ointments, lotions, aerosols) for the tent there is a good remedy in the form of smoke spirals. In the vicinity of the fire, mosquitoes and ticks do not attack - they are scared away by smoke and fire. On the open sunny meadow mosquitoes are also not active - they are waiting for us in the shade of trees and bushes. Ticks are more common on branches, foliage, and tall grass. They can end up on clothing and exposed areas of the body when a person walks through them.

How to choose the best mosquito repellant...
For clothes, aerosols are optimal. Spray the aerosol onto clothing, covering eyes, mouth and nose...
Ointments, creams or lotions are good for the skin. Avoid contact with eyes, mouth and nose.
For a tent, the most optimal solution is a "censer" with smoke spirals. Slightly "smoke" the tent before going to bed. It also helps against mosquitoes even outdoors within a radius of about several meters. You can put it next to the "united" table or under a tent with a table. A folding tent with mosquito nets and such a "censer" is the most the best option protect the table from mosquitoes and other flying bloodsuckers.

Hiking shoes...
Dry feet are the key to health and comfort.
dry warm weather optimal shoes.
In the rain and after fogs due to dew (early in the morning) - rubber boots, preferably high "marsh boots".

Communication with wildlife...
Beast get ready! Your big brothers are coming!
No one, in such a field exit, is immune from meeting with wild animals. Such an encounter is quite possible, although wild animals prefer to avoid them. The exceptions are those for whom we are food ... I already wrote about bloodsucking insects. It was the turn of some of the larger representatives.

snakes...
On the territory of the Moscow region, there are not only safe Adders, but also dangerous Vipers. In general, snakes try not to meet with us. But in case of danger, they can attack a person. What to do if you meet a snake?

1. Don't panic. Calm behavior does not provoke an attack. Assess the degree of danger (Snake or Viper).
2. Let the snake crawl away. As a rule, they use it more willingly than they attack.

Where can they be found?
Usually in lowland forests, where there are damp places, streams, swamps. Snakes need moisture. Their body must be hydrated - they do not drink water, but get it through the pores of the skin or with food.
It is also important for them to have a shadow and "baking" - they crawl from the shadow into the light and back, for the thermoregulation of the body. Their body temperature is completely dependent on environment. Their activity depends on body temperature. They bask in the sun, as if "infect batteries." Snakes swim well and are able to climb trees.

How to distinguish our snakes?
Oh...
The entire body is almost black, without bright patterns. Light belly. Two bright yellowish-orange spots on the head.

Viper...
Gray-brown, "earthy" color with a black "zigzag" on the back along the entire body. Light belly.

What can provoke an attack?
Any animal establishes a safe distance for itself. Reducing this distance is regarded as a danger, and may provoke a retaliatory attack. The further you are from the snake, the better.

Before leaving the parking lot, be sure to check:
1. Is the fire extinguished well?
2. Is there any abandoned garbage in the parking lot. Pay special attention to glass jars and bottles. They can work on a hot day like a focus lens. sunlight, and light dry leaves, needles, grass, moss, peat, or thin branches.
3. Have you forgotten or dropped your belongings, documents, wallets, keys... Magpies love to collect all sorts of small shiny objects - they can carry away the dropped keys from your Lexus or from the apartment where the money is...

Everyone knows that setting up a tent is a piece of cake. Many people think that the main thing is to buy it, and then everything is according to the instructions. Which lies inside the tent cover. And these people put up tents according to the instructions, and sleep in them...

And then in the morning their faces were swollen, their heads hurt, and even inside the tent, a puddle of water leaked from somewhere. If experiments on yourself do not please you, there is a way out: read our article!

Find a place for a tent.

A tent can not be set up everywhere (even if the sellers in the store with tents believe that it is everywhere). Therefore, here are some recommendations for choosing a place for a tent.

1. Choose a flat place for the tent.

No speeches. For some reason, people sleep worse on roots, mounds and bumps than on level ground. That's why:

• If there are stones on the tent site, uproot them.
• Sharp knots are lying around - remove them. And they won't let you sleep, and the bottom of the tent will be scratched and pierced.
• The roots protrude, and there is nowhere else to become a tent - put some soft things in the tent under the bottom. Or just throw branches with leaves on the ground, it will be more convenient.
• Oh, and pay attention that there are no anthills under the tent. Damned insects treacherously sleep in the evening, but in the morning they gnaw through the bottom of the tent and wake you up with joyful bites before the official rise.

2. Lie down with your feet down and your head up the slope (head above feet).

In the mountains and in general in any hilly area there is a slight slope everywhere. Even if the slope is tiny, you will still know about it in the morning. At best, you will wake up with a swollen face, and not at best - with a sick (from blood flow) head.

