Boundless Expeditions

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Traveling around the world has great benefits to the soul, but it can have potentially dangerous effects on the body.  As I boated down the Amazon River in 20067, I thought often about the potential for escalating danger.  Floating through thick jungles, days away from civilization was thrilling.   Sleeping in tents, eating local fare, no running water, baths in the river… these are the moments every adventurer dreams about.

But these are also moment to start thinking about simple injuries that could lead to a fatal outcome.  An open wound, with just the wrong bacterial infection, could lead to the loss of a limb under these extreme circumstances.  An undercooked meal has the possibility of weeks of miserable stomach and bowel issues.  And the lack of a simple tetanus shot can be fatal.  Yet these types of injuries can easily happen in the good ol’ U.S of A.

Our directors are required to be CPR/ First Aid certified and to carry a simple portable ER kit that can save a lot of future pain in the life of a traveler.  If you are hitting the road this summer to a location that may leave you in the boondocks, (whether a foreign country or a hike in the Grand Tetons,) think about packing your own portable ER. Here are the essentials to your ER kit (taken from National Geographic Adventure April 2008):

1. Ziploc bags- dry storage, wound irrigation
2. Moleskin- chafe and blister protection
3. Gauze- padding and absorption
4. Sunscreen
5. Non-Antibacterial Soap
6. Butterfly band-Aids
7. Water Purification tablets- only in locations where you don’t drink the tap water
8. Imodium A-D- anti diarrheal
9. Ibuprofen- anti-inflammatory and pain relief
10. Duct tape- splinting, casting
11. Iodine- antiseptic
12. Multitool- pack in your suitcase; multiple uses
13. Tweezers- splinters and ticks- never fun
14. Safety pins- fastener
15. ACE bandage- limb stabilization and support
16. Krazy Glue- gear repair and wound enclosure
17. Latex gloves- in dealing with any open wound

When you do a decent amount of traveling, lightening up the load becomes vital to the travel experience. The lighter the load the more freedom you have to explore. Most travelers carry much more than they need.  I learned to lighten up in Madagascar when I had to carry my bulging 70-lbs bag up five flights of stairs.  One hernia and ten years later, lightening my load has become a way of life.  Here are a few ideas to keep your travel simple, more affordable and considerably lighter.

Forget: High-tech expedition shell.
Take: Rain poncho and a light windbreaker.
Why: Unless you’re doing serious foul-weather trekking, the poncho-windbreaker combo will keep you just as dry. It also costs less, packs smaller, and is less likely to be stolen.  Check out Helly Hansens rain gear.

Forget: Blue jeans.
Take: Dark-colored, lightweight pants.
Why: Jeans are bulky and take forever to dry. Simple cotton or synthetic pants pack more easily, dry faster, and look presentable in any number of on-the-town settings. Travel pants are easy to find and they will take pounds off the bag.

Forget: Flashlight.
Take: LED headlamp.
Why: Flashlights require bulkier batteries than headlamps, and twice the hands, not to mention they feel like a brick in your pack. LED headlamps have a comparable light output and increased efficiency with half the weight.

Forget: Travel towel.
Take: REI Travel Towel.
Why: An REI travel towel is a thin shammy that soaks up less water after a shower so it will dry faster and won’t stink up your pack like a damp towel. It also folds down to the size of a piece of paper. It takes 25% of the space of a towel.

Leave: Hiking boots.
Take: Sport sandals.
Why: Nothing bulks up a pack like a pair of boots. Sandals are lighter and, in most climates, more comfortable. (You can add socks on chilly nights.) I love my hiking boots but my sandals reign superior.

Leave: Daypack.
Take: Small messenger bag.
Why: Daypacks are clumsy to carry in crowds and too accessible to thieves. Messenger bags ride safely under your arm or in front of your body, making them easier to use and much less attractive to pickpockets.

If you are an Indiana-Jonesite like me, you may have that strange desire to bring some sort of relic home with you when you travel.  It’s like a garage sale fantasy where you shuffle through some old books and find a priceless first edition for a quarter.  I have a few items like this displayed in my office.  There is the Irish bodhran (drum) that hangs on the wall; a gift from a musician who was very touched by a play I presented at her church in Ireland.  A small baby shoe, caked in mud, that I collected in the lower 9th Ward shortly after Hurricane Katrina.  Two long wooden forks, known as brain-pickers; morbid relics collected from the South Pacific.  Most people, however, are tempted to buy one of a million pieces of junk displayed in gifts shops in locations like the Grand Canyon or NYC.  Have you ever been tempted to purchase the location magnet or coffee cup?  What about floaty pens or snow globes?  Then there is the ever-enticing $3 t-shirt.  When does the insanity stop?

Here are some practical thoughts.

(a) Bring back something that represents the place you visit.  I have a friend who is a movie buff.  When he went to NYC for the first time he bought King Kong on the Empire State Building.  Dorky to most but perfect for him.  He often collects movie memorabilia from the places he visits.

