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| Image: @JazzzyJesss |
While the Earth has now mostly been discovered and it’s
unlikely that you will find a new realm of your own, the wilderness is a world
of its own. Travel can broaden your mind and introduce you to new things, but
traveling off the beaten track is about discovering something for yourself, or
even simply yourself.
Recently I have been looking into yoga retreats that
submerge you in nature and what I’m learning is that areas I wouldn’t typically
travel to for a vacation are a prime spot for a yoga retreat. In more cases
than not, I would be headed toward some cabin in the middle of the Costa Rican
jungle. That’s an extremely wild area.
Taking yourself out of human civilization and spending some
time reflecting free of distractions can be an awesome cleanse for the mind,
body, and soul, but you have to be prepared since your phone service might not
make it to these rural areas with you.
Be Prepared... Obvi...
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| Image: @JazzzyJesss |
Most of us spend the majority of our time indoors with basic
simple pleasures, such as running water, air conditioning, and take out
delivery services. You won’t have this while kayaking on the Krutynia River in
Poland, or wherever your wild adventure takes you! When you are heading into
more rural areas, basic survival has to be a priority.
Prepared Bee is a site dedicated to survival skills and
includes articles on everything from the best survival movies to endurance
skills. This is a great place to start learning and preparing for your trip as
well as being introduced to topics you might not have considered before, such
as which plants you can eat or which tent will best fit your bougie needs!
I have not roughed it in the real wild, so I’ll have to get
a solid practice camping trip going here sometime soon before I go on a wild camping retreat. There are plenty of places around the world that accept wild
camping and by becoming familiar with the process in a more secure environment,
it will certainly help to cement my survival skills. If you’re unsure if this
is for you, you won’t be too far from a comfortable and civilized hotel room.
PRO TIP: Pack light. You are more than likely going to be traveling with everything you'll be camping with.
Don't Go Wild in the Wild
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| Image: JazzzyJesss |
Plan Ahead
It might sound contradictory to plan an off-route trip, but
actually, the planning is even more important here. It’s essential that you know
about your destination so that you can bring the right equipment and clothes,
but you should also be prepared for what you may encounter. Could be a bear,
could be a tribe, and could be a majestic waterfall. You just never know in the
wild. But, just in case, you should have a couple of back-up plans up your
sleeve should your trip turn out a little differently than expected.
When in Doubt, Map it Out
As a basic rule, you should have an idea of the route you
are planning to take and be able to draw up a rough itinerary of events. If you
can, it’s advisable to check in with a local town (or two!) along the way so
that you can stock up on things like food and medical supplies. Some trails,
like the internationally popular PCT, is ideal for striking a balance between
wilderness and regular towns for newbies like me.
K.I.T. Keep In Touch
When you plan your trip, it’s important to let someone else
know where you are going and to stay in touch as regularly as you can. This is
a basic safety precaution that everyone traveling should take. If you aren’t
where you say you are going to be, they can raise the alarm and get help to you
as quickly as possible.
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| Image: JazzzyJesss |
Traveling off the beaten track is the best way to test your character and discover the more remote parts of our incredible planet. I know for me, I’ll be traveling with a group, but all of this still applies for solo and group travelers. It’s a big world out there and we should explore it! Adventure is out there if you’re prepared for it, otherwise, it could be chaos.
For more reading on the outdoors, check out my post on Turning A New Leaf On Camping and The City Slickers Guide to the Outdoors.
How do you prepare for your wild camping trips? Let’s
discuss it down below!
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