Camp Sparkle 2010

[nopseud]

First of all, some general info about why it's taken us a while to get rolling with things this year.

Last time, several people weren't happy with the standard of the cottage. The truth is, it's proving pretty difficult to find somewhere large enough *and* low cost *and* sufficiently nice. (We're also establishing 'a shop within walking distance' as a new rule :-) For somewhere better than last year, with reasonable access to transport links, we're very probably going to have to spend more money.

Also, rental prices have gone up generally since we started Camp Sparkle. For example, when we rented The Old Stables, the charge for a week was £87/person. To book exactly the same week this year would be £110/person. Little Brampton cost £850 in 2007, and in 2010 the same weekend would be £1250.

Finally, in 2009 we rather seriously underbudgeted for food, which left us a shortfall in expenses. Luckily, there was a little bit of reserve left in the Camp Sparkle account from the last two years which covered some it, but the account is now completely empty. So we're also going to have to increase the amount we charge for food up front (probably somewhere in the region of £45 for the week), or come up with a system for collecting more during Camp Sparkle itself.

With this in mind, we want to run a poll to see what kind of places we're able to look at for this year. Please be honest about what you'd be willing to pay -- if we book something and no one else comes, we are going to have a rather expensive and lonely holiday for two :-)

[Poll #1511429]


It also makes a difference to price as to how closely we can tailor the size of the house to the number of people coming. Basically, most places charge a flat rate rather than per person, and so generally the better the match the better value it will be. Otherwise, we're paying for beds we don't use. *Please* fill in this poll if you want to come this year, because we'll be basing the size of the houses we look at on it.

The time we're looking at is somewhere in April/May.

[Poll #1511430]

Comments

[quiet000001.livejournal.com]

Alas, I have classes through the first week of May, so it sounds like I probably wouldn't be able to make it.

If any of these years my house happens to be unrented at the time, it could probably be used if it's big enough. No beds, though. (It's cheaper council tax if there are no beds when it's empty. British taxes are weird.) Still, I guess if the house was free (sans maybe the cost of a cleaning company coming in after?) it might be possible to rent some furnishings for a week for less than renting a whole cottage.

[nopseud]

Ooh, thank you for the offer. Between us we have a decent collection of inflatable beds, so the beds might not be to much of an obstacle. We'll definitely bear it in mind if it happens to be empty, although it could be an issue if we arranged to use it and then someone wanted to rent it -- we need to book places a few months ahead, because there are so few places big enough available.

sans maybe the cost of a cleaning company coming in after?

Judging by the last three Camp Sparkles, you might actually end up with a cleaner house than you started with, anyway :-)

[trumpeterofdoom.livejournal.com]

I would like to also say that if there were an option of "I have the money, I have budgeted for this, I WANT TO COME BECAUSE IT IS NECESSARY IF I WANT TO STAY SANE, BUT MY PARENTS WILL MAKE NOISE IF I AM UNEMPLOYED" I would tick it.

*breathes into paper bag*

[nopseud]

Well, I guess that's either the second or third option, depending on how sure you are about making it. But OMG it would be so AWESOME to have you back.

[adelate]

I'm trying to save up really hard but don't know if I will actually make it! If this is happening in May like last year there's a better chance that I'll have time to scrounge up the money. I do want to come, it's pretty much the only time of the year where I get to be completely myself without people looking at me as if I'm somehow deranged. :P

[rikes]

Just wanted to clarify that the standard of the housing hasn't been a problem for me, but I can also easily pay more since it's probably going to be my only vacation next year. :D

Also re: food, I thought so. It might also help a bit if we planned it a bit better and kept track of what we already have and what people are actually eating - last year there was tons of stuff left over, including things that nobody ever actually planned on eating! :)

[pensnest]

Yeah - it was difficult to keep track because of having a bunch of different chefs, which we didn't really organise far enough in advance! Quantities proved a bit problematic, I think. Also, nopseud was heading off to the supermarket twice a day or more, which is absurd. I'm not sure what the best method is—personally, I loved having different people in the kitchen as it added so much variety to our food, but it isn't easy to arrange, and it meant that most of you were having to figure out how to cook for Many People, which is not the same as cooking for a handful.

We could try setting a budget for each meal, but that's not easy when so many of the chefs are not from the UK and won't know what's available and how much it will cost—though with sufficient advance planning, I expect we could probably figure that out. Any ideas?

[rikes]

Having different people cooking was definitely fun! It shouldn't be too difficult to figure out the ingredients in advance - I don't think anyone wants to make anything incredibly rare and exotic, and our grocery stores aren't *that* different.

Also, I guess that breakfast foods, snacks and drinks cost just as much as the actual meals, as there was only one meal per day but lots of stuff consumed in between.

[nopseud]

We could try setting a budget for each meal, but that's not easy when so many of the chefs are not from the UK and won't know what's available and how much it will cost

When we find the cottage, we can identify the nearest supermarket and then link the people who volunteer to cook to the appropriate on-line store. I think most of the big supermarkets do on-line ordering which will give people an idea of the cost for their meal.

