Bongo Fury

So I have a van and I plan to go away just me and my daughter.

I have a camping toilet that I bought for my daughter but the penny has just dropped that if I need the loo in the night and she is asleep I won't be able to leave her in the van on her own to go to the toilets - nor will I want to wake her to take her with me!

So my question is does anyone have any tips for me. I'm thinking of getting a toilet tent but want one that would be very easy to put up and take down as I will be doing it on my own (with a six year old mithering me!). Any recommendations?

I'm not putting the awning up. I wondered about a windbreak but not sure that would be decent for me to use!

Obviously this is just for my daughter to use and me at night!

Thank you

Vicky

I have something laughingly called a five man ridge tent with a porch extension. It's about 5'6" high at its maximum peak.

I don't bother wit the inner tent, just the flysheet so it is light to transport and we set it up at right angles to the sliding door. The toilet lives in there, also the fridge, table and sundry other bits and bobs which take up too much van space (the toilet is well away from the fridge!).

If it looks like being a damp night we put a polythene sheet inside the tent as its inner tent would normally have a sewn in groundsheet. The flysheet meets the ground all round, so no feet giving visual clues as to what's going on.

I used to have one of those tardis type toilet tents which we christened the 'omni-po-tent' but that was too obvious in its purpose and didn't give extra storage room.


Frank

Maybe something like this? This is an improved version from a couple I bought from Decathlon years ago - seems to be a bit taller than mine and has a bit of protection from rain getting into the tent when you open the 'door'.

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-ea ... 02226.html

Other even cheaper pop-up tents are available from lots of places now. I don't think it matters if it isn't very tall - you could stoop just to get to the portaloo for a sit-down, and it will be tall enough for a child.

They are amazingly easy and quick to put up, hence called 2-second tents. Chuck 'em up in the air and they come down ready and you just have to put in 4 tent pegs - one at each end and one at each side - and there you go.

I bought one of the first of their kind years ago and was much envied at a party where I put it up in a few seconds in the dark (and I had had a few drinks!) while everyone else was flailing about trying to put their tents up!

One tip though - they are easy to fold up again ....once you know the knack of how to do it. Decathlon used to give a demo, but if not try it out first before you go.

We've got one of these pop up tents for when we don't use a bigger awning http://www.decathlon.co.uk/2-seconds-sh ... 42946.html. It's easy to put up / take down and folds up into a thin disk about 2ft diameter. Due to the low height, it's more suited to use sitting down

dont forget a lot of these quick type tents ARE seethrough if a light is to be used inside.

(speaking for my wife and 3 daughters ).

You've gone and ruined it for all the spectators now .

I have a beige pop-up and a dark red one. Pretty sure the dark red one isn't see through ...... but maybe I should test it

Simon Jones wrote:You've gone and ruined it for all the spectators now .

its not a puppet show mate

Northern Bongolow wrote:

Simon Jones wrote:You've gone and ruined it for all the spectators now .

its not a puppet show mate

"That's the way to do it!"

Have you considered some of the smaller more compact toilets?
http://www.allaboutlifeshop.com.au/outd ... toilet-10l
I have seen these in the uk.
Or bucket and plastic bag?

Hi Thanks for all your helpful tips.

In the end I bought this http://www.leisureshopdirect.com/carava ... _tent.aspx from a different website though - I only paid £25.

It's great - I can put it up and down in just a few minutes, it packs down well and I can stand the pack in the boot wedged between the edge of the van and the seats so it doesn't clank about.

It's probably as heavy as these things get but it is so easy to use I don't mind. This tent is my top tip (and a kampa kazi) for any a lone parent going on trips with children. Means not having to leave them at anytime.

Simple things for simple minds!