3. Don't camp in depressions.

The bottom of a funnel or pit is not your option. Sudden rain can disrupt all your plans: everything will flow down to you.

4. Dig in the already set up tent with grooves.

If there is a steep slope near the parking lot, the water will flow from it in bad weather, and it is to your tent. And with grooves, you have every chance of waking up dry.

5. Pay attention to how far the tent is from the fire.

The distance between the fire and the tent should be at least three meters. Legends say that tents burn surprisingly quickly. But even if this is not the case, a spark can burn a hole in the tent, where water will then flow - and hello, wet sleeping bags.

6. Choose places away from water. And not on the trail at all.

And then in the dark, the participants of your camp or some late tourists will stumble on the tent a couple of times, which could damage the tent or loosen the tension of the awning. As a result, you will have to get up from a warm sleeping bag and, cursing, hammer the pegs again.

7. Keep your feet on the way out.

Otherwise, if at night someone goes “to the wind”, and then comes back, he will definitely step on other people's heads. And when in a dream someone walks on your head, it is slightly unpleasant.

How to put up a tent?

To date, there are mainly tents for sale. three types: gable ( house), hemispherical ( frame) and tunnel ( half-barrel).

1. Gable type tents (house).

Now somewhat outdated, and you can see them in stores less and less. It will take you many times more time to set up them than other tents. Still falling in the wind. Add to this the solid weight of the product - and you get the perfect tent, designed to be left at home.

However, if you suddenly happen to have a tent-house, we will briefly describe how to set it up.

To install a gable tent, put the roof on - and then stretch the bottom. The roof is placed on two vertical posts, they stand inside or outside the tent. Once the vertical base is in place, carefully stretch the bottom of the tent and awning. Done, you are amazing.

2. Hemispherical frame tent.

It is easy to assemble and disassemble, it stands well in the wind and is quite durable. Such a tent is set up at the expense of arcs - of which there are at least two in it.

The simplest tent of this kind is set up like this:

• Spread on the ground inner tent(the one with the mesh and black bottom). After that, assemble the arcs by inserting their parts one into the other - and lay them crosswise over the inside of the tent.
• Then you need to attach the poles to the inner tent. Most likely, hooks - although other options are possible. In any case, you will guess - and after the machinations done, you will have a ready-made white inner tent in front of you.
• Now we throw an awning over the tent, not forgetting to match the exit located on the awning with the exit located on the inner tent.
• Attach the awning to the ground with pegs. You need to stretch the vestibule and the awning itself. If you do not stretch the awning, it will cling to the inner tent, and condensate from breathing will flow inside its walls.
• Stretch storm lines (bright ropes along the edges of the awning) only stretch if the tent is in an open area, and you are afraid strong winds. If you're camping in the woods, you don't need them at all. In addition, people passing by the tent will definitely stumble over them and "thank you".

3. Half-shell tents.

They are more difficult to set up, but there is more free space, and a few more people can usually fit in vestibules from half-barrels (so that in bad weather you can gather there with the whole group).

In a half-barrel, the frame is several parallel semicircular arcs. First, stretch the awning on the arcs. Then - fasten the inner tent from the inside. After that, stretch the tent with pegs - the shelter is ready.

In dry weather, the inner tent can be left unfastened from the awning: the installation time of the half-barrel is saved. But in the rain, it’s better to unfasten the tents, take them out separately - and, if possible, immediately dry them. This is because wet tents weigh more than dry ones. Mountain-a-azdo more.

4. "Hybrid tents".

You can name them whatever you like. In fact, these are hemispherical tents, where you first put up an awning, and then hook the tent from the inside. A sort of hybrids of the second and third species :)

The advantage of such tents is that the inner tent can be easily spread out in the rain under the top awning - and it will remain dry. And in good weather you can not install an internal awning at all (but beware of mosquitoes!).

Putting up this tent is pretty easy. First, stretch the awning on the outer arcs, under which there are special "pockets" on the awning. And then you hook up the tent inside - you're done, your waterproof citadel is ready to use.

Today I would like to take a closer look at one of the issues that raises the greatest interest among travelers with a tent. Because Lately my friend and I got carried away hitchhiking with a tent, then many (and myself) at first have the question “Where can you put up a tent abroad?”, “If everything is more or less clear in Russia, then suddenly there are restrictions over the hill ?”, “How to choose a place to sleep safely all night?”. Let's figure it out together.

1. Deep forest with wild animals. After , we realized two things. First, you need to listen to what the locals say. If they say that there are a lot of bears in Romania, this does not mean that you need to immediately panic, but you need to take into account that it is too close to the forest belt better tent do not post. Secondly, even if you are sure that local forests there are no wild animals (although no one can be sure), it’s better not to go into the wilderness at all. If you are still skidded into the forest, try to set up a tent away from the well-trodden paths, in addition to animals in the forests, you can also meet a person.

