Weatherproofing Yourself - Part 1

I have just returned from the Midwestern United States and it's 14 degree windchill. It is windy, snowy and just beginning the long winter cool down. People are out sledding, skiing and generally enjoying the weather both there and in the comparatively balmy New York City, but there is one major difference-here everyone is seems to be ill. Granted, here it is much more crowded in NYC and the likelihood of coming face to face with someone with the flu is pretty good, but I think it is also impacted in part by how people dress for the weather.

Over a year ago I decided to weather proof myself as an experiment. Could I enjoy life here in the city more if I were out in the elements and prepared for them? It seemed like a simple solution to my complex situation of being an outdoorsy person in our country's largest city. I would get to be outdoors a lot more, I would notice subtle changes around me, and I would get pretty fit in the process. I had become a Starbucks clutching, impatient subway rider, and that had to go. I decided to forgo my monthly metro pass and the Starbucks for several months an used that money to purchase gear. The plan was to walk to my destination instead of wait for transportation. I only used public transportation when I was really far from something. Waiting for the crosstown bus became a thing of my past.

With any lifestyle change comes initial adjustments and the occasional setback, the most obvious one in this case was time. Where was I going to find the time to do this? It ended up being a simple early to bed early to rise solution that helped with the initial changes in my commute around the city. Walking takes time, but so does waiting. Walking resulted in a predictable arrival time where the transportation wait times varied wildly. It also fostered a better sense of community because I ran my errands while in transit, allowing me to shop locally and become aware of the small businesses that I want to support. I was able to come up with various routes that would combine something practical with something beautiful- I could have a picnic breakfast in Central Park and watch the migrating birds for a couple of minutes instead of staring blankly down a subway tunnel for morning entertainment.

In the next posts, I am going to go through some of the gear trials and explain what I found useful in my experiment.

Memories of Enua Manu-The Isle of Birds

After the doom and gloom of my traveller's first aid posts, I felt that I could take a bit of a breather and remind us of why we travel. There are two questions that are always asked of me 1) Don't you get lonely? and 2) Don't you get scared? Perhaps this old photo of me and my Cook Island pals will help to alleviate those worries.

Dressing for the Malarial Belt

When traveling in the “malarial belt”-that wonderful sweeping equatorial band where all of the mosquito borne illnesses occur, dress light and think long. Mosquitoes are drawn to darkness. There are many varieties of mosquito-some are by day and some by night. In both cases, the same strategy works. They like to rest in dark places, and on dark colors. When you are packing, think light colored breathable, washable fabric that covers your arms and legs.

I traveled with Steve D. for a couple of weeks in Sumatra. Steve was kind enough to pretend to be my husband while I was in charge of the logistical information that navigated us inland to a newly discovered archaeological site. I am still not sure which one of us had the harder task, but we did have several good laughs at how many people corrected his Bahasa and noted that he is my Father not my Husband due to his beautiful salt and pepper hair. Indonesians tend not to grey until they hit 70 or so, but we tried to be culturally respectful by my not being a lone women wandering about the Sumatran plains.

Steve travelled very lightly carrying nothing more than a small day pack. He also wore only white button-down shirts for a variety of reasons. He noted that he can drop them off at the village laundry and they are returned glowing white for just a couple of coins. They are also cheap and easy to buy in several places on the road including, Thailand, Vietnam, Java and Bali. Equally important was the fact that they offer some sun protection while also helping with the mosquito issue.

I tested out my mosquito theory by selecting to hike near those wearing dark clothing (sorry New Yorkers) and they were pulling in the mosquitoes while I was bite free. A gauzy blouse is also a great way to stay cool and be culturally cool as well. Bare shoulders and bare legs on both men and women are considered pretty trashy throughout most of non-resort SE Asia. A light layer also allows you to cut down on the DEET that you are using, and your body will notice the difference immediately. If you are in a cerebral malaria zone or an area with Japanese Encephalitis, never give up on the DEET, in those scenarios DEET is your lifeline.

So hope this helps you out smart the mosquito. Remember that mosquitoes are the downside of travelling in the rainy season. If your accommodation is near still water find another place no matter how charming the owners are. Mosquitoes also tend to feed right before it rains, so be aware of the changes in weather.

FYI my favorite mosquito is the black and white banded one-quite a looker.

Burn care in the tropics

It seems only too appropriate that I begin my new travel blog with a post about caring for yourself while on the road. Skin is a frequent topic of conversation for me since I was born with delicate, glowingly pale skin. This skin is certainly at odds with the kind of travel that I would come to embark on. Sunblock and protective clothing are always big considerations when packing my bag, but along the way I learned a wonderful hint from two French firemen that I met on the isle of Moorea in the Society Islands.

I was only ten days into a 10 month trip when I was burned by the muffler of a motorcycle. Though it seems like an obscure accident, any visitor to the South Pacific or South East Asia knows that few escape without at least a minor burn. Why? Well, most of us will end up on a motorbike of some kind during our trip. The unfortunate part is that few of us have long sturdy pants that completely cover and help protect our legs. Many womens travel pants are a shorter length, which leaves a few inches of delicate skin exposed. If you are driving your own motorbike, you are mostly in front of the muffler, but if you are riding as a taxi passenger or guest on a motorbike your leg is right by the scorching muffler.

Burns and coral cuts are two tough, but frequent injuries for the adventurous traveler. They take your full attention in tropical climates, and even with great care I advise a trip into a local clinic for antibiotics. If you are not near a clinic, this would be a good time to use some of your "emergency antibiotics" that you brought from home. It may not seem like an emergency, but yours,like mine, could go septic in a matter of hours due to the climate. Travelers are often hesitant to use their "emergency" treatment for something that seems so trivial, but remember that preventative action is the key to the long haul. Use them if infection appears to be making an advance, then replace them when you get to a city with medical facilities or a pharmacy.

So, where do French firemen enter the picture? Would you believe that they heard of my injury and arrived at my grass hut bearing a jar of Emu oil! At first I thought that it was a hallucination produced by the infection, heat, and the new dose of antibiotics, but it ended up being the best help one could hope for. Two handsome smiling creatures arrived to take care of my leg. (Thank you France! Thank you Emus!) It turned out that they met one of the surfers whose coral cuts I had recently treated. He informed them of my nasty burn that was deep and painful. Next thing you know they were there to assist. Now I realize that Emu oil is not vegan and that is it's only downside. It is made of pure squeezed Emu, making it is as non vegan as you can get. They explained to me that they use it to lessen scaring and help with healing the nasty burns that they get. Now they never travel without it.

The horrible, nearly to the bone burn is now a nickel sized number barely distinguishable on my right leg. The story is by far much larger than the scar. So it was with this in mind that I searched the shelves today for a similar product. I found this company and decided to try it on my aching hip joint, which was the result of spring training combined with aging. It may be too soon to tell, but the joint feels like it is loosening up. Emu oil is a great in your travel medical kit. It works for sunburn, windburn, chapped lips, abrasions, sprains, scars, joint pain and as a general beauty moisturiser. A great multipurpose cream that will be worth it's weight in gold on your long haul around the world.

The moral of this story is be good to your fellow travelers and it will come back to you in mysterious ways.