Lifestyle / Travel and Tourism
The ultimate checklist for the winter adventure of your dreams
17 Feb 2021 at 06:34hrs | Views
Image source: unsplash.com
Bears sure have it easy. At the very least, they get to hibernate all winter without a worry in the world. After all, sleeping in and doing nothing during cold winter days is a dream for a lot of people - but winter lovers know how that's just a waste of this cool weather! There are a lot of activities that can only be done in winter. Once you get to experience a winter adventure, you'll get addicted to the experience. Whether you're searching for a way to enjoy this winter or you're looking for a reason to start liking winter days, here's the ultimate checklist to experience the winter adventure of your dreams.
Image source: unsplash.com
Decide on Your Winter Activities
There's this strange rumor going around that winter is only good for lazing around. People who started this rumor surely failed to explore the myriad of activities that can only be done during winter. In fact, winter is the ultimate time of the year for adrenaline junkies to get their fill of adventures and, well, adrenaline. In case you're looking for a way to enjoy your winter vacation, here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Ice skating
2. Snowboarding
3. Skiing
4. Sledding, bobsledding, or dog-sledding
5. Winter camping
6. Ice fishing
7. Ice diving (not for the faint of heart!)
8. Book a snowmobile tour
9. Visit and ice-castle
10. Visit art galleries and local festivals
11. Hike a mountain, or go on a snowshoe hike
12. Try tubing
13. Visit an adventure park
Honestly, the list can go on forever. Ultimately, your list of winter activities will depend on your destination, available activities, preferences, and budget. Take your time to explore your local attractions or research the activities of your tourist destination. Once you settle on your activity list, you'll start preparing the checklist of winter essentials.
The Ultimate Checklist of Winter Essentials
The items that go into your checklist can certainly vary depending on your adventure of choice, but there are a few essentials you'll need regardless of the activity and destination. We'll go ahead and assume that everyone reading is an adrenaline junkie or, at least, looking for a breath-taking thrill-filled adventure to rejuvenate their souls this winter. With that in mind, here is everything you need to take into consideration.
Clothing
Winter means cold weather, although not all cold weather is the same. A winter of a 10℃ high can't be compared to a high of -10℃. Since the weather in your location plays a big role in how you'll need to dress up, make sure to check out the weather report for the vacation days before you set out on your adventure. You'll need different attire depending on the weather conditions, so you'll need to be prepared in case of extreme cold, snowing, rainy, or windy weather.
If you're just looking for a way to deal with the cold, then starting with the first layer of clothing is key to maintaining a warm body temperature. Generally, sticking to undergarments made from wool and thermal materials help in trapping your body temperature. The number of layers will depend on the activity and degree of coldness, but most people stick to three layers.
Meanwhile, you have to ensure that your attire is comfortable enough for your activities; we're talking to you ladies. You don't have to freeze yourself to death or sit this winter out to keep your style of fashion, there are various ways you can be fashionable while enjoying your adventure as well!
Winter Accessories
Now that you have the basic attire ready, you can pay more attention to fashion by supplementing your outfit with a few winter accessories. Better yet, adding a few accessories will help you maintain your warmth during the activities. While keeping your torso warm will stimulate good circulation and, consequently, keep your limbs warm, warming your extremities will provide additional warmth.
There's a cool trick you can do to keep your body warm even during freezing times, and that's by warming some of the key pulse points in your body. As you can guess, you can also cool down your body quickly during summer by cooling down these pulse points. These points include your neck, wrists, ankles, chest, and temples. As such, you'll need a few winter accessories to protect yourself from the cold in all possible ways. The most important accessories to have are scarves, hats or beanies, and gloves. You may need additional accessories depending on the weather, such as a poncho for rainy days.
Feet Protection
Now that you know the trick to keeping your body warm, you can't skip out on getting high-quality thermal socks. However, keeping your feet warm shouldn't be your only concern during winter, especially if you're about to set out on an adventure of a lifetime. You'll have to choose your shoes carefully to ensure your safety during the activities. It's preferable to get winter boots, but make sure to check they're water-proof, non-slippery on ice, and comfortable to wear for a full day. As such, the boots should be light-weight yet durable, provide thermal protection, and stylish enough to fit in with the rest of your attire.
Shelter
Once again, the destination will play a big role in how your planning goes. If you're planning to go on a vacation for a few days, you can't forget to prepare your shelter. You can certainly look for nearby hotels or hostels to stay in - but seriously, where's the fun in that? To spice up your winter adventure, look for nearby winter cabins in which you can enjoy your vacation to the max. In that case, don't forget to pack an insulating pad and a space blanket to stay warm, just in case you don't find any in the cabin. You can also go full adrenaline junkie and camp outside, although you'll a lot more to prepare in this case. You'll have to pack tents, food, water, and learn basic survival skills.
