| Considering several shocking occurrences
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| | your presence are a campfire and various
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| in the Australian outback over recent
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| | types of camp lighting. Keep in mind that
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| years, it's hardly surprising that many
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| | if you can see passing headlights, it's
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| people are easily put off the idea of
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| | likely that your camplight and fire are
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| camping in remote areas because of what
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| | visible to them. However, if your fire is
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| they see in the media. With crime
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| | small, set low in a trench away from the
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| seemingly on the increase, the
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| | 'highway side' of your camp (screened by
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| comparative safety of bricks and mortar
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| | van or vehicle), all should be fine. For
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| becomes ever more comforting.
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| | reassurance, walk out to the road and
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| Right or wrong, this perception of
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| | look back toward camp.
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| potential danger out in the lonely places
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| | Similarly, try to minimise camp lighting,
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| can be difficult to shake loose,
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| | and keep RV curtains and blinds
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| particularly for anyone with limited
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| | completely drawn. And although an
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| outdoor experience. Realistically, then,
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| | effective flashlight is essential for
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| is there anything we can do to make
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| | bush travel, light beams flashing through
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| isolated campsites more user friendly --
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| | trees is an instant giveaway.
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| at least from a security standpoint?
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| | Most commonly, though, traffic all but
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| The answer is a resounding 'Yes', but
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| | ceases come nightfall and you'll have the
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| before tackling the question in detail,
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| | area to yourself. In the unlikely event
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| perhaps we should make some attempt to
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| | that someone does pull in, remain calm.
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| regain our lost perspective.
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| | Be friendly -- helpful if necessary --
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| Quite simply, crime and cities go
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| | but it's best not to encourage them with
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| together like fleas and dogs. That's not
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| | invites to 'share a beer by the fire'.
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| to say there's no threat at all in
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| | More than likely, it will be just another
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| country areas, but the level of crime out
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| | Pilgrim seeking the security of fellow
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| there is way, way down on big-city rates.
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| | travellers.
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| After all, as any seasoned crim knows,
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| | Before retiring for the night, it's wise
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| pickings in the bush are paltry compared
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| | to walk around your outfit to check the
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| with the unlimited prospects of the big
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| | fire is out, the car locked, and no gear
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| smoke. Result is, we're a lot safer, by
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| | has been left lying about.
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| and large, the further we travel beyond
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| | Assuming everything pans out and you
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| suburbia.
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| | settle in for a few days, chances are it
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| Understandably, though, many travellers
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| | will become necessary to drive to the
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| still prefer to stay within their comfort
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| | nearest town for supplies. If so, leave
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| zone by limiting their stopovers to
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| | the campsite looking like the occupants
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| tourist parks, campgrounds, or other
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| | aren't far away: camp chairs set up,
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| 'safe' areas where like-minded company
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| | coffee mugs on the table, some laundry
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| abounds. Despite the apparent wisdom of
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| | hanging on a line. Of course the caravan
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| this approach, is that really all you
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| | should be locked, with curtains drawn,
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| want from your travels? Don't you thereby
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| | and anything of value secure inside or
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| place limits on your outdoor experiences,
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| | taken with you. It's not a bad idea to
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| not to mention your overall enjoyment?
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| | leave a radio playing inside the van,
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| Some campers apparently believe so. In
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| | either.
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| order to bolster family confidence, their
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| | Not surprisingly, it's during the night
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| strategy is to start out in tourist parks
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| | when nervous campers experience their
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| or commercial campgrounds, eventually
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| | greatest concerns. Fortunately, the best
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| move on to national and state parks, then
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| | deterrents against would-be troublemakers
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| some time later, find a private
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| | are also the simplest: light and sound.
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| Shangri-La somewhere further out.
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| | As security professionals tell us, when
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| Perhaps more importantly -- and
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| | intruders feel compromised, their
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| regardless of where you camp -- your
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| | knee-jerk reaction is to get out of there
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| choice of outdoor lifestyle
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| | -- fast. Off down the road to find an
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| predetermines, to some degree, your
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| | easier target!
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| inherent level of security. Sleeping in a
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| | One way to achieve this is to rig up some
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| tent, for example, rarely develops a
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| | form of lighting that can be switched on
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| sense of protection to equal that of a
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| | from your bed, and a 12-volt floodlight
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| caravan; and even caravans, it might be
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| | or two does the job. By the way, outside
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| argued, don't offer the all-round safety
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| | lighting is more useful (and your own
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| of a motorhome. Obviously then, decisions
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| | movements less obvious) if internal
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| regarding your outdoor accommodation may
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| | lights remain switched off while you are
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| indirectly impact long-term enjoyment.
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| | peering out into the darkness.
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| That being the case, a small to medium
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| | In addition to outside lighting, you
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| caravan, motorhome or campervan would
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| | might consider some sort of noise making
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| seem a reasonable compromise amongst the
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| | device. Compact personal alarms available
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| camping trifecta of security, site
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| | from electronic shops (Dick Smith, Tandy)
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| accessibility, and outdoor lifestyle.
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| | are inexpensive and effective. Mind you,
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| Indeed, the 'hard-wall' RV options have
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| | it is embarrassing when you finally storm
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| the additional advantage that external
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| | out of the RV, lights blazing, sirens
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| 'interference' would be instantly
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| | wailing, to be confronted by a cheeky
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| detected by the occupants, making
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| | possum! Chances are that's all it will
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| intrusion during the night, for instance,
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| | ever be.
