Mark's Mobile Camping Tips

 In this page I will pass on my knowledge & Tips on Camping with Tents / Vans / Trailers / Motor-homes over the last 40+ years around U.S, Europe & Asia. Maybe there will be some things that you might have not thought about before embarking on you adventures. I will be adding to this site as and when I can. I will leave out Backpacking side of Camping here as i will lean more towards the mobile side where size and space or more freely available, but must  be considered as well. This info is mainly for Malaysian/Tropical Camping.

Remember! We're in the Tropics!!!

You see all those nice Camper vans in U.S.A & Europe? Remember, they have very cold weather sometimes and need to do many things inside the vehicle like Cook, Wash & Dine.

Here in Malaysia the weather is mostly HOT! Use your Van for sleeping and Storage of your gear (Plastic Boxes work well). Take it all outside! Get a Tarp or a 10'x10' (or x15') or a fold out Canopy (Pasar Malam Type), My Bed platform converts to a Table (Banquet table legs) out doors or just get a banquet table at Tesco. Buy a Toilet Tent & a Porta Pottie. The little Butane gas Burners ( Not the tiny backpacker one, home one with cartridge.) are cheap and work fine, Poly carbonate water Jug for drinking water other jugs for wash up water. These local camper mods just clutter up the van, block windows, loose lots of space and cost allot. Cooking in the Van smells up the whole place (oil residue, maybe curry/salted fish?) and can be dangerous!

If you want to put back the seats or haul gear or anything it's still possible. I took out the back 2 rows of seats (still can properly seat 8 in total) which almost gives me 6' of cargo/sleep area.  Don't forget JPJ & Puspacom can make your life miserable with any mods. Maybe a platform for a bed that converts into a table is good as you can also hide gear underneath out of sight. Keep it simple, see how your uses turns out after a couple trips ( I use more for Picnic/Day Trips than actual camping these days.) and go from there for any mods. My van becomes my Living Room & Bedroom while the outdoors is my Kitchen, Dinning, wash up and toilet/shower. Don't expect much in the way of campground facilities around Malaysia so plan to be self-sufficient. 

 Hygiene:
This is the part we want to not think about but we must make due to enjoy our travels!
Along the Malaysian main Highways are many rest areas that have some very well kept Toilet & Showers you could probably sleep there on a long trip if required. Most have some security, talk with them.
TOILETS:
 Porta Pottie's: Be Strong now! If your travelling with Family/Girls and non-dedicated Campers you have to have some facilities. These are 2 part toilets, one side carry's the clean water and the other side keeps the waste with chemicals. You can empty these at any Petrol Station or public toilets and wash them out. NOT IN THE NATIONS WATERWAYS!!!. Come on be strong! There are also Toilet Seats with plastic bags underneath as another option on the Net. Dispose of PROPERLY!
You can buy a "Toilet Tent" for around RM100. and it can double as a changing room or Shower as well.
SHOWER:
 There are Shower Bags you can hang and get a shower or there is a 12 volt Cigarette lighter mini pump/Shower that you can place in a container of water. Make sure you don't wet up an area you will be walking through! Bring lots of Drinking Water and Wash up Water. Please consider the Environment what ever you do!
TENTS:
Today's modern Tents are more user friendly, light weight and simple to set up. Make sure you buy a Double Layer Tent! That's a 2 piece Tent. You have the main tent with more of a Fabric/net mesh overhead covered by a Rainfly over that. This makes the tent breath. A one piece Tent is like a big Plastic Bag and will have condensation on the roof making it muggy & damp. If it rains it will rain condensation inside and that is not a fun way to sleep. Of course with a sewn in Floor as well. Use another ground cloth under the tent to help with moisture. Look well where to place the Tent. Check that it's level and not in some water flow path and remove any objects that may end up in the middle of your Back.
 How many man tent?
Cut the labeled capacity in half. 2 for 1, 4 for 2, 8 for 4. Need space for Gear and don't want to have someone's Elbow in your Eye. Maybe upgrade the Tent Pegs to stronger ones in with a hammer. Don't want to get up in the middle of the night storm in a collapsed Tent! Be gentle these tents are not that strong, Careful with the Fiber Galss Poles, they can snap and would be hard to replace. Get a tent with flow-through ventilation and Mosquito netted Doors & Windows.  
Always Air-Out your tent after a trip or before you even pack if you have time. Sewing will rot if left damp and mold and mildew will form. Foam or an Air-Mattress will make things more comfortable.

