WhiteMagic Adventure Blog
How our mountain experiences can help us deal with Covid-19
How our mountain experiences can help us deal with Covid-19
The world has been forced to lock itself up over the last month, & humanity is going through a challenging time. It seems that the lockdowns have been successful in controlling the spread of the virus. Soon we will be entering a phase where lockdowns will have to be lifted but the threat of the infection would still be looming large.
We know that there is a long way to go before the pandemic is over, which means we all need to learn to function in a new world, that has a far higher risk to life than before.
Having spent time in such challenging risk-laden situations, let’s draw upon learnings from our trekking and mountaineering trips, to see if we can deal with things better.
Can we look at the situation differently?
The very meaning of adventure is an undertaking that involves some danger and where there are some unknown risks. Perhaps we should look at Covid-19 as one long & serious adventure that is testing us all to our limits. It might make it a little less stressful, to look at the situation as an adventure of sorts, rather than feeling overwhelmed by the current crisis.
Safety & Risk Management
As adventure professionals, the most important responsibility for us is to ensure the safety of everyone in the team by efficiently managing the underlying risks.
The current situation is similar to the complex situations we routinely face in the mountains, where there are so many variables that it is impossible to completely eliminate all the risks. So we think about risk management and strategies to handle unexpected challenges.
Theoretically - Risk can be defined as the product of the Probability of an Event happening (P) and the extent of damage (E). So, R= PxE. Risk management is strategic handling of risk where we are constantly trying to reduce the two components of risk. In the current Covid-19 situation we cannot reduce the (E) and hence we can purely focus on reducing the (P), namely the probability of getting the infection.
We could all sit at home and reduce this probability to near zero, but not all of us can afford to stay put for a long time. The ones who are willing to accept the new normal, should devise their own strategies to constantly reduce this probability (P).
Be well prepared & follow the rules
There is a lot of information floating around various channels. We should strictly follow the public health advisories from WHO and from our local authorities & make it a point of getting updated regularly. It is important to be well informed and well prepared for this serious adventure. The other sort of preparedness is our physical one - being fit & healthy and having enough material like masks, sanitizers, protective glasses, gloves etc to function.
Prevention is better than cure. Err on the safer side
On remote high-altitude expeditions, there is very little one can immediately do to get out of an emergency situation. The cure is far away, literally & figuratively. So it is always better to pre-empt possible dangers & look to go around them or avoid them completely. If you are unsure if something is safe or not, it is always better to err on the safer side.
Emergency Plan
Before venturing to the mountains for an adventure, we always assess the potential risks and go ahead with an emergency plan. For situations where we cannot prevent an emergency, it is essential to have a carefully laid out plan & protocol. Same with the virus. Think about the practicalities in advance, if you were to catch the infection.
How would you monitor the symptoms? At what stage would you go to a doctor? Are there testing facilities nearby? Paperwork needed for tests? How & where could you isolate? Managing finances, work, family, etc.? It might seem unnecessary, but having thought through an emergency plan will give you the confidence to face the challenge.
Having the right attitude and the right mental makeup makes all the difference:
In the mountains when conditions are tough, all we need to do is to hunker down and be patient until the storm is over. One should not lose hope, and should stay positive all the time. As Jimmy Chin, the famous mountaineer-cum-photographer puts it “All storms pass, it’s how you weather them that matters”
- While resilience has become a new buzzword there are few people who know it better than adventurers. It is time to reflect upon the learnings from your adventure trips. Think about the times when it was really tough for you and how you overcame the situation - we are sure you have had plenty of such experiences. It is time that you draw strength from all those experiences.
- Dealing with Fear - Many of us are experiencing discomfort, stress, anxiety, restlessness in the current crisis. All these emotions are caused by fear of something. Drawing parallels from our adventures, we can try and overcome our fears. Fear is a source of protection for us and makes us more alert and aware, and can be used to focus on drawing positive outcomes. It offers us an opportunity for personal growth. So do not fear fear.
- Compassion and Care for our fellow human being - The real character of a human being gets tested in tough times. Let us be selfless. We are all in this fight together. When lockdowns are eventually lifted, we will observe people (including ourselves) behaving strangely, as we are gripped with this new fear. In times like these it helps to deal with people emotionally rather than rationally. Being compassionate & caring towards everyone goes a long way in this fight.
At the end of the day, we need to remember that it might not end up being such a big life threat if we do the right things & keep away from danger. In some ways, there are a lot of positives coming out of this situation, it has given us time to reflect upon our lives & lifestyles, our priorities & our habits, our relationship with nature, with other living beings and, of course, with our fellow humans.
We hope that drawing on the strengths & resilience we have built on our mountain adventures will help us deal with this situation better and will help us come out of this much stronger.
Please do share your thoughts and learnings too in the comments section below, so our community of adventurers could benefit from each other's experiences.
Stay safe, & stay healthy & stay positive!
Comments
Beautifully written. in fact,
Beautifully written. in fact, going on treks and to the mountains is a great option, once movement is allowed.
Thanks Abhilasha! Yes it
Thanks Abhilasha! Yes it certainly is, we are also hoping that the travel restrictions get lifted soon.
Love the mountains
Very aptly compared and justified.Like trekking life is very unpredictable ,but we can overcome these fears.Earnestly waiting for all this to disappear,so can witness the glories of nature.
Same here Alka! We are also
Same here Alka! We are also having itchy feet and cant wait to get back to mountains soon!
Very well describes our
Very well describes our current situation under lock down with the stitution faced while on the trek. . Really looking forward to one of your coming Trails after lock down is lifted.
Thanks Fakhri Master! We look
Thanks Fakhri Master! We look forward to seeing you in the mountains soon! Till then stay safe & take care!
Very well written and
Very well written and motivating blog!! Can’t wait for my next adventure with you guys!!
Look fw to seeing you soon
Look fw to seeing you soon Aditi!
This write up has a nice
This write up has a nice positive ring to it and is a welcome change from the general tone of what is being written by most people in these recent times.
These times too shall pass. Until then, we must all try and remain as physically and mentally healthy as we can in these restrictive circumstances.
Team Whitemagic, please do take care of yourselves and near and dear ones. Undoubtedly, we shall meet on the trail soon with renewed vigour.
Thank you Dr Sanjay Garude!
Thank you Dr Sanjay Garude! See you soon!
Very good to read this write
Very good to read this write up; brought back wonderful memories of the mountains..... itching to walk the majestic Himalayas once more!
Thanks Lakshmi! We have also
Thanks Lakshmi! We have also had way too much time indoors and are also just waiting for things to get stable before we head to the mountains.......as they say home is where the heart is!!
Thank you
Thank you all white magic team .
Nicely written
Thanks for sharing this
well stay safe ,stay strong
WE WILL RISE AGAIN
Team Big smile
Excellent Article
Very beautifully compared the adventure travel experience and decision making with the current lock down situation. Just waiting for the good times to be back.
All the best to the entire WM team.
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