Whether you are camping or hiking, traveling to Europe or Asia as a baller or on a budget, it doesn’t matter. You need to travel as light as possible. This is why I’ll only be talking about the backpacking necessities.
This is one seems quite obvious but it would be bizarre not to mention. You need to bring a backpack! You can’t be a backpacker without a backpack! Not just any backpack, but one that fits not only your items you are brining but also your type of adventure plans! Therefore I suggest you first gather all the belongings you are planning to bring, then find a bag that can both fit all your possessions but is also comfortable to wear. Make sure it has usable pockets and lots of room! Picking the right travel backpack is very important; you are, after all, going to be pretty much living out of your pack.
Make sure you find a small compact toiletry bag to fit all your hygiene essentials! Toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel, cotton buds, pack of tissues, deodorant, razor with replacement blades, shaving gel etc. Trust me from personal experience, it could be a large pain in the butt if you forget even just one of these necessities. The last thing you want it running around a foreign city just to find some toothpaste. I suggest making a thoughtful list and checking off everything you have. If you don’t have certain items, add them to your shopping list!
Sunscreen is a must have! Especially if going to places like Asia, Africa, or South America as sunscreen is often very expensive there where locals purposely put up the prices of the product to make money off in need tourists. I suggest getting a sunscreen that is waterproof as you are likely to sweat when walking around with a backpack daily. If going as a group, id also suggest just brining out bottle of sunscreen as you could all share and it will take up less room. You don’t want to burn in the tropical sun!
This necessity is often overlooked but is a must have item to bring. Some sort of medical kit or even just a few medical supplies are key. Disinfectant spray, bug spray, bandages and bandages, gauze ect. These are all items that you will regret not bringing if worst comes to worst. From my own experience when backpacking, Ive used these items at least once every trip just even on myself. You will not regret it. Don’t take any chances or risks when it comes to personal safety and health.
When you travel the world you are going to have a ton of spare time. Waiting for planes, waiting for buses, waiting for trains – lots of waiting! And that time waiting can be spent wisely reading life-changing literature. I suggest bringing a Kindle! Yes, paper books are more enjoyable to read in most cases but you don’t want to be bringing multiple books that could get ruined in your traveling process. A kindle is nice and thin so you could easily slide it into a compartment of your bad and you could download hundreds of different books. Paper books also weight a lot, are awkwardly shaped and aren’t ideal to haul across the world in a backpack. Get that Kindle! (They also have WiFi 😉 )
Clothes are an important part to think about when packing for your adventures. Hot or cold weather, pack clothes that fold up small and don’t weigh too much – avoid denim jeans! Even if you are heading to freezing weather, it’s better to bring clothes that you can layer rather than a big heavy jacket. Cotton is light and breathes. Splurge on the more sweat resistant stuff if you can. Darker clothes hide annoying stains and can be worn for longer. This is extra important because you can expect your backpacking clothes to be on a quicker rotation than your normal wardrobe. Always remember, clothes are pretty cheap in most parts of the world, so rather than overpack, bring slightly less than what you need and pick up anything else you might need on the road.
For most people, shoes are the hardest item to pack. They take up a lot of space, and shoes are too specialized to bring just one pair, even for short trips. But I highly recommend wearing one pair of shoes and, if necessary, packing another pair. Bringing more than two pairs of shoes makes traveling carry-on-only difficult and stressful. Removing shoes from your luggage is also an easy way to free up space for clothes. Your second pair of shoes should be packable. They should be light and flat to minimize the amount of space they take up in your luggage. I suggest packing your shoes first, then packing the rest of the items around them!
Last but definitely not least you need to bring cords, chargers and ideally a universal charging port. Rather than bringing a charging brick for every individual device, consider investing in a portable single-adapter that has both three-pronged outlets and USB ports. These not only save you space, they come in handy when your hotel room abroad is low on outlets!
With the help of these packing essentials, you’ll be able to figure out exactly what to pack for your trip so you can adventure around the world knowing you’ve got everything you need for your trip!
Being a 17 year old white girl from Canada, I think I’ve eaten some strange foods compared to the people in my demofraphic and I wanted to share some with you guys today! Ive narrowed down to the top six strangest foods I’ve eaten while traveling the world:
Fried Bugs in Laos
Beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and more! The Western world may continue to shy away from it, but insects, otherwise known as creepy crawlies, are consumed by over 2 billion people in over 80 countries around the world. Insects are also PACKED with protein and are seen as a serious solution for world hunger and to feed a growing population without further harming the environment through inefficient food production. My family and I were walking around a night market, one humid afternoon and sat down at some plastic chairs and table to enjoy some live music. We noticed a food stand selling fried bugs and got ourselves a plate to try! Surprisingly delicious! They were cooked in a large circular stone pan along with a variety of spices. Could easily be compared to chips. Highly recommend.
