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How to Stay Cool in a Heatwave: Camping Edition
Rebecca L. Temperatures are rising this week in British Colombia, and we are about to be baking under 30 plus degrees over here! I’m heading out to alpine meadows for a much-needed camping trip this weekend, and with the heat coming in I thought I’d share a few tips on how to stay cool whilst in a tent…. PITCH IN THE SHADE Pretty obvious, but if your tent is out in the sunshine, you’re gonna be waking up to some serious rays over your head. Find a spot where you’re going to be shaded by the trees of a morning, and mid-afternoon.TARP UPIt’s all good finding shade for your sleeping spot, but if you can set up some extra tarps over-head, you’ll really benefit from the extra sun protection. You can set up a few to cover your tent, and your table area so you can enjoy your food without sweating into it too much. Tarps are also great for rainy season camping, so they’re a great piece of kit to add to your camping gear. REFLECTIVE BLANKETS Another good idea is to cover your tent with a reflective surface. The blankets from a first aid kit work great, and you could even use the reflective window covers for cars too. Having a surface that can reflect some of the sun from your tent will make a huge difference! STAY BY THE WATER If you’re camping near a river or a lake, it’s nice to be close so you can dip in for a little cool off. Nothing better than getting your toes into some cold water when you’re feeling a little overheated. Plus, if you can take a few beach balls and floaties, could be a fun time too! DE-LAYER If you're pretty certain there’s not gonna be any rain, you could always remove the rain fly from your tent and sleep inside the mesh inner section. This would be the coolest way to sleep through those super hot nights, and you will have a full view of the stary night sky too! HYDRATE The most important thing you can do in any hot weather is stay hydrated. Drink lots of water!What are your tips for staying cool in the summer camping heat? Let us know in the comments!
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Women Who Wander
An organisation aiming to increase female participation in all things outdoors!
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The Best Swimming Pools in the World
Rebecca L. With the weather getting hotter here in British Columbia, there is nothing more satisfying than a cheeky dip in the pool to cool down. Yesterday the sun was shining, and it was pretty much the hottest day of the year so far, so I headed down to the beach for a swim after work. Our pools are finally opening back up and it’s looking to be a nice season for pool-side chillin’ and swimming. So here’s a short list of some of the most amazing pools from around the world. First up…. San Alfonso Del Mar, Chile This private resort in Algarrobo, Chile held the Guinness Book of Worlds Records for the largest pool in the world by area back in 2006. Holding around 250 million litres of filtered seawater from the Pacific Ocean, and stretching 3,323 feet in length, this is truly a huge swimming hole. The Cambiran Hotel Pool, Switzerland Located in the Swiss Alpine village of Adelboden, this outdoor heated infinity pool looks out onto the Swiss Alps. The hotel is a wellness hotel & spa and looks to be a very beautiful location for a retreat. One & Only, Maldives This luxury island getaway spot is bougee AF, but check out this adult-only, 30-metre infinity pool. Stretching out into the lagoon, this pool gives the illusion you are floating within the ocean. What is the most amazing pool you have ever swam in? Tell us in the comments!
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Listen: Song of the Summer
Matt C. After a long 4 year hiatus from new music, New-Zealander Lorde has dropped her new highly anticipated single (and music video!), Solar Power. The song, co-wrote and co-produced with Jack Antonoff, (along with Phoebe Bridgers and Clario on back-up vocals) is a stripped-back, chilled out new sound, which will have me gleefully skipping to the beach this summer. As for the album? Here’’s what she has to say: “The album is a celebration of the natural world, an attempt at immortalising the deep, transcendent feelings I have when I’m outdoors. In times of heartache, grief, deep love, or confusion, I look to the natural world for answers. I’ve learnt to breathe out, and tune in. This is what came through. I want this album to be your summer companion, the one you pump on the drive to the beach. The one that lingers on your skin like a tan as the months get cooler again.” With my summer companion in place, Lorde and I will meet you at the beach! You can listen to Solar Power on Spotify here.
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Stonehenge Solstice
Jasmine G. As a former West Country dweller, I have driven past and visited the Stonehenge World Heritage Site many times. The most memorable, however, was when I attended the Summer Solstice. Every year thousands gather from all over the UK (and beyond) to see in the longest day of the year and see out the shortest day of the year, among the Neolithic monuments. Stonehenge is thought to be 5,000 years old! Ergo, the stones are shrouded in mystery; how did they get there? Who built it? What is the purpose? Why was it built in this specific place? How was it built? The enigmatic nature of the ancient site makes attending these occasions even more appealing and gives the Solstices a magical feel! More info about the Summer and Winter Solstice at Stonehenge can be found here.
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DIY Sauna
Rebecca L. Summer is almost upon us here in British Columbia, and it’s getting pretty busy at the campsites round about now. I love camping, it’s one of my favorite things to do at the weekend, but it’s still pretty cold right now in the evenings. Although I love nothing more than wrapping up in my thermals and sitting around a campfire with my friends, I’ve been looking to try my hand at making a DIY outdoor sauna on my next trip. The strategy is pretty simple, all you have to do is get your fire blazing, heat up some rocks and fashion a seamless contraption to trap the steam in. Sounds simple right? But it also sounds pretty risky too. I’ve been researching the best materials for the structure, and I think on my next trip I’ll use a tarp or an old tent. But check out these guys making a sauna out in the middle of winter using plastic wrap. It’s pretty cool. Personally, I don’t think I’d want to use plastic wrap…it’s pretty wasteful and I would prefer to use something that I could reuse again and again, but the structure looks legit! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/vaZHOx0QwvA Have you ever made a sauna whilst camping? Let us know in the comments!
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WATCH: Netflix's High on the Hog
Matt C. Netflix’s new food show, High on the Hog, (which is based a book of the same name) is much more than simply a food show. It is a sunny melding of history, food and travel that follows the creation of African American food. The four episode arc travels from Africa back throughout the US States - South Carolina, Texas, Philadelphia and New York - unfolding the stories behind African American food, and its connection with Black History. I’m only on the first part, but am eager to get watching the next. Host, Satterfield told Variety, “It’s our agricultural knowledge tied to our culinary knowledge, with this historical and cultural context, which I feel just hasn’t been seen and presented as part of a cohesive story. Until now.” You can watch High on the Hog on Netflix here.
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WATCH: Judas and the Black Messiah
Matt C. Shaka King's Judas and the Black Messiah is about the murder of Fred Hampton, deputy chairman of the Black Panther Party. Identified as a radical threat by the FBI, he was done in after they smeared him as a 'dangerous radical endangering the nation with violence and Communist rhetoric', with help from a plant inside the Panthers, William O'Neal. The film in resonant and powerful, anchored by energizing performances by LaKeith Stanfield and Daniel Kaluuya (who just won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar) - and as relevant as ever, revisiting American history that feels all too present.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSjtGqRXQ9Y
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