Wool gloves and mittens

I just returned from another trip where my wool mittens saved someone's hands whose synthetic gloves had gotten soaked and useless. I love synthetic materials for long underwear; capilene, polypropylene, thermax etc really do keep insulating after they're wet and they dry quickly. I am a little less sold on their reported ability to "wick" moisture away because my skin still feels damp - but the point is that even if I feel damp but I'm not cold, unlike the times I've worn cotton in cold weather.

Synthetic gloves, however, are a different issue. They may be able to handle dampness that comes from your hand sweating. But if your gloves get wet because you are hiking in the rain or whitewater rafting and temperatures are cool or cold (and why else would you be wearing gloves?), they are worse than useless. Really, bare hands are better.

But better still? Wool. Outdoorspeople used wools for years as their major insulating layer. But wool is bulkier, heavier, and takes longer to dry. So for long underwear, synthetic materials have been a major improvement (although newer forms of wool have been making a comeback in this area). For mittens and gloves however, in any situation where your hands are likely to get wet, wool wins hands down.

Sea kayaking in Greece, May 2011

Greece offers the world traveler so many sites to see. Being in Athens alone is a powerful, unbelievable experience - to be standing beneath the Acropolis, one of the oldest monuments of Western civilization feels exciting and humbling. But there are also places to satisfy the adventure traveler as well. And to us, we think there is nothing better than combining physical activity with historical exploration and, of course, delicious food.

The first time we offered a Greece trip, in 2007, we offered a sea kayaking trip. Not only was it a unique way to travel in Greece, it was a way to combine physical activity, the ease and tranquility of kayaking, exploring the geological features up close, camp on remote beaches, all while visiting small villages and eating in local tavernas in a part of Greece fewer tourists visit.

For the past 2 years we traded paddles for poles (trekking) and have offered hiking in the Cyclades - also a wonderful way and part of Greece to see! For 2011, we hope to offer both. The kayaking trip is back on the schedule because, basically we like it and want to promote kayaking in countries you probably wouldn't think of for paddling destinations.

But why is this trip for you? You love kayaking. You want to go to Greece. You want a trip where all the details are taken care of and you can truly relax. You want to experience more of Greek food than Gyros. You want an active vacation in a destination worth spending another week in seeing the historical sites.

Or how about - The color of water that is a deep blue like no other I have seen. Contrasting with the white cliffs and the green olive trees makes the sea even more magnificent. Swimming in warm seas that create spectacular buoyancy. Wind patterns that, for at least half the day, leave the seas really calm - which make for excellent paddling, swimming and snorkeling. Fresh fruit breaks. Stopping at small Greek fishing villages that are all the more special because we have gotten there by our own physical power. Visiting the Acropolis, the island of Ithaca (homeland of Odysseus) and Delphi. Not to mention the food - greek salad, souvlaki, fresh fish, skordalia, olives, wine, beer and Greek coffees - Opa!

Seriously - don't you want this to be your vacation? - deb

Hydration Packs

We have written in previous blogs, newsletter articles and in the notes section of our packing list about hydration packs. But now that it is summer, and hot outside and we really will feel more thirsty I wanted to emphasize again why this piece of equipment is superior to water bottles.

For those of you who are not familiar with this - a hydration pack is a water bladder (usually 50-100 oz./1.5 -3 L ranges) that fits inside a lightweight backpack and has a long tube that stretches from the water bladder, through the pack and around to the front of you (when you wear it). There is some type of bite valve on the tube that allows you to "bite and suck" when need be, but it closes off when you want it to just hang loosely. I got my first Camelbak hydration pack for bicycling, but now I carry it for hiking and sometimes even bring it for kayaking as well.

1) You will drink more, drink more regularly and stay better hydrated. With the tube in easy reach of your hands and mouth, you can drink as you move along, as often as you want or need to. You don't need to stop and get your water out of your pack, take your hands off the handlebars of to get your bottle out of its cage or even stop paddling very long for a quick drink.
Plus it is fun to drink from a long straw!