[pensnest]

That's an excellent scheme.

[ninjetti75.livejournal.com]

That is an excellent scheme, but there's more to it, at least in the American cases...I can roughly guesstimate expense just by doubling the number of Pounds to Dollars (that's *very* rough, I know, but it gives me a ballpark figure), but knowing what quantities would be needed is trickier. The concern of Cooking For Many People can be approximately covered by considering the "Serves ___" aspect of a recipe, but the only metric measurement I can even approximately convert is liters of liquid, because I know how much volume a two-liter of soda holds. If my recipe calls for X cups of rice to serve Y number of people...I've no idea how many cups the Englandshire Co-op's box of rice contains, regardless of what information their website provides me.

(A link to Common Measurement Conversions would be handy regardless, and provide fodder for the next UK/USA Fic Discussion, heh.)

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

Amen! We just don't use metric and packaging amounts are indeed quite different there. Though, I do wonder if a pre-meal recon mission could be done by some kindly Brit to help.

[pensnest]

How true. I've often wondered what "a stick" of butter weighs. Anyway, I'm sure we can figure something out with regard to quantities. It looks as though we'll have a biggish supermarket within easy walking distance, so if it comes to it, any Foreign Chefs can just go and judge by eyeballing.

[sperrywink]

I'd like to go (first time, yay!), but the timing might be tricky. I have work obligations in the beginning of May and am busy one week in April, so it all depends... If it is the end of May or in April (except 9-17th), I definitely hope to go.

[stellamira]

I'd love to come but I don't think I have enough vacation left. 20 days are already reserved for Peru again.

[nopseud]

Some people only come for the weekend, which is when we do most of the sparkly stuff. There will probably be separate prices for a weekend v. a full week.

[ephemera.livejournal.com]

I would be weekend only throughout April and May, (or possibly random two days mid week if it hits when my students leave / arrive) but I'd do my darnedest to get down for at least a couple of days if it's transport possible because I hated missing it so much this past year!

[chalcopyrite.livejournal.com]

Someone jog my memory: how much was Ebenezer Chapel per person? Was the £70 I'm vaguely remembering food as well? ::has mind like sieve::

I didn't have a problem with the accomodations, but I'd be willing to pay more. Like Rikes, this is probably The 2010 Holiday.

[saba1789.livejournal.com]

YAY CAMP SPARKLE!!! *draws hearts around nopseud and pensnest*

[turlough]

Remind me of what the drawbacks was of The Old Stables because right now I can only remember how awesome it was and right in the middle of the village and close to London too. I want to go back there...

[nopseud]

The general feeling in this poll was that people wanted to go somewhere new. Also, they require a minimum of 22 guests for a full week booking, which I think is more than they used to require, and which we're unlikely to meet. It was a great place, though.

[turlough]

That's too bad about the minimum requirement, people might have been interested in going back there this time otherwise.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_titch/]

Would very much like to come this year. Money is an issue as currently unemployed and should I get a job in the very near future (I do hope so!) then I would be put into the hands of what their holiday entitlement is.

Though it would be very possible for me to venture to camp for maybe a couple of days as opposed to the entire week.

[pensnest]

We'll be trying to find somewhere that's reasonably public-transport friendly on the grounds that there are usually one or two people only there for the weekend - it would be lovely to have you along.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_titch/]

Transport shouldn't be too much of a bother. I'm well versed on trains now after November's epic journeys to see those boys. But yes, I would very much like to do the whole week if at all possible. :D

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

It is totally a matter of employment for me. If I get a job, I can go into it with the restriction of taking this time off but without one I'd be hard pressed to spend the money.

Which is to say that what I want to check is Baring completely unforseen circumstances, I definitely will be coming to Camp Sparkle. but can't at present.

[nopseud]

That's probably an option two, then, I guess. It's really just so that we know what size of house to aim for.

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

I have added my vote accordingly. Also, if a job comes along, my vote on price would change as well. :-D

[bubbleforest.livejournal.com]

KC, you have to come. Don't make me do deer eyes at you. :(

[msktrnanny.livejournal.com]

I want to! Must find a job!

[ninjetti75.livejournal.com]

The ONLY reason I didn't check the higher cost option is that I feel I must reserve funds for food as well...I am TOTALLY going to be there for the full week regardless of other details like where or when, so I do need to plan accordingly. And factor in some budget expansion for my personal caffeine requirements, heh. BUT, I've got a credit card that basically has Camp Sparkle's name on it, so I'm totally in, regardless of what the final details end up being.

My only actual requirement to make things happen is sufficient notice to arrange the time off work...I need to know precise dates a month or more in advance.


See Y'all There!! *excited bouncing*

the term "thingamabobber" unconsciously left my mouth as I was crossing the room after filling out the poll, and I literally collapsed laughing. *g*