Training your feet

When preparing for a long trek one of the most overlooked areas in our training regimen is our feet.  Just like with backs and legs, if you do not train properly you are setting yourself up for lots of pain and potentially some ill-timed injuries.  One of the best and most simple things you can do to prevent that, is get a good pair of shoes and walk long distances on hard surfaces on a regular basis.  While you might develop some light muscular discomfort in your feet as you go longer and longer, it is important that you know what kind of discomfort you are dealing with.  If you start to feel pain on the back of your heel, down the center of your sole, or anywhere else where you feel tendon pain stop working out for that day.  The last thing you want is the injure a tendon because those can take a very long time to heal, so take a day or two and then try walking on a smaller incline or at a slower pace and see if that does not keep the pain from returning, but as always use common sense and if anything is hurting too badly or doesn't seem right to you get it checked out (and of course: disclaimer).  Also if you start to feel isolated sections of your feet getting warm, that is a warning sign that you are getting a blister, you might want to refer back to the article on how to deal with them.  If you find yourself getting blisters or warming spots you want to take some time and check out your shoes and socks.  If they are rubbing and irritating your skin as you walk you might want to look into new shoes or socks depending on where the problem is.    Just make sure when you can you walk on hard surfaces for extended periods, because while other kinds of training can build the muscular and cardiovascular strength to go on a hike, only by walking on hard surfaces like cement can you avoid getting painfully sore on mile 12 of 15 and ruining the end of an otherwise great hike.

Nepal Travel Guide

Annapurna Circuit, An Introduction

Annapurna Circuit, An Introduction

I am getting ready for the Annapurna Circuit in October.  The Annapurna Circuit is a 133 mile, 21 day hike through the Himalayas.  I will be using the blog to cover the things I learn about the trek as I prepare, including places to stay, dangers to watch out for, what/how to pack, and importantly how to get yourself in shape for a trek through the Himalayas but first, a quick overview about the Annapurna Circuit. It is frequently rated as the best hike on Earth.  The route takes you through lush jungle, arid planes, and of course glacier covered mountains.  Unlike many other treks such Everest Base Camp, you do not need to worry about bringing a tent or bringing all of the food you will need for the trek with you.  This is because all along the circuit there are numerous villages with "teahouses" where you can stay and eat very cheaply.  As to be expected the higher in elevation (and more remote) you go on the trail, the more expensive your food and lodging will become, though even at its most remote things are still very cheap.  Due to the large number of villages on the trail (generally no more than 3 hours apart) you do not have to hire a porter but if you are hiking alone like me it might be good to have for security reasons.  The best time of year to go is in October when the views are the clearest and the weather is the driest.  The biggest dangers are from altitude sickness (the trail tops out at around 18,000 feet), cold, and contaminated water  (making avoiding travelers diarrhea very important for parts of the trip).  The other big issue to deal with when on the trail is the road that is being built.  Some parts of the circuit have been covered with a road decreasing the appeal of some of the trail's sections.  This also makes hiking this trek a race against time as the beauty of this centuries old trail will eventually be destroyed.

Round The World Tickets (RTW)

One of the lesser known ways to travel is the RTW or Round The World ticket.  They allow a person the ability to travel around the world for a set price regardless of destination.  If done correctly they can save a person hundreds or even thousands of dollars in airfare for your trip.  The trick is to knowing when and how and when to use them.  The first thing you need to know about RTW tickets is that they require extensive planning.  You have to make sure that you know what area of the world you plan to be in at any particular time.  While it is possible to change some of the tickets after they have been scheduled there are restrictions like limited seats per flight that might make it difficult to alter your plans on the fly if that is your travel style.  Also each airline group like Oneworld and Star Alliance have their own rules and regulations on how their RTW tickets can be used.  It is important to be aware of the specific rules each carrier group offers because some offer their plans based on mileage, others on a per continent basis, some say you can't back track or have specific numbers of stops per continent you have to take, all of this is important because all of this will dramatically affect how and where you plan your trip.  The only really consistent limitation I have seen in RTW tickets is that they generally require the trip to conclude within a year.  The benefits of an RTW ticket is that you can use it to dramatically reduce the cost on the world's most expensive air routes, particularly between North or South America and Oceania (the Australian continent).  When planing your routes remember that you do not want to pay for plane tickets to each city you will be going to (if you did this your RTW ticket might not be cheaper than standard airfare) what you want to do instead is use it to get you to a specific region such as South East Asia.  For example if you land in Thailand and want to explore you should use overland travel, like the cheap bus to Cambodia, or use one of the regional air lines which can be very cheap depending on what part of the world you are in.  All of this is done so that you do not needlessly waste your mileage or your number of allotted flights.  In the end if you use it correctly and in the right circumstances you can use an RTW ticket to travel cheaper and more often than you would with other methods.