2) The fact that it is fitted in a fanny pack or backpack, means you also have extra room to carry camera, wallet, rain jacket, bike tools, snack, etc. The packs vary in extra cargo sizes, so pick one that is right for you. Some people object to wearing a pack while they bicycle, but honestly I hardly notice mine, and being better-hydrated makes it worth a bit of sweat on my back.

3) The water stays cold/cool longer. How many times have you stopped to drink out of your water bottle on a hot hike only to find it the palatability of bath-water? The hydration pack keeps the contents of the water bladder cold for quite a while, especially when you put ice in it. You can also freeze the bladder when it is half full, take it out the following day, top it off with water and the ice chunk will melt even more slowly than ice cubes throughout the day. The top layer of water is not always cold, but there is nothing more refreshing than sipping through that layer and hitting icy cold water in the middle of a 50 mile bike ride or 10 mile hike. You can also try and blow the water in the tube back into the bladder after drinking.

4) You can carry a larger quantity of water. Getting a 70 oz or 96 oz. bladder allows you to carry a lot of water pretty easily and all in one space. You would need 3 to 4 water bottles to equal that. You don't have to fill it totally full if you don't want, but I have been on several hikes and bike rides where I drank everything in the pack. And as you drink, the bladder empties, as opposed to drinking out of a bottle - you still have to carry the bottle around once it is empty. Better for traveling on a plane as well - takes up less space in your luggage for the equal or more water capacity.

5) Though I find that my bladder has stayed much more clean and less smelly than any of my water bottles, they do need to be cleaned, as does the tube. It is inadviseable to put flavoring in your water in the hydration bladder due to the difficulty of thoroughly washing the tube. In that case bring a smaller water bottle for your Elixir/Gatorade/Crystal Light/etc. and leave the bladder for water only. Most bladders have wide mouth/ziplock-type opening which makes it easier to clean as well as to fill with ice and fill in a variety of water sources (though many bladders are not compatible with water filters)

The hydration pack is certainly not suitable for every situation (like winter sports or high altitude trekking). But more often than not it is the ideal choice for staying superbly hydrated while being active in the outdoors. Won't you convert today? -- deb

a shampoo alternative

We got an email from a woman yesterday with a suggestion of an item to add to our packing list and also along the theme of packing light. Since it is a bit hard to describe in a short list, I thought I'd post more about it here.

Lisa writes: I now carry bar shampoo after repeatedly having my little bottles of shampoo crushed and spilling out in my suitcase or backpack - even through zip lock bags. After my shampoo bottle got crushed while I was in Nepal, I used some of the solid shampoo one of the other ladies had. She works for the airlines (travels a lot) and she has been packing solid shampoo for years. It was great. It doesn't stay as "wet" like normal bar soap, you can dry it off with a towel. You make the lather by rubbing the soap between your hands and then washing your hair.

It comes in a metal tin, but any metal tin to transport it will work. The other good thing about bar shampoo (I use Lush shampoo) is that it doesn't have to go into that little baggie you have to put all your liquids in at the airport.

I (deb) have not tried any of the solid shampoo bars, but what i read on the internet certainly makes it compelling: Solid shampoos have no preservatives (no liquid content so they don't need any), need very little packaging and are very light to carry around with you. And - Shampoo Bars – They last longer than most relationships!

Zen and the Art of Traveling

I almost had an emotional meltdown in the Atlanta airport yesterday. Seriously. First my plane was delayed coming out of Paris, then there was no gate available when we arrived in Atlanta, and then I had to wait 25 minutes for a piece of luggage that I had paid an extra 60 euros for to take it through customs- and it never arrived. By the time I realized it wasn't going to, it was 15 minutes before my connecting flight to Baltimore and I still had to go through customs, drop my other bag off, go through security, and then take the tram to another terminal. I got there probably 5 minutes after the gate closed. And although they rebooked me on another flight that was supposed to leave 2.5 hours later at 9:30 pm, I almost started crying. Partly because I had been so close, partly because they had lost my bag, and probably mostly because at this point I had been in transit for 18 hours. (Had I known that this next flight was going to be delayed 30 minutes so I missed my ride home from the airport and ended on a SuperShuttle that wandered all over downtown Baltimore before finally depositing me at home at 1:30 am, I probably would have had my meltdown.)

