Having to use an online booking system to camp at many national parks is a source of great frustration to many travellers. Here, a grey nomad nicknamed ‘Poodle’ explains exactly why!
I started caravanning last year with short intermittent trips. It had been about two years since I’d gone away to stay in a national park. My first stop was Mount Remarkable National Park, and I had no idea that national parks anywhere had gone ‘mobile’. The first I knew was when a giant sign actually in the national park told me that I had to have booked online.
Here’s why that was a problem:
1. I did have my iPhone and computer with me … but a fat lot of use they were with zero mobile or internet reception. Am I supposed to turn my giant caravan around and drive a further 50 kilometres back up the road so I can get reception and book? Get real!
2. Many times I may plan to stay somewhere but the day doesn’t go as planned so booking in advance not an option. For example, I may be too tired to drive as far as intended so I need to stay somewhere else. I would prefer national parks as they are nice and quiet.
3. You can often only access the websites to make bookings during business hours.
4. If there are issues with bookings or the app/ web page not working, you can only seek help during business hours!
5. A huge caravan needs a huge space. Booking apps don’t give me an indication of whether my rig will fit or not!
6. It’s preferable to be able to pick your neighbours. I’m sure I’m not the only person who would drive into a campground and elect a quieter spot away from the group of teenage revellers and their tent, or the family with five screaming kids or newborn baby. Booking online affords you no such choices at all.
7. If you make a mistake/typo doing the booking, too bad!
8. If you aren’t sure how long you’ll want to stay and you want to extend day by day – fat chance – because once you are there you’ve got no mobile reception!
I could go on. For example, the online booking systems may also require you to print out your payment ticket and affix it to your tent/car etc. How many people take a printer camping or caravanning with them?
National parks need to allow people to organise themselves … that idea seemed to work just fine for the last 45 years for me!
