MAKING IT HAPPEN. EXPEDITIONS 106: PREPARATION

CONFIRMING THE TRIP IS OUR PART IN THIS. YOURS IS PREPARING YOURSELF. ONCE YOU’VE GOT THE DATES AND OBJECTIVE SQUARED AWAY YOU NEED TO GET YOURSELF READY TO LEAVE. THE KEY HERE IS TIME. 6 MONTHS OR A WEEK, THERE’S SEVERAL FACTORS NEEDED TO AVOID ARRIVING IN A FOREIGN LAND WITH PROBLEMS YOU COULD HAVE SOLVED EASILY AT HOME BUT ARE NOW NEEDING MITIGATION; FORGOTTEN PADDLES AND CRAMPONS, THE WRONG BOOTS, BAD FOOD CHOICES – WE’VE SEEN LOTS GO WRONG EITHER AS SLIP UPS OR IGNORANCE. THE MAIN MISTAKE IS OVER THINKING THINGS.

INSURANCE GET IT. UNLESS YOU’RE GOING FOR YEARS IT DOESNT PRICE TOO BAD. REMEMBER YOU CAN COVER USUALLY JUST THE MORE RISKY STUFF. YOU MAY HAVE BASIC TRAVEL ANYWAY IF YOU HAVE AN AMEX CARD ETC. NOT ALL POLICIES COVER EVERYWHERE, AND SOME SERVICES LIKE GLOBAL RESCUE ARE NOT INSURANCE AT ALL AND/OR CAN’T DO MUCH IN PLACES LIKE CHINA. BE CLEAR ON THAT.

PACKING GET EVERYTHING YOU COULD NEED. DUMP IN ON THE FLOOR. PACK FROM THE MOST VITAL BACKWARDS. WE KNOW THAT 25 DAYS WINTER HIGH ALTITUDE ALPINE GEAR FOR UNSUPPORTED STUFF TO 6000m FITS INTO 1 X 100L & 1 X 30L PACKS. REFERENCE THAT. BIG WALLS ADD A HAUL BAG AND LEDGE.

FLIGHTS MUCH OF A MUCHNESS BUT EARLY CHECK INS MAKE NAVIGATING AIRPORTS WITH LOADS OF GEAR EASIER.

VISAS ALLOW TIME BUT MOST PLACES ARE STRAIGHT FORWARD THESE DAYS. FOR CHINA MAKE NO MENTION OF ANYWHERE NEAR BORDERS.

TRAINING IT TAKES ABOUT 3 MONTHS MINIMUM TO HONE YOUR CAPACITY TOWARDS ANY SPECIFIC GOAL. DON’T OVER DO IT AND RISK INJURY, FOCUS ON SPECIFIC STUFF, EAT WELL AND RELAX THE WEEK BEFORE LEAVING. DON’T EXPECT TO EITHER GET FITTER WHEN YOU’RE THERE OR TRAIN ON THE APPROACH / AT BASECAMP; THEN IS TIME TO REST.

SHORT TRIPS BY FAR THE BEST INVESTMENT TOWARDS SUCCESS ON A BIG TRIP IS GOING ON SMALLER ONES. COUNTLESS TIMES WE’VE SEEN PEOPLE DO A WEEKS TRIP WITH US THEN 6 MONTHS LATER DO A BIG ONE AND THE ADVANTAGES ARE OBVIOUS. WEEKENDS AWAY BARELY DO IT, BUT WEEK LONG STUFF THAT’S INTENTIONALLY PREPARATION TICKS MANY MORE BOXES IN A SINGLE PERIOD THAN LOTS OF LITTLE CASUAL TRIPS. ASIDE FROM THE SPECIFICS, TIME SPENT SIMPLY LIVING IN TENTS IS HIGH VALUE – THE BETTER YOU CAN SUSTAIN YOURSELF IN A LITTLE TENT THE LONGER YOU CAN STAY OUT THERE.