2. Snails in China
Virtually fat-free, carbohydrate-free and sugar-free, escargot are an excellent source of lean protein. They’re rich in iron, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus and potassium. Like other mollusks, snails are a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the brain produce serotonin. After a long tour around the city of Shanghai, our tour lady introduced us to a restaurant that featured snails on the menu. She told us about the famous delicacy highly enjoyed in the country and we had to try it! They were quite good, although the thought of eating a snail isn’t too appealing to me. Safe to say, Im glad and proud of myself for trying it, but that was probably the last time I enjoyed this particular snack.
3. Tarantula in Cambodia
Fried spider is a regional snack in Cambodia. … It is not clear how this practice started, but some have suggested that the population might have started eating spiders out of desperation during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when food was in short supply. These arachnids are such a delicacy that large ones can sell for up to $1 each, a hefty sum in a country where minimum wage is about $6 a day. Eating a fried tarantula has become a popular photo opportunity for tourists in Cambodia. Walking at night through a night market in Cambodia, you see a lot of interesting delicacies. My family and I knew that we had to step out of our comfort zones and get something exotic. This might come as a shock, but getting a fried tarantula on a stick was less frightening than some of the other options presented to us that night. Overall, the tarantula was crispy and tasted like a chip. Similar to the fried bugs in Laos.
4. Frog Legs in Vietnam
Frog is a “less scary” food compared to many others that will follow on the list and it is not only just a beer snack but Vietnamese also have it as a meal. After skinning and gutting, the frog is then fried, steamed, or grilled and then served on the dining table. You can enjoy it with rice or just have BBQ frog with lemon, salt, and pepper. Other than boiled or grilled frog, you can choose to eat frog curry, frog porridge, or sautéed frog with lemongrass and chili. Even though it doesn’t look good, the flavor is delicious. Frog meat tastes like chicken and contains a lot of essential vitamins and vital minerals so it is seen as a healthy food. The biggest advantage of eating frog is that it helps malnourished children gain weight. Along with enjoying this amazing meal by the water late at night in Vietnam, we were featured on a local television show!
5. Durian In Thailand
Grown in many countries across tropical South East Asia, the spiky, stinky durian is an acquired taste. Eating durian is banned in many outdoor spaces and carrying it is prohibited on public transport because of its smell. If you’ve smelled a durian even once, you probably remember it. Despite the potent stench, Durian is a very nutritious fruit that’s rich in fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and various healthy plant compounds. My sister being the most daring one in the family when it comes to food, suggested we try the notorious durian fruit that the locals have been telling us about. We’ve smelt it before, as it is cut up among many food markets, but when we actually tried it, we got it pre-packaged in plastic. Oddly enough, the taste is nothing like the smell. The texture, is what is actually interesting about it, when eating it as it feels like rubber.
6. Alligator in Thailand
Crocodile meat is considered a healthy and nutritious alternative to pork or chicken, as it contains less fat, lower cholesterol levels and a higher proportion of protein than the aforementioned animals. It is purported to provide health benefits for the heart, improve blood circulation and alleviate respiratory illnesses, as well as several other diseases. Many English speaking locals suggested us a restaurant that is famous for their alligator dish. As soon as we arrived at the restaurant, we didn’t even look at the menu and asked for them to bring us the alligator. We didn’t even know what it looked like or what to expect. To our surprise, the alligator was served as completely white meat on top of lettuce. The meat itself was good but intensely dry. Reminded myself of white fish such as cod or halibut.
Despite the taste or overall affect I got from these exotic cuisines, good or bad, I can proudly say I have stepped out of my comfort bubble to just try them. I hope this blog inspired some of you guys to step out of your comfort zones at least once in a while. Trust me, you won’t regret it!
For my observation, I am going to the Starbucks in Downtown Poco and observing each customer, whether or not they are using their own mugs that they brought from home, or if they are using the paper/plastic cups from the Starbucks. I will record every customer and make a ratio as a concluding observation. From this observation, I expect to understand how many people in Port Coquitlam actually worry about the environment and are truly concerned about our plastic, paper usage and how many people don’t seem to worry about it and continue using paper/plastic. This could also show me/open my eyes to how much plastic/paper is used in Port Coquitlam and how much we contribute to the waste in Canada.
The ethics of care is focused on how to respond to the needs of others in complicated real-life scenarios. It is about knowing what is right to do in certain situations and how to truly “care” about someone or something.
2. What would be needed to create an ethic of care?
To create an ethic of care, you would need to be deeply knowledgable or involved in that situation, person, or scenario. A relationship would help create an ethic of care as well.
3. What would we have to believe about the environment to care for it? How should we see it?
We would have to believe and know that without us and our help for it, the environment will go downhill. We should see it as something like a child. Something/someone we have to care for, in order for it to survive.
4. How would we act if we cared about the environment? – give scenarios
If we cared about the environment we would act extremely diffrent as humans. A scenario is for example choosing whether to drive the car or walk. If driving would take 15 minutes and walking would take an hour. People who truly cared for the environment ment would still choose to walk.
5. What would be different about the world if everyone adopted this ethic of care towards the environment? Benefits and drawbacks?
Benefits: There would be absolutely no litter on the ground and the air would be much more clean. The Earth would also be very green.