(b) Bring something back that is worthy to be passed down to others; that will eliminate 90% of the junk buys.

(c) Bring back something that tells a story.  Stories, whether personal or ones collected from the places you travel, give you the ability to share your experience with everyone.  Write them down, share them freely, and collect them abundantly.  The best relics you collect in your travels will always have stories attached to them, or they will stir stories up in you.

In high school, I had to take a required etiquette class where I learned the Fox Trot, how to differentiate between cutleries when dining with royalty, what my seasonal colors were and how to spend $50,000 on a wardrobe that would be both uncomfortable and look ridiculous. To date, the things I learned in that class I have yet to use in my life but there is a bit of etiquette that I use quite often and it just might benefit you when traveling: photography etiquette.

• Permission – Often, it is possible to take a photo of someone without getting their attention but if that is not possible, ask their permission. This is the polite (and safe) thing to do, especially if children are in the frame.

• Money for photo – If someone demands money to pose, just move on. Showing your stash of cash may not be safe.  Plus, at this point, the spontaneity of the photo has been compromised.

• When not to use the flash – Flash is usually discouraged at sporting and other type events (although many people ignore the request) because it can be dangerous for the performers. While most flashes are not powerful enough to be beneficial for the photograph from long distances, they are powerful enough to cause spots in the performers’ eyes.  You should also avoid using the flash anywhere it would be disruptive or dangerous, such as a wedding or in a moving car.

• Don’t be rude – Many people don’t mind stopping and waiting for you to get that shot before they cross in front of your camera.  But try not to make people wait for you to get that perfect shot, especially at crowded tourist attractions.  Let people pass and take your time to get the shot you want.

These tips may not help if royalty ever invites you to a cotillion ball, but they will help you to avoid an embarrassing photography situation on your next adventure.

I love taking pictures and traveling around the world has allowed me to get some great and interesting shots.  There is nothing better than coming home after touring Europe and showing your shots off to friends and family, unless those pictures are just plain boring. Maybe no one else will tell you, so I will. No one really cares what your hotel room looked like or that the Coke cans look different or the shot of that blurry field that you took while traveling 60 mph down the highway out of a bus window. So here are a few photo tips help you capture the moment so people don’t have to ask, “What is this picture of?”

Get down to their level: Whether it’s animals, kids or just plain old short people.  Hold your camera at your subject’s eye level.

Background Check:  Check your background.  If it is too busy, try moving to a different angle to capture your shot.  A cluttered background will be distracting, while a more neutral background will help to emphasize your subject.  You are not trying to create a Where’s Waldo book and have people guess what you are shooting.

Move in close:  That garden of flowers may be beautiful but try filling in your viewfinder with just one of the flowers.  This allows you to eliminate background distractions and show off the details in your subject.  You can also try out your camera’s macro setting.  On people, stick to the face, zooming in anywhere else may lead to trouble or possible deportation!

Offset the subject:  Know the “Rule of Thirds”.  For a more dramatic picture, try placing your subject off center.  Imagine your viewfinder as a tic-tac-toe grid, focus on the subject and while the focus is locked, place your subject at one of the intersecting lines.

Know your camera: Don’t know what ISO means?  Shooting in fine instead of superfine?   Read the manual and bring it with you when you travel. Once you know your camera, you can take it out of automatic mode and switch to manual mode and really start getting some amazing shots.  If you are going to spend hundreds of dollars on a camera and not use its features, you might as well have a disposable camera.

I scanned my shelf filled with years of journals- some were worn leather-bound tomes, others were hard-backed water-stained beauties. All have distinct personalities and are filled with observations, emotion and stories that I have collected from around the world these last 20 years. The particular journal I was looking for chronicled my first Asian voyage to the Philippines. It was gone- disappeared- kaput! I did not know if I had left it on some random airplane or in a hotel room. It was as if part of my memories and life had vanished forever- probably in some warehouse or in a trash dump.

Months later, while packing for a trip, I found it stuffed in the obscure pocket of a travel bag. And there was great rejoicing! I hope to convince everyone I lead on trips that a beloved journal is an essential piece of travel gear. Online blogs are great, but a physical journal is far superior.

The words “journey” and “journal” are both based on the French root word, which means day. A journey is how far one travels in a day. Similarly, a journal literally is a record of the events of the day. At Wonder Voyage, we consider the life of faith to be a journey, not a destination. Over the years we have found that participants who keep a journal during their voyages have a more complete experience. Journaling enables one to ponder more deeply the activities and experiences of the day. In essence, a journal can be like a “memory road map;” a reminder of how far one has traveled. Years later, one can look back at a journal entry and recognize God as a companion on the journey. Here is some practical advice from chronicle experts on how to keep a powerful journal on your upcoming travel experiences.

