There’s probably never a bad time to learn survival skills, but I’ve just finished reading Fever by Deon Meyer about the apocalyptic fall out after a deadly coronavirus takes out most of the population, and considering the world’s current situation, now seemed a good time to learn how to survive without turning to Google.
I don’t doubt that this information exists online somewhere for free, but I once again took advantage of an Udemy sale and signed up for Basic Survival Concepts.
The course was mainly aimed at hikers and campers, focusing on how to pack a “survival kit” in case of emergencies and extended time outdoors. I found this quite interesting, especially when I learnt how the different items can have multiple functions. I don’t think I’ll rush out and acquire everything on the list (there’d be no room left for snacks!), but I’ll definitely always pack a multitool knife, some duct tape, and some orange cotton material in a pack when I go walking. I learned that I can temporarily treat wounds, blisters, sprains, burns and bites with these 3 items, and that was worth the price of the course alone.
One big thing that I wanted to learn, and of course important to survival, is how to make a fire. Thankfully, the course went into depth about which natural materials I could use to ignite a fire, and which practical ones I should keep in a kit – a magnifying glass on my compass is a fantastic idea! The instructor then went through what we should look for in tinder, kindling, and fuel for building a fire so that we can not only keep warm, but disinfect water, and cook food on.
I spent a great afternoon learning all of this: I enjoyed it so much. I love spending time outdoors, sometimes going alone or finding myself without mobile connection, and I do wonder what I would do if anything was to happen. Now I know I can apply any self aid, and build a fire if needed, things I wouldn’t have had a clue about before this. There are many more modules in this course, including shelter, knots, and navigation, that I can’t wait to dig into, things that are truly valuable to learn. Bear Grylls eat your heart out!
New Day, New Thing 