Archive for November 2006
King Fahd Hospital of the University, King Faisal University
I wanted to call someone to let them know that I wouldn’t be back home for a few hours but I could remember no local number and the hospital wouldn’t allow me to make an overseas call. Directory enquiries was not a concept the Filipino nurse wished to understand. He was efficient and professional, but on the salary he was receiving there was no way he was going the extra mile for anyone, let alone this overpaid white guy without teeth.
X-rays to head, neck, knees and elbow, blood works, drip and neck collar, endless testing of pulse and blood pressure, three hours observation and pleasant conversations with an overworked Egyptian doctor … and I was out on the street.
A Saudi gentleman spotted me at the entrance as I looked round for a taxi. He shouted something in Arabic at a nurse (who took me by the elbow – covered in blood and with a bashed in face I must have looked much worse than I felt) and then ran off to the main road to hail a taxi. A few minutes later, he returned and helped the nurse bundle me into the back of the Toyota Camry.
In a crisis, people look after you in Saudi Arabia.
Running accident
Sunset on the corniche is peaceful, beautiful even if you have been here for a few years and your frames of reference are suitably bent out of shape. The sun streams through the trees and flickers over the uneven sand track where I like to run. Sprinting towards the white mosque I became slightly dizzy. I looked away from the ground, avoiding the patterns of light and sprinted on.
I must have lost consciousness in full sprint as there were no grazes on my hands. I imagine my movement arrested, like that of a cartoon character hovering in mid air, before suddenly and spectacularly crashing to the ground and breaking in to a thousand pieces.
Actually, I didn’t break into many pieces at all. Perversely, I managed to avoid hitting the extensive soft sands that cover most of the track. Instead I hit one of the concrete planters, biting it firmly on the way down. Apart from an impressively bashed nose and an interesting graze, my teeth took much of the blow, leaving me looking like the veteran of many bare knuckle fights.
This was three weeks ago …
Fitting a backpack
Ensuring proper fit is the most important step when you select a pack. When looking for a backpack we recommend choosing a backpack that is no larger than 50 liters.
Finding the right pack size for you depends on your back length.
To find your back length, have a friend measure your back:
Find the most prominent vertebrae at the back of your neck. It’s the large bump at about the same level as the top of your shoulders
Find the top of your hipbone. Follow this point around in a straight line to your spine.
Place a measuring tape directly against your spine, and measure the distance between here and the large bump!
If you have a hip belt it should be resting directly over your hip bones, not on your waist. The shoulder straps should be well padded and fit snuggly to your shoulders.
If you can try on your pack walk around and play with the adjustments to fine-tune the fit. Remember to put weight in your pack when trying it on. Remember that if the pack doesn’t feel right now, it certainly won’t feel right after hours on the trail.
Preliminary packing list
GEAR AND ACCESSORIES
1 Hiking shoes/boots *see special instructions (you will wear these, do not pack an extra pair of hiking boots)
1 Pair simple, lightweight Camp shoes for night time (incase your hiking shoes get wet) – trainers are fine
1 Backpack* *see special instructions (for trekking)
1 small bag or small suitcase for extra clothing that you do not bring on the trek. (This bag will stored between treks)
1 Baseball Hat or other hat for sun protection
1 Warm hat (wool or fleece) Essential
1 Warm gloves (wool or fleece)
Backpack Rain cover – or pack liner. Strong polythene bags to wrap gear in work well as an alternative
Trekking Poles (Optional – if you like to walk with poles they are good. Not essential)
Flashlight or headlamp (small, lightweight). Head torches are best.
CLOTHING
2 Long sleeve shirts (synthetic, wicking material)
1 Short Sleeve Base layer (synthetic, wicking material)
1 Warm sweater (synthetic or wool) – a fleece is fine
1 Warm jacket (wind stopper fleece is recommended) – a second jumper or fleece with a waterproof jacket works fine
1 Lightweight Down filled jacket – can be ordered from school for SR200
1 Pair warm long pants (synthetic or fleece is recommended)
1 waterproof hiking pants – waterproof overtrousers
4 Pairs of synthetic socks – socks specially for hiking are best – they don’t have seems that cause blisters
1 pair warm wool hiking socks
4 Undergarments (avoid cotton)
1 Small towel or sarong. Sarongs are best. Available from school.
1 Swim suit
1 waterproof jacket (if your outer layer/jacket is not waterproof)
1 Pair thermal underwear (synthetic material)
TOILETRIES
Toothbrush/Toothpaste, Soap & Deodorant
Shampoo/conditioner (small travel size)
Chapstick/Lipbalm, Moisturizer (small travel size)
Toilet Paper (Personal Size)
Feminine Hygiene requirements
Wet Wipes or Hand sanitizer
Sunscreen – at least factor 20. Don’t say “I don’t burn” – you will!
MEDICAL AND OTHER
Sunglasses – optional
Prescription medication
Camera (batteries, film, SD or CF cards as required)
WHAT YOU DO NOT NEED AND MAY NOT BRING
Ipod and other portable music players
Mobile phones
Video Games
Extra snacks and food – causes problem going through customs and immigration.
Sleeping bags and down jackets
We will provide students with a sleeping bag on the trip. This will be fine for the coldest situations we meet.
All students will require a down jacket for the cold evening conditions they will encounter on the trek. These are quite costly in the UK, so I have arranged to have some made in China. These will be SR200. If you would like to order a down jacket, please complete an order slip (available from school) and return it to the school office with SR200 on or December 2nd. The jackets will be waiting for students when we arrive in China. If you prefer to purchase a jacket in the UK, they are available from the retailers noted above. Prices start at about SR1000.
Suggested on-line outdoor equipment suppliers
These companies are reliable suppliers of outdoor equipment. All offer an on-line order service.
http://www.fieldandtrek.com/
http://www.rockrun.com/
http://www.rei.com/
Boots
Good walking boots are essential. They must fit. They must be worn in – that means wearing them for several weeks. They need to be worn with good quality walking socks. Don’t skimp on footwear. Poor boots, or boots that haven’t been properly broken in, will cause injury, very painful feet and make your life miserable. If you have any doubt about this please talk to the students that went on the Darjeeling Expedition. Buy boots early and wear them for weeks – you can wear them to school. If you don’t you will get blisters and suffer.
Rucksack or backpack
A good backpack is ESSENTIAL. Don’t compromise on quality. As far as I am aware, there are no shops in Saudi Arabia that sell good quality backpacks. The packs on sale in Al Khobar look fine but are cheap copies. One of our teachers climbed Mt Kenya with one of these bags last summer. The bag looked fine at the start of the trip but fell apart during the climb. Good backpacks can be bought from outdoor equipment suppliers in the UK and US.
Preparation & Fitness
A successful expedition depends on the preparation – solid groundwork is essential!
Students need to be fit for the expedition. That means starting work now! Everybody should be aiming to do at least 3 hours of vigorous exercise a week. If you are not sure about fitness, talk to your PE teachers. You must develop your strength and stamina to get the most out of this trip. I can’t stress this enough – you must get fit.
DBGS China Expedition
We have had a tremendous response to the China Expedition and will be taking approximately 38 students on the trip of a lifetime next March. We are pleased to announce that Gill Armstrong, one of our most experienced climbers, will become the fourth chaperone.
