Now that I am back in the comforts of my own home and writing my blog, it would be great for me to pen down my own thoughts about my accommodation in Camp Growl and share some thoughts about how to make your stay in this faraway camp a little more comfortable...
... Because the last time I was there, I did not expect myself to be heading there again in my entire life and did not write a small note to remind myself of how I could have made my stay better
Really, its the extra items aren't in the packing list that can greatly improve your experience in Camp Growl!
1. Pre-paid SIM card / Data Roaming Add-on
Being someone who checks emails, messages and social media umpteen times a day, it is quite difficult to truly put aside my mobile phone for 2-3 weeks. I suspect you'll feel the same too. There are several ways to stay connected to your loved ones at home.
Check your mobile provider for roaming data plans for Australia. For my trip, I found that Singtel had an offer for a monthly 1GB plan for a small price of $10. This 1GB is probably enough since there is limited time to surf data intensive apps such as youtube. Alternatively, you can choose to buy a prepaid mobile SIM card from Telstra or Optus.
But wait, you should know that you are in a forested area and mobile signal will be non-existent most of the time. You may need to ask around to know where are the best spots to receive the signals. Really then, the only time you will be able to use your phone is when you are out in town for R&R.
Some people would decide give up on using the mobile phone altogether during their time in Camp Growl. But fear not, that doesn't mean that all is lost. The camp has kindly provided an internet cafe or sorts, albeit with limited number of computers and slow internet speed, you may not always get a chance at the computers. There are more than adequate phones (wired ones, mind you) that allow the use of IDD calling cards and they are often vacant. I suspect that not many people would use the phones due to the lack of privacy and the fact that thats not how we roll anymore.
2. Power and Electricity - a big ass powerbank, multi head adapter and an Australian power adapter
Electrical energy is probably one of the most valued commodity by Camp Growl residents. Although electricity is abundant in the camp, they aren't available for your use!
Despite the lack of mobile signal, your phone or entertainment device is going to well used while you wait for time to pass. Unless you are extremely extroverted and can talk with your bunkmates for hours, it is seriously boring in Camp Growl!
A decent sized powerbank can let you charge your phone conveniently by your safari bedside as you would at home. Lying on the bed and playing games on your phone is one of the greatest luxuries you can have in the camp down under. For me, I brought my Xiaomi 16000mAh powerbeast. Its huge capacity means that I could charge my phone at least several times before the powerbank is depleted. Another nice feature is that it can pull in up to 2.0A of electrical current to charge up its huge ass batteries, making it possible to charge it back up in approximately 7 hours. It isn't exactly the fastest charging but it is rather fast for such a huge powerbank. Just make sure that your charger is capable of delivering such high current!
Whoa wait! Where do we charge our phones bruh? The only place to charge your devices is at the canteen. If you are lucky, you may get a free socket to charge from. Usually, it is full because the times when most people are free are also the times that you are free. One way to guarantee your access to a bring a multi head adapter or extension. It is worth the extra weight.
3. Daiso Heat Packs!
The daily temperature cycle in Camp Growl can be rather drastic. It can get really cold in the night and excruciatingly hot after sunrise. You'll need to prepare for that if you are going during Aug - early Oct. The temperature changes are less drastic as Australia approaches a full blown summer from early Nov-Dec.
Occasional drizzles and wind will add further chill factor to the already cold nights.
There is not much you can do if you were out in the forest for an exercise, however, if you are fortunate enough to be resting in camp, you can bring heat packs from Daiso to keep your sleeping bag warm and comfortable. These heat packs from Daiso come in 2 versions, one with an adhesive (body warmer) and another without (hand warmer).
I found them very value for money as no other brands so much as 6 hand warmer sachets for $2. They are said to last 8 hours and you can pause the heat production midway by simply putting the opened heat pack into a ziplock bag and wait till the remaining air inside the bag is used up.
To be safe, allocate 1 heat pack for every night. Having a heat pack inside your standard issue sleeping bag will keep you warm and toasty even in the coldest of Wallaby nights.
4. Sunscreen lotion
This may or may not be inside your packing list. But sunscreen lotion is an absolute necessity in the UV bathed Australia. Unless you want to be on KFC's extra crispy meal, apply your sunscreen generously!
5. Detergent, clothes hangers and pegs
These are easily forgotten from most packing lists. Mine did not state the need to bring any! Luckily, the old birds were kind enough to inform us newbies to pack some. The need for detergent is self-explanatory. Washing clothes inside the toilet while being completely naked is a very normal thing. Having detergent helps to clean your clothes the way your parents expect them to be. But do refrain from using too much as the soap suds will form considerably and will require several rinses before your clothes are free from detergent.
It is easy to wash clothes and dry them quickly thanks to the extremely dry wind and strong mid-day heat. At the same time, it is also easy to lose your clothing to the wind if it is not properly secured. Having clothes hangers and pegs will prevent the need to be overly creative about where you can secure your clothes to.
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