Walkabout: Desert Survival 101

[loyalrebel]

Seeing as most of you have likely not dealt with a desert climate for extended periods of time, or have grow up with 21st century conveniences to keep comfortable, I suppose I should share some of the important guidelines for living in this sort of area.

Before anyone complains about me telling you all what to do, I was born in what 21st century maps call Syria, in the 12th century. It is a similar environment and air conditioning was non existent.

You can feel free to ignore my advice, but I will not have pity if you become ill from the heat or sun.

[he pauses for a moment.]

Water is important, if you have to be outside for any length of time bring some with you and drink it. Even if you are not thirsty yet, if it has been some time since the last drink do so. Death of thirst in this sort of heat comes quickly.

If you go outside, wear shoes. Burning the soles of your feet is horrific at best, amputation at worst. Also, do not lay on the ground directly if it can be helped, the ground will always be hotter than the air after baking in the sun for so many hours.

Keeping covered is also wise, long sleeves and long pants will prevent sunburn. They have proper fabrics for this that allow air to come close to the body. Sweat is not your enemy, it means that you are still well hydrated and your body is keeping himself cool.

In that same vein, make sure that it is cloth against your skin not leather or metal. I have seen many a crusader in his armor fall off his horse in the height of summer because it has become too hot.

During the height of the day, whenever that comes, do what you can to stay inside. Sleep if you can, read, stay in shade until the heat passes.

[another pause]

As hot as it is during this long day, night will be as cold. It may become cold enough to frost if the night is as long as day, and having layers available to you is wise as the sun sets.

I would not be surprised if the bulk of the work around here is done in the evening and in to the night.

Most importantly, do not go anywhere alone if it can be helped. Tell someone where you are going, a desert is a more dangerous place than a city and we do not know what the terrain is yet like or what other creatures live in in the area beside the dragons.

If you have questions, ask them. I will answer what I can.

I plan on making a trip to get the lay of the land at some point before the hatching, if anyone wishes to go out with me to the wilds.

Comments

[unconventionalelf]

I learned I had to remove my leathers as soon as I was given room assignments.

But I will try to remember the water. This is much different from the forests I grew up in. If you would not mind someone young with you, I would not mind going to the wilds.

Unless you would rather keep the party to those with skills to survive this climate.

[loyalrebel]

Can you carry enough water for yourself and follow direction without backtalk?

[unconventionalelf]

I can. On both accounts. Since I am not used to this type of area, it would be best to follow orders I think.

[loyalrebel]

Alright then. If there is enough interest I will lead a group for a trip.

[unconventionalelf]

Thank you.

[loyalrebel]

You may not thank me later when you are tired and I tell you to keep going.

[unconventionalelf]

I do not know about that. Usually, I am waiting for my companions back home to catch up. But I will do my best to stay close.

[loyalrebel]

This is not a forest. Leaving a group increases the likelihood of either them or yourself getting killed.

[unconventionalelf]

I know that. And because this is a place I am unused to, you will not see me offering to play scout this early. I need to see how I can handle it first.

Do not worry if we go out there I will follow orders.

[highsteaks]

I'll go out with you!

[With Endure Elements, she should be set.]

[loyalrebel]

It will be a good chance to learn how to survive in this environment if magic unavailable to us somehow.

[highsteaks]

[... oh crap, does this mean he won't let her use Endure Elements?

Too bad. She's not backing out now.]

Yeah. I guess it will.

[tookashirototheknee]

Thanks, I really do appreciate the tips.

If we'd be in a cold desert, I might have been able to help, but not something like this.

It's more than a bit frustrating when the living conditions were better in space.

[loyalrebel]

Enough of the principles are the same, winter in a desert is still a desert.

I was not on the jaunts to space, but I have disliked the more temperate climates we have been to. Humidity is like trying to breathe soup.

[tookashirototheknee]

Humidity is the absolute worst weather effect known to sentient species, especially when combined with heat. It can leave and never come back.

Also, I have to ask, have you had problems giving people advice before? That sounds really dumb. Not you, them. I'd think that any advice that someone who's been through this could give would be important. But then again, I sometimes forget that a lot of people are idiots.

[loyalrebel]

People do not generally like being told they are acting foolishly, or having it pointed out that there are cultures and morals that are not their own.

[tookashirototheknee]

Oh, don't get me started. People can be such assholes when it comes to other morals and cultures. It caused too damn many world wars. And, as I'm now finding, interplanetary war.

I like knowing about other cultures and other people. Knowing and understanding the world is important, especially when we're thrown into so many different ones with different ideas. It isn't anyone's place to go imposing their opinions on someone else.

[senpaidol]

Thank you, Malik-san. My Overlay got some instruction, but that was a lot more detailed. The general idea we got as caretakers was more "stay inside unless it's an emergency".

[loyalrebel]

That is still a fairly wise way of going about this, especially for those unused to somewhere like this.

[senpaidol]

Yeah...the Rise of this world is a little more used to it and I'm just gonna have to listen to her instincts. Like that it's okay to go like 48 hours between showers.

[loyalrebel]

A wet cloth and some soap is... functional.

[senpaidol]

I just gotta remember that her boyfriend is on the same restrictions and works with engines so I don't get embarrassed, that's all...

[goestoextremes]

[ Well... Korra isn't like most people with how cold and hot don't really bother her at all, growing up in her world's version of the South Pole and having gone through a desert in her world at least twice with different styles and not having problems with no sleeves at all in both places since that is how she rolls in them a lot of the time... ]

Not sure why anyone would complain or ignore them, those are seriously really great tips for most of us.

I've been thinking about making a trip like that too. Maybe we could all go at the same time on the same trip.

[loyalrebel]

Spend enough time as a Traveler and you get a bit... tired of some things.

We should have to see what the goal here is before too many of us wander away in to the desert.

[pionero]

If you need a hand at that desert trek of yours? Let me know, Lawerence. [ Cal is attempting a joke. That's surprising in itself. ] You really should write survival guides for a living.

[loyalrebel]

Lawrence?

I more or less do, mapmaking in my time involves more than just the layout of streets.

[pionero]

Lawrence of Arabia. In everything you know about the 21st and 20th Century, you've never heard of him?

You probably get asked for directions all the time.

[loyalrebel]

My knowledge is piecemeal at best, and mostly imparted by jaunts and what either Thorne or Claudia have told me.

I usually tell them how much I debit their account for a map, I made my living at mapmaking.

[pionero]

Ask them next time you chat with them then. They'll probably be able to tell you more than I would.

Accounts. You hold their banking information too? [ color him IMPRESSED. ]