Survival and Tips

Tips from Trevor:

Any clothing can be worn but it is required to wear clothing that has been worn before and not new clothing. The same rule applies to shoes.

Salt is the bad boy when you sweat it gathers in your clothing and dries the clothing hard that is the main cause of chafes between the legs once it starts you are in trouble. Change and wash clothing and to carry sorbelene or vaseline.

Sticky plaster must be carried that is that stuff it comes off rolls and hard to come off that is needed to be placed over the inside of your legs if getting worse and also other areas that might rub like lower back, heels and toes as soon as you feel something is wrong. Most do not pay attention to their problems and bash on.

Wear well fitting and worn shoes. Going down hill feet are pushing forward so toes suffer and heels going up but what makes it all worse is when they are wet and that changes everything.

The key to it all is look at any area that is starting to feel a bit sore attend to it promptly. Like socks if they are falling down in your footwear stop and pull them up, it all helps.

The question on what to wear foot wise is up to the individual, sports shoes or boots well worn and comfortable slightly oversize as feet swell. Take care of any problem that may arise promptly. Use the same shoes for training.

When wet it changes everything. - Trevor

Tips from Lenny & Linda Hammond:

A first aid kit with basic plasters, panadol, itch relief, antiseptic etc is essential. Everyone should have their own and not rely on others as they might need their own down the track.

The better prepared you are the more enjoyable it will be. Train on hills as much as possible. Don’t underestimate it – it’s very difficult, but not unachievable with some good preparation and planning.

For women: having a period while trekking as far as hygiene, disposal, privacy etc would be very difficult- it’s bad enough just going to the toilet in the bush or using a pit toilet if you’re not used to it. So I guess a visit to their local GP some time before to discuss these issues would be a good idea.

How to avoid dehydration - Tips from Dr. Matt and Dr. Anna Malpas-Sands:

Drinking water alone is not enough when you are dehydrated. In order to replenish your body fluid, you need to take water with a bit of salt and one teaspoon of sugar mixed in the water. You can prepare this solution in a cup / glass. This solution is also applicable if you have diarrhea.

Tips about Clothes:

To lighten your pack, you might want to consider taking two pairs of clothes. The trick is to use one pair as the "dirty clothes" that you wear during the day while walking, and another pair as the "nice clothes" at night when you're relaxing.

Doing it this way, you don't need to carry lots of clothes.

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