TRAVEL KIT for High Adventure Trips

Items you can’t leave behind for your high adventure trip…

ESSENTIALS

• Superglue and Duct Tape – Used for cuts.  Clean the wound, superglue it and apply duct tape for protection.
• Plastic Film Canister – If you are caught with diarrhea and cannot get to a clinic, put a sample in a canister and have a compassionate fellow traveler take the sample to the nearest clinic.  They can take a look under a microscope and dispense the right drugs immediately.
• Copies of your prescriptions – This will make getting refills easier while you’re on the road, plus they provide a legit explanation for your “just in case” stash of pain killers (discussed below).  Without copies, you also run the risk of having trouble at border-crossings; agents may be suspicious of why you are entering their country with them.
• SteriPEN – The SteriPEN, placed in a glass of water, kills bacteria, viruses, and protozoa using UV light.  It’s quicker and more effective than purification methods (it works on a half-liter of water in 50 seconds).  Make sure to bring iodine pills as a backup in case you run out of batteries!

ANTIBIOTICS

• Cipro – Cipro is a great multipurpose antibiotic.  You’ll need a prescription but most doctors are willing to help you get it and explain how to use it.
• Bactrim – Bactrim is better than Cipro for infected wounds, ear or throat infections, or soft tissue infections associated with aquatic environments.  It’s also the first line of defense for staph infections.  Again, you’ll need a prescription and will need to discuss with your physician how and when to take this medication.

NAUSEA

• Zofran wafers – Zofran was developed to treat the extreme nausea caused by chemotherapy and has also been used to treat patients at a clinic near Everest who can’t keep a pill down.  Consult your doctor for help in determining when Zofran is appropriate.
• Pepto-Bismol – tablets are lighter and easier to carry than the liquid drugs.  Pepto is not as affective as Zofran but does not have the sedative side effects either.

PAIN RELIEVERS

• Ibuprofen – Ibuprofen is good for aches and pains but also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help with frostbite (it prevents the inflammation from causing additional damage).
• Narcotic painkillers – You should always have a strong prescription narcotic due the many ways you manage to find yourself in excruciating pain when you’re far from a clinic or first aid help.  Examples include broken bones, dislocations, and burns.  Work with your physician who will prescribe narcotics and help you understand when to use them.

ALTITUDE

• Diamox – Diamox accelerates acclimatization and can also be used to treat altitude sickness at its onset.  It is safe and very effective.  Most doctors will prescribe Diamox if you are traveling to high altitude.