If your idea of 'going feral' is going head to head with a pack of angry women at a killer sample sale, then read on, city-dweller – it's time you got acquainted with 'glamour camping' .
In a nutshell, 'glamping' is the art of camping with glamour, or, if you like – getting up close and personal with nature, without actually having to rough it.
Who started it?
Although its origins are fuzzy, it's not hard to imagine glamping was the lazy girl's answer to being dragged on bolthole fishing trips or wilderness adventures where the only 'wildlife' to be found is a bunch of mozzies.
Now, it's not uncommon to see whole families throwing in the solar-heated shower system and portable flushing loo, while boys love their portable TVs and gaming systems along with the gourmet food and wine.
Why do it?
While most people love the idea of a camping getaway, the reality is not always so shiny. Most campsites don't have showers, flushing loos or anything but the barest of essentials – a blank field to pitch a tent, a local watering hole and maybe a cooking grill.
Glamping can take the sting – and the stink – out of your few precious days away from home.
The downside is that it will cost you. Camping is far and away the cheapest holiday you can get, but throw in all those extra expenses and it can add up fast.
When to go
Avoid anything with a tent near the peak of summer. Camping, glamourised or not, is no fun when it's so hot outside the rubber on your Havianas starts to melt. Shoulder seasons are best, around Easter time or from September to November, depending on where you do it.
Where can you do it?
Pretty much anywhere. Invest in a travel-sized TV, a luxury air mattress and bring your barbeque grill (but check the bushfire regulations first). If you
really want to go all out, leave the tent at home and head for an eco-camping retreat, where all the hard work is done for you and the showers run hot and often.
Check out
Paperbarkcamp,
Karijini Eco-retreat or
Longitude 131 for more info.