So I was on the verge of tears and thinking that traveling had gotten to be such a hassle that maybe I would just give it up. The total absurdity of that thought brought me to my senses. After all, I had just had an amazing 10 days in Italy and here I was getting home 4 hours later than I planned - not 4 days, like the people stranded by the volcanic ash which would have been me if the trip had been 3 weeks earlier. 4 hours. And I had been in Italy!

The truth is that airplane travel is more of a hassle these days. Planes are more crowded, all the airlines are trying to generate money with a variety of fees, morale among airline employees is low and it often comes out in their customer service, delays are common, and if your flight is cancelled for any reason you could be delayed for days. For some people that may be enough to make them decide not to travel, a rational response. But for me, the thought of giving up travel is a nonstarter. I love travel: I love going to new places and returning to places I've been before, meeting new people, trying new food, and thinking new thoughts. And now that I've had some sleep, I know that not only is the hassle of travel well worth it, I even get to practice accepting things as they are. And one more thing-it has confirmed my intention to never have more than a carry on bag ever again.-- Marian

Get motivated to exercise

Surefire
 Tips 
for 
the
 Motivationally
 Impaired

One of the more toxic myths about exercise is that it has to be something you endure. Not true. Somewhere between the windowless gym and the mind-numbing routine, many of us have forgotten that staying fit should be FUN. If enjoying yourself while you workout sounds like good advice, check out these surefire tips from our partner Fit for Trips to help you sustain enthusiasm and stay on the fitness track, no matter what.

Play
 hooky

At least once a week, skip the dumbbells and exercise routine and go play soccer with the kids, take the bike for a spin, hit the tennis courts, dust off the sea kayak and put in for an evening paddle. Or gather up some friends and shoot hoops at the park like you did when you were a raucous teenager, but with the adult after-perk of a celebratory beer. And remember, fun doesn’t necessarily mean easy. Your kids will outrun you, outsmart you, and basically whip your a..ss, but you’ll be so busy laughing and wheezing you’ll barley notice.

Tune
In

If sweating in silence isn’t your gig, crank up the iPod and travel the world with global music playlists from NationalGeographic.com
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler/resources/downloads.html
listen to a Best Seller from Audible.com , or prep for your trip with free language
guides from Worldnomads.com
http://journals.worldnomads.com/language-guides/

Meet Up
Tired of going solo? Meet other local fitness buffs, trade tips, find a workout/gym partner and stay motivated with like-minded friends at Fitness.Meetup.com, the world’s largest network of local groups. With 3,290 groups, 440,044 members, in 1004 cities across 24 countries Meetup for fitness is a no-brainer for connecting locally or globally.

About Fit for Trips:
Fit for Trips has partnered with us to provide customized pre-departure fitness programs for active travelers wanting to be in optimal physical condition for their next adventure. For more information on trip-specific programs visit: www.fitfortrips.com .

travelling with cell phones

I resisted getting a cell phone for a long time. I believed if I was away from work or home, messages could always wait. It wasn't until I started guiding more that I decided it was a good idea for me to have one. The office could get a hold of me if need be, participants, and even my family (and vice versa). I also realized that it was a great resource for making local calls to outfitters, hotels, or even 911.

I find that now, when I travel, I always take my phone with me, especially internationally. This creates a host of complications as you need a phone that is GSM compatible and unlocked, have a converter to recharge the phone battery (or use a solar charger), and a local sim card or a cell phone plan that doesn't charge you an arm and a leg to use the phone on roaming. (see here for more information: http://www.ehow.com/how_2111795_use-cell-phone-internationally.html)

Many people opt to leave their cell phones at home when they go on a trip, particularly an international one. I say: don't! We have had 2 trips just in the past 2 months that had folks with major travel delays. One woman left her cell phone at home and while she was able to find a pay phones to get in touch with me, it cost her a fair amount of money, plus she had to wait to find a pay phone. The others were stranded due to the volcanic ash situation and had to get in touch with us several times for updates both to their travels and how they would meet the group when they arrived. Fortunately, both times the guides had cell phones that could be reached as well.

