I know, we’re staying in a nice hotel. We aren’t roughing it, Man v. Wild style. Why a survival kit? The truth is that even if you’re pampered with all-you-can-eat buffets, the hot sun and low humidity of the desert can still take its toll on you. Even if you never step outside, dehydration is a real danger. The good news is that it doesn’t take much to beat the heat. You just need a few basic supplies:
A water bottle – reusable, sealable, preferably holding around 32 ounces. I like the Nalgene bottles (http://store.nalgene.com) because they’re nearly indestructible and they come in awesome colors. It’s hard to lose a neon pink water bottle.
Sunscreen – 30 SPF is good, but if you’re fair skinned or blue/green eyed, don’t look at anything under 50. If you don’t like sunscreen (or want extra sun protection), wear a hat and long sleeves to keep the sun off your skin.
Sunglasses – the desert sun is so bright it will wreak havoc on your eyes.
So that’s the equipment – now how about some tips to make sure it gets used properly?
Remember that 32 ounce water bottle? You’ll want to drink at least one of those a day. Two is better. You might not think you can drink that much, but trust me. You can.
And when I say water, I mean water. Coffee, tea, and sodas don’t count – they actually dehydrate your body. Sport drinks are only good to a certain point. If you don’t need the electrolytes, you’re actually hurting your system by drinking them in excess (good tip: if your Gatorade tastes salty instead of sweet, you don’t need it). Enjoy your tasty treats all you want, but don’t substitute them for good ole water.
Got a headache? Stomachache? Muscle cramps? These are the first signs of dehydration. Don’t assume that it’s just because you’ve been traveling, have jet lag, or the excitement has finally caught up with you. Drink more water – even if you don’t feel like you can stomach it. Chances are you’ll start feeling better in an hour or so.
Listen to Kurt Vonnegut. And by that, I mean wear sunscreen. The desert sun loves to fry tourists to a crisp, and it can do so in as little as 20 minutes. So even though it’s spring and the weather will be gorgeous – heck, even if it’s cloudy – wear sunscreen.
Also, don’t trust that sunscreen to work all day. Reapply every few hours, especially if you sweat or go swimming.
Don’t think the shade will save you. You’ll burn just as easily in the shadows as you will in the sun. So enjoy the shade, but still wear that sunscreen, hat, or long sleeves.
If you plan to do any kind of outdoor activities, bring at least twice as much water as you think you’ll need. For a morning hike (around three hours), I usually bring – and drink – a full 64 ounces of water. It’ll make your pack heavier, but it’s incredibly dangerous to be out in the desert without any water (trust me, I’ve been in trouble like that before and it is VERY not fun). There are also these neat things called Camelbaks (http://www.camelbak.com/Sports-Recreation/Packs.aspx) that are backpacks with water bladders in them. A straw sits on your shoulder so you can easily drink whenever you want. These are really handy and I’d recommend them for everyone, even if you just want to walk the strip.
And there you have it – a crash course in desert safety!
