INTRODUCTION

This guide is designed to be read before you travel. It provides a light-hearted, yet serious, list of environmentally friendly suggestions on how to succeed when conducting fieldwork in isolated locations where the facilities may be relatively basic. It is gleaned from conversations with a wide variety of fieldworkers over a number of years, but it may also be useful for research under less arduous conditions. We end with a few wise sayings relating to the environment – to keep you going in times of adversity. We hope to update the list and keep it topical, so please send your suggestions to the first author for future editions.

A

Adaptors. Check what sort of electrical sockets to expect at your destination and take the right adaptors.

Ant-proof socks. Have you ever had the problem of army ants invading your trousers so that you have to get undressed to pull them out of your skin? Just in case you do, tuck in your trouser bottoms and use Gore-Tex® over-socks. Ants are unable to negotiate the smooth material and never make it to your nether regions. These socks also keep your feet dry, since water can only pass out. Not very glamorous, but at least you can feel smug while your companions disrobe in a hurry or suffer from rotting feet.