The Ultimate Amazon Explorers Guide (Part 2)
By Lauren Wong
As promised, here’s part two of the Ultimate Amazon Explorers Guide!
The Fundamental List for Explorers (Amazon Edition)
This comes in handy anytime you’re out on the water boating, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc. I’ve had multiple waterproof phone pouches that have broken on me, and this one has held up great so far. What I like about this one is that it floats, so in case you drop it, it’s not dropping away, never to be seen again. Take pictures underwater, video record, and take snaps while you’re out on the water without worrying about damaging your phone. You can also easily slide in your license or debit/credit cards.
When you’re out in the hot sun all day, you get dehydrated faster than you think. I’ve always heard that if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. These are super simple to just toss into your hiking bag and pour into any water bottle to replenish your electrolytes. Throwing one of these packets into your water bottle will hydrate you 2-3x faster than water alone (and it’s substantially healthier, and easier to carry than gatorade).
Until I moved to Arizona, I didn’t even know it was a thing to get freckles on your lips. My whole face became covered in freckles (way more than from when I was living in Florida) and then I noticed little freckles on my lips. I always thought it was odd to have chapstick with SPF, but now I understand why and Sun Bum has been my go-to.
There’s no reason why getting in a workout out on the trails should hinder your fashion. I love picking out new workout gear, especially sets. Goodbye to the worry about whether you’re matching or clashing. What I like about this set is that the top is a t-shirt and keeps your shoulders protected from direct sunlight. Pick your favorite colors, mix and match them, and you’ve got a bunch of quality workout gear! Another plus is that it’s a lot cheaper than shopping at the mall.
There are a ton of different designs for travel scratch off posters, but this one is my favorite. You can get world map scratch offs, state scratch offs, national landmarks, national parks, etc. I liked the layout and colors of this one, especially since I’ve made it my goal to hit every national park. It’s so satisfying when you visit a new one and get to scratch it off, plus it reminds me of how much more is out there for me to explore!
I swear, it doesn’t matter how much sunscreen I put on, anytime I am out in the sun I instantly feel myself getting burnt. Last week I did the three hour salt river tubing float in Mesa and I applied sunscreen almost every 10 minutes and I still came back burnt to a crisp. To top it off, I also got a sun rash on my right shoulder.
That’s when I decided I needed one of these UV protection sun shirts. I got it in white, and mint (lighter colors to keep the sun off). It just gives you that extra layer to protect your skin, especially if you’re not used to how strong the sun is here. I also love that it’s quick-dry so after a tubing or kayaking trip, you aren’t sitting in a wet shirt for long. You can even wear it when you’re out at the pool or out hiking in the desert with minimal shade.
