Amazing Amazon: Pack Light

Ohk ! So today I had this weird idea that if I need to go on a camping trip deep into the jungles of Amazon and have been told to pack light and carry only the needed stuff what all will I take along. Now I want to lie to you all; this post is inspired by countless episodes of Man vs. Wild, and Bear Grylls has taught me so much. Call it being pompous, but I believe I can survive the wilderness. The marshes and mangroves and thick forest with bears and snakes and insects crawling all over the place(though I can’t eat all the stuff he does).

Now, what would be necessary? What are the things that are compact and lightweight, easy to carry and compulsory?I think the first thing I will take would be a Swiss knife. It has so many useful attachments that it will come handy in many things big and small. It is heavy but small. I think it’s a must take along. Next would be a lighter. Now Fire, we all know is the first thing man discovered that led us here. If it weren’t for the fire, we would still be in Stone Age. You know they say that our bodies developed so well because of the nutrition and the nutrition we got only after we learned to cook on the fire and make our food tender and chewable. More chewable food meant smaller jaws too, making us look beautiful. So, now we must have a newly refilled lighter on us so that we are saved all that stone rubbing and spark making labour.

Third will be a Water Canteen. Water is the Elixir of life they say and most important element to survive. In the jungles, water can be found in rivers and ponds, but they are stationary while we need to keep moving. So a Canteen is must to carry water along with you and save you from dehydration. It’s said we can live without food but not without water. Fire and Water can make life much easier even in adverse situations. And if the water is stagnant or impure, just filter it with a sieve made from the corner of your shirt and boil it.

On my list next comes First Aid Kit. It is obvious to fall down on uneven terrain and scrape your knee or get stomach infections because the berries you ate from that tree were not to be consumed. So, what will you keep in your medical kit? I think I will keep few band aids, some basic antibiotics, painkillers, some antiseptic like Dettol, a puff of medicated cotton and some bandages. A strip for diarrhoea, a tube of cream to apply on bruises on cuts, paracetamol and an antacid and lastly some Asprin. This being taken care off, I will be much more relieved and on my guard. I can easily fight off some small injuries which are bound to happen.

Then I would like to have a watch on me that has long lasting battery life and can serve as an alarm, stopwatch, and compass too. This is needed to keep track of your direction so you can avoid moving in circles and you can always oversleep when tired so this alarm can wake you up after some rest to be back on your feet. Now the thing I will name is very evident; it’s a Camera. I know that our high-end phones have everything, but they work on battery, so it is always good to use more fundamental things when moving in a primitive environment. Another vital thing to pack are some energy bars, a couple of Snickets and Mars bar for scenarios when you can’t forage for food easily or have no energy to move on.

Keeping Hygiene is important even when you are trying to live the Neanderthal Style. Keep a couple of Travel Soap Paper with you and some Antibacterial Solution. A very basic Flashlight/Torch is also a must keep looking in the dark after sun down. Throw in some extra batteries too. Wear a Money Belt/Waist Pouch and leave your wallet at home. You don’t need money, just keep some for need. It can carry a lot of small tidbits making you hand free and unmindful of stuff falling out from pockets. Then comes the less important stuff like a change of clothes, a sweater if it gets cold, a pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes, a Hat to avoid heatstroke. When wearing the clothes for such journey or packing them make sure they are covering you from neck to wrists and from waist to ankles, so there is minimal chance of insect bites. Denim is always advisable as they are a thick fabric and not east to tear up. It will help you in your rough, tough journey and pics will come great. 🙂

Keep one plastic sheet with you that can serve as a Mat, a Raincoat, A small tent or even a Hammock. Fill your waist pouch with anti-itch cream, a toothpaste and toothbrush, a sunblock, a few sachets of salt, pepper and chilli flakes, some pen and paper and a power bank. A bottle of some kinda inflammable liquid won’t be bad if you can manage to find space in your waterproof backpack.( yeah, you are thinking right but lost those Lights, we don’t want you to set the jungle on fire).

That would be all! You are ready for that adventurous adventure now. Just hang those binoculars, wear a pair of sturdy hiking sneakers and some light coloured clothing, notch up those sunglasses up your nose and put that straw hat on your might head. You are ready to take on the world now. Don’t forget to grab your phone and fill some awesome music on your iPod.

PS: On second thoughts, packing a snake bite kit wouldn’t be too bad. 😉