I definitely still prefer trips where I am away from electronics and truly "out of touch". But I also bring my cell along. You can always turn it off and stick it in your suitcase! It is good to have, just in case. - Deb

Plug it in - transformers and adapters

Many of our trips go to international destinations. And we often get asked: will there be a place I can plug in my rechargeable camera battery or recharge a cell phone or plug in a hairdryer?

Even if there is an outlet to plug these electronics and appliances into, you will probably need a plug adaptor and a power converter to use them. What does all this mean?

Most US and Canadian small appliances and electronics operate on 110v-120v. In most other countries, they operate on 220v-240v. This means that most of the time if you tried to plug your 110v cell phone charger into a 220 v outlet, it would not work. What you need is a three-tier power converter/transformer that will transform the 220v to be compatible with the North American current. Where this gets complicated is that some US appliances and electronics actually will work without the transformer. Many cameras and computers actually have a dual voltage range of up to 220v and therefore can be charged/used without the converter. How do you know? Look for the voltage rating on your appliance, if the rating states something similar to 100V~220V then your product is dual voltage and you do not need a transformer/converter. If it says 110V or 120V, then it is a single voltage and will need a transformer to use abroad in 220v countries.

Once you know whether you need a transformer/converter, then you need to determine what type. You want to select the converter according to the the wattage rating of your appliance (volts x amps = watts). Recommended is a converter that is at least 25% higher than your product's wattage rating. For something like a hairdryer or a power tool - something that surges when you turn them on, you want a transformer/converter at least double the wattage rating. Most travel specialty stores should be able to help you get the right transformer.

But remember: this is only half of the equation. What you need no matter what the electrical current is, is a plug adapter. This item changes the shape of the prongs of your plug (which are flat prong in the US) to the shape of the plug in the other country (which is typically round in Europe, but can be a combo of other shapes/angles elsewhere). You can consult a travel shop or look on line to see what worldwide plug adapter you may need.

If it all seems too confusing, you can go to an electronics store in the country you are visiting and get the apdapter there. They know what will work in their country. Enjoy! deb

Handy uses for bandannas

We often include bandannas on our packing list and people often ask, "do we really need one?"

True, it is not essential, but it is incredible multi-useful and here are just 5 suggestions:

1) For your head. You can use it in lieu of a hat to cover the top of your head. You can use it as a sweatband around your forehead to keep sweat and sunscreen from running in your eyes. You can wet it in a cold stream and either wrap around your head or tie it around the back of your neck. This will cool your body temperature down a couple degrees.

2) For your lunch. You can use it as a napkin, or like a plate to hold your sandwich. You can pour some of the trail mix into it and use it like a little sack to eat you loose snack out of. You could even use it to collect wild blueberries or raspberries should you be lucky enough to find ripe berries.

3) First aid. You can use it as a cold compress on bumps and bruises. You can use it as a makeshift sling for an arm. You could use it to secure a splint. Or should you need it, you could use it as a tourniquet to stop bleeding.

4) As a pot holder. I am sure there are many uses for a bandana in a camping kitchen, but my favorite and most common use is when I am cooking over a stove and need something like an oven mitt. I wrap it up in my hand and can then use it to grab hot pan lids, coffee pot handles, and even a pot itself.

5) a pee rag. Instead of using toilet paper, dedicate one of your bandanas to being what you wipe yourself with when you pee. You can then rinse it off in a stream, the sea, or even a little of your drinking water. Then hang it to dry on your pack or across your canoe thwart. Urine is sterile so this an environmental and cleanly use. If you continue to store it in a zip lock after each use, though, even if you rinse it, it will soon become bacteria laden and stinky. And definitely do not use your pee rag on your head or to grab food at lunch!

Deb

Women's travel tips: Five essential tips for women who hike

With hiking season right around the corner, I've compiled a list of tips that can help women get maximum enjoyment from their hiking.

• Hike at your own pace
  For many women, their first experience of hiking is with a male companion who takes off at a pace that leaves them gasping for breath. The most important hiking skill any woman can learn is to hike at her own pace, a pace that can be comfortably sustained without ever having to stop to catch her breath, even when going up a steep hill.
  