CAMPING CHECK LIST

COOKING ITEMS:

1.  BBQ, STARTER, CHARCOAL, TOOLS (TONGS, BRUSH. SPATCHULA, FAN),

 HOT GLOVES, LIGHTERS / MATCHES

2.  POTS, PANS, PLATES, BOWLS, GLASSES, MUGS, COOKING / EATING UTENSIELS, WHISTLING KETTLE. FISH SCALER, CUTTING BOARDS & KNIVES, TUPPERWARES, THERMOS, ALUMINIUM FOIL, SCEWERS, CAN OPENER, PLEELER, CORKSCREW

3.  STOVES, GAS, STARTER

4.  COOLER BOXES / ICE, FROOZEN WATER BOTTLES

5.  NAPKINS, PAPER TOWELS, TISSUE, BASINS, STRAINERS, FUNNELS, TOOTH PICKS, TRAYS, PLASTIC BAGS, OLD NEWSPAPERS, GARBAGE BAGS,

FOOD ITEMS:

1.  SALT, PEPPER, SUGAR / EQUAL, HONEY, SPICES, SAUCES, COOKING OILS, VINAGER,

2.  PRE-PREPARED / MARINATED / FROOZEN MEALS, CANNED FOOD, POPCORN, CHIPS, PICKLES, BREADS, CRACKERS, CHEESE, COOKIES, BAKED GOODS, FRESH VEGTABLES & FRUITS, SOUPS, RICE, MAGGIE, NOODLES, OATMEAL, CEREAL

3.  DRINKING WATER, SOFT DRINKS, MILK, BEER, SPIRITS, MILO, COFFEE, TEA, GINGER TEA

CLEAN UP:

1.  BATH / HAND / BAR TOWELS, RAGS, SPONGES, BRILLO PADS, DISH SOAP, LAUNDRY SOAP, CAR WASH SOAP, CAR WAX, BUCKETS, HOSE / CLAMPS, NOZZEL, CHAMIOS, WASH / RADIATOR WATER  W/ CONTAINER, DUST PAN / BRUSH, CAR VACUME

CAMPING / PICNICS:

1.  TENTS, CANOPIES, TENT PEGS, MATS, BLANKETS, SLEEPING BAGS, PILLOWS, MATTRESSES, BUG SPRAY, COILS, REPELLENT, ANT TRAPS, ROPE / STRINGS / BUNGIES, CLOTHES PINS / LINE, BINDING WIRE, AXE / SAW / SHOVEL, ALL TOOLS, ELEC TOOL BOX,  KNIFES, MULTI TOOLS, COMPASS, RUCK & BACKPACKS, CANTEENS, FOLDNG CHAIRS / TABLES, BILLY CLUB, TORCH LITES, RADIO,  PHONE CHARGERS, VARIOUS NEEDED SPARE BATTERIES, INVERTER, LAPTOPS, BINOCULARS, CAMERAS & CHARGERS, CD’S, THUMB DRIVES, EXT-HARDDRIVES, TV, ADAPTOR CABLES, EXTENSION CORDS, GUITAR / AMP / P.A. ETC., GENERATOR, FUEL, MOTOR OILS, FANS, LANTERNS / CAMPLITES, HATS, SUNGLASSES, SEWING KIT, GAFFER TAPE & OTHERS, WHISTLE / AIRHORN, MAGNAFYING GLASS, FISHING RODS & TACKLE, NOTEBOOK / PAPER / PENCIL / PENS /  MARKERS / ENVELOPES / STAMPS, CANDELS, HAMMOCK, PORTA POTTIE & CHEMICALS,

FIRST AID:

1.  FIRST AID KIT, ENO, TIGERBALM, YOKO YOKO, EAR / EYE / NOSE DROPS, PAIN KILLERS, SUE’S ICHY CREAM, MOPIKO, UBAT BATUK, PANADOL, ASPERIN, SPONGE CAKES, TWEEZERS, DETTOL (Big), THROAT LOZENGERS, SUDAFED, VITAMINS, ANTIBIOTICS, MALOX, ANTIBIOTIC CREAM, VARIOUS BANDAGES, HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, SMELLING SALTS, PERSONAL MEDICATIONS, HALAZONE (PURE WATER TABLETS), SUNBLOCK, SKIN LOTION, BABY OIL, NAIL CLIPPER, SCISSORS, EAR BUDS, COTTON BUDS, THERMOMITER,

VAN GEAR:

1.  MAPS, MOTOR OIL, BRAKE OIL, WD40, BATTERY WATER, COOLANT, TIRE PRESSURE GAUGE, WINDOW WASH FLUID, SPRAY GREASE, DRY GAS, CARB CLEANER, STP, SPARE BELTS / PLUGS / CONTACT POINTS / HOSES / WIPER BLADES / OIL FILTER / FUEL FILTER / AIR FILTER, EXHAUST TAPE, SILICON SPRAY, CRC, STOP LEAK, FIRE EXTINGUSHER

PERSONAL:

1. Shower shoes/flip flops, Towels/washcloth,
     Soap in plastic case/shampoo, Tooth brush/tooth paste, Mouth wash, Deodorant, Comb/brush, Razor, Feminine products, Toilet Paper!