Backpacking Tips For Survival

Backpacking is fun if you enjoy outdoor activities. However, it can be dangerous if you are not equipped with the right knowledge of backpacking. There are many tips to learn to ensure that your backpacking journey is a wonderful experience. For example, when it comes to searching for food in the woods, you can start by looking for berries. If you come across a type of berries you are not familiar with, taste it and if it doesn’t taste right, spit it out. However, most berries in the jungle are strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.

When you are on your way to your camping site, collect dried moss so you can start a fire, even after rain. It is best to try with different materials so you know which is best to be used. Learning to read the weather can help to save your life. For example, if you see clouds forming, it might be a sign of storm. It is important to refill your bottle whenever you have the chance so you don’t get dehydrated. In case of an emergency, you can always use dry leaves and dead grass to keep you warm. It is difficult to light firewood, especially in wet weather, but if you try white birch bark, you might get fire as usually it will light up even when it is wet.

Remembering these tips will not only save you from trouble, but also enhance your backpacking trip. Always remember safety first though, no matter what happens.

Medical Tourism - An Introduction

Medical Tourism is expected to be a 100 billion dollar industry. The main reason for the high growth is the long waiting period for medical procedures, non-availability of medical services and the high cost of treatment. In recent years the medical tourism industry has gained the status of a nationalised industry in more that fifty countries.

Earlier, people used to travel abroad to get treatment for procedures like knee or hip replacement, which were essential for the survival of a person. With changing times people travel abroad to get medical tourism procedures such as reproduction procedures (surrogate pregnancy, artificial insemination and laboratory fertilization which may be considered unethical or anti-religious in their country) and cosmetic surgery.

Medical tourism procedures available vary depending on the country, and no one country is popular for all procedures. People travel to the South American country of Colombia to get cosmetic and transplant surgeries done. China is well known for its stem cell treatment that it provides. India is famous for hip replacement and heart surgeries; whereas New Zealand is a recognised medical tourism destination for fertility and non-acute surgical procedures. Germany on the other hand is famous for Cancer and Spine related surgeries.

So it is important that you are aware of the medical treatments which are offered in various countries before you plan treatment.

Mosquitoes – A threat to backpackers

Mosquitoes are a major threat to the backpacker’s safety. These dangerous insects can beat all rainy days and thunderstorms, added together, in ruining trips for inadequately prepared backpackers.

Swarms of mosquitoes target a backpacker in the wilderness, especially when his hands are totally occupied in a demanding task. The nagging buzz of mosquitoes can drive a backpacker crazy. Most importantly, mosquitoes, act as carriers of dangerous diseases that can even kill people.

A backpacker should never forget to pack mosquito repellents along with all their essentials. Generally, the carbon dioxide that we exhale attracts mosquitoes. Repellents mask that odor and keep mosquitoes away.

Almost all mosquito repellents contain DEET, which is considerably successful in keeping mosquitoes away. Most backpackers do not have any problems with DEET, but a few might get skin irritations. One should (a) use this repellent in moderation, (b) avoid having any clothing on skin coated with the repellent, (c) keep the repellent away from the face and eyes and (d) wash the repellent off properly once he is inside the tent, in order to prevent repellent-related problems. If problems persist one can use a repellent with a time-release formulation or one with a weaker concentration of DEET.

Wearing pants and full-sleeve shirts, and making the lunch stops away from wet, marshy areas, are also going to help a backpacker in staying away from the menacing pests.