Now that the pandemic is starting to ease out of our lives, it will only be a matter of time before we get the chance to travel without worries once again. By now, you probably appreciate the world and all it has to offer in terms of exploration. We understand how excited you must be to begin traveling once again.
Instead of visiting big cities and top attractions, you might want to explore the great outdoors again. The past year of being cooped up inside the house might have made you more appreciative of the great outdoors. Of course, traveling outdoors is not as easy as you think it is.
A lot of things can happen in the great outdoors and becoming prepared for the worst of the worst is very important. Traveling doesn’t have to be stressful but as long as you are ready for what’s ahead, the experience will be a lot more fun than expected.
Study The Area
img source: unsplash.com
It is very important that before you head out for the trip, you should know about the area of your choice first. This means knowing the lay of the land, what types of animals you may encounter, and where you need to go in case of emergencies. This is one of the most important ways to prepare.
The good news is that you can find details about national parks and local forests online. What you might want to avoid as a beginner is exploring uncharted territory. For now, it’s best to visit outdoor areas that others frequently visit so there’s a wealth of information online that you can study.
Bringing The Essentials
img source: unsplash.com
The key to a good outdoors trip is to pack lightly. Contradictory to this, there are actually a lot of essentials that you might want to consider bringing to the trip. A good way to balance packing lightly and packing everything you need is planning ahead and knowing what truly is essential for the trip.
The things that shouldn’t be missing for the trip are an adequate amount of water, a utility knife, a means to contact others in case of emergency, and a compact first aid kit. Of course, the things you bring will depend on what type of trip you are taking but these items here are essential regardless of what you do.
If you are out to go camping, then you’ll definitely need to be bringing more than these. You might want to get fire starters as well. Some fire starters are very compact and they fit in your pocket.
Wear Comfortable Clothing
img source: unsplash.com
Whether you are going hiking or camping, it’s very important that you wear comfortable clothing. The great outdoors can feel damp or hot. What you wear while outside can make or break the experience so it is a must that you wear something that’s as comfortable in various scenarios.
First off, you’d want to do some due diligence on the place you want to go to. Is it hot, humid, cold? These factors will determine what type of clothing you should wear for the trip.
If it’s going to have cool temperatures, make sure to bring clothing that’s thick and insulated. On the other hand, wear breathable clothes if it’s going to be hot outside. As a general rule of thumb, you might want to bring at least 3 sets of clothes so that you have a backup just in case something happens while you’re on the trip.
As for footwear, it’s not debatable. You should wear hiking shoes. These are flexible, durable, and waterproof, and most importantly, they protect your feet from serious injuries. You shouldn’t wear anything else other than these as you need something that’s both comfortable and durable.
It can be a bit expensive to shop for the right clothing. If you want to save a bit, these coupons help you get massive discounts on various types of clothes for your outdoor needs, find them here https://www.swagbucks.com/shop/shein-coupons.
Learn Basic First Aid
img source: unsplash.com
You never know what will happen while you are outdoors. Having the ability to respond to minor medical emergencies can mean life or death in many cases. As such, it’s advisable that you at least learn basic first aid. It’s not enough to simply have a first aid kit with you when you are going out.
Some of the basics you need to learn would be learning how to suture wounds, using splints to support fractures, and learning how to do CPR as well. It goes without saying that you and your companions will still need to be careful even with knowledge of first aid under your arsenal.
Always Watch Where You Step
img source: unsplash.com
When you’re finally exploring, one of the last things you’d want to do is to rush the journey. Not only does this prevent you from enjoying the area, it can also lead to some serious repercussions along the way.
Any expert outdoorsman will tell you that the best way to stay safe outside is to know where you step at all times. Avoid slippery slopes, wildlife like snakes, and most importantly, stay out of cliffs. If you are a beginner, you’d definitely want to avoid picking dangerous paths.
Tell Close People About Your Plan
img source: unsplash.com
Last but not the least, make sure that there are others that know about your plans. Just in case something happens and you find it hard to make it home, the people who know about your plans can alert the authorities about your possible location.
You can be as careful out there as possible but you can never really tell when disaster will strike. As such, it’s better to disclose your plans to people you are close with just in case.
Exploring the great outdoors is a good way to break the indoor spell you’ve been in for over a year. It’s time that you explore outside because we never really know when another major event prevents us from going outside. Life’s too short to stay cooped up indoors.
