If you are hell–bent on disappearing and cannot wait another year to plan a proper disappearance, then become a hobo. This is the way I would do it: Just walk away to a place where there are no people, no ATMs, and no problems other than surviving. Live on your own initiative; do your own thing. Remember that becoming a hobo is just a means of disappearing; it does not have to be forever, as you can always return a few years later. You don’t have to change your name, get a false passport, or plan any trips overseas. Should you wish to return, you can always claim to have had amnesia!
You simply leave one day and never come back. Your disappearance would be more convincing if you laid down a simple deception plan and took a little time to organize your disappearance, but if you really wanted, to you could simply go now. Move away as fast as possible; put as much distance between you and your home location as you can. If you have time, do a little planning, as this will help. For example, you could withdraw some money and drive an old car north to the Canadian border. This 3,987–mile border is the longest undefended border in the world. While there are border guards and drones flying around, if you pick your spot in the forest and cross around 5:00 a.m., you will have no trouble. Then just keep heading north. Avoid populated areas and don’t cross by the great lakes; select a crossing point in North Dakota or Montana.
Please keep in mind that while you are considering becoming a hobo and homeless is a very hard life fraught with dangers, both in an urban and wilderness environment. What I am suggesting is a mix of hobo, hill walker, and survivalist. Time and planning should always allow you to return to society decently dressed and with some financial support to see you through until you are working again.
When it comes to crossing boarders, plan it well so you do it in a safe place at a safe time. An isolated forest spot between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. should do it. Constantly check for drones; if you see one don’t run, just freeze.
As I originally stated, not all of us will have the financial means to disappear and never be found again; if this is you, then this section will give you some help. It is an exit from life strategy and if you stick to the rules, it will work. In essence, you simply fall off the planet, but in doing so you must be prepared to live a caveman existence, at least for some years. With that said, there is one great advantage in adopting this method: you will be self-reliant.
While my first thoughts are to send you out into the endless Canadian tundra or the jungles of Borneo, there are a few more places that offer sun, sea, and sand. Saint Helena is a small, 122–square– kilometer volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean. It has been used as a prison by the British and French. The British shipped some 5,000 Boers to the island from South Africa during the Boer War.
Or you could try Easter Island. However, both are populated, and your presence would soon come to be known, so your cover story would need to be very good.
The great thing about walking into the wilds is the lack of people, as well as ATMs to tempt you, and very little else to give your existence away. You must also consider that being a hobo and making your way on foot for the majority of time, while challenging, can also be an adventure. Additionally, you only need to do it for a certain length of time before you can rejoin civilization (unless you’re a wanted fugitive). If you’re a normal person who just wants out, living as a hobo for several years will drop you off the radar. When you return to civilization after, say three years, you could technically start again. Simply drift into a small town and look for work while pretending you have had a mental breakdown and cannot remember who you are or where you came from. Keep talking about living in the woods—at some point society will have you back and give you a name and a set of identity papers. Trust me, it’ll work.
Although it’s a bit isolated, you could always take a long boat deep into the jungle.
Should you opt to disappear into the wild, then you must first make sure you know where you are going. Second, be prepared for when you get there. Ideally, you should choose a wide open, uninhabited place where wild animals still live in their natural habitat and, most importantly, where a person can survive. Believe it or not, there are still some places left on the planet where this is possible. As man is a tropical animal, my list of preferences starts with the hotter countries, but places such as Canada should not be ruled out. Despite the cold, they are abundant in wild animals, fish, and edible plants. However, not everyone wants to live like an Inuit. I have written briefly about some of the best places I have been and remained for a long period of time; these are just for reference and you should choose a place best suited to your own plan.
Borneo is a really safe place. I have lived in the jungles of Borneo for many weeks, and what a pleasure it was. There is abundant game and fish and fruit on the trees just waiting to be picked, as well as ample material to construct a warm, protective shelter. You will come across people, but the communities are scattered and the locals are very friendly. If you can find your way to Kuching in Eastern Malaysia, you should be able to get a bus or a lift to the Batang Ai Dam and get a boat over to the riverhead. This is not as difficult as one might think, as the Hilton chain runs the Batang Ai Resort (one of the best and most luxurious resorts on the planet) and they run a regular boat from the road head across the dam to the resort. From here, you can get one of the locals to take you up river on a long boat.
