Hello fellow wanderers!

[VikingxVixen]

My name is Nana, and this summer is when I am hoping to break free and just start walking. I am excited and nervous and am looking to meet people to help with advice and share stories. So hello everyone!

 

[VikingxVixen]

Just be careful in the bigger cities,once you get away from the bigger cities people are generally a lot friendlier...I just caught out from Winston Salem NC and am home for a bit in Florida...try not to carry to much stuff because you'll just end up tossing it anyway because you'll get sick of carrying to much crap...just try to stick with stuff you absolutely need like road maps,stuff to carry water in(because you could be somewhere where u can't get water,been there and it sucks),don't trust anyone no matter how friendly they seem,there are good people but always remain om guard because the minute you let your guard down people will take advantage of you

I am a pretty paranoid person in general. Thanks for the advice, I am still really nervous. What other kind of stuff do you take with you? And when you go do you ever have a set destination in mind?

 

[notlateforsuppa]

big knife and stungun/mace whatever you feel more comfortable with def bring the knife for show either way. Prob best to have a partner in crime. aAso just go with your gut if you get a bad vibe trust it.

 

[cport420]

Ummm... Hornet/wasp killer is cheap mace for 2-3 bucks... Stamps is an easy way to eat and not be dependent on someone. Always count on urself. Learn to be self reliant. Think about shit before you do it. Getting locked up sucks. Don't do hard drugs. They will fuck ur shit up. They are lots of fun but will def fuck you in the end. Have fun above all and kick fuckin ass where ever you go.

 

[VikingxVixen]

Sleeping bag,ball peen hammer(small one),knife,SOG multi tool,hatchet,canteens,3 pairs of clothes,first aid supplies,socks(make sure you take extra special care of your feet because if not you'll pay hell),rain coat(military style very light),a small camping cook kit(stainless steel is the best),para cord,vitamins,ramen noodles(you can eat them without cooking them,just add water),things to start fires with,sunglasses are a must(get the safety glass type because they'll last longer and people aren't as apt to steal them),soap,TOILET PAPER(go into any gas station and get a roll or a park),make sure you have maps and a compass,don't depend on technology for everything because batteries go dead and there isn't always a place to charge your phone or GPS etc,get a very good backpack(don't go with something just because it looks cool,you have to think durability,DON'T EVER LEAVE YOUR BACKPACK ALONE FOR ANY REASON PERIOD,IT IS YOUR LIFE ON THE ROAD!!!

Very extensive list, thank you! I guess my main worry is running into trouble, but if I keep my wits about me, things should be ok. Thank you! ^^

 

[VikingxVixen]

Ummm... Hornet/wasp killer is cheap mace for 2-3 bucks... Stamps is an easy way to eat and not be dependent on someone. Always count on urself. Learn to be self reliant. Think about shit before you do it. Getting locked up sucks. Don't do hard drugs. They will fuck ur shit up. They are lots of fun but will def fuck you in the end. Have fun above all and kick fuckin ass where ever you go.

I never even considered wasp killer, thank you!

And I hardly smoke weed anymore so I will be ok.

 

[cport420]

No don't do hard stuff. You should on the other hand smoke massive amounts of weed. I recommend mixing some weed with weed then place on top of some weed and smoke that shit. And Afterwards smoke some more just to be sure in case the other weed didnt work.

 

[VikingxVixen]

No don't do hard stuff. You should on the other hand smoke massive amounts of weed. I recommend mixing some weed with weed then place on top of some weed and smoke that shit. And Afterwards smoke some more just to be sure in case the other weed didnt work.

As clever as you are, doesn't that contradict me wanting to be completely aware of my surroundings? ::hungover::

 

[cport420]

You see that's what the wasp spray is for girl. To spray shit even if its an optical illusions. You'll be safe. Shiva will protect you, guard you, comfort you.

 

[VikingxVixen]

You see that's what the wasp spray is for girl. To spray shit even if its an optical illusions. You'll be safe. Shiva will protect you, guard you, comfort you.

Well thank you sweetie. I didn't even consider that. <3

 

[cport420]

Look who's gonna fuck with a backpack chick with a blunt and blinding mace? Not me. I may ask to hit the blunt though. Sorry.

 

[VikingxVixen]

My exciting adventure just got 100X more paranoid. D:

 

[jrock]

Go with a trusted friend. Always use the buddy system. In other words, don't wander off with strangers alone. Never leaving your pack is crucial. Some asshole will walk off with that shit in a heartbeat. Trust your instincts. If someone or something seems off, walk away. Other than that be as open to new possibilities as safely and rationally as possible. On the other hand, Its all about the adventure... So, don't be a giant pussy. Although A healthy respect for danger is a good thing... Just remember, Fear stinks and attracts dogs...

