The Alberta Campdown is on! Yesterday the Provincial Government made it official and announced the date that individual campsites can be booked. March 17th is the day that bookings will open. This is a month later than last year for some reason, I am sure it has to do with cut backs; alas Alberta is doing anything it can to reduce cost and increase revenues. Speaking of increasing revenues it was also announced that campground fees will be going up $10 per site. So an unserviced site that used to cost $26/night will now cost $36/night. That is a real big increase!   I know that the various campers that I am friends with are not impressed; and all of them have said that this may reduce the amount of camping they will do this year.

As for us this will not hurt us to much this year as we are not camping very much in Alberta this year, but still the extra cost will certainly have an impact on the camping budget. c'est la vie! at least I have a firm date for bookings in Alberta and next month I will be booking for our BC trip. By the end of April I will have all of our bookings complete. I just hope that i can get in to all of the sites I want. Camping is so popular, and bookings so cut throat. I know that online bookings is supposed to make things fair, but the frustration you can have with these sites especially during the opening days of bookings can really make one question how fair it really is? Certainly it appears to me that this system is some what rigged against the common user just like Ticketmaster is for concerts.

Regardless of how unfair the system seems to be at times i am some what confident that most people will find there perfect camping spot (or close to it) somewhere in the ever controlled booking systems that our Governments have setup to accommodate and regulate all of us campers.

Regardless I am excited to being one step closer to finalizing our summer camping season and getting booking season behind me. Only time will tell if i succeed in my quest for the perfect camping experience for 2020.

Lorraine and I certainly wish you all the best in your quest as well.

Happy trails,

The Glampurs