  
• Don’t wear cotton clothing
  Except when hiking in a hot, dry climate, cotton clothing should be avoided - including cotton bras. Having wet, cold clothing next to the skin causes rapid chilling. Bras are particularly bad because they are designed to be skintight. The best solutions are to not wear one and have the first layer be a fabric that “wicks” sweat away to buy a bra made of wicking material.
  
  
• Stay well hydrated
  Sometimes women hesitate to drink as much water as they need when outdoors when bathrooms aren’t available, a huge mistake. Inadequate hydration leads to headaches, fatigue, and irritability. While an easily accessible water bottle is adequate, a hydration system that enables sipping water while hiking is even better.
  
  
• Take care of "hot spots" immediately
  Frequently women who start feeling "hot spots" on their feet, small areas of heat and discomfort, put off treating them out of hesitation to slow the group down. While understandable, it’s big mistake: hot spots can quickly become blisters, which are more difficult to treat. Hot spots are best treated with tincture of Benzoin and some moleskin.
  
  
• Wear boots that fit correctly
  Many women have "low volume" feet, feet that have a very narrow forefoot and heel area and a low instep. This makes getting boots that fit quite challenging, and ill-fitting boots lead to ankle injuries and blisters. Buying boots from a store that has salespeople who know how to fit them and take adequate time to make sure the fit is correct is critical. Superfeet insoles provide support, add volume, and improve comfort, all of which make hiking more enjoyable.

a salty snack

I recently returned from our Sea Kayaking in the Caribbean trip and was once again reminded through experience something we talk about as a safety factor on our trips.

We all know that being adequately hydrated is very important on active vacations - helping us to sustain hours of physical activity, maintain our sense of balance, keep our muscles and joints well-lubricated, etc. Equally important is not drinking too much water, keeping a balance between the salt intake and output when we exercise. Most of the time we can balance these 2 things with drinking water throughout the day and also eating meals and snacks. Most of the time when I need a snack it is due to my energy being low and I often reach for a granola bar.

On the Caribbean trip, where it is hot and humid and you do not feel you are sweating as much, I always talk about the need to eat some salt in a snack just as much as eating fruits or carbohydrates. Despite the awareness of this, it is hard to remember (or want) to eat something salty when you feel thirsty or are already feeling salty from the sea water.

However, twice on this trip, when I was feeling a bit low of energy I ate a handful of salty snack and within moments no longer felt hungry, tired or achy. I definitely do not recommend eating an excess of salt, but next time you are in a hot, humid environment and exercising, try a couple bites of something salty (Chex mix, Cheese nips, salted almonds) and see if that helps. - deb

wool vs. synthetics a "scientific" study

Backpacking Light posted a great article about wool vs. synthetic base-layers (click on title of post to go to the article). It is a bit long, but there is some excellent information in it, including some of the science and real-life technology behind each fabric. The following are their personal conclusions from this series of tests and field testing.

• Wool is significantly better at resisting buildup of body odors than most synthetics - even the improved ones
• Wool feels warmer and less clammy on the skin when damp
• Wool takes approximately 50 percent longer to dry than synthetics (range 40 to 60 percent). This was consistent across the board under a large range of conditions - in lab tests of fabric swatches, whole shirts on hangers, shirts on warm bodies, and actual in-field performance of shirts wet with sweat and shirts intentionally saturated with water.
• In our soak test, the difference in water absorption (x increase over dry weight) between wool and synthetics was less than we initially believed. Approximately 3x dry weight for synthetics versus 4x dry weight for wool.
• Synthetic fabrics wick moisture out faster over a larger surface area. This may in part contribute to their faster drying times but also to a chilling effect in cool and especially windy conditions.
• Synthetic fabrics are lighter than wool for comparable warmth.
• Many synthetic garments are significantly less expensive than wool.

A layer to love

On nearly every trip I guide, I get what I call "clothes envy". There is invariably some really cute and functional outdoor gear that someone wears on the trip that I either wish to own, or wish I looked half as stylish wearing the same item. Every once in a while my envy will lead me to purchase a similar item for myself. One of my favorite acquisitions from clothes envy is my REI Sahara long-sleeve button-up shirt.