The further you go up river, the less likely you are to see habitation and eventually you will come close to its headwaters and the Indonesian border. Scattered around this area are a number of small long houses, which are home to the Iban tribes. While in the past these people were known as head–hunters, I can assure you that today they are a highly educated people with warm hearts. The Iban are natural hunters, farmers, gatherers, and a perfect example of living in the isolated jungle.
Living with the Iban is not as bad as it sounds. They are a happy, well educated people, despite their forefathers being head -hunters.
Northern Thailand is also a great place to hide away. While much of this is farming country, the locals take little notice of foreigners. You would be well advised to get a job on a farm working for your bed and board only (most don’t even pay their own family for working on the farm). The food is simple, the bed may well be shared, and the work hours in the fields long, but weather is good, the people are extremely friendly, and you will have the advantage of other humans to speak with.
Author’s Note: I spent about three months in Northern Thailand trying miserably to learn the language and failing (languages have never been my strong point). I arrived by bus after a twelve-hour journey—which still gives me nightmares—and arrived in a small village several miles north of Lam Plai Mat. I stayed for two nights in the local hotel before asking around for work. I offered my services for free in order to study the language. I had several immediate offers, but one farmer spoke English, and I decided to work on his farm. I literally dropped my rucksack at his home (shack) and went directly to the field. The job varied, but mostly involved digging ditches. It was hard, but I was young. At night I would shower outside—in full view of the whole family—then we would all eat at the same table. Meat was scarce, but there was always plenty of rice and locally grown vegetables. Being the only white person in the village made me a bit of a celebrity; the village was full of beautiful young girls, all of whom wanted to marry me. I have traveled much of our planet, but I can honestly say there are no kinder, hardworking people than the farmers of Northeastern Thailand.
If I am honest, while the jungles of Belize offers similar life support as those of Brunei, the animals are a lot more dangerous, as is the vegetation. There are lots of small pigs running around that have tusks and are not afraid to attack humans. Likewise, some of the trees have acid for sap and cutting them can make you blind. Water can be hard to find, but it does rain at 3:00 p.m. every day.
There are always the odd places where it would be possible to hide out—the Mennonites in Belize are a perfect example.
The one good thing about living in Belize is that everyone minds their own business. Belize is made up of numerous peoples: Creoles descended from Scottish buccaneers and African slaves make up a quarter of the population. Another third of the people are Mestizos—a combination of Spanish and native Maya—who tend to populate the inner jungles. However, in 1959, a religious group from Russia arrived and set up a community very much like the American Amish. They call themselves Mennonites after the Dutch Reformation Anabaptist Menno Simons. They live in strict accordance with the Bible and work very hard at farming the land; they have built a reputation among Belizeans for honesty and thrift.
If you believe in God with enough conviction and are not afraid of work, it might be possible that they will take you in. You could then stay a few years until the dust back home has settled and, if preferred, go elsewhere. While alcohol and most modern technology are forbidden (mobile phones, iPads, etc.), they do eat really well. If that doesn’t work, you might try and get a job logging— cutting trees down in one of the many jungle clearance operations going on down there—but it’s extremely hard and dirty work.
If you think it’s not possible to live in the jungle for any length of time, you are very much mistaken. Shoichi Yokoi, a lance corporal in the Japanese Army during World War II, remained hidden in the jungles of Guam for some thirty years. He remained in his hide, believing that Japan was still at war and that his former comrades would one day return for him. Then on January 24, 1972, Lance Corporal Yokoi, now fifty-seven years old, was discovered by local hunters.
Shoichi Yokoi survived in the jungle alone for 30 years.
He had survived by eating toads, river eels, and rats. He made traps from wild reeds to catch his food and discovered all of the edible plant life that surrounded him. Due to his military bearing and the desire to remain hidden, he had dug himself an underground shelter that was camouflaged on the surface. This was his home. Yokoi was not impressed with modern day Japan and his most prized possessions remained his eel traps and the simple tools he had made.
Upon his repatriation to Japan, he became a celebrity and in 1991 fulfilled his desire to meet the Emperor. Lance Corporal Shoichi Yokoi died in 1997.
The Canadian forest would be one of my first choices of places to disappear. Having spent many happy years surviving in God’s creation, the only problem is the winter.
Canada is such a beautiful country rich in just about everything a human could ever want when it comes to survival. The only problem is the weather. It gets very cold in the winter, and you will need resources to carry you through those long months, although game can still be found and ice fishing is possible. If you choose Canada as the place to spend your hobo years, then I would suggest you do a little research. You can overcome the problems of the winter if you can locate a small holiday cabin that’s not used during the cold months.
