Here is a list of 8 things that all female backpackers or travelers should be aware of before they start their adventure.
1. You will smell
Imagine how sweaty you get after your hard workout at the gym. Your hair is sticking to your face, your pits stains are real, and all you want to do is take off your clothes and get in a nice cold shower. There are no showers in the woods, so your sweat will dry onto your clothes, and the smell will start. It’s ok, everyone else will smell too! So don’t try and smell like “Sunshine’s Dream”, or a “Passionate Paris Night”, because Perfumes and smelly lotions attract bugs. So just learn to live a little dirty, and be happy.
2. Braids are your friend
After sleeping through your first night thrashing around in your sleeping bag, you’ll discover that your cute messy bun look has turned into a rat’s nest. You’ll need 3 bottles of conditioner to sort it out, and those loose strands from your ponytail have ended up tangled in the zipper next to your head. This is when you find out braids are the best. No tangles, no loose pieces, and when you finally take them out your hair is still semi-manageable despite all the grease.
3. You will pee on your feet at one point
Peeing in the woods can be very freeing! Guys can take 3 seconds to use the bathroom in the woods, whereas women have to go through an entire ordeal. First you have to find a place deeper into the woods so no one can see you, then you have to take off your heavy pack, and make sure you don’t pee on your foot while squatting. It actually takes weeks to master the perfect squat in the perfect location, but once you do you’ll feel liberated!
4. You will get cold
There are sometimes where your fellow hikers are standing around in shorts and T-shirts, while you are wearing every article of clothing you brought with you. So don’t be fooled by what your friends are packing, check the weather before hand and find out what 60 degrees means for you.
5. The diet can be a little rough
After your first backpacking trip you’ll be dying for some fruits and vegetables. Fresh foods are terrible for backpacking. A lot of fruits and vegetable are pretty heavy, and if they are not heavy then they are probably pretty squishy (apple vs bananas). They also do not keep very well if not refrigerated. So a lot of backpacking meals are dehydrated food products like ramen, nuts, and beef jerky. Don’t worry after a couple days of a dry diet, those fruits and vegetables will taste that much better!
6. Traveling alone can get scary
Your parents weren’t wrong when they told you to be careful. When you are traveling alone it can get a little scary, especially when your phone is dead, or if it’s your first time at a new place. Normally you become family with fellow backpackers, and people are super friendly on the trails, but some places can get a little sketchy. So always bring some form of protection or travel with a friend.
7. People will underestimate you because you are female
There are a lot of people who won’t think anything of it, and those are the people you need to surround yourself with. But once in a blue moon someone will be shocked when you successfully light a fire, or when you express your love for the outdoors. When those moments happen, surprise that person in a positive way!
8. You will feel strong, confident and beautiful
Backpacking is hard, but the confidence you feel after your first hike is unlike no other. Everyday challenges become easy after you climb up a mountain carrying everything you need to survive. Plus, you feel beautiful when you realize your body has the capability to take you to some pretty amazing places.