I’m planning a solo expedition from the southern tip of India, trekking the length of the Western Ghats that is mainly jungle (some rain forest, mostly deciduous forest). I have a few years experience in India and a couple of weeks trekking in the Western Ghats. And quite a bit of hill walking experience in Scotland and Wales.
I’m planning to go at the end of the rainy season and through their winter for possibly 6 months. The temperature even at 3000m will never go as low as freezing, and in the lowlands it is likely to be around 35 degrees.
I have limited pilot’s topographical maps (scale 1:500,000) and I will take a GPS.
I will be using a hammock and basha, and possibly a light blanket/sleeping bag. I will use wood as fuel.
What I need is general advice from you guys, whether you’ve been to this region or not, your experience could be very valuable to me…. And a couple of specifics:
Recipes using 1 pot and limited foods, say lentils, rice, chickpeas etc? How much food would I need to last up to 3-4 weeks at a time?
Good light, water filter?
Satellite phones? Should I?
Tips on gear?
Maps? I have exhausted the staff at Stanford’s in Covent Garden, the only other maps I’ve found are Russian military maps of the region 1:250,000 scale but in Russian – does anyone have experience of using these maps? They’re expensive! Any other tips? (India will not release topographic maps for military reasons.)
Anyone got any idea how long it will take me to walk 1000 miles!!!!
Very sane. My suggestion (from some jungle-ish trekking in the West Indies) is: plenty of DEET, a mossi-net that you can sling over the hammock and some Premethrin (sp?) spray to re-impregnate the net. it's not just the flying insects either; Angel Ants and sand creatures give nasty bites on feet and ankles. And never underestimate how much the humidity will sap your strength.
Oh, just remembered - when trotting round the Sahara fringes 3 years ago we adopted the local head-dress and it was superb for absorbing the sweat that was previously stinging our eyes. Tying the turban Tuareg-stylee (with an extra turn under the chin) stopped the facial sweat from dripping on our bodies as well. It was actually very cooling; even though you would have thought that a load of fabric would round your head would make you feel hotter.
<bump> i'm surprised that you guys & girls are missing this opportunity to discuss light weight bags, tarps, footwear, navigation with proper maps, sleeping in hammock, combating loneliness on the trail, gps, satalite phones, safe drinking water, solar charger for batteries...... even that bloody Berguaus Travel Sheet!!!!!
sharp in take of air?where do you want to start.A BIG step from wales and scotland into the Jungle first off is a totaly different kit list? Jungle Boots have got to withstand contant wetness,while allowing the feet to breath to include protect the ankle,any water in the boots should be forced out via vents in the instep. Water purification kit(say no more) Basic survival kit,to include potassium permanganate usefull for water purification,and treatment of fungal infection ie trench foot. As for any personal kit cotton underwear,longsleve cotton ripstop shirt,same type of leg wear,windproof jacket,bush type hat with face net, ,ankle and wrist bands, this list should give you a header? a big tip is get hold of a good cutting tool,ie kukri.
If you are going to build individual shelters ie A frame type you only need a good over head tarp(water proof) with a good ground sheet,and very important mosi net.have you ever built an A frame shelter befor?
i hope my little tips help.i am sure you will get loads more.
No I haven't built an a frame shelter before - I am planning to use a hammock, mossienet and tarp system, I have slept alot in one and feel comfortable with my system.
The area I'm going through, although there is some rain forest, most is secondary jungle so not too wet. At the moment i'm toying with the idea of those kind of half trainer half sandle thing, purely for ventilation, but I'm worried about snake bites etc. I have spent a few weeks in the jungle there just in flip-flops without too much of a problem!!!
Hmmm I would take some trekking sandals with sides on - like you describe - plus in some areas wellies would do the trick and also help to evade leech encounters...hard to pack though. You can buy bog-trotter booties - bit like wellies but shorter and more skin friendly.
From my own expierence of both Primary and secondary jungle the latter is with all due respect, if regenerating, a tough prospect to travel through,with the need to cut paths,and deal with nasty ratten etc.If the land is localy managed and contained for ie farming etc then life should be easy?
FOOD.,Dehydrated foods are much lighter as you can appreciate but need lots of water for rehydration,freeze dry wil help.if you balance out your packets of prepaired meals with soya,lentals and beans etc that will give you the carbohydrates,rice included but requires alot of cooking?.Breakfast kit,you should make up mixes of muesli,dried fruits,oats etc.High calorie rations should be made up with the likes of chocolate custard powder,strawberry pud mix,some dehydrated ice cream is a treat,and may be loads of boiled sweets to suck on the move with maybe some good old granola bar.added to your main meals you should start blending some mixes and flavourings ,ie onion sauce,curry powder,peppers,nutmeg,cinamon,garlic and all important salt.The issue of water and purification is so important this i know you would have boned up on?as for not wearing a tough boot,even better a tryed and test jungle pair that needs some thought.
i will try and keep to paths mainly, there is many logging tracks and the local tribes walk from village to village so there will be a network of paths (of sorts). The jungles in south india are no where near as dense as south east asia or south/central america so going will not be so bad (if it is I will just go slower).
Your right the boots thing is a strong concern and I think I will at least start off with a pair, and a pair of those trainer things. I'm also not going till next september so I have a year to try out various footwear, albeit in different conditions (maybe I could walk around in the heat and keep pouring water over my feet).
The food tips are good, most stuff I will be able to buy out there when I come across towns and villages. I might try to get some freeze dried food sent to post offices along the way... i may also get dried fish along the way (MMmmm)... The length of cooking time isn't too much of a problem as I will be using wood as fuel (should be plentiful!!!) and I do plan to take nice long rests. Which is handy as lentils take an hour or so to cook.
Did you get your jungle experience in the army Paddy?
Belize (Brit honduras)a totaly different ball game to your plan,your trip should bring you into contact with the locals.Bone up on local custom prior the trip,as for eating native cook it your self?you cant go wrong on the veg,the meat???,as for getting fresh fish even better than dried.i was out with some people in Kenya way back and we did a local run for some fish,dropped some grenades into a lake and had fish for a week.beats a net and line?
yes.... I was thinking of taking a small gill net... I think grenades might draw too much attention!!
There are stories in some parts of the Indian press that suggest there are sandlewood smugglers and in some places communist rebel camps, so I might try minimise the loud bangs!
My tips from the time I spent in the Zaire(now the DRC) river & rainforest
Liquid Iodine - small cuts tend to become sores in the humid atmosphere. You can also use it as backup water treatment but not for extended periods. I used puritabs at the time but filters are much cheaper and more widely available now. I still got Gardia a couple of times though.
Hang your food away from you. Forrage ants will find it if you leave on the ground or close by. It seems hilarious now - but to wake up with an army ant column marching under my mossi net and over my sleeping bag after my precious cheese was ok - but then my head torch battery decided to expire....
Take a long wave radio. I did not have one initially when traveeling as there were always people arround - but solo in the rainforest on Feb 14th, and even Claire Rainers tones in the twilight can seem vaguely comforting
done some walking/canoeing in the congo basin and the main problems were clean water and insect bites.most notable having a crap to close to safari soldier ants