I am someone who normally gets very hot in the sun, and has to wear a very lightweight shirt or tank top when I hike or paddle. But when I take a break or if it is windy I tend to cool off quickly and like to have something to cover my arms at this time. A long-sleeved shirt is a nice item to have, and a layer I almost always carry along in my pack. But layering becomes more like "clothes aerobics" when pulling things on and off over your head repeatedly. A button up shirt (and it can be any brand really, as long as it is lightweight and quick dry) is just the perfect layer in this situation. It adds enough covering for sun protection without being too hot (it even has vents you can unzip to let heat escape). It adds enough warmth without being too bulky. It adds bug protection often without needing spray. It slips on and off so easily - and heck, you don't even have to button it if you don't want. And if you need something for being in town or going out for a meal, it is a slightly fitted, stylish top.

I have brought this shirt sea kayaking in the Caribbean, hiking in Europe, multi-sport traveling through Australia, camping in Havasu Canyon and even bicycle touring. It is almost always one of the first items of clothing I grab when I pack. And it has never been a piece of clothing that has gone unworn. While I really resisted getting my first one, I now own 2 (though the original one I bought in white is still my favorite; the other one is red).

I strongly recommend adding one to your wardrobe and using it as the "long-sleeved, lightweight shirt for sun protection" that we include on so many of our trip packing lists.

Enjoy! Deb

A metaphor for what's wrong with our approach to fitness

Two metaphors really. I have the good fortune to live quite close to Lynne Brick's health club, a really great gym that has good equipment and excellent classes. As an added bonus, this branch is just for women. It's a 7 to 8 minute walk and when I have go somewhere else after working out, I drive and that takes 4 to 5 minutes. When I first moved here, my neighbors on both sides also belonged- and they both always drove. When I asked why, they said they didn't have the time. That's the first metaphor.

But this one gets me even more. The club is on the third floor and the entry is on the second. As you walk in, you can either ride up in the elevator or walk a bit further and go up the stairs at the back of the building. Which is fastest depends on the elevator, but even then we're talking maybe 1 minute. Going to a health club and then taking an elevator instead of the stairs! I understand it when someone has a baby stroller or is carrying their young child but otherwise it strikes me as absurd. And an example of what's wrong with our approach to fitness- instead of taking advantage of the natural opportunities to get exercise, like walking to neighborhood stores or taking stairs or riding our bikes, we rely on the "easiest" way to do these and then go to a health club to get our exercise. Go figure. -- Marian

Airline baggage fees - should I check or carry on?

Southwest airlines has been running a very productive add lately on TV about how they are not charging baggage fees to check luggage. However, since Southwest does not fly everywhere we want to travel, at some point will be faced with either paying the baggage checking fee or carrying on our luggage.

Someone asked me the other day in preparation for a trip what she should do. And after going over the usuals - are you bringing hiking poles, do you want to bring a pocket knife, can you fit all your clothes in a small enough bag - I realized there is one more thing involved. While the fees are certainly annoying, sometimes whether to carry-on or check-thorugh your luggage is not always about the money. Which is the bigger inconvenience to you?

Is buying trial-sized portions of everything or repacking what you have at home a big deal or expense? Will it be enough for a week? This was a tropical destination, so sunscreen was the biggest concern for quantity. Do you have time to stop and get sunscreen when you arrive and what will the cost difference be between buying it at your local superstore or getting it in beach town ? Are you someone who can live with fewer clothing changes and enjoys packing very efficiently? Are you making connections in other airports and are you ok with taking your luggage everywhere you go? Or would you worry more about whether your bag will get lost?

Personally, I do not like schlepping my luggage all around airports and through security and trying to find overhead space for it. And, so far, the fees have not been so exorbitant to make that outweigh paying for someone else to take care of my bag. I also don't get extremely stressed out about whether my luggage will make it. I assume more times than not it will all work out. Some may find they'd rather keep their luggage with them for sense of security and find the fees more distasteful than the other aspects taking check-on luggage adds.

So, next time you pack for a trip and run through the list of whether you could/should carry-on or check-through, also remember to do a self check-in to remember what type of travel personality you have. Because for some of us, the money is not the more limiting factor. Deb