2. Big cities. The megacities of our planet have one nasty quality - this is the accumulation of a huge number of people who can appear at the most unexpected time and place. Often when you ask passers-by or even the police where you can find without dangerous place in the city for an overnight stay in a tent, we get the answer “in the city park”. No no and one more time no! City parks, especially in the evenings, are the most dangerous place, as there are a large number of idle staggering personalities, sometimes even in a state other than sober (depending on the country, of course). In addition, in many cities, parks are closed at night and have their own security, which also complicates the nightly rest on the cut grass.

For example, before I heard that there are very strict laws on setting up a tent in any of the public places. This even applied to natural parks. And indeed, you stop by and see large stands with an endless list of “no”, and people with a walkie-talkie in the form of “patrol” even courtyards in a residential area. God forbid you decide to have a picnic in the children's sandbox, not to mention go to bed on one of your favorite benches.

Perhaps for visiting Pakistanis, Bangladeshis, Filipinos and other labor forces that serve the metropolis, this is very important. Who climbed all the holes in Asia will understand what I'm talking about. But, we are more or less civilized people, having at least a secondary vocational education, or at least a Russian school education behind our backs. For large metropolitan areas, there is such a system as or other options for using your ingenuity to “fit in”. But you need to write about entries separate article, now it's not about that.

The tent is best used outside big cities. Even if the day is drawing to a close, and you still haven’t found an overnight stay in the metropolis, it’s better to try to go beyond it, it will more chance find a quiet place.

Thus, in the UAE, we found places to pitch a tent even in parks (outside the city), it is enough to agree on this with the local police in advance. And if we were dropped off somewhere in the village, then finding a secluded place that hides from prying eyes is not a problem.

3. Shores of reservoirs. Beach. You should not place a tent on the banks of any reservoirs and even beaches close to the water's edge, since it is not known what the weather can “think up” during that period of time while you sleep. For example, the water level during high tide or heavy rainfall (rainfall) can rise, and in the morning you and your tent will go around the world ... no, not a trip, but swimming.

Once, being in China, we just ended up in the city at night, and for a long time we could not find a place to sleep. Until they came across the territory near the river. My friend noticed a good flat area, right on the shore. And from the edge of the site, to the water was about a meter high. My intuition haunted me, and I suggested talking to the guys from the local cafe, which was right there, just a little higher. They sheltered us for the night and even gave us a roof. We learned about our luck in the morning, because at night it charged such a downpour that the site chosen by the river was completely hidden by water (!). On the beaches, we also got up, but away from the water's edge and waves.

4. On private property without the permission of the owner or guards. In private areas it is very calm and sometimes even comfortable to sleep in a tent, because it is guarded. Often this is a well-groomed green area with a flat surface, and you just want to put up a tent in the trimmed bushes. However, I would not advise doing this without the permission of the owner of the territory. I think there is no need to explain that serious problems can arise, even if not at night (because they may not be noticed in the dark), then in the morning for sure.

We had one case in the Philippines where we went around every possible safe options overnight stay (check-in, police assistance, no man's land), and nothing helped. We noticed a private area near, as it seemed to us at night, a university under construction. Without asking anyone, we simply settled down where it was convenient. Lucky night went well, but in the morning we were woken up by two guards, who were clearly not happy with the fact that arrogant white people set up a “camping” in a protected area. There was no showdown, and the guys in uniform even waited until we got out of the tent ourselves in order to have an educational conversation with the “stupid” tourists.

However, things could have ended differently. As, for example, in Thailand, when, without the request of the hostess, we settled in her cafe, even if it was no longer working, and a man with a rifle was called to us, and then they took us to the police “for assistance”.

5. Large open spaces. Fields. As you understand, if you put up a tent in such a place, it will be like an "eyesore" for all the curious. In addition, on flat surfaces there are often strong winds(steppes, fields, deserts), which will “talk” the tent in different directions and interfere with sleep (it all depends on the tent). This did not happen to us, however, I heard from other travelers about the possibility of a lightning strike into a tent during a thunderstorm in an open area.

Choosing a safe place to pitch a tent.

Considering all of the above, we tried to select a place for a tent according to the following criteria.

• between forest and city- we usually chose places on the outskirts of the city or found small fields with bushes and fences, which at the same time hide from unnecessary attention and protect from strong winds. It can be blueberries, abandoned vegetable gardens, country parks, road forks with a forest zone, etc.
• country house area- in order not to frighten the residents and, God forbid, not to run into an “evil dog”, we asked for such sites only if the main gate was open and one of the household members was visible in the yard. If you are lucky to “run into” hospitable hosts, even if they do not invite you to the house after meeting (as often happened in the Caucasus or in Central Asia), then they will drink coffee or tea for sure.