• Read some classic journals for inspiration such as The Travels of Marco Polo, The Lewis and Clark Journals, A Walk Across America or South: The Endurance Expedition
• Decide how you will organize your journal. We suggest you keep entries by destination. Try to keep your format consistent, but don’t be afraid of an occasional departure from the norm.
• Add clippings such as ticket stubs, pictures, or other souvenirs from your voyage.
• Sketch or doodle. I am not a good artist at all but if there is something significant such as a majestic vista, ancient structure or strange animal try to capture it in pencil, pen or even crayon. Looking back on those pictures brings a strong recollection of the moment.
• Draw or add maps to help keep you grounded in the ‘where’ of your travels.
• Collect stories that happen to you, historical tales, funny local sayings, indigenous poetry or local legends- these will be great to share in the future.
• Write from the heart. Be brutally honest in the moment. Don’t worry about others reading your journal. Capture the raw moments of your heart.
• Go back and read your old journals and be truly inspired by your past adventures.

Last September, while heading out on a trip with my wife, I was surprised going through security at DFW International Airport.  I should not be taken aback by these incidents.  I just assume, since 9-11, that people are grateful for increased security measures at airports.  Even if you have not traveled via airlines for a while, simple observation while standing in the security line will afford you enough common sense to make it through without any incidents.

The particular day we were traveling the lines were slow.  The security personnel were being thorough in their process of screening baggage and travelers as they passed through the metal detectors.  If I am a bit late for a flight, a slow pace can edge on maddening. I understand that most airline personnel, if you alert them to your flight status, will move you up if necessary so I never really sweat it.  A young man, in his early 20’s, seemed particularly agitated in line.  He was a bit late, but it was not an emergency.  He was trying to get through so he could get his Starbuck’s fix before he joined the flight.  His constant mumbling under his breath caught the attention of security.  By the time he finally made it to the luggage belt, he was furious.  Paying no attention to the jammed belt, he placed his bag on the end and started to walk through the metal detectors.  The belt backed up as often is the case when a security officer wants to take a second look at a bag.  His bag came crashing off the belt and onto the floor.  In a huge baritone voice he yelled, “HEY- WHAT THE H*%# IS HAPPENING!  PAY ATTENTION!”  Everything froze to a halt.  He started to argue with another security guard who calmly called over her superior.  “What seems to be the trouble…” were the last words I heard.  I just laughed because I knew at this point the guy would be lucky to catch his flight.  I did not even want to think about how intrusive the security measures might be for him.  What are people thinking?

Here are a few tips for making your time through security a little less awkward:

• Travel early in the day.  If delays start to happen, they will affect more flights toward the end of the day.
• Fly non-stop. The shorter the travel time, the better.  The more flights you have to transfer to, the more chance for trouble. This is especially essential when flying with a group of people.
• Get rid of the liquids, sharp objects and anything that looks like a weapon. They will take them anyway so you might as well deal with it without being asked.  Plus you drive the people in line behind you crazy!
• Use the bathroom before you board.
• Carry a well-stocked backpack.  If you get delayed, have a good book with you.  An ipod is always a wonderful luxury.  Some snacks to hold you over are always a plus.
• Try to carry on your luggage.  Although it is not always possible, it does make transfer time a lot easier.  Just be careful about what you have packed.
• Plan for the worst.  No matter what, you’ll eventually make it to where you need to go.  This could be a great chance for you to catch up on your sleep.
• Keep smiling.  Security has it a lot tougher than you do.  They just want to protect us.  Make their day easier through a bit of patience and kindness.

Last article we began to explore the foundational attributes you should look for when partnering with an adventure travel organization to join on a foreign or domestic trip.  Last month we discussed the three vital elements of enlightenment, customization and cultural respect.  Here is the last of our Wonder Voyage guide to finding the organization that will serve you best.

Authentic at the Core Your travels should be an authentic encounter rather than a canned experience. Find an organization that celebrates local culture, including food, festivals and the arts. Look for a company that has a reputation for finding spontaneous moments that are catalysts for life changing discovery.  This means the organization must work hard at creating the conditions where authentic experience can flourish.  Remember, only authentic leaders lead authentic trips.

Trust the Experts The whole reason you are looking for an organization to work with is to be able to release someone else with the details.  It is quite freeing to engage in the adventure of travel, secure in knowing the details of the trip are being taken care of by travel experts.  You must be able to trust that your company are not just location experts, but travel experts.  There is a big difference between a tourist company and a travel guide.  If you are not willing to trust the company, we suggest you plan the trip on your own.

Community One of the coolest aspects of a good travel organization is the ability to foster, or even create a community vibe to the voyage.  Go with a place where you feel like you are part of an extended family.  The guide should work hard at building a rapport with the individuals on the trip and challenging them with the joys of the adventure.  Do they communicate with you as the leader?  Are they joyful in the execution of the trip?  Do you leave only wanting them to lead your future trips?

Choosing an organization is like choosing a good pair of hiking boots.  They need to handle the terrain, be supportive, create a comfortable fit and hopefully remain affordable. Once you find them, you’ll never look for another.