Preparation Pt. 1

I don't know about you, but before I set out on any kind of a journey that will take me far from home, I tend to get an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, like a little nagging voice inside me cautioning me about the journey. I have learned that this is an issue of security and that I can help alleviate that feeling (which may or may not be a valid feeling) through preparedness.
How do you prepare for a journey? Well, that depends on the kind of journey you are going to take, where you will be going and what you will be doing, but there are some things that will always be important for every type of journey.
The first thing that you should always consider is safety! When you are planning an exciting trip, it's very easy to get caught up (and therefore caught off-guard) by the anticipation of the "exciting trip" , and you can easily forget important items for safety. Items for safety are often forgotten, and sometimes with tragic consequences. You won't fully realize how valuable they are until you need them. So here is a short list of items that you should always take with you for every kind of journey away from home.

1. First Aide Kit. there are a huge variety of kits on the market that you can use for all kinds of activities from simple Day Hiking kits, to kits that are suitable for long Expeditions. Your First Aide kit should always include the basics(band aids, aspirin, needle and thread, antiseptics etc.)

2. Emergency Blanket. You never know when you will have to make an unexpected overnight stay outdoors.

3. Fire Starting Utensil. Flint, lighter, waterproof matches.....many options here.

4. Extra water and Food. It doesn't have to be much but it does need to be more than the journey requires.

5. Weapon. to protect yourself from man and beast...nuf said!

6. Knowledge. Learn as much as you can about where you are going, and what you will be doing. Take a CPR class, learn how to navigate with map and compass(GPS can fail you)

At the minimum level, all of these items will fit into a small pack, and at the maximum you can fit them into a vehicle. So no matter what you are doing, you have no excuse not to pack for safety.