Living in a sunny country has great perks. You can always have an excuse to go to the beach. You don’t always need to bring an umbrella to shield yourself from the rain. And you can always make plans with friends, knowing that there is no constant risk of heavy downpours. But if you’re traveling to a cold country, you should not overestimate yourself too much.
One of the many challenging aspects that travelers face when touring a cold country is the adjustment and transition. For first-timers, walking around may feel next to impossible. You may feel that the icy draught is making your skin and lips bleed. You may also feel that the snow, especially when the wind is quite dry and fast, cut through your face. Nevertheless, you can overcome such challenges, especially if you have prepared.
If you want to make adjusting to a much colder temperature faster, here are some of the things you may want to keep in mind:
Research about your destination
Before you get on board the plane, it would be wise to get to know your destination. Know much low the temperature can get, so you will be able to prepare. More importantly, you will be able to get tips on how locals actually keep themselves warm during the holidays. It is also essential that you visit your doctor before the trip. Your overall health and physical condition will be indicators of how well your body can adjust to the new weather. Your doctor may even provide some handy tips and pointers.
Be smart with your clothing
Layering is the way to go, so be smart with all the clothes you’re going to bring with you. Start with the basic layers of insulation, such as your shirt. Keep it thick and fuzzy. Then top it with a pull-over or a sweater. Wear another layer of a sweater or anything similar, such as a cardigan. Once the base is complete, make sure that you have an overcoat. However, the attire will depend on how cold the area will be. For instance, if you’re hiking in the Alps or skiing in Norway, it’s only common sense that you wear Bogner ski pants and other branded gear.
Grab some hand warmers
Complement your attire with gloves and hand warmers. Hand warmers, for starters, are hot packets that you can place inside your jacket or your pocket. Brands, such as HotHands, offer these products. You can easily get them off Amazon. However, you can make it yourself with just a couple of ingredients, such as Ziploc bags, calcium chloride ice melt pellets, and water.
Make baking a habit
In case you have moved to a cold country for good, you will surely have your own space. You can invest in an oven. While you may already have floor warmers and radiators, you can up the heat of the room by baking. Not only that, but you also get to bake goodies that you can give to your friends.
Go extreme: try cold showers
Taking a cold shower in the midst of the winter, eh? Sounds counterintuitive and a bit off, right? But there’s more to this than pure speculation. According to reports, cold showers can help speed up your body’s habituation to the cold. But one has to do it gradually.
Stay hot in the cold
Traveling to a cold country can be exciting, especially if you have lived your entire life in a sunny place. But there’s more to cold weather and winter than snow and fun. You will need to come up with the right preparations to make sure that you will remain comfortable and cozy.
