Packing Tips: First Aid Kit/Medical

As we are on the homestretch now, with only 4 days to go (yikes), I had to spend most of the weekend sorting through gear and getting all the essentials packed.
There are many websites (just google) which give loads of tips and tricks on expedition packing, and I think my way works very well - there's always a new tip to be found though, so my lists are by no means the be all and end all!

For ease of reference I will break it down:

• Ziplock bags - these will be your new best friend
• Keep prescribed medication labels/tags (just in case)
• Share the load (if one bag goes missing - you have a backup!)
• Keep prescription meds in your pack with you (you can always replace otc meds easily)
• Leave meds in their blister packs, but do away with bulky boxes
• Stick to what you know...don't try strange things on expeditions

Steps:

1.  Take a blanket/throw and spread out all the medication you will be taking with you.  Arranging it all together like this makes it easier to see what is missing, or what you have too much of.

2.  Start grouping things together: for example, I bag a 'blister' kit, putting friar's balsam, blister pads plasters etc together in one ziplock bag. You can also write on the front of each bag.   

    

                                                         

3.  I remove all the boxes and unnecessary packaging from my prescription meds, cut out the labels with the info on them and pack that together (I used a small plastic container which I found at the plastic shop for R6.00).  When cutting the pills into individuals off the blister pack, be sure not to break the air seal and also to have the name of the pill on the silver side (you don't want to have issues guessing which pill is what on the mountain)

4.  I try and make 2 bags for each set of medications - so two blister bags, 2 cold and flu bags, 2 painkiller bags - this way Joe and I split the medications and (God forbid) if one of our bags do go missing we at least have a back-up set of meds to use.  Obviously if you are a single traveller this won't work, but you could split it into checked luggage and hand luggage!

5.  Once all your meds are wrapped up in their individual ziplock bags, you can pack the lot into one central bag - I use soft stuff sacks, but you could use clear plastic bags/toiletry bags.  Remember it's all about packing light!

See how all the meds on the top images can be packed and compacted to this:

In my next chapter I will give you my complete list!