Preparation

The old scouting slogan "Be prepared" still holds for everyone who ventures out of his or her familiar surroundings. For many people that would be when going on holiday. It's a mark of sound judgement to acquaint yourself as much as possible with your destination before you leave home. Where is it exactly? How is the climate? What types of landscape will I encounter? Who are the people? All very important questions. A beach holiday in sunny Florida demands different choices and a different approach than a winter ski holiday in Aspen or an adventure trek in tropical Kalimantan.

Equipment and gear are also essential parts of the preparation. Nothing is more annoying than having to drag around luggage. If you then also find out that much of your gear is useless but that you left important items at home... you can imagine the frustration. Try to bring as little as possible, weighted against how much you can carry and the level of comfort you prefer. If you really have to make choices than first cut on comfort. Comfort can be created on site, physical strength and fitness not. Consider some of the following: is your gear in tip-top shape? Are your shoes properly broken in? Are your clothes fitting properly and don't chafe? Are tents and backpacks complete and intact? Is your first aid kit complete? Did you chance the batteries and light bulbs of your flash light? Did you pack your personal medication? Survival is in the details.


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