Drawbacks: It would take much longer to get around, people would be much more stressed and we wouldnt have as much technology and other objects to help us in our daily lives.
Should we adopt an ethic of care towards the environment?
I think we should adopt a healthy ethic of care towards the environment but not too much (a balance)
Desulfurococcus kamchatkensis is isolated from a terrestrial hot spring of Uzon Caldera (Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia). It is able to grow at temperatures between 65 and 87 degrees Celsius. A reason as to why Desulfurococcus kamchatkensis is part of kingdom Archaebacteria is because it lives in a harsh environment. (Thermoacidophies) to be exact. Which means a hot place. In this case, hot springs.
2. Hyperthermus butylicus
Hyperthermus butylicus was isolated from the sea floor of a solfataric habitat with temperatures of up to 112 degrees C on the coast of the island of São Miguel, Azores. The organism grows at up to 108 degrees C. A reason as to why Hyperthermus butylicus is part of kingdom Archaebacteria is because it also lives in a harsh environment. (Halophiles) because it is from the sea.
2. Kingdom Eubacteria
Streptococci
Streptococci cause many disorders, including pharyngitis, pneumonia, wound and skin infections, sepsis, and endocarditis. “Streptococcus” derives from a Greek term meaning “twisted berry” and refers to the way the bacterium is grouped in chains that resemble a string of beads. A reason as to why Streptococci is part of kingdom Eubacteria is because it causes diseases.
2. Cyanobacteria
Cyanobacteria, also known as Cyanophyta, are a phylum of bacteria that obtain their energy through photosynthesis. They are the only photosynthetic prokaryotes able to produce oxygen. Some species of cyanobacteria produce toxins that affect animals and humans. Cyanobacteria can be found in almost every terrestrial and aquatic habitat, oceans, fresh water, damp soil, temporarily moistened rocks in deserts, bare rock and soil, and even Antarctic rocks. A reason as to why Cyanobacteria belongs to kingdom Eubacteria is because it causes diseases and because it lives almost everywhere.
3. Kingdom Prostita
Paramecium aurelia
Paramecium aurelia are unicellular organisms. They are covered in cilia which help in movement and feeding. Paramecium can reproduce sexually and asexually. Paramecium aurelia can also make humans sick. A reason as to why Paramecium aurelia would be part of Kingdom Prostita is because it causes sickness and because it is unicellular.
2. Amoeba proteus
Amoeba port proteus has an ever changing shape and is approximately 500-1000µnm long. It can almost be seen with the naked eye. Also infectious with humans. It occupies freshwater environments and feeds on other protozoans, algae, rotifers, and even other smaller amoebae. Also unicellular. A reason as to why Amoeba proteus is part of Kingdom Prostita is because it is infectious and unicellular as well.
4. Kingdom Fungi
1. Basidiomycota
Basidiomycota are filamentous fungi composed of hyphae and reproduce sexually. A reason as to why Basidiomycota is part of Kingdom Fungi is because it contains chitin (carb) in the cell walls and composed of hyphae (thin filament.)
2. Zygomycota
Approximately 1050 species are known. They are mostly terrestrial in habitat, living in soil or on decaying plant or animal material. Zygomycota are able to reproduce both sexually and asexually. A reason as to why Zygomycota is part of Kingdom Fungi is because it contains Mycelium.(Thick mass of hyphae.)
5. Kingdom Plantae
Astragalus amphioxys
Astragalus amphioxys is a plant that is found in the American southwest. Astragalus is taken by mouth for the common cold, upper respiratory infections, seasonal allergies, swine flu, fibromyalgia, anemia, HIV/AIDS, and to strengthen and regulate the immune system. It is also used for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), kidney disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. A reason as to why Astragalus amphioxys is part of Kingdom Plantae is because it needs sunlight, gas exchange, water/minerals, and movement of water and nutrients in order to survive
2. Glaucophyte
The glaucophytes, also known as glaucocystophytes or glaucocystids, are a small group of freshwater
unicellular algae. Green algae is often classified as part of the Kingdom Plantae. One reason being that they go through photosynthesis.
6. Kingdom Animalia
Echinoidea (Sea urchin)
About 950 species live on the seabed, inhabiting all oceans and depth zones. Sea urchins can be found all over the world in all oceans, warm or cold water. They live in a variety of environments in many different parts of the world. Some common places they live are in rock pools and mud, on wave-exposed rocks, on coral reefs in kelp forests and in sea grass beds.Reasons as to why they are part of Kingdom Animalia are that a) no cell walls b) reproduce sexually c) are multicellular. There are of course many more reason as to why sea urchins belong in this kingdom.
2. Glaucus atlanticus (Blue glaucus)
Glaucus atlanticus is a species of small, blue sea slug. They float upside down by using the surface tension of the water to stay up, where they are carried along by the winds and ocean currents. It lives throughout the world’s oceans, mostly in temperate and tropical waters. They belong to Kingdom Animalia because they have no cell walls, are multicellular, are motile and many other reasons.