• little hill- necessary when choosing a place so that in case of rain you do not end up in a puddle. If it's a slope, try to set up your tent so that the resulting stream doesn't run underneath you. It is possible to dig in a tent, but in "hitchhiking mode" it takes extra time.
• invisibility– why is it so important? And it's not just about drunken individuals or bandits. Most likely they will not climb themselves, they will be afraid. But children or in “wild countries” locals who, for the first time in their lives, see not only a foreigner, but also a tent - this is a real problem. It will be very, very difficult to get rid of their excessive attention and curiosity. Some are so unceremonious that they can shine a flashlight directly into the “temporary dwelling”, as it happened to us in China.
• roof, canopy, awning- it will be very good to find an additional "roof" for the tent, especially if you are traveling for a very long time. Surprised? “Why a roof if there is a two-layer tent?” - you ask. Surely, those who traveled with a tent for at least six months will understand what I mean. Of course, if once a year you get out on natural recreation, then the purchased tent may even last for several years. However, when you use it every day in all kinds of climatic conditions, it quickly falls into disrepair. And it is not always possible to buy a suitable replacement at the right time. Therefore, if there is extra time, then I advise you to look for an additional roof, a canopy, an awning, or even a tree with a solid crown that will protect your tent from heavy rains, from the bright sun that burns the top layer of the tent, as well as from the long drying time in the morning. the same layer after rain or condensation (with a large temperature difference).

• campsites– are very common in European countries and, as a rule, are not free. That is, you pay a symbolic amount of money (for example, 150 rubles), for which you get a protected area, a flat place for your tent, a toilet, and in some cases a shower, firewood, electricity and even Wi-Fi, but the latter may be for separate fee. I must say right away that we did not use this, since in some cases they ask for such an amount for which you can find a room in a “guesthouse” in the city.
• unfinished or old houses- if you ask me which is better: an old abandoned house or a new house under construction, I will choose the second option. Why? Abandoned houses usually have their own history, good or bad, and after it falls into disrepair, they begin to use it as warehouses, tête-à-tête meeting places, or generally as a shelter for "dark" deals. New houses still do not carry any energy, as a rule, they are guarded (but sometimes not), and only boards, bricks and cement can be found from the dirt. That is, for rest in a tent, I prefer to use construction sites, however, as I said, if there is no strict security there.

Naturally, having driven around the world in this way, you yourself choose best option. And of course, there are always exceptions to the rules, I myself sometimes deviate from them now. But, you see, it is easier to start, based at least on someone else's example.

Before going to a particular country, it is always necessary to study its rules and laws. No need to leaf through the Talmuds of the constitution and codes. It is enough to study the questions free travel around the country. It may turn out that these laws have not been working for a long time, or simply no one is following them, but you need to know for every “fireman”.

For example, in many nature reserves or national parks setting up tents and making fires outside special campsites is prohibited, subject to huge fines. It makes sense to clarify such questions in advance. And of course, to “study” the experience of other travelers before traveling to a particular country.

That's all for today, dear friends. If you have any questions or questions, I'm always happy to answer them in the comments to the article below. Also, do not forget to subscribe to the news of our useful blog, as we plan to write something more interesting in the near future.

If you are going to go to nature with an overnight stay, then you will certainly set up a tent. And which place to choose for this can cause some difficulties. Not every place is suitable for this purpose. And so, advice how to choose a place for a tent?

• Water. If you are going to go where there is a body of water, then do not try to set up a tent in relative proximity to it, as the tide can flood it. Yes, and the ground close to the water is wet and you can catch a cold while spending the night in such a tent. The recommended distance from the water is at least 100 meters

• Insects. At choosing a place for a tent, carefully inspect the nearby area for the presence of anthills or wasp hives in it.

• Trees. Do not set up a tent under the trees, which grow any fruits that can fall off, such as cones. But at the same time pitch a tent in an open area is not recommended if there are trees nearby, as they can save from rain and significantly reduce the strength of the wind. Place it near trees, but from which there is nothing to fall.

• "Foundation". When choosing a place for a tent Special attention it is worth giving the land on which it will stand. It should not be too wet, and it should not be sand (otherwise you will simply fail). It is necessary to carefully clear everything before installation so that there is no discomfort while being in the tent.

But do you know where you won't have to worry about where to put up a tent, because all around will be just the most beautiful nature, climate and level of service, plus excellent hotels? Of course it's Phuket! Phuket 3-star hotels will delight you with both comfort (unlike a tent, there is comfort here) and relative cheapness and economy. I believe that you need to try all types of recreation, both "wild" tourist and civilian, by buying a last-minute tour to Phuket.