Adventure Walking and Travel












Survival Tips: WATER


'The' essential - water!


Water is not only essential but in many places on earth is also the main source of disease and harmful metals.
'Travelers Diarrhea' is the common curse of travelers. Other far more serious diseases are also water-borne. I will not list these, only how to prevent them. Check Center for Disease Control at http://www.cdc.gov/.
  1. Bottled water from good brands are often available, however make sure the bottle is opened in your presence or open it yourself! Often unscrupulous stores or restaurants refill the bottles with local contaminated water and re-sell it to unsuspecting travelers. Check the top before you allow someone to open it.
  2. Don't use ice in your drinks as it is made from the same water you don't want to drink.
  3. All local water should be considered contaminated so don't use it to brush your teeth in and be careful not to get it in your mouth while bathing, and in some very bad places don't get the water in your eyes.
  4. Water needs to be boiled for 10 minutes to be safe.
  5. Use iodine tablets to put in your water to kill disease and make it safe. Follow the directions carefully. They are available at your pharmacy or camping store. They work well but the taste is ugh! Ha.
  6. We use NSA Potable Water Treatment Unit. It is small, light, and works. Years have proved it with us.
A great idea is 'Sip Master' patented water purifier. It's like a sipping straw, about 8 inches long, they have one for domestic use and one for overseas use. Easy to carry in your purse or backpack. Excellent for personal use.
Water to make tea and coffee must also be purified.
Many streams and rivers need the water purified as they are contaminated with disease and parasites.
Always check information about rivers and lakes before you wade, swim or bathe as many have horrible eye and body disease. I normally carry a water bottle on my waist or two if necessary.
Should you walk or be where no water is available, you must plan ahead. Take enough water, get someone to accompany you in a vehicle with supplies or motorbike or even a bicycle. I've used all these ways.
"He who belives in Me out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" - Jesus of Nazaerth

Glass of Milk
Good healthy milk; What's the problem in most Third World countries? Disease, contamination and improper handling and refrigeration.
  1. Milk should be boiled 10 minutes to purify.
  2. Milk products are unsafe also, local; cheese, yogurt, cream, whipped cream, and ice-cream!
  3. Once my wife and I were waiting in the hot heat in Gambia, Africa, for a flight to England. The waiting travelers were eating the soft ice-cream. It looked good but I knew the potential problem and sure enough by the time the flight arrived in England about 30 people on the flight were very ill and medical staff had to evacuate them!
  4. Powdered and evaporated milk is safe when used with purified water.
"Desire the pure milk of the word of God" - Peter the Fisherman

FOOD
  1. All meat, poultry, and seafood must be well-cooked and served while hot! Avoid ground meat as it is more easily contaminated within.
  2. Road-side meat that is cooked over a fire and freshly killed may be much better than meat in a nice hotel kept too long in a refrigerator, spoiled and not well-cooked.
  3. Avoid pork in all cases.
  4. No! Avoid cold buffets, frozen desserts, custards and mayonnaise!
  5. No! To all those fresh uncooked vegetables or salad on your plate, or at the buffet.
  6. All vegetables should be well-cooked and served hot.
  7. Often we get well-done meat and open our own can of vegetables and put it on our plates!
  8. Many times on trips we go to a shop and get canned goods, open it in our room or carry it in our 4-wheel drive or car so we can have good food. Maybe not hot but good road food.
What's the problem with fresh fruit and vegetables? Food handlers from the field to the kitchen with unclean hands. Most places have no toilet facilities in the field and they handle your food.
The food handlers in the restaurant kitchen don't wash properly after the toilet. They handle fresh contaminated meat, then handle fruit and vegetables without washing. Also many of the farms use human and animal waste for fertilizer. The worm eggs and other parasites are poured onto the vegetables or fruit.
I must say that fresh fruit and vegetables that would not be eaten in the country uncooked are now being imported into North America and Europe and these are eaten raw. This is one of the reasons and the main one I believe, that horrible outbreaks of food-borne diseases are present in these modern countries. Look at your local food store and see where the green onions and lettuce etc. are coming from. Would you eat them raw there? Well, why here? It's one of the hidden secrets of government and business. Read what the government itself recommends about eating food in Third World countries and then see that the food is imported with no warning.
"I am the living bread which came down from heaven, if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever."- Jesus of Nazareth

FRUIT AND JUICE
  1. Eat only fruit with skin, that you peel. Do not touch with your hands the part you have peeled as this will contaminate it.
  2. Often in restaurants local water is added to the fruit juice to dilute it into lasting longer.
  3. Should the person cutting up the fruit for the juice have unwashed hands or the fruit skin is touched, the juice is not safe.
  4. Fruit used in a cake or pie that is baked should be fine.
  5. It looks good but that freshly cut fruit at the buffet could be your downfall.
"I am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in me, and I in him, bears much fruit." - Jesus of Nazareth