As large as Canada is, you will at some stage come into contact with civilization. When you do, it will be to your advantage to play the role of an intrepid explorer rather than a hobo. This is especially true when entering a small town for the first time or passing through a middle–class residential area with neighborhood watch posters everywhere. Look clean and tidy, smile, and have a good excuse if challenged as to why you’re on the road.
The American/Canadian border is clearly marked, but you would be better off crossing in an isolated spot.
Canada is a big place and you have a lot of choice of where to go. Personally, I would head north of the Manitoba lakes or to the foothills of Alberta, around Hinton. The latter is a paradise of fish–filled rivers, moose, and grouse just sitting there waiting to be picked up.
Author’s Note: Always skin your grouse—don’t just pluck it. Clean it out well and wash with clean water; use the guts for fishing bait if there is a river close.
Dotted around are many summer cabins, some big, some small, but all will offer you protection against the cold of winter. That said, you’d be an idiot if you did not prepare yourself properly for the Canadian seasonal conditions.
You might find a few rangers or people from the Department of Natural Resources lurking around, but by and large, providing you don’t start a forest fire or shoot a gun within their vicinity, you should remain hidden. The good thing is, if you get injured, you can always signal them for help.
If you intend to live in an urban environment, you can very much forget about learning any survival skills: hand-to-hand combat training is better suited. You will get aggravation, not only by the police, but also by locals who don’t want you around and even your fellow down-and-outs who simply want to rob you. Being a hobo in the city automatically sets society against you. Even if you manage to get into a homeless shelter, you risk lice and having your meager possessions stolen while you sleep. Worst of all, in some countries you might wake up to discover your kidney is missing. Park benches, alleys, store doorways, and any place in the city are bad news, and you simply cannot hide from the abuse. Forget being an urban hobo, learn some survival skills.
Places I would avoid are anywhere where there is civil conflict or a war raging, which basically rules out most of Africa and the Middle East. That’s not to say all the countries of these continents are bad, but even the safe ones are far from ideal if you want to disappear. The desert is not a good place to survive, and the jungles of Africa harbor a lot of dangers. Both America and Europe have a lot of rules and regulations that make trying to hide difficult, although not impossible. However, Spain and France have large land areas in which to disappear.
Be wary of abandoned homes close to a small town or city, as it is a good bet they may be used by other homeless folk or, even worse, the drug fraternity. If you should find one that is fairly well hidden and you intend to occupy it for a few nights, remember to cover the windows at night to prevent showing any light from a fire or lamp you might have, i.e. do not draw attention to yourself. Also make sure the room is well ventilated if you start a fire, and check that the chimney smoke is not showing too much.
Don’t kid yourself—you are not a real hobo. You are merely using this as a disguise in order to disappear. While posing as a hobo is a good cover, there are many risks involved. First, if you stick around populated places, you will come to the attention of the authorities—something you should avoid unless looking for part– time work. Secondly, being alone in the wild has a lot of drawbacks. One major disadvantage of this form of disappearance is your health: If you get sick or are in an accident, then you are on your own. Breaking a leg in an isolated part of the Canadian tundra is definitely not the best way to end your days. You could, of course, make some preparations for this or use a satellite tracking device and call in a rescue. If you intend to go deep into uninhabited country alone, then I would suggest as a matter of course that you take a satellite tracking device with you. There are several on the market, some that will instantly report your distress signal together with your location. Others, which are similar, can be used in conjunction with your mobile phone to call several of your personal family or friends. The two main problems with this is that you will reveal your presence and have to explain your disappearance, and you will need a power supply to keep the device active.
Barry Davies
If you do go deep into the wilderness, always have a backup device for safety. Take a satellite location device with you and enough power to keep it working.
Traveling as a hobo is one of the first problems that you’re going to have to face. If your disappearance destination is a long way off, you will need to carefully plan your route. Gather as much intelligence as possible about how to get to your final destination. Try to gauge how far you will have to travel, then break this down into various legs and plan how you will cover each section of the route.
You may have enough money to go part of the way by train or bus, but always plan for using your feet and walking—let’s face it, you are in no hurry. Essential items, such as a satnav, compass, and detailed map, along with a good knife, flint, and steel should be securely attached to your person, preferably with a line so that you never lose them. Keep the use of anything that requires batteries to a bare minimum, and use your satnav only when you are lost or wish to confirm your position.
