Living in the city can be fun for a while; the nightlife is great, let alone the malls with the top trends to shop for. But after a while, it can really take its toll on you. There are so many people, and everyone always seems to be in a rush. Everything feels as if it’s going a hundred miles per hour, and you can get stuck in a routine that ends up feeling impossible to get out off – but it is possible.
If you feel like it’s time to leave the fast-paced life behind and swap it for a peaceful one that’s undisturbed, then maybe it’s time you start up again, only this time, in the wild…
Whether it be for a month or a year – go back to your roots and learn how to survive off the land like your ancestors once did.
Just think about how irrelevant things will become – like who’s wearing what on Instagram, and how many followers you have on Snapchat! Instead, your mind can focus on the important things, like living off the land, and seeing how truly beautiful the world is (without a filter…)
PREPARING
Preparations are in order before you consider doing anything else. You first need to think about where you’re going to go. When thinking about a location, you must consider the climate and weather conditions. There is a big difference between the Alaska and the Sahara, so be sure of where you want to be, and if you can deal with the extreme or not.
If this is your first time doing anything like this, you may want to play it a little safe and choose somewhere that isn’t too far away from civilization. That way if anything does happen that you’re not prepared for, or don’t have the right resources – you won’t be hard to find if there is an emergency.
TAKING CLASSES
It is very wise to take as many survival classes as possible. This is so you know that you are prepared for almost any situation that may arise, like having to hunt in the forest, or how to fish. Not only that though, but medical training too, so you are aware of how your body is coping, and if you need to be concerned. Even learning how to disinfect a cut will be very important. When you’re out there in the wild, one little scratch can end up getting infected and turning into something really nasty, so you need to know how to avoid these kind of situations at all costs.
Another very important skill to learn is how to identify different plants. This can be a life saver – as it is so easy to get mistaken and eat something that is in fact highly poisonous! As they say, knowledge is power, and in this case – knowledge will save your life.
GETTING YOUR BODY READY
No matter what anyone says, you must prepare your body. So train for where you’re going. Start walking – a lot. This doesn’t mean around the block or on the treadmill. It means going hiking, with weights on your ankles and in your backpack.
Start lifting a little more than you usually would, and build up that upper body strength. It’s important to focus on the areas that you know you will be using, as well as everywhere else.
That way it won’t be a shock when you actually go out there, because your body has been getting ready for this very journey.
PACKING THE ESSENTIALS
Depending on how long you plan on staying outdoors, will determine how many things you plan on bringing. But you will want to take as little as possible – for now. You want everything to be able to fit in your backpack. It sounds like very little, but the essentials will all fit, and you will learn this when you take classes. Nothing should be too heavy to carry; otherwise you will be exhausted within the first five minutes of walking, and this will cause you to lose precious energy, let alone slowing you way down.
PACKING THE RIGHT CLOTHES
There is no fashion show here; it’s all about being practical. – How to stay warm when it’s cold, and how to keep cool when it’s hot.
Do your research on what the best materials are, but bear in mind the information may change depending on where you’re going, so don’t just read one thing and think that that’s enough.
When you go to classes, ask the professional what they think. They will be able to give you some advice on what to bring, along with how to pack it properly. You would rather bring too much, than not enough. But having said that, you still need room for your other items.
PURIFYING WATER TO DRINK
When you finally set off, the most important thing that you will need is water. Without this, you just won’t be able to survive – fact. But you can’t just drink water you see, as it will most likely be contaminated with bacteria, and if you drink this you will end up getting very ill, and you definitely don’t want that. So you need to make sure you purify it before you put it anywhere near your lips.
You can do this by boiling it for at least ten minutes to get rid of any bacteria that’s floating around. There are also things on the market that you can buy, like a water filter straw, that you use just like any other straw, but it has as system inside which cleans the water as you suck. Or you can stick to iodine tablets that purify the water instead.
As well as these tricks, you will also want to make the most of what you’re given, so if it starts to rain – get your container out and fill up as much as you can. Rainwater doesn’t need to be purified, so take advantage of the heavens opening.
SIGNALING FOR HELP
In the unfortunate event of you needing help, you will need to know how to get it as soon as possible. This is why you should bring whistles and any other rescue signals with you. Anything that will draw enough attention to where you are and who you are. So get yourself a doggy tag necklace, or something that can identify you if you end up losing all your other belongings.
SETTING UP CAMP
It’s crunch time. You need to locate a safe enough place where you can set up camp. You want to be far enough away from animals that can cause danger to you, but still close enough to a water source so you can fill up your containers and stay hydrated.
BUILDING A FIRE
Once you’ve found your spot, you should make a fire as soon as possible. This will not only keep you warm, but it will scare off any critters that may be getting a little too curious about your presence. Just make sure that all your valuables are out of the way, so you don’t risk burning anything important!
In order to start a fire, you will need two types of wood. The first being some logs that will hold your fire securely. You may be lucky enough to find what you need lying around, but if your location makes this a little tricky, then you will need to cut things down yourself. This is why it’s important to have the right tools on you. You can find the best log splitter 2017 by browsing online. As long as you have the equipment, you should easily be able to get what you need.
The second type of wood is birch bark. This will work as your firestarter because it catches a flame very quickly and burns easily. Then all you need to do is blow, and you should see the fire start to grow before your very eyes.
BUILDING A SHELTER
When you’ve made your fire, you can start working on building your shelter (or future home!) Start with a basic but strong structure, big enough for what you need. You can always expand later, so for now just think about surviving. This means ensuring you have somewhere safe to sleep at night, that isn’t on the ground. There are too many risks of sleeping on the bare floor, and it will get very cold at night, and that can cause serious health risks, so even if it’s just a few inches off the floor – it’ll make a big difference.
STAYING FED
You should have little essentials with you, but they will eventually run out, and unless you plan on taking timeouts to go and restock, you’ll need to know how to catch your own food. This is where all your training will come in handy, like how to set traps and prepare fresh meat properly.
If you plan on staying a long while, then you may want to consider planting seeds and creating your own little farm full or fruit and veg. Remember things grow at different times, so make sure you have all the knowledge about the seasons and what flowers when.