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| highly improbable. Of course, extra
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| | On the other hand, if you prefer to take
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| safety is easily installed in the form of
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| | campsite security even more seriously,
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| security screens on doors and windows,
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| | here are a few more possibilities to
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| and additional internal padbolts.
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| | consider:
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| Incidentally, evidence suggests a trend
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| | Dogs: The best all-round security service
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| whereby travellers happily inscribe their
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| | a traveller can get, but they come at a
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| names on an external wall of their RV. As
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| | cost in both money and upkeep. And many
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| welcoming as this might be, it could be
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| | tourist parks -- plus all national parks
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| unwise, given the possibility of
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| | -- don't allow them.
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| 'undesirables' calling your name from
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| | Alarm indicator lights: Those tiny,
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| outside, prompting you or the kids to
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| | flashing red lights, usually fitted
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| open the door to somebody presumed to be
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| | inside a car to indicate there's an alarm
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| a friend.
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| | active (even if there isn't) can be
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| The same might be said for our natural
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| | fitted anywhere 12-volt power is
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| inclination to help strangers along a
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| | available. Make them just visible without
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| backcountry roadside. Unfortunately, the
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| | being too obvious.
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| old 'help-each-other-out' principle
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| | Strobe lights: The greatest value in a
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| requires more careful consideration these
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| | flashing blue strobe light is the
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| days.
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| | universal recognition -- among good guys
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| But getting back to the real issue: For
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| | and bad -- that an intrusion has
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| travellers who eventually hope to move
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| | occurred. From that viewpoint these can
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| beyond the crowds and the costs of
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| | be more effective than basic security
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| commercial parks and campgrounds, it
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| | lighting.
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| comes down to how best to utilise
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| | Timers: A light, randomly activated
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| out-of-the-way campsites where gut feel
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| | during the night by a 24 hour x 15 minute
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| dictates that extra caution is warranted.
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| | timer, may suggest that a restless camper
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| And in most of those situations the
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| | resides within. Anyone watching your camp
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| number one rule is 'Privacy = Security'.
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| | would become frustrated enough to seek
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| Generally speaking, anyway.
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| | easier spoils.
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| First, select a site far enough from
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| | Alarms and sirens: Several types are
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| nearby activity and passing traffic -- or
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| | available, variously activated by trip
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| well hidden by trees and bush -- so as
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| | wires, infrared sensors or internal
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| not to invite unnecessary attention.
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| | switches. They take a bit of setting up,
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| Maybe it goes without saying, but
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| | are prone to accidental initiation, and
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| anything within about five kilometers of
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| | are, generally speaking, gross over-kill.
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| a town or ten kilometers of a pub is best
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| | All the same, if that's what it takes to
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| avoided.
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| | put family fears to rest, visit those
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| Remember, too, that it's a good idea to
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| | electronic stores again.
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| choose your overnight stopping place
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| | Communications: In outback areas, mobile
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| while there's still an hour or so of
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| | phone networks are rarely within range,
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| daylight. Locate a spot well back from
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| | so for emergency communication consider a
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| the highway, preferably along a sidetrack
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| | satellite phone or HF radio. For most
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| so your camp is not obvious to passing
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| | campers, though, the $2000-plus price
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| motorists.
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| | tags are difficult to justify. AM/SSB and
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| Choosing a spot before dark also allows
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| | UHF sets, although less expensive, rely
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| time to sus out the surrounding area
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| | on a trucker or farmer being within three
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| (houses? farms? fences? alternative
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| | or four kilometers. Nevertheless, from
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| exit?), and to take a good look around.
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| | the outside, hearing the occupants put
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| Obvious signs of partying, reckless
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| | out a 'distress call' would be reason
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| driving, or excessive pollution should
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| | enough to move on.
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| prompt the decision to move on.
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| | Firearms: From a legal viewpoint -- and
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| Yet another benefit of setting up in
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| | keeping individual firearm training and
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| daylight is that cooking and other chores
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| | competence in mind -- this is definitely
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| can be got out of the way early, meaning
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| | an issue for cautious, personal
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| less need for lighting and stumbling
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| | evaluation. Without doubt, any weapon in
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| about the site after sunset. Even so, it
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| | the hands of the inexperienced, or
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| doesn't hurt to keep one eye (and one
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| | someone overtaken by panic, soon becomes
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| ear) on passing traffic. Slowing or
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| | more danger than protection. And should
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| returning vehicles should get your
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| | the weapon fall into the hands of the
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| antennae twitching.
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| | intruder, an extremely awkward scenario
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| Invariably, in these sorts of impromptu
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| | could be the outcome! Your call.
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| overnight camps, RV travellers choose to
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| | As mentioned earlier, human dangers in
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| remain in 'departure mode'. No awning, no
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| | isolated areas are so rare as to be
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| camp chairs, no gear stored beneath the
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| | almost non-existent. But that said, it
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| RV, no stabiliser jacks -- and generally
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| | doesn't hurt to be realistic. A healthy
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| facing toward the 'exit'. Next day, if
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| | dose of controlled paranoia, backed up by
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| feeling more relaxed about the site, a
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| | thoughtful preparation, not only improves
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| longer stopover might be considered.
| |
| | your level of safety, it also helps the
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| Once camp is set up and the sun goes
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| | family feel more at ease while enjoying
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| down, the most obvious announcements of
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| | real bush solitude.
|