Before you start, it is important to work out a travel routine. This can always be changed once you get to know the country you’re traveling through. The pace should be steady and unrushed, with a break of five to ten minutes at least every hour. Use this break productively, not just for resting, but also to evaluate your progress so far and to consider the next part of your route. If you’re on a lonely dirt track, you may be able to get a ride with a passing vehicle. While this does present a small security risk, if your cover story is good then the risk is worth it.
When walking, always start the day as early as possible. At the end of the day, aim to pitch camp well before sunset so there will be enough time to eat, repair, organize, and settle down early. Make sure you do not go beyond your physical limits. After walking all day, a good night’s sleep will refresh you.
Maintaining personal hygiene while traveling is very important, especially if you want to catch a ride with passing traffic. Likewise, you may want to stop off to eat at small villages or towns. No one likes a smelly person, and it’s easy to keep clean and tidy. If you consider that your feet will be doing most of the work while you are traveling, it would be wise to take care of them—prevention is much better than cure. At the end of every day’s march, remove all footwear and wash your feet. Also, wash and clean your socks and hang them on the back of your rucksack to dry.
Staying clean will help reduce the chance of disease. A lightweight solar shower in your rucksack is ideal.
It is possible to hitch a ride in almost any country in the world, but there are a few basics that you’ll need to understand. First, someone else is offering you a lift in their vehicle; they will have expectations, doubts, and a little bit of anticipation as to if they should offer you a lift or not. You can help them decide by your appearance, your manner, and a clear indication of what you expect.
• Dress casually to look more like a camper than a tramp.
• Make sure you are clean—long hair and a scruffy beard will not entice anyone to stop for you.
• Smile when you put your thumb and don’t get aggressive if the first half-dozen vehicles pass you by because the next vehicle might give you a lift.
• Make your intentions clear by having a readable sign with your destination clearly visible.
• If the vehicle does stop for you, be courteous and briefly explain where you’re going.
In some cases, you may have to sit in the back of an open truck; make sure you have some weatherproof clothing in your rucksack.
If you are hitchhiking over a long period of time, you’re almost guaranteed to be stopped at some point by a police patrol car. Most officers will simply be curious about who you are and where you’re going. Be polite and never argue or be disrespectful to the officers, as this is a sure way to find yourself getting a lift in the back of the squad car. It is also a good ploy to ask the officers how far it is to the next town or if they know of any registered campsites close by. This will help delay any suspicion that you are a total down and out and might be a threat to their local community. In some countries, you will need to have some cash on you and be able to show you are not a vagrant.
Hitchhiking is a great way of moving around, but remember, people will want to talk to you and they will remember your face and dress, etc.
While you’re hitchhiking, it’s always prudent to look out for a good, quiet campsite that is free and where you will not get hassled. I would suggest that from about 3:00 p.m. you start looking for anywhere that offers shelter, a degree of warmth, and some privacy. If you’re on the road, you’ll find that many bridges or dry culverts offer excellent shelter. However, if these are too close to the highway, it can be extremely noisy, which will result in restless sleep. You would be better to walk some distance away from the highway, possibly into a forest area, and find a clearing close to freshwater where you can safely make a small fire.
If you plan to hitchhike over a long period of time, I would suggest that you plan your financial resources so you spend at least two nights a week in relevant comfort. This means sleeping on a proper bed, showering, and basically being warm and comfortable. There are many cheap motels, hotels, boarding houses, and trailer parks that offer overnight accommodation. If you have your own tent, I would suggest you utilize any campsites that offer full ablutions where you can clean yourself up.
If you have no money and are feeling a little jaded, you may try and seek assistance from any one of the many organizations that help the homeless. In America, one of the largest groups is called Volunteers of America (VOA). This group does invaluable work helping both individuals and families who’ve become homeless and are in need of assistance. A directory of all the local offices where you can seek help can be found at voa.org/Local_Office_Directory.
My second choice would be to disappear into a jungle region, as the jungle supplies just about everything you will ever need. You can always pass yourself off as a survivalist testing out various survival techniques; the locals will love you and will want to show you every edible plant and how to catch game.
If you intend going into the wilderness of the jungle, it will help your case if you learn something about wilderness food.
