Stuff to bring to Mexico 96 Trip
Everything must be packable for a 3hr+ hike to camp site, and other hikes.
Of course a separate smaller pack or bag is highly useful for caving as noted below.
- backpack
- Personal/Medical
- Get a medical if haven't in last year
- Blood type
- Tetnus/Typhoid/Rabies/Measles shots (immed.)
- Malaria pills (only available from doctor anyway)
- Passport / Birth Certificate etc...
- Toiletries
- footwear
- anti-fungal gunk (humidity is a problem)
- sandals for above ground
- fast drying caving boots ankle support ...
- I'm bringing lots of socks
- Caving Gear
- caving harness
- chest crawl
- jumar/ascender
- descender/petzl stop
- beaners
- cows tail
- etc...
- small backpack for in cave miscellania, food, batteries etc
- helmet
- light...batteries...(Taco is bringing barrel of carbide)
- shorts for some caves
- wet suit for some caves, thin <=3mil (University is selling used of).
- cave suit, nylon / polypro, fast drying, (must custom order).
- camera - slide based preferably
- tent (semi-optional)
- water filter
- iodine, lots of
- water bottles for hiking etc as usual
- stove (semi-optional, key is to be able to do self-camps to allow exploring)
- do not bring white gas on plane
- do not bring drugs not legal in Canada,U.S.,Mexico.
- minimal clothing (let it smell)
- lt wt. sleeping bag, climate is +5 or higher
- mosquito netting (critical) - soak netting in repellant
- mosquito repellant (critical, get good stuff)
- sunscreen
- hat
- light raingear
- a sweater, or a fleece for nite optionally
- utensils for personal use, not so much cooking pots etc
- granola and cave food, fairly important, energy bars etc
- gatorade or drink crystals to make iodined water drinkable
- pen paper etc
- possibly something to wash fruit with? a small towel?
- $200
- possibly small first aid and snake bite kit
Don Rumpel is taking care of
Basic food, some machetes, rope, cabin to be used if desired (sleeps 16), other
arrangements.
Comments about pests
Some dangerous snakes, pit viper etc, some of which have hemotoxins - breaking down
the blood corpuscules, and others neurotoxins - attacking nervous system. Medical
facility is an hour away, apparently within survivability time.
Mosquitoes carry malaria and variants of a small parasitic infection that you keep
for life once acquired but typically can be kept in remission. You will spend most
of your time immersed in bug spray. Malaria mosquitos are a danger between 11:00 pm
and 6:00 am.
Other critters include ticks, leeches etc.
Comments about community
Emphasis is for minimal impact on community, cash transactions to be at same level as
local, deferential regarding travel routes through other peoples fields, property.
Apparently a recent dispute south of area is now under treaty.