*image taken from wikimedia commons and can be found here

How To Deal With Blisters On The Trail

When doing long distance or multi-day hiking it is important to make sure that you have the proper protection for your feet.  Not only can blisters become an annoyance they can also lead to infection or put you at higher risk of parasites depending on where you are hiking.  The obvious first step to avoid blisters is to make sure that your hiking shoes are comfortable, broken in, and not rubbing on your skin.  Also if at any time you feel warmth in one isolated section of your feet pay attention to it, because that is the first warning sign that you are getting a blister.  There are several ways to head blisters off at the pass before they become a factor for your trip.  First if you can make sure that you are not walking in any wet shoes or socks.  While keeping your feet dry all the time on the trail may be impossible because you might have to ford rivers, it is sometimes best to pack a water sock or pair of sandals to change into on the trail so you can keep your shoes dry in your pack.  Secondly there is a really good anti-blister product out there called mole skin.  It is this padded felt patch with adhesive on one side that you stick on the part of your foot that is getting a blister (experiencing isolated warming) also it works on areas that have already developed a blister and makes it more bearable to walk on and can help keep the skin together and from shredding on the trail.  Now because mole skin usually comes in a sheet you will need a knife or something to cut it to the right size (of course make sure the area is as clean and dry as you can make it before applying).  Also each type of mole skin has a different thickness and that means when walking it will feel different on your feet or in your shoe so you might want to try some of it on before you go to make sure your mole skin doesn't make you uncomfortable.  In general the Dr. Sholl's brand mole skin has some of the thickest padding,  which means more comfort but a larger bulkier mass to deal with in the shoe, and the generic store brand ones have the thinnest.  Try on a few and see what balance works best for you, trust me if you get a blister on the trail you will thank yourself for it.

Water Purification: Iodine Tablets

If you are going to be doing long distance hiking one of your biggest issues will be finding safe drinking water.  In order to avoid a potentially deadly infection while in the wilderness you will need to have a method of purifying water.  One of the best methods of purifying water is to use iodine tablets to remove any harmful bacteria that might exist in the water.  After you have filled your container with water, added your tablets, and waited the proper amount of time for it to purify, you need to remember to loosen the lid of your container and let some of the purified water pour out so that you can wash off the rim and cap.  This is done because there might be a droplet of infected water from when you first filled your canteen.  Also it is important to realize that this method of water purification will not remove any chemicals or sediment from your water.  This is less a factor if you are dealing with clear streams, than if you are dealing with cloudy water or a water source near a mining operation (which may have polluted the water with chemicals like mercury during the extraction process).  Some people find the taste of iodine unpleasant the way I would recommend dealing with that issue is by bringing some powdered drink flavors like Kool-Aid®.  The only other real issue is that some people with shellfish or iodine allergies can have allergic reactions to the tablets, so if you have those conditions consult your doctor or consider a water filter.  The benefits of this method is that it weighs less and takes up less room than some water filters, also you never have to worry about if your filter has reached the end of its life and stopped working because the number of tablets give you an accurate picture of how much more filtered water you have to work with.

Getting Arrested In Japan

Sometimes things happen, you party too hard, you make a couple of bad decisions and you find yourself on the wrong side of the law.  The question now is, what do you do and what can you expect to happen.  The first thing to know is that you need to request for your consulate to be notified and to request their assistance in your case.  Having your consulate be aware of your arrest is important because not only can they relay the message about your arrest to people back home, but they can also many times get you in contact with a lawyer who speaks your language.  In case you want to review some of your options for legal consultation this State Department article has plenty of information including a directory of English speaking lawyers in Japan.  Even if you do tell the Japanese authorities that you want to have your consulate to be notified about your arrest don't expect to immediately get to meet with a lawyer.  This is because Japan often times, if you were arrested with something like a drug crime, simply reports the arrest to INTERPOL and allows them to notify your consulate.  Also Japan does not always allow for legal consultation before indictment for all crimes.  While the list of crimes that warrant pre-indictment legal consultation has grown since the mid-1990's there are still some offenses that do not allow for it.  It is important that if possible you utilize your pre-indictment legal consultation because according to The New York Times "Japan has a 99 percent conviction rate."  So trying to avoid trial (while also avoiding prison) would be a good idea.  The article also goes on to say that Japan has a well documented history of forced confessions, so bear that in mind when considering whether to confess or not, because even if it was acquired under duress that does not mean that the confession wont be used against you.  Also the Japanese penal system uses solitary confinement in many instances including for drug crimes. This is true especially for the pre-indictment, period which can last for months.  In case you missed it, you might want to go over the article on Illegal Japanese Meds so that you make sure you know what to not pack in your luggage.  Also if you get arrested realize that you wont be able to take the medication that you brought with you for any health condition you may have.  This has repeatedly caused health complications for inmates in Japanese custody.  In the end you want to make sure as much as possible to avoid anything that might land you in trouble because once arrested, your options and conditions become pretty stark.



*image (but not information) was taken from the wikipedia article on prisons.