However, if you have never been in the jungle before, it can appear like a bit of an obstacle course, which presents its own particular difficulties. Vegetation tends to be very dense and having to cut a path through will be an exhausting and slow task. In fact, when traveling through this type of terrain, normal progress would be about 1 kilometer per hour (approximately 2/3 of a mile), or about 5 kilometers a day (approximately 3 miles). Therefore, whenever possible, use alternative, easier routes even though it generally means you won’t be traveling in a straight line. Native paths, game trails, dry watercourses, rivers and streams, or ridge crests will all provide you with a slightly easier passage. However, bear in mind that animals will also use these paths and trails—especially at night—so avoid them after sunset. It is safest to stay in your camp during the evening hours.
Be aware of the additional threats to your health and survival by biting insects and leeches. Take the necessary precautions and you should be able to limit the discomfort and damage they cause. In wet areas and after rainfall, check exposed areas of skin regularly for leeches. If you should find one, simply pull it off—they do not normally leave their heads in your skin to go septic as some people think. In jungle regions, always check bedding, packs, clothes, and especially boots before putting them on as there can be an unpleasant surprise hiding inside. By and large, I have always found the jungle very comfortable, and given the correct protection and a mosquito net, you will have a good night’s sleep. Remember: never sleep on the jungle floor, as you will get bitten to pieces.
When walking through a forest or jungle, remember that the shortest route is not necessarily the easiest. Always keep in mind that you are disappearing, so avoid major areas of population, main roads, etc., and use small tracks or pathways. In areas that are likely to be populated, travel—if you can—by night, and use the day to observe and rest. However, in less populated areas, it is easier and safer to travel by day and rest at night. If you can, choose to follow a trail along a high ridge rather than a route that takes you through a valley. Valley routes generally contain more obstacles, such as thick undergrowth and possible river or stream crossings, and most populated areas are in valleys. Another hazard is swamps or marshy ground, which are at best hard going and at worst dangerous to navigate. Ridges also tend to provide a visual advantage that will make it easier to keep your bearings. A ridge might be oriented in the direction you are traveling, and if so, this is very fortunate. More often than not, however, it is likely that the route of the ridge will head off on a totally different bearing than the one you wish to follow. Even so, it might still be worth following the ridge for a short while, keeping an eye out for a suitable alternative ridge, valley, or river crossing.
Contours offer a useful halfway measure between ridge and valley floor. A trail that follows such a contour might take a longer route than a ridge top, but it will mean that less climbing has to be done. Basically, your decision will have to be made based on careful observation of the terrain.
Mountains—especially the lower slopes—offer the walker many possibilities for shelter, food, and water. Their drawbacks are that traveling might be more difficult and the survivor may be at greater risk of injury. There are four basic rules to remember when traveling through mountains:
Barry Davies
Be careful when moving over desolate terrain and use a flotation aid when crossing water.
• Avoid any loose rocks when climbing and always make sure you have three points of contact.
• Always make sure that it is possible to climb back down again if you need to.
• Stay out of snowfields, glaciers, and overhanging snow.
• Never try to cross an obstacle that could cause your death, i.e. crossing a swollen river or climbing a sleep cliff face.
Natural obstacles are things such as rivers, swamps, and mountains; you are likely to encounter many while you are traveling through the forest or jungle. Some will stop or slow you down, while others will dictate a change in your direction of travel. Streams and rivers, for example, always run downhill, and they tend to lead to areas of human habitation.
That said, rivers and their immediate surroundings contain many resources useful to the walker, such as food and drinking water. There are a few hazards—such as mosquitoes and other biting insects —that will be located close to water, and heavy rain can cause the river to swell quickly. Attempting to cross a large or flooded river is a very dangerous pastime; never cross any water unless you are 100 percent sure it is safe to do so.
Don’t attempt to climb high-sided mountains or rock faces; look for an easier way around. Be observant for areas of rock side; again avoid such areas where at all possible. It will be beneficial in the long run if take your time at each obstacle you reach and look for an alternative route. Likewise, if you start to get stuck in a swamp, turn back and regain firm ground. You have all the time in the world, never risk getting injured.
Remember, you are not a real hobo—you’re just pretending to be, and the best way to approach this is as a long-term camper who is hiking his or her way around the country. Therefore, you should prepare and equip yourself accordingly. This means dressing correctly and having the right clothes for the weather conditions: good footwear as you will be doing a lot of walking, a good sleeping and camping system, and enough tools and devices to make life bearable. You should also carry enough food and water to see you through at least a week.
