Three and a half days, three nights in
stony country of kakadu escarpment above Gunlom!
Perfect weather, good company,
challenging country...
Some Photos
Some Photos
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| A track |
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| Fresh Water |
TRIGER ALERT!
Those who have a weak stomach please
skip this post!
Every journey caries with it a set of
unique experiences and learning opportunities.
What did I learn?
This trip was an exercise in Hygiene
management.
Some time on Wednesday last week I
consumed something that completely destroyed my gut biology. I don't
know if it was the home cooked Indonesian food that had gone cold or
the fermented health drink from the supermarket but by Thursday night
my stomach was screaming at me.
Discomfort in the stomach soon passed
into the bowel and on Friday morning when I should have been ready to
rock and roll, I was experiencing cramps and a nasty rumbling down
below.
My ride arrived at 6:30 am, we met up
with the other hikers and were soon on our way down the Stuart
Highway, I hadn't been to the toilet yet but I was already becoming
fearful that there was more pressure at the base of my posterior than
would be attributed to just gas.
By the time we arrived at Gunlom I had
to bolt to the camp ground toilets! BoooM! My but exploded! Liquid
explosion! NOT a good way to begin a three day hike!
The track was closed for an hour after
we arrived due to trail maintenance, helicopters were delivering
materials for a new staircase to the top of the falls! In one hour I
had to visit the toilet three times!
I think that is enough graphic detail
for this journal entry.
Before I go on with my hygiene report I
should first comment on the quality of the walk. Excellent! The
leader was competent and patient, group size was perfect (only six
hikers in total), country was spectacular and a little challenging.
I had no map or compass so was
completely dependant on the other walkers, that's OK though, it took
all my concentration to keep my but cheeks together and avoid a nasty
accident!
My new Scarpa Boots were absolutely
brilliant! They literally carried me over the roughest ground I've
walked to date. The benefit of good quality ankle high boots with
deep tread is that you don't have to use so much muscle power or
skill to hold your position on rough ground. These boots did all the
work, my feet were a bit uncomfortable at the beginning but by the
third day felt I had completely broken them in.
Back to hygiene management. When hiking
and toileting in the bush personal hygiene is always a high priority.
The relationship between the organism (human hiker) and the
environment should be one of respect. Water is not the conduit for
disposal of waste! Fresh water is a precious resource that cannot be
abused. First rule of hiking is don't contaminate your water source.
Organising toileting should be a well
considered procedure. Waste disposal must always be managed with the
environment in mind. It is a matter of personal security. So most of
the time while clenching my but cheeks and battling the urge to
release gas/water/slime composite into the environment I was
constantly surveying the landscape for a suitable place to 'dump it'.
Releasing effluent is only one part of
the process. There's more to it. See list below.
Got the Shits cycle
After last expulsion:
- Use mind control over bowel to not allow unscheduled explosion.
- Reduce food intake to prevent buildup of fuel to be expelled
- Search constantly for appropriate place to squat (Nowhere near water source is acceptable!)
- Be extremely conservative with use of Bog Roll (I usually only bring about 50 sheets worth, nowhere near enough for this kind of situation)
- Avoid soiling pants at all costs!
The first two days were hell! I had
lost my appetite, had constant cramping in the bowel and bloating! I
had to carry the full weight of my pack on my shoulders and couldn't
urinate without risking similar substance erupting from my arse!
By day three the cramps had left but
motions were no firmer. On the last leg of the final day I seemed to
have achieved a far higher degree of bowel control but the nature of
my stools had not improved. During the walk I was very grateful that
others donated toilet paper and hand sanitizer. If it wasn't for
these welcome gifts I would have had far worse time.
In the hygiene stakes I think I
succeeded (with help from my co-walkers).
I managed to:
- Complete the whole hike without soiling my pants.
- Achieve a sterile field between myself and fellow hikers (I don't think anyone else has been sick)
- Prevent contamination of shared water sources
- Bury waste sufficiently enough that it wont be disturbed by animals
- Achieve hygenic standards with minimal use of paper and other sanitary products
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More Photos
More Photos
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| Tight squeeze |
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| Beauty Leaf |
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| Relaxed enough |
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| Wide Views |
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| Skeletal snake |
Big thanks to my fellow hikers, thanks also to Bining/Arrakpi rangers who manage the park, Scarpa for great boots and God for the wonder of creation.
