rainforest or arctic?

[george]

What do you prefer and where have you been?

There have been a couple of questions posed in various threads recently either to do with the rainforest or the arctic/boreal forest. There is obviously a lot of knowledge on this forum and an awful lot of experience too. So tell us a little bit about yours.

I've never really spent any time in really cold conditions (snowholes in the Alps or the Cairngorms excluded!) so I've got limited knowledge on the Arctic or Boreal forests in winter. However the idea of extended travel on foot in winter facinates me so thats where I would like to head for next.(once the dogs die and the kids leave home that is )

Outside the UK most of my experience is in the rainforest. In the late 80s through to the mid 90s I spent a lot of time in SE Asia. Mostly Indonesia. I probably spent 6 months of each year in the forest. Most of the time I spent in North Sulawesi but I was also in Irian Jaya for about 6 months (Incredible place!) and in the Moluccas and various islands throughout the archipeligo.

I miss the forest sometimes- I did a lot of growing up there, but I'd love to see somewhere really cold too. What about you?

George

 

[bambodoggy]

I've done a long weekend in Norway with the TA....loved it and really want to go back and wonder around on my own (or with a mate) for longer....and be more bushcrafty than military.

I'm also desperate to go up to the Canadian northern territory's, the Yukon etc but not sure how to go about organising it.

Also did two weeks in Malaysia after I just joined the TA and two 10 day trips to Berlize along with a few trips into the columbian jungle but that was a few years ago and also with the TA. I'm hardly a jungle expert and still have heaps to learn but I loved it....which is odd as I hate critters and as for spiders!!!!!!!!! :yikes:

I'm a full on civvy now (have been for a few years - only spent 5 in the TA) and would like to do more jungle stuff but at a more leisurely pace and without the need to be tactical.

My biggest problem is that I only have limited holiday from work and limited money and a beautiful wife....who doesn't do bushcraft or cold or jungles or camping or squat and drops etc....

 

[Les Marshall]

Having experienced temperate, boreal and rain forest, I have to say that the rain forests hold no appeal for me (too many things trying to eat me!) :yikes: :spider:

 

[bombadil]

I'm off to the Braziian rainforest in the new year. Any advice??

 

[Squidders]

My preference would be for seriously cold conditions, my body really does feel heat but not cold. I hardly ever get cold regardless of the weather, I've been skinny dipping in lake Michigan in January and didn't get that cold (There was a lot of shrinkage though) and i managed to overheat massivley in egypt a few years ago even when drinking about 6-8 litres of water a day.
:chill:

 

[bombadil]

I'm off to the Braziian rainforest in the new year. Any advice??

Ok....scratch that :roll: just seen the other post on this sub-forum.
Doh!!

 

[tenbears10]

You could have made this a poll George if you wanted. My vote is for arctic. I much prefer trying to keep warm (extra clothes, fire etc) than trying to cool down. I'm with Squidders on this I get too hot on the beach but cold conditions are fine. I get used to the cold much easier than the heat. I also hate the idea of being wet constantly in the jungle.

I have yet to go to either but I will try and get to the arctic before the jungle definitely.

Bill

 

[bambodoggy]

Lol....I know it's easy to think you'll be wet "all the time" in the jungle but in practice (for me anyway) this isn't the case....you're only wet "most of the time".... ):

I appear to be very very lucky in that neither extream heat nor fairly extream cold seem to bother my body too much...it might take a few days to get used to it and a full week before I'm any use for harder work but I do get used to it and neither bother me....

Now cold and wet together (bit like the UK)....that bothers me!!!

Seriously, they have seasons the same as we do....well nearly the same; we have spring, summer, autum and winter....the jungle has wet and dry (bit of a generalisation here) and it's not always raining....take a look at Stuarts new photo posts....is he soaked in all of them?
I think the fear of the jungle is more often than not worse than the reality (unless it all goes wrong that is! ha ha). They only have two times of day as well...day=light and dark=night....nothing in between and boy does it get dark quick....not a time to be setting up your camp no matter how much you like bending the normal early camp rules (like I do in the UK).

