Lost proofing yourself and children/ Chinese and English

With the infinite outdoors skills one can learn, far and away the most important skill is learning how not to get lost.
在數不盡的戶外生活技能中，一項重要程度遠勝於所有其他技能的技術是學習如何不迷失。

What contributes to being lost ?
怎樣才算迷失了呢？

The first factor is time, we usually have only a limited amount of time to hike, walk, camp. The second factor is having a particular place to go, and the third is, not having the adequate survival skills to live and exist in the natural surroundings you find yourself in at that particular time.
第一個元素是時間，因為我們通常只有有限的時間可以健行、行進、搭營。第二個元素是有特定的目的地要抵達。第三個元素是在你所在之處的當下，不具備足以活下來的生存技能。

Even the most skilled outdoors man can and has gotten lost, even if for a short period of time. There is no such thing as having " a sense of direction". Those that say they have such a sense or nothing more than aware of their surroundings, sun position, weather and a few other factors. So to the untrained these people appear to have almost super human powers.
即使是求生技術高超的野外活動人士也會而且曾經迷失過，就算迷失的時間短暫也一樣。所謂的「方向感」其實並不存在。那些聲稱自己具有方向感的人，其實是對周遭環境、太陽位置、天候和其他因素保持覺察狀態。因此對不曾受過訓練的人來說，這些人似乎擁有超人般的能力。

Here is a test you can do with your friends or family. Find a flat level ground area like a ball field. One that is at least 50 meters long, even better if it is closer to 100 meters long. Have each family member pick out a marker that is directly across the field from them. Now blindfolded, have them walk a straight line to that marker (tree, post...). What you will find is that no one will be able to do it. Why? We are all dominant with one foot or the other. So as we stride and step, we will begin to veer off line as we walk.
你可以和朋友或家人做這個簡單的測試。找一塊平坦空曠的空間，至少有50到100公尺長的場地，例如球場。讓家人或朋友從場邊選定一個跨越場地在對面的目標物（如某棵樹或柱子），然後將其眼睛矇起來，在請他們朝著目標物直直的走過去。你會發現沒人能夠走到目標物前。為什麼？因為我們都有一隻腳是優勢腳，因此當我們邁步前進時，會自然的偏離直線。

So why is this important? In the wilderness, if we were lost and began walking, we can potentially walk in a circle without even knowing.
這有什麼重要性嗎？我們在野外迷失時，很可能會因此繞著圓圈走而不自覺。

So, first off, to remove the possibility of getting lost, you must acquaint yourself with the area you will be traveling in. Maps are a good start. Study them with your children present. Highlight major man made features. ( towns, roads, railways ) as well as, general landscape features. ( rivers, streams , ocean, mountains, trails).
因此，要一開始就把迷失的可能性移除，你必須先熟知即將行經的地區。研究地圖是個好的開始，和孩子們一起研究地圖，把主要的人造物（城鎮、道路、鐵路等）及整個地景特徵（河川、溪流、海岸、山脈、山徑等）標畫出來。

Second, teach yourself and children to not rely on sight alone. In heavy fog, rain or dense jungle sight is very limited. Learn to use your sense of smell, how ocean smells, rivers smell. They are quite different. Sounds is so important as well. What does a stream sound like? A road? The ocean?
其次，教導自己和孩子不要完全倚靠視覺。在大霧、大雨和密林中，視野會受到限制。學習使用嗅覺，聞出海洋和溪流的味道，它們的氣味很不一樣。聲音也很重要。溪流聽起來是怎樣的聲音？馬路、海洋的聲音呢？

Third, tell someone where you are going! Simple but rarely done.
第三點，告知他人你要往哪裡去！這是個簡單卻很少人做到的動作。

Make sure very young children never wander off.
千萬不要讓幼兒自己走開了。

Teach yourself and children to keep in mind always the prominent features they can see on the horizon. The ones that do not move! Mountain peaks, ridges, ocean. NOT CLOUDS! These move. The sun is good to know, but will move across the sky. Mountain ridges will not. Understanding landmarks is also important. Trees, rocks, flowers, trees... Things that will reinforce our orientation.
教導自己和孩子們記得能從地平面看見的重要標的，不會動的標的，例如山峰、山脊、海洋等。別選擇雲朵！雲會飄動。認識太陽也很重要，但太陽會橫跨天空，山脊則不會。這些地標有所了解也很重要，樹木、岩石、花草…能夠強化我們的方向感的事物。

- to be continued.
- 待續