This image is of a hobo in years gone by. Dress as if you are a hiker and not a tramp, this way you will avoid a lot of aggravation from locals and the law.
If you intend to be on the road for long time, then you will need a certain amount of protective clothing. Remember most of what you have will be carried in your rucksack. Having been in the military for many years, it is easy for me to pack a rucksack that will last me for at least three months. However, because of weight and bulk, you will need to minimize everything that you have to carry.
The human body functions best at an internal temperature of 96° F and 102° F. Above or below this and you can start getting into trouble. It’s easy to get cold and it is equally as easy to overheat and sweat; the ideal is to operate without doing either. The best way to do this is using a layer system.
The layer system is simple: the colder you are, the more layers you need, some of which can come off as you get warmer. You will need a layer next to your skin—this should be loose fitting and made of cotton. The next layer should seal at the neck and wrists if required. In very cold conditions, you may put on a third layer such as fleece, but this can cause the body to overheat. Your outer layer should be wind- and waterproof.
My advice would be to wear some form of protection for your head and hands. The heat loss through your head is particularly high, so a comfortable or woolen cap is required. You cannot work properly if your hands are cold, so always have a good pair of gloves; a set of cotton inner and waterproof outer gloves are perfect.
The amount of outdoor clothing available today is vast, so you should have no problem finding the right range that will suit your needs. Look after your clothing while alone in the wilderness; keep it clean and in good repair so that it lasts you and functions as it should.
If, due to your financial circumstances, you are forced to become a hobo and you envisage doing a lot of walking, then you’re going to need very good shoes and socks. The right footwear is like an old friend; it never rubs you up the wrong way and will support you when the going gets tough. The fact that we carry our entire body weight on two feet instead of four—like most animals—means that we place a lot of pressure on our feet. This is especially true when we are also carrying the additional weight of a heavy rucksack or walking over rough terrain. It is, therefore, important that you look after both your feet and your boots.
I cannot overstate the need to have good boots and look after your feet enough. As every soldier knows, if they fail, you fail.
As a general rule, you should choose a pair of walking boots that combines lightness with adequate support and protection. Boots can come in a bewildering array of styles and suitability for different terrains. Good boots are often quite expensive, so most hill walkers can only afford to possess one pair. Invariably this pair then has to be able to cope with all kinds of conditions.
Socks are also important. Lightweight fabric boots are designed to be worn with a single sock, while heavier boots might require two pairs. In the latter case, the inner sock should be lightweight wool or silk for warmth, while the outer sock should have thickness to cushion the foot. Here are some of the things one should look out for when purchasing a new pair of walking boots:
• Always wear the same type of socks you would go walking in.
• Make sure your toes are not touching the end of the boot. A good fitting boot should feel comfortable but not restrictive.
• The boot backstay should protect and support the boot, as should the heel corner and toecap.
• The boot should be high enough to protect the ankles, with a padded scree collar and a bellows tongue to protect against water and debris.
• The insole and lining should cushion and support the entire foot.
• The boot should be waterproof.
• A good grip is essential, especially on wet, slippery rocks. Try to avoid PVC; choosing a rubber star–patterned sole will give you much better grip. The sole thickness will depend upon the sort of terrain the walker proposes to be exploring. General hill walking does not require an extremely stiff sole, unlike in mountaineering. Try twisting the sole to see if it is flexible; if it twists easily it will not give much support during a fall.
• Try to stand on an incline, or tap the heel and toe of your boot. If the toes feel trapped get the next size up.
• Never purchase new footwear if you have any form of foot ailment, such as ingrown toenails or corns. Wait until they have been treated.
Don’t buy a pair of new boots the day before you intend to disappear, as it takes time to get used to them. Start off by wearing them with the laces slightly slack and always make sure the tongue is neatly flat against your foot. Wear them around the house or go for short walks; this should iron out any hot spots before you disappear. Always clean mud off them at every chance, then wash and polish or spray them. Any detachable insoles and wet laces should be removed and dried thoroughly using either the sun or other heat source. Beware though of putting wet boots too close to an open fire, as leather tends to crack when it dries too quickly. Instead, dry them out by stuffing them with an absorbent material, such as paper or tissue, and leave them in a warm place. Once the boots are dry, apply several layers of a good waterproof compound, making sure that each layer is well rubbed in. Regular and careful care will prolong the active life of your boot.
