How many times have you planned a trip to the nearest mountain without having much time to properly prepare for the stay? Many times, right? How many times have you regretted allowing that to happen? I assume not many. Everyone wants to be spontaneous and adventurous every once in a while, not fearing nor caring much about the consequences of their playful actions. While I completely agree that over-thinking and stressing out about every single detail never did anyone any good, I cannot say that utter recklessness is something that should be romanticized. Especially not when it can put your health and life in danger.
Adventuring in nature can be such a satisfying experience, giving us the opportunity to experience life in its raw form. Breathing in the fresh forest air, resting under a large tree crown, foraging for wild edible berries – ah, all of these (and many more) possibilities make it impossible not to love camping in the woods. Yes, spending time in nature can be a true delight, but only if you are wise enough to respect Mother Nature’s house rules and don’t blame her when you don’t.
Once you take the first step into a no man’s land, everything changes. You can easily get tree branch scratches, slip and get hurt from the fall, or simply faint. All of these inconvenient situations can seem more serious than they actually are when you haven’t expected nor prepared for them. That is why the decision to purchase (or create) and pack a first aid kit for your next camping trip is a smart one.
A typical first aid kit contains numerous bandages of various sizes, gauze pads, sterile wound dressings, a small pair of scissors, cleansing wipes, several duct tapes, and other items that can often come in handy. A first aid kit usually includes medications as well. This means that you can find pain relievers (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen), Aloe Vera gels, even cold and cough medicines in most of them. No wonder why so many families and individuals own at least one first aid kit, not doubting its usefulness for a second.
So, next time you and your friends make an impulsive decision to escape your hometown and make the woods your home for a day or two, make sure to bring along a kit with the most important essentials. Believe me, you will be glad you did.
