I’ve just arrived home from an epic adventure in Papua New Guinea, hiking the Kokoda trail with my Dad & brother. It was an unforgettable experience & in many ways I felt like it gave me an opportunity to remember all the parts I love about myself.
For the last 10 years of travel I’ve always been conscious (& passionate) about the alternatives that are available for our bodies when away from the comforts of our home… the many rooms of the house that contain useful things - particularly the bathroom.
I love travelling, simply for the beautiful reminder that we can always live with less. We can use certain products for multiple things, we can choose brands that are non-toxic that actually nourish our skin as much as serve the purpose it is designed for. We can find fabrics (like merino wool) & items that are ethical & long lasting & feel good so we choose to wear them again & again. Quality over quantity alllll the way. We can support our body with optimum internal herbs & the like so that we feel good every day no matter what changes in our external environment. Traveling also takes me back to the basics - reminding me of the tools I can use for free in my tool kit - yoga, stretching, breathe work, walking, quality water, herbs, essential oils, etc that can simply be repeated to keep me grounded & feeling good in my skin.
Some things that I took away to PNG were:
On Guard Doterra hand sanitiser - this was perfectly light & compact with an easily removable lid yet secure enough for no spills (I’ve had many spills of coconut oil & other goodies during my travels). If you have been reading my social media posts you would have seen this beauty is perfect for immune support (sprayed into the mouth) & as a hand sanitiser after using public toilets of any kind. Hit me up if you want to purchase this baby - great to keep in the car also!
Anti-malaria herbal support. This is something new I tried. In previous trips to PNG I had used homeopathics, so this program had me taking the herbs a couple of weeks prior, during the trip & 2 weeks following. If I was bitten I simply took an extra dose if I felt worried. It’s been just over a week since we got back & I’m feeling really good. These herbs work from an anti-parasite angle as malaria is caused by a parasite. Most importantly, I avoided the load on my liver & the crazy dreams that are a result of the medication by skipping options like Doxycycline. This herbal mix I would need to dispense to you so please contact me directly for a conversation.
Neem bug spray. I chose to avoid Bushmans or heavy DEET products as I intentionally avoid chemicals in my daily life & am aware that DEET products can cause brain cell death among other things like rashes, etc. It was actually a friend who I used to kayak with that is a doctor who told me this & since then have read many articles on it. If you choose to use it put it on your socks or shirt collar/clothes, rather than directly on your skin. I found my bug spray fine - Neem is a magical herb. Obviously I had plenty of measures in place & was conscious of covering up on dusk when needed.
Against The Grain chemical free zinc sunscreen as we weren’t guaranteed showers daily so I hate the idea of climbing into my sleeping bag with chemicals on my skin (aside from the fact that I don’t like chemicals anyway!). This can be grabbed through my online shop!
Dr Bronner’s liquid soap. This is kind to the environment so able to be used in rivers - which is important to me that I am not contaminating my environment. Hopefully you consider this as well on your next adventure. “Leaving no trace”. This can be purchased at any health food or outdoor shop.
Nutrient dense bars for snacking on - Pea protein Hazelnut butter Clif bars (I avoid the soy based ones), Paleo nut/date bars, Maple buckwheat crunch. I wasn’t sure what the food would be like so I thought these would help me up some of those hills if I didn’t have a choice of clean food elsewhere. They both contain no added junk. I also loved snacking on the fresh bananas & occasional passionfruit, paw paw & pineapple in the village pop up markets. I even scored a huge avocado one day which was a treat! These can be purchased at health food shops.
Electrolyte Restore mix. I’m not a fan of using fancy electrolyte powders because I believe coconut water can serve the same purpose. However, I knew I would be sweating a lot & wasn’t sure what access we would have to daily coconuts (despite knowing the country had a bunch of them - I didn’t know if we would get them on the trail). So I’m stoked after doing some research & trying 3 different brands - I loved the mix I choose because it contained so much more than electrolytes. It had glutamine (a gut repair & energy producing amino acid), beetroot powder (contains nitric oxide to support energy production), magnesium & electrolytes derived from coconut water & sea mineral algae. This can be purchased at some health food shops. Or hit me up if you need me to get some for you directly.
Propolis - for immune support & first aid remedies. I fixed an infected ant bite on my leg which popped up overnight, by putting a few drops of propolis on a bandaid & within 5 hours it had reduced to nothing significant & started to close over in the following days. This beauty will be in my hot little hands next week when my order arrives so please email me with your interest & I’ll post it to you as soon as I receive it!
Against the grain lipbalm/skin balm. I used this on anything! There is geranium & frankinsense in the one I have, so I would often put it on the scar on my leg at the end of each day, plus my lips or anything that popped up. I used it as a hydrating soother. I can easily organise these for you!
Fortunately for water I was able to avoid iodine tablets & utilise a Steripen which uses a UV light to clean the water. Each afternoon we would filter 13 litres for the 3 of us, litre by litre, lol lets just say it was a task we allowed time for each evening before dinner.
Essential oils 8 piece travel kit. I love having these on hand as they pack a punch & can be used for both first aid, emotional support & of course to simply smell pretty - no nasties of course. Let me know if I can help kick off your collection of travel oils - just email me janellecarolyn@gmail.com
My JuJu menstrual cup (because this makes everything easier!). I was on the last couple of days of my cycle as I arrived in PNG, however even if I wasn’t I often take it as plane travel can throw my cycle out.
Other goodies I had in my bag were charcoal powder for any tummy upset (great for a poultice too), Kindle (because books are too heavy) + 2x 1 litre Nalgeen bottles to travel with on the plane (just ask for refilling from the air hostess).
Prior to heading away I utilised a few supplements to support my gut (& therefore my immune system) plus some general green powder & liquid minerals. I can help you specifically if you are wanting guidance there - rather than just taking what I take. Since returning home I have continued my gut support powder, my liquid minerals & my green powder. Hit me up if you need support prior to a trip or most importantly post travel - it can be an interesting time coming home from travel… we either settle into mayhem or embrace the opportunity to reset our body with our new found motivation.
My epic fast in September is a perfect way to reset your body after travel or prepare your body for optimum function - like a huge hike! It helps us release old matter that no longer serves us, which increases our energy capacity & performance while also repairing our digestion, skin & lifting our mood. I’ll be writing more about this over the coming weeks.
Hopefully this list has given you some inspiration to either ask further questions of me or consider what you may be able to swap out for your next weekend or international adventure. I always try to hike (& travel) with as many merino wool items as possible as they breathe really well & therefore don’t smell, plus they are a natural fibre keeping me cool during the day & warm at night.
I stock a handful of these products so do hit me up for any if you would like to add them to your kit as well! In the not to distant future, I will be putting some easy to use travel kits together for you to access prior to your next adventure!
Happy travels,
Janelle x