Author’s Tip: If you intend to walk through deep and heavy forest such as you find in the Canadian tundra, then I suggest you also use gaiters that cover the entire boot and upper leg, as they will help keep your boots dry. Gaiters should also be worn in snowy conditions, as they will keep most of the snow from going down your boot.
In addition to your clothes, boots, and socks, the next important item when doing any long-term hiking is a well-constructed rucksack. There are many to choose from, and the earlier in your pre-disappearance phase you purchase one, the better off you will be. Like a pair of boots, a new rucksack needs breaking in. Your rucksack will be come your mobile home, so it should hold everything you need to live outdoors while remaining dry and comfortable. Most Special Forces soldiers will tell you about how to pack a rucksack, and most will do it right. You should make sure that the contents of the pack are relevant to your needs; that is to say, don’t carry weight you don’t need. Make sure items you need during the day, such as for cooking and drinking, are accessible without having to empty the rucksack. Likewise, items you use just once a day, such as your sleeping bag and shelter, should be in the bottom of your rucksack.
You’re not always going to get a bed to sleep in, and it is possible, as a hobo, that you might need to doss down on the side of the track for the night more often than you think. This being the case, I would recommend a good modern shelter and a sleeping bag.
The best shelter, which can be erected in seconds, is a one–man, military– type Special Forces shelter. They are fully protected against the elements and keep a low profile. There is nothing like it to provide you with a good night’s sleep no matter what the weather throws at you.
Life against the elements can be easily solved by carrying a small one–man tent similar to those used by Special Forces.
Add to this a good quality sleeping bag and a foam insulation mat, and you are going to be snug as a bug in a rug. The good thing about them is the size and weight. Both the shelter and sleeping bag will roll up very small, and the insulation mat is extremely light. If I had to endorse any bits of outdoor camping equipment in order for you to disappear as a hobo, these three would be at the top of my list. As any soldier will tell you, a good night’s sleep on a cold and wet night is worth its weight in gold.
As a hobo with no proper sleeping system, you will need to look for every opportunity where you can rest your head; avoid the wind and rain and keep warm. Both urban and rural terrain offers a multitude of places to sleep in comfort, but your priority should be on finding a place that offers your some seclusion and security, as well as protection from the elements.
Going it alone—whether it’s walking across the back roads of Canada or in the jungles of Borneo—presents many problems. In the life you have just left, these problems are normally fixed by others, but when you’re alone, you will have to fix them yourself. It might be a simple thing, such as a broken zip on your jacket, but if it’s not fixed the cold will get in. You may fall sick from eating something bad; you will need to fix this yourself. When you’re alone, you need to cater for most emergencies, even the most basic ones. In order to do this efficiently, you will need a survival kit.
Every item within the survival kit will need to be of use, but its size and weight also need to be taken into consideration. This will mean that sometimes you will need to make difficult choices on what to include and what to leave out. Ultimately, each item must increase your chances of survival, bearing in mind that you may have no other initial resources. The components should be viewed as a primary tool kit that will help you to capitalize on your own survival skills. A selection of items that could potentially be included in a survival kit is listed below. The notes will help you to decide on their usefulness in different situations. However, the final choice will be dependent upon your personal preferences, skills, and the location where you intend to disappear.
Barry Davies
The Special Forces Survival Kit does a bit
Remember, your survival of everything. kit is not just about hunting knives and fire–making tools. While these are essential, you will also be eating every day. Always pack a good supply of salt, pepper, and curry powder. Additionally, a large supply of multivitamins will help keep your body from deteriorating, especially if your diet is poor and your meals are infrequent.
While disappearing as a hobo can be done almost instantly, a little planning will always improve your chances of never being found. You will have the opportunity to either stay in an urban area or travel into the wilderness. While the cities and towns offer you more opportunities and cater for the homeless, the chances are you will be at risk. You will always be safer in the wilderness and, if properly equipped, you can survive.
Living the life of a hobo does not mean looking like a dirty tramp who everyone despises; keeping yourself clean and tidy will always enhance your wellbeing. It will also help keep you free of disease and prevent unwarranted illness. You will need to consider what clothing and shelter you take with you, as this can be the difference between being cold and wet or snug as a bug in a rug.
Likewise, the deeper you go into the wild away from civilization, the less man–made resources will be available to you; learn how to survive.