VITAMINS I TAKE
  1. Vitamin E - 1,000 iu daily It's the best thing for healing cuts, burns or scratches. Just pour pure Vitamin E over the wound. It helps scars and infection especially in tropical conditions.
  2. Also I put pure Vitamin E oil nightly on my face, neck, hands and arms; all over exposed to the sun.
  2. Lecithin - 1,200 mg daily.
  3. Beta Carotene, Vitamin A - 25,000 iu daily
  4. Royal Jelly - 500 mg Pure Royal Jelly daily
  5. 'Ultra Juice' tm - 2 tablets daily, Twenty Eight whole fruits and vegetables. I take this on the road especially where fresh vegetables and fruits are not available or are unsafe to eat.
I will let you look up the value of these vitamins for the body. But for me it's well-worth the small space it takes up in the backpack.
Spiritual Vitamins: A few verses from the Bible and prayer mixed with love to others keeps your soul well!
"Your Father who is in heaven will give good things to those who ask Him." - Jesus of Nazare

RAIN
  1. In some warm weather places I just ignore the rain when walking as the raincoat, etc. produces as much sweat water as the rain! Or I put on the raincoat and wait for the storm to pass over or just get in a dry place until it passes over.
  2. If you don't have rain gear put some plastic or cloth around your shoe top, to prevent water pouring into your shoe.
  3. For me, good rain gear has pants that will go over your walking shoes or boots to keep out water. A raincoat made with the new materials available today that reduce sweat, not rubber etc. The jacket should have a hood that will roll up when not in use. You can get the pants, jacket and hood that will roll up and fit into it's own strap about the waist bag.
  4. Remember, get rain gear that is light, breathable, waterproof and easy to carry.
"Your Father in heaven makes His sun rise on evil and good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
Jesus of Nazareth

COLD
  1. I have walked in the Arctic Circle and Antarctica as well as other 'cold' places.
  2. Dress in layers so as you warm up walking, or the temperature changes you can shed clothes to prevent sweating and over-heating.
  3. I also carry a small glove that is small for inserting in a very cold weather glove. This way when you warm up you can take off the big glove and wear the small one.
  4. A coat that you can take off and turn into a bag you can wear around your waist is a good idea.
  5. The key thing is to determine the temperature range beforehand and prepare for the worse.
  6. Take rain gear - to get wet and cold could lead to hypothermia or even freezing.
"The love of many shall grow cold." - Jesus of Nazareth


SKIN CARE
  1. I use sunscreen 'Shade 45' on all exposed parts of my body all the time as a protection for skin damage and skin cancer prevention.
  2. After leaving the sun I wash it off with soap and water.
  3. I rub in pure Vitamin E oil each night or some other good moisturizer.
  4. Have your skin checked regularly at least once a year, especially if you are exposed to the sun a lot.
  5. For personal pleasure I swim at or after sunset to avoid the sun, I get enough walking.
"The sun shall not strike them, nor any heat, neither shall they hunger or thirst and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes." - John, Follower of Jesus speaking of heaven

HEAT
  1. When possible try to walk as early as you can and rest during the heat of the day, 12 to 2:30 pm and then walk in the afternoon till late. I did this on the long walks across Africa and from Mexico to South America and other places.
  2. Cover your skin, don't expose it. The Arabs in the desert are wise with their covered bodies. It keeps one cooler than direct skin exposure to the sun and it also prevents water evaporation.
  3. I normally wear long pant and long sleeve sun repellant shirts.
  4. I've found the desert hat 'French Foreign Legion' type hat the best, it repels heat on top and hangs around the face and neck for protection. It has a long bib to shade the face and the face and neck wrap is detachable with velcro. The hat works well also by protecting the neck and face in cold winds.
  5. Drink plenty of water! How much? Well, in humid climates you sweat a lot and can tell you are losing water, but in dry climates like the desert the water evaporates as fast as it is sweated, often one's shirt does not even get wet. But be warned, the water loss is just as great. If you are not urinating regularly, you are drinking too little. Drink more until you urinate regularly. If your urine gets darker, drink more water until it clears up. Make sure your urine is clear and regular!
  6. Two tips: Watch your walking pace so you don't overheat. Stop and rest if possible in the shade, if no shade, rest anyway.
  7. When in the heat a lot I recommend use of 'Prickly Heat Powder', it's different from regular powder.
"Jesus being weary from His journey sat by the well and said 'give me drink.' - Jesus of Nazareth

'Best' It is best to go in your travels, walking, and living with God. I have walked around this earth and have always known Jesus was with me, always. In the rain, cold, heat, war, jail, pleasure, beauty, danger, joy, the presence of God is constant, unchanging, and beautiful. I totally recommend that you invite Jesus who lived without sin, loved and helped others. But was crucified for our sins on the cross, rose again on the 3rd day and then ascended to heaven to come into your life. Begin following Jesus, love God and love, care for and help other people. In spite of all the pain, injustice and suffering in this world let the beauty of God be shown in you to others. Let us care for each other, lift up not destroy, forgive and have no vengeance. Be at peace not causing conflict. End war and welcome all. Let us be at peace and live in harmony with nature and each other. Smile and reach out your hand to care, find someone, (everyone) to love.

Right now you can talk to Jesus, ask Him to forgive your sins as you repent, trust Jesus as your Savior and commit to follow Him - give your life to God. Be filled with the Holy Spirit just now!

I trust these tips and things I've learned will help you in your travels and witness for Jesus. Peace and blessings.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus,

Arthur and Denise Blessitt

Luke 18:1