Fire Basics
Whether you're staying in a winter cabin or camping outdoors, you'll need to know your way around fires. You can even choose to stay in your hometown and rent a rooftop for the vacation, in which case you'll still need to set up a cozy fireplace to stay warm during your fun times.
The first thing you'll need to learn is how to start a fire using the available tools. If you're out in the wilderness, you'll need to pack a fire-starter and look for twigs and woods to start the fire and keep it going. In case of staying on a rooftop or in a winter cabin, you should know how to use a fireplace. First off, here you can learn the advantages of using kiln-dried wood instead of traditional air-dried logs in starting and keeping a fire going. Kiln-dried wood can last longer while burning better, hotter, and at higher efficiency.
Image source: unsplash.com
Water and Hydration
Most of us forget to drink adequate amounts of water under normal circumstances. So imagine how worse it can get when you're freezing your limbs off or too caught up in your activities. It won't be surprising to forget to drink water altogether during winter, especially if you don't get as thirsty as you usually get during the summer. The truth is that you should never wait until you feel thirsty to drink water; feeling thirsty is your body's way of telling that you're already dehydrated. To stay safe and maintain optimum health, make sure to pack a thermal flask to keep sipping on warm beverages throughout your days. Don't forget to pack enough water as well. If you run out of water in the wild, knowing how to filter the surrounding water will be a life-safer.
Food and Snacks
If you can remember to pack water, you can't forget about packing food. First of all, pack enough snacks and energy bars for the journey. If you're camping outside, canned food will be both practical to pack and easy to prepare. Surely, you won't need to pack much food if you're staying at a hotel, but you'll definitely need to at least get some cooking ingredients if you're staying anywhere else. While you're at it, look for delicious recipes you can easily make using the minimum ingredients.
Moisturizer
If you think you'll be set as long as you protect your body from the cold weather, you'll need to think again. The cold is not the only thing you should look out for during winter; in fact, dry air can cause even worse damage to your skin and body. Leaving your skin unprotected against the dry air will result in cracked lips and parching skin, which can quickly escalate to open wounds and infections. To keep your health well-maintained, be sure to pack a moisturizer and a lip balm. Remember to rub the moisturizer over your hands, face, arms, elbows, and knees before and after bed every day.
Luggage and Bags
When setting out on your winter adventure, the last thing you'll want to do is drag your luggage behind in a giant suitcase. If you want to travel light and enjoy the journey without the burden of suitcases, you'll need to pack lightly and smartly. Look for a backpack that's roomy enough to hold all your essentials while being comfortable to carry around. The backpack should have a variety of pockets to keep all your stuff, preferably with anti-theft features. Other useful features include a waterproof exterior, portable charger openings, and a dirty-laundry compressor.
Survival Kit
The thrill of getting lost can make for a great adventure, but you want to ensure your safety as well. Winter nights are especially a scary time to get lost without any means for navigation or survival. To make sure you're well-prepared to face the worst circumstances and survive as a true explorer, you'll need a handy survival kit. Your survival kit should include flashlights, ropes, a utility knife, and navigation tools. Don't always count on your cellphone for navigation; you may find yourself in a location with no reception in which only good old maps, compass, and guidebooks can aid your survival.
First Aid
Let's face it: accidents always happen. You can get an injury even while staying in a 5-star hotel, and that makes the risk of getting injured at a winter adventure much more likely. To ensure a smooth adventure, even in the case of an accident, you'll need a first-aid kit ready at your disposal. The first-aid kit should contain all basic medicines, including painkillers and antihistamines, wound-dressing supplies, an antiseptic, and bandages. Meanwhile, be sure to educate yourself on emergency first-aid to know what to do in various situations. It's also important to make a list of nearby hospitals to move swiftly in case of an emergency.
Other Necessities
There are a few other necessities you can't forget about when setting out for your winter adventure. In case you're traveling abroad or across the country, be sure to prepare your documents in advance since they need time to be processed. Moreover, make sure your budget contains some extra cash in case of unexpected occurrences. While you're at it, convert some money into foreign currencies if you'll be traveling abroad. In that case, you'll also want to download a translating app, research foreign culture, and look up local attractions.
Additionally, make sure to pack in advance - and pack light especially if you're heading out in the snow. Get travel insurance, secure your traveling camera (and make sure photography is allowed in your destination), and pack sunscreen. Although it may be freezing cold, ultraviolet radiation can be alarmingly high during the winter as well.