 

[Charlie]

pack light, especially if you're walking a lot. good walking shoes that breath. wool blanket and a tarp. wool clothes dry faster than cotton if you get caught in the rain. and i'd say only bring one set of clothes for less weight. map and a compass is good, but even without, you can get directions (some people don't give correct directions, some people do) or borrow somebody else's map. a bliss (metal cup, or you could use a soup can). and a gallon jug of water is mandatory. with that, you'd only need a small pack (I use a dakine heli-pack, because it has the horizontal skateboard/snowboard holster which allows me to carry blankets, skateboard optional, plus it has four fastening straps which I could use to carry my water jug, bliss and even a guitar in a gig bag or a ukulele in a gig bag. I find that it's easier to carry stuff on the outside of my pack than inside. more straps, the merrier.). a small cooker would be good for cooking if you want to pack stuff to cook (this is when your bliss become a pot). I prefer packing less food and eating at churches, but pack food for between towns (sandwhich material [tortillas doesn't squish much, bread does] fruit and veggies). little nap sack (essentially a bag with strings) comes in handy for when you have excess stuff or want to carry food outside of pack. a can opener, swiss army knives are good for this reason. a good book or two. a means of entertainment such as a music instrument or two. something for fast travel if you don't want to walk a lot a lot a lot, like a bicycle or a skateboard. but remember, the more you pack, the more of a burden it will be. don't bring anything you don't want to lose, chances are you'll lose it if you're inexperienced. and yes, don't ever leave any belongings behind unless you want to lose it. if you pack too much, either give it away, throw it away, or stash it under a freeway and don't expect to see it again.

now you're 100x more paranoid than you should be. notice there's no girls warning you to pack a weapon? people watch too much tv these days and always imagine the worst to happen. if you want to dwell on what could happen, dwell on the fact that you'll be fighting boredom rather than some drugged out psychopath. if you piss somebody off, they might hit you, but you're a girl, so anybody that sees that happen would run in and intervene in any way possible. you have very little reason to worry, especially considering you're smart.

if you don't want to smoke weed, don't smoke weed, if you want to, then do. it's totally up to you. I used to smoke weed because it's something to do, but i'd much rather read a book or skateboard or climb a tree to check out the view. the important thing is YOU make the decision, not others. somebody telling you to not do hard drugs but to smoke weed, is still peer pressure. peer pressure is what gets people into hard drugs more than anything else. don't let other people's decisions affect the person you want to be, you stand on YOUR own two feet, not theirs. if you want to be sober, be sober, i'm sober too and I won't let anybody's habits influence mine because there's other things i'd rather be doing than to seek substances to alter my perception of reality. nomadic/vagabond travelling is all about rebelling against the social propaganda to seek a truly self gratifying way of life. to build YOUR own foundation for the rest of YOUR life, you must do what you feel is best, otherwise people will have you do what they want, and then you serve THEM and NOT YOU. maybe that's why I hate money so much.

having a set journey is a wonderful way to travel, but remaining flexible to your destination is what the journey is all about. being adventurous, a quest seeker, a journeyman, is all about picking a destination and wandering as much as you possibly can before you get there. if you go straight there as fast as possible, you'll miss important details and lessons at al the places in between. I drove from Slab City, California to Ocala, Florida a couple winters ago. along the way, fellow travelers and I did less wandering and more "let's get there". this ruined all the places in between for the entire trip (except the one place we stopped and rested, Taos, New Mexico). tensions rose between the people in the group, health declined, but we made it there very fast. after that, the idea of travelling with a car was ruined for me. the more you enjoy yourself at each and every step of the way, the better. Another thing to consider, destinations can easily change. at the beginning of a trip, I was determined to travel through Mexico, although, I wasn't prepared for it and still had a lot to learn. you'll meet other travelers and they'll have excellent destinations in mind, listen to them and ask them if you can tag along, you can learn a lot from them.

best of luck in your travels, i'm about to hitchhike to Montana for the national rainbow gathering. I'll leave on June 14th and i'll be there for about a month most likely. I want to volunteer in a kitchen, read some good books, and find a few musicians to jam with.

 

[spectacular]

charlie's reply is awesome... i'm a female traveler who's been solo traveling for the last couple of years. i've learned to pack light and take rides from most people who offer. i never take rides from people who seem like they want something in return or try to rush me although neither of those usually happens. i usually end up being given free food and or money. i sleep on porches or stairwells or on the beach or wherever it's not easy to see me. seems like out of sight out of mind applies to most wackos. and there aren't many wackos. it's important to remember not to be scared since psychos sniff out that energy and sync up with it and play out their fantasies with a person who's willing to give them that level of power. i don't know if you're going to get this or are going to be even traveling this year. wish you the best.

 

[Spooner]

water filter, baking soda+fragrant oil of your choice(for smellies). sewing kit+ dental floss. church key.