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.

Ways to fix backpacking problems

If you know how to fix basic problems while backpacking, then you can get yourself out of troubles such as running out of food (or losing it to animals!), holes in your backpack and other similar events – that could turn into a disaster! I remember once my backpack was damaged and torn when it came in contact with a tree. Not knowing of a way to fix it, I had to manage - and it was very difficult. But the problem can be fixed by simply using duct tape; I just wish I had a roll on me at the time. Another problem is clogged poles, which can be very heavy and can result in you becoming too tired from lugging them around all day. So it can be fruitful if you use hollow poles, as they solve the issue – they are pretty light in comparison to the clogged poles.

One of the most common problems is an animal taking your food; solving this problem is as easy as pie, as the food should be firstly kept in a container and then it should be hung from the branch of a tree. This will prevent animals from taking the food, as most animals likely to take your food won’t be able to reach.

Head For a Toronto Cruise This Season

Festival season is just around the corner, but still the question remains the same - where should one spend it? One suggestion would be to try a Toronto Cruise. A Toronto Cruise offers the best in-class facilities at throw away prices. To make the best of Christmas and New Year’s Eve, one should take their trip of a lifetime, opting for special Christmas cruises as well as NYE Cruises Toronto packages. You may opt for the Toronto Cruise packages, and hire the yacht and have a private party with friends and family. Moreover, these yachts can be customised to any theme, which can set the mood for a party.

There are so many attractions available with a Toronto Cruise – a high quality dining room, cuisines to die for, and a dance floor. Specially designed Christmas cruises and NYE Cruises Toronto feature karaoke, comedians, and party bands. Or, if you opt for a themed cruise the entertainment (and dining) reflects the atmosphere. Tropical oasis? Try coconut chicken with mango chutney for dinner, and hula dancers to keep you entertained. An international night? Decorations and dinner make you feel as though you really are in your chosen country. With a Toronto cruise, you can’t go wrong!

Must have essentials for your backpacking trip

Whilst planning to embark on a backpacking trip and venturing to the great outdoors, you must plan ahead. It’s all very well stepping out into the path of nature and taking breaths of fresh outdoor air, but you must remember that sometimes you can get lost. By taking a compass , a map and a whistle with you, this will make certain that should you lose the path you can check the map , look at the directions on the compass and, if all else fails, blow the whistle in the hope that a passerby will hear you.

Also, the weather for backpacking may seem bright and sunny when you set off in the morning, but with climate change you could end up stuck in a downpour of streaming rain by the end of the day. Essentials to take out are a clean change of clothes (just in case) - you never know when you might trip and perhaps end up covered in mud. Also, in case the weather takes a sudden turn, taking a cagoule out with you will ensure that when the heavens do decide to open up you will be well prepared.

Planning a move to the city?

Moving house is never easy. There’s always stress, with the rushing of packing the household items ready for the removal men to take them. Also, sending your items to be kept in storage until you move is not as easy as it may seem, as you still have to make a date to pack everything up and hire a van to come and collect your items to send to storage. Now you no longer need to worry about this - portable storage allows you to bring the storage company to YOUR home!

Portable storage offers you the laid back option of moving and packing your household items to your requirements, with no fixed date! Moving containers can be dropped off direct to your door step and kept wherever you choose! Then all you have to do is call the company when you have finished packing your treasured items at your leisure. Once you have packed the goods they will be taken to the place of storage, and kept there until you decide that you want to have the items delivered to you - or of course you can collect them in person! Shifting house has never been simpler with moving containers.

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.

Purifying Water – A Backpacker’s Concern

Those days are gone when backpackers drank straight from lakes and streams without having the slightest worry about the purity of the water. Mountain streams were believed to be the purest of all forms of water.

Then the word “Giardia” entered our dictionaries and backpackers needed to start purifying water.

A protozoan parasite named Giardia lamblia leads to a horrible disease called giardiasis, which results in vomiting, bloating, cramps and severe diarrhea. This disease needs to be treated with powerful drugs that have their own side effects.

Thus, it is absolutely essential for a backpacker to purify every drop of water he drinks. The easiest water purification technique is the boiling of water. Boiling water kills Giardia and all other water-borne menaces. But there is a dispute about the duration of time for which water needs to be boiled in order to effectively kill each of the water-borne parasites. Moreover, boiling water wastes a lot of time and fuel.

Water-purifying tablets that contain Iodine are believed to be excellent killers of viruses and bacteria. But recent researches show that Iodine hardly affects Giardia. Present day backpackers better rely on water filters designed specially for backpacking.

Backpacking can be an enjoyable and enriching experience only if you do not catch a disease during your trip. Thus, every backpacker should adopt adequate water-purification measures to ensure that they do not fall prey to Giardia or other severe diseases.

Backpackers and air travel

Air travel was simpler for backpackers prior to 9/11. We have seen numerous changes at all the US airports since 9/11 and many of these changes have affected the backpacking traveler.

The fact that many components of a backpacker’s gear appear highly suspicious when x-rayed contributes greatly to the backpacker’s plight. The stove may be mistaken to be a land mine ready to blow away the airplane. In short, since most of a backpacker’s gear looks suspicious, their bags are always going to be searched.

It is advisable that a backpacker takes two bags during air travel. He can stuff the first bag with his completely packed backpack. He should not pack any metallic object in that one. He can then stuff the second bag with things like his headlamp, camera, knife, stove, GPS, cook-set and trekking poles. Any object that can appear even remotely dangerous under an x-ray should be packed in that bag. If the security personnel at the airport decide to search, you can be done with it quickly and with minimum hassle, all your suspicious gear being in one place.

A traveling backpacker should also remember that canister stoves are prohibited on an airplane. Fuel also needs to be bought after reaching the destination only.

Have a light backpack

You can be a happy and comfortable backpacker only if you know how to pack light.

The following factors can help you achieve that ever-elusive feat:

a) Knowing the weight of your empty pack: You will find the weight of your empty pack in the “description” section of your gear catalogue. You must judge a pack on the basis of its weight and size. Going for a pack that is lighter by even a couple of ounces is bound to make a significant difference.

b) Avoiding heavy tents: A 2 or 3 man four-season tent is the heaviest of them all. The first question that you need to ask yourself while choosing a tent for your backpacking trip, is whether or not you actually need a big and heavy tent. You would not need a heavy tent for a summer trip. You also would not need a big one if you plan to hike on your own.

It is advisable to take a 2 or 3 man three-season tent if only you have two or three people with you. This will be a lighter option compared to that of each one carrying a separate tent.

The confidence and skill of packing light comes from years of experience and once you achieve it you will know the true joys of backpacking.