A lot of people think that going on an adventure can only be done in summer - oh how mistaken they are! There are a lot of wild adventures that can only be enjoyed during winter. Once you explore your options, you'll come to the realization that your adventure can never be ready without an ultimate checklist. Your checklist should cover everything you need to stay warm, healthy, and survive like a real adrenaline junkie.
Image source: unsplash.com
Decide on Your Winter Activities
There's this strange rumor going around that winter is only good for lazing around. People who started this rumor surely failed to explore the myriad of activities that can only be done during winter. In fact, winter is the ultimate time of the year for adrenaline junkies to get their fill of adventures and, well, adrenaline. In case you're looking for a way to enjoy your winter vacation, here are a few ideas to get you started:
1. Ice skating
2. Snowboarding
3. Skiing
4. Sledding, bobsledding, or dog-sledding
5. Winter camping
6. Ice fishing
7. Ice diving (not for the faint of heart!)
8. Book a snowmobile tour
9. Visit and ice-castle
10. Visit art galleries and local festivals
11. Hike a mountain, or go on a snowshoe hike
12. Try tubing
13. Visit an adventure park
Honestly, the list can go on forever. Ultimately, your list of winter activities will depend on your destination, available activities, preferences, and budget. Take your time to explore your local attractions or research the activities of your tourist destination. Once you settle on your activity list, you'll start preparing the checklist of winter essentials.
The Ultimate Checklist of Winter Essentials
The items that go into your checklist can certainly vary depending on your adventure of choice, but there are a few essentials you'll need regardless of the activity and destination. We'll go ahead and assume that everyone reading is an adrenaline junkie or, at least, looking for a breath-taking thrill-filled adventure to rejuvenate their souls this winter. With that in mind, here is everything you need to take into consideration.
Clothing
Winter means cold weather, although not all cold weather is the same. A winter of a 10℃ high can't be compared to a high of -10℃. Since the weather in your location plays a big role in how you'll need to dress up, make sure to check out the weather report for the vacation days before you set out on your adventure. You'll need different attire depending on the weather conditions, so you'll need to be prepared in case of extreme cold, snowing, rainy, or windy weather.
If you're just looking for a way to deal with the cold, then starting with the first layer of clothing is key to maintaining a warm body temperature. Generally, sticking to undergarments made from wool and thermal materials help in trapping your body temperature. The number of layers will depend on the activity and degree of coldness, but most people stick to three layers.
Meanwhile, you have to ensure that your attire is comfortable enough for your activities; we're talking to you ladies. You don't have to freeze yourself to death or sit this winter out to keep your style of fashion, there are various ways you can be fashionable while enjoying your adventure as well!
Winter Accessories
Now that you have the basic attire ready, you can pay more attention to fashion by supplementing your outfit with a few winter accessories. Better yet, adding a few accessories will help you maintain your warmth during the activities. While keeping your torso warm will stimulate good circulation and, consequently, keep your limbs warm, warming your extremities will provide additional warmth.
There's a cool trick you can do to keep your body warm even during freezing times, and that's by warming some of the key pulse points in your body. As you can guess, you can also cool down your body quickly during summer by cooling down these pulse points. These points include your neck, wrists, ankles, chest, and temples. As such, you'll need a few winter accessories to protect yourself from the cold in all possible ways. The most important accessories to have are scarves, hats or beanies, and gloves. You may need additional accessories depending on the weather, such as a poncho for rainy days.
Feet Protection
Now that you know the trick to keeping your body warm, you can't skip out on getting high-quality thermal socks. However, keeping your feet warm shouldn't be your only concern during winter, especially if you're about to set out on an adventure of a lifetime. You'll have to choose your shoes carefully to ensure your safety during the activities. It's preferable to get winter boots, but make sure to check they're water-proof, non-slippery on ice, and comfortable to wear for a full day. As such, the boots should be light-weight yet durable, provide thermal protection, and stylish enough to fit in with the rest of your attire.
Shelter
Once again, the destination will play a big role in how your planning goes. If you're planning to go on a vacation for a few days, you can't forget to prepare your shelter. You can certainly look for nearby hotels or hostels to stay in - but seriously, where's the fun in that? To spice up your winter adventure, look for nearby winter cabins in which you can enjoy your vacation to the max. In that case, don't forget to pack an insulating pad and a space blanket to stay warm, just in case you don't find any in the cabin. You can also go full adrenaline junkie and camp outside, although you'll a lot more to prepare in this case. You'll have to pack tents, food, water, and learn basic survival skills.