 

[george]

I much prefer trying to keep warm (extra clothes, fire etc) than trying to cool down. I'm with Squidders on this I get too hot on the beach but cold conditions are fine. I get used to the cold much easier than the heat. Bill

Other way with me - I'm a skinny so and so and have to eat constantly and keep moving to stay warm!

Still love to try dog sledding in the Yukon or similar. My son has a thing about wolves so were aiming to go find some maybe next year or the year after (he's only six just now so I can't take him just yet, mores the pity:sad2: )

George

 

[Gary]

Ive been lucky enough to try all extremes and most places in between and I have to plumb for Cold.

In hot, humid places I just get plain ratty and its not fun.

 

[TheViking]

Having never been in extreme environments, I can only comment on warm/cold. I like warm best, but not too hot, meaning that everything over 25 degrees is too warm. Everything under 5 degrees is too cold. :roll: (yep, hard to satisfy :shock: )

 

[C_Claycomb]

I haven't been in either arctic or jungle, but have expereinced both high heat and humidity (90+F and 100%) in the US, and cold winter weather cold enough for my nasal hair to freeze :yikes: , and I much prefer the cold. I can deal with heat and humidity, but don't enjoy it much. I miss the cold and snow from my time in the US MUCH more than the summer heat.

 

[Snufkin]

I'd opt for cold too, I really, really hate humidity and am, like others have said, less affected by cold. Although if I am honest, and we are talking favourite locations I would choose temperate woodland over both.

 

[jamesdevine]

I'd like to experience both extremes but the Cold in particular. I have travelled in the far east in my youth and a lot of Europe but never been to a Jungle and I hope to visit one in my live time but I do like to the cold more then the heat and I aim to start some real travels up North in 2006

It's also easier to regulate yourself in the cold as you can always put on more but there is limit to what you can take off.

James

 

[arctic hobo]

As my name suggests I live for the arctic ):
I hate humidity, insects, and temperatures over 20 C. I don't really feel cold, except when I was foolish enough to try a Siberian bath - which for those of you who don't know it's the morning dip when they cut a hole in lake ice, jump in and out again - the real hard men swim a bit before getting out, but not much. This is serious COLD.
I've done several week and fortnight summer expeditions to the Norwegian Jotunheim, where I learnt to climb, two long weekends in winter in Rjukan and the Jotunheim when I learnt to ice climb, and two three week expeditions in the Finnmarksvidd, one summer, one winter. I loved every bit of all of them, and each time I got more bushcrafty and less hiking style. My ideal is bushcraft mountaineering - climbing mountains to hunt bears! :super:
This summer I'm off for another trek around the Jotunheim, and summer 2006 I've a plan for a rather special expedition that I'd like to open up to BCUK members... More details soon
I've never been to the jungles or indeed further south than Italy.

 

[CLEM]

Dont fancy the jungle at all iam afraid,give me the cold stuff any day.

 

[Ts1spoc]

I like it warm. Jungles are my favorite. I have lived in both extreme conditions and I do better in the hot humid areas. The coldest I have ever been was working the midnight shift in Kansas and it was -51. I couldn't feel anything. The weather advisory said to cover all exposed flesh or it could instantly freeze. Kinda gross but I could feel the snot in my nose turn to ice every time I inhaled. Nope Borneo for me. Heck. My toes get cold with the AC on.

 

[BorderReiver]

Definately the Arctic for me George.I'm afraid that time spent in a hot,sticky,humid rainforest would be my idea of hell.

Dry desert heat I can cope with but I much prefer snowbound northern woods and frozen lakes.

 

[george]

Interesting

So far most people seem to be favouring cold places.

I should have done this as a poll.

George

 

[Ranger Bob]

Give me Boreal forest in the heart of winter anyday. :chill: