Royal wedding campers at fever pitch

Phil Han has been camping out alongside other die-hard royal fans. You can follow him on Twitter @PhilHanCNN in the last 24 hours as he reaches the home stretch.

London (CNN) -- The crowds continue to grow by the minute along The Mall as royal wedding anticipation reaches fever pitch with less than 24 hours to go.

Nearly a week after the first campers staked their pitch for the best spot to catch a glimpse of the bride and groom, thousands more are pouring into central London to grab any space that remains along the procession route.

Many were equipped with the latest in outdoor gear, from large pop-up tents to solar panels to keep the lights going at night.

Others unfortunately seemed less than ready.

One group of travelers from south London decided to only bring a fold-up chair and cooler full of beer -- only the necessities, they said.

"We don't plan on sleeping very much tonight and why waste hours being asleep," 26-year-old Martin Broom said.

"We plan on enjoying every last minute of fun and will be eating, drinking and making as many friends as possible."

One couple who traveled from Sydney, Australia also didn't see the point in sleeping, saying they wanted to experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"We arrived early this morning just before dawn and set up our chairs and blankets along The Mall to get the best view of the happy couple," Robert Stillson said.

"We came to the route knowing absolutely no one, but after just an hour or two we had managed to speak to journalists from around the world and also make friends with people from places like Colombia, Germany and the United States."

George Hampton and his two young children arrived along The Mall around 7 a.m. in a bid to beat the crowds.

Armed with three suitcases and a large tent, he said he came prepared so he and his family could be in the best shape for the big day.

"I walked past and saw so many people sleeping on the sidewalk, but there is no way I could do that!

"I want my two kids to see that fairy tales still can happen and hopefully it will to them."

By late afternoon, most of the viewing spots were taken along The Mall, leading from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Palace, and along Horse Guards Road, which leads from the Mall to Westminster Abbey.

One group of friends occupied one of the best spots along the route and decked it out to the nines.

Janet Sanburg, originally from Australia, began planning for the big day weeks ago and even issued schedules for her and her friends.

"We brought everything with us to make sure this will be a special event, from champagne glasses to teapots and white linens," Janet Sanburg said.

"We'll have a high tea party at 2 p.m. and then at 7 p.m. we are going to turn our camping site into the 'gin palace' in honor of the queen.

"Then on the actual day we'll hold a champagne breakfast and then watch one of the most important days that we've ever witnessed."