Fire Basics
The first thing you'll need to learn is how to start a fire using the available tools. If you're out in the wilderness, you'll need to pack a fire-starter and look for twigs and woods to start the fire and keep it going. In case of staying on a rooftop or in a winter cabin, you should know how to use a fireplace. First off, here you can learn the advantages of using kiln-dried wood instead of traditional air-dried logs in starting and keeping a fire going. Kiln-dried wood can last longer while burning better, hotter, and at higher efficiency.
Image source: unsplash.com
Water and Hydration
Most of us forget to drink adequate amounts of water under normal circumstances. So imagine how worse it can get when you're freezing your limbs off or too caught up in your activities. It won't be surprising to forget to drink water altogether during winter, especially if you don't get as thirsty as you usually get during the summer. The truth is that you should never wait until you feel thirsty to drink water; feeling thirsty is your body's way of telling that you're already dehydrated. To stay safe and maintain optimum health, make sure to pack a thermal flask to keep sipping on warm beverages throughout your days. Don't forget to pack enough water as well. If you run out of water in the wild, knowing how to filter the surrounding water will be a life-safer.
Food and Snacks
If you can remember to pack water, you can't forget about packing food. First of all, pack enough snacks and energy bars for the journey. If you're camping outside, canned food will be both practical to pack and easy to prepare. Surely, you won't need to pack much food if you're staying at a hotel, but you'll definitely need to at least get some cooking ingredients if you're staying anywhere else. While you're at it, look for delicious recipes you can easily make using the minimum ingredients.
Moisturizer
If you think you'll be set as long as you protect your body from the cold weather, you'll need to think again. The cold is not the only thing you should look out for during winter; in fact, dry air can cause even worse damage to your skin and body. Leaving your skin unprotected against the dry air will result in cracked lips and parching skin, which can quickly escalate to open wounds and infections. To keep your health well-maintained, be sure to pack a moisturizer and a lip balm. Remember to rub the moisturizer over your hands, face, arms, elbows, and knees before and after bed every day.
Luggage and Bags
When setting out on your winter adventure, the last thing you'll want to do is drag your luggage behind in a giant suitcase. If you want to travel light and enjoy the journey without the burden of suitcases, you'll need to pack lightly and smartly. Look for a backpack that's roomy enough to hold all your essentials while being comfortable to carry around. The backpack should have a variety of pockets to keep all your stuff, preferably with anti-theft features. Other useful features include a waterproof exterior, portable charger openings, and a dirty-laundry compressor.
Survival Kit
The thrill of getting lost can make for a great adventure, but you want to ensure your safety as well. Winter nights are especially a scary time to get lost without any means for navigation or survival. To make sure you're well-prepared to face the worst circumstances and survive as a true explorer, you'll need a handy survival kit. Your survival kit should include flashlights, ropes, a utility knife, and navigation tools. Don't always count on your cellphone for navigation; you may find yourself in a location with no reception in which only good old maps, compass, and guidebooks can aid your survival.
First Aid
Let's face it: accidents always happen. You can get an injury even while staying in a 5-star hotel, and that makes the risk of getting injured at a winter adventure much more likely. To ensure a smooth adventure, even in the case of an accident, you'll need a first-aid kit ready at your disposal. The first-aid kit should contain all basic medicines, including painkillers and antihistamines, wound-dressing supplies, an antiseptic, and bandages. Meanwhile, be sure to educate yourself on emergency first-aid to know what to do in various situations. It's also important to make a list of nearby hospitals to move swiftly in case of an emergency.
Other Necessities
There are a few other necessities you can't forget about when setting out for your winter adventure. In case you're traveling abroad or across the country, be sure to prepare your documents in advance since they need time to be processed. Moreover, make sure your budget contains some extra cash in case of unexpected occurrences. While you're at it, convert some money into foreign currencies if you'll be traveling abroad. In that case, you'll also want to download a translating app, research foreign culture, and look up local attractions.
Additionally, make sure to pack in advance - and pack light especially if you're heading out in the snow. Get travel insurance, secure your traveling camera (and make sure photography is allowed in your destination), and pack sunscreen. Although it may be freezing cold, ultraviolet radiation can be alarmingly high during the winter as well.
A lot of people think that going on an adventure can only be done in summer - oh how mistaken they are! There are a lot of wild adventures that can only be enjoyed during winter. Once you explore your options, you'll come to the realization that your adventure can never be ready without an ultimate checklist. Your checklist should cover everything you need to stay warm, healthy, and survive like a real adrenaline junkie.
Source - Byo24News
