Myanmar Backpacking History And Practice

By Pamela Roberts


Backpacking falls among outdoor recreational activities. Like the name suggests, people carry their gear in a backpack. The gear carried comprises of clothing, bedding, food, water, shelter and cooking kit. How long the activity lasts depend on the individual and can vary from a single day to several months. However, it must involve spending a minimum of one night outside for it to be called backpacking. Long trips involve regular resupply.

People are compelled by different reasons to participate in a backpack activity. While out there, the activities of good backpackers should impact the environment to the least level possible. Activities that help to minimize pollution include carrying garbage out, following existing trails, and causing no disturbance to the vegetation. In Myanmar backpacking is a culture that is well respected and valued by the locals. They adhere to the movement ethos in their activities while out.

The journey and activities of hikers are directed by the movement ethos. The movement ethos stipulates that backpackers should kill only time, keep nothing, leave only footprints, and take only photos. The individuals should be prepared to come across some level of difficulty during the quest. Difficulty comes in different forms including dangerous animals, heights, difficult terrains, adverse weather, and treacherous water crossings among others. Surviving the experience may require a survival gear and the necessary skills.

Some hiking sites have campsites for resting and sleeping at night before venturing out during the day. The campsites have fire rings, area maps, outhouses, and bulletin boards. Most campsites lack underbrush and are in form of level grounds. Campsites cannot be found in remote areas, which forces backpackers to find their own sleeping and resting spots.

Any backpacking experience can only be made successful if one has the right pieces of equipment. The first equipment of the list of necessities is a backpack. It should be big enough and of the right caliber and fit. Since expected conditions may be rough, the clothing and footwear should also be chosen appropriately. A sleeping bag and the correct type and quantity of food is also needed. It is best to take some classes in survival skills and to bring a survival kit along.

A shelter may also be needed, but some backpackers dot not bring one. Other necessities such as water container, cook kit, and a means of purifying water may be needed. If the trip is short and confined to areas where food can be accessed easily, it may not be necessary to carry food. If one has to carry food, they carry it in ready-made form.

It is critical to observe the weight of the backpack in this exercise. The weight should not exceed a quarter of the weight of the individual carrying the pack. As such, a lot of scrutiny should be done to all items packed inside the pack. Although expensive, the modern market has a lot of lightweight gear to purchase.

Lightweight gear can be carried easily but still retains a high degree of utility and durability. Materials used to make such gear are many including lightweight alloys, carbon fiber, impregnated fabrics, and specialty plastics. The exercise of backpacking differs among countries, but many similarities exist among Western countries.




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