Whether on a journey through or an adventure in, your strategies for navigating hostile grounds must be carefully thought through and expertly executed. Else, you may be caught and left with no choice but to face whatever consequences you may have been trying to avoid.
5 Strategies For Navigating Hostile Grounds
In this article, we’ll look at how you can hail the gladiators when you get to Rome, ways to please the mummies when you reach Egyptian tombs, how to wriggle to the Samba when you get to Brazil, and hacks to hunt down lions like Africans when you hit the Safari… and of course, I hope you realize that what I’m merely saying is that we’ll be discussing excellent strategies through which you can escape hostiles. I’m not an Egyptian tomb-keeper – how would I show you ways to salute mummies?
Here we go.
Blend In Perfectly
Blending in is about common sense as much as your appearance. Common sense has to do with your calm; how you’re able to remain under control and not attract suspicions when blending in, but there’s more. There are rules that you should know automatically when blending in, and failure to keep to those rules can only be unintelligent. For example, if you’re fleeing or passing through a hostile land at night, anyone sensible will not be carrying bright lights or chattering about, will they? Now that’s what I mean.
Speaking of appearance, this has to do chiefly with your clothing. Having on the appropriate cloth for your environment is sure to help, but putting on yellow on a day others are having on red? That’s your cover blown. Before you can travel on hostile grounds, you should know about these grounds to do what’s right. If you’re going through the forest, a camouflage of leaves is your obvious go-to. But if you have to navigate the city, then you must reconsider your choices.
Select The Appropriate Time To Move
In most incognito operations, nighttime represents the perfect opportunity to move. However, except you have a switch that’ll help you turn day to night whenever you want to, you’ll have to learn bugging out at daytime because a delay can be dangerous sometimes. You do not always have the leisure to pick a perfect time; you have to know how to turn any time to the ideal time.
Let’s start from the obvious place. If you’re traveling at night, your clothing has to be dark (black, grey, or blue), just the type and color that will absorb the lights instead of reflecting them. You have to be careful with your fabric selection as well: leather reflects light and makes a noticeable sound when it rubs against itself. You may have to discard all clothing accessories like watches, glasses, and belt buckles. You certainly don’t need a twinkling beacon while escaping.
If you’re moving during the day, you need to know the situation around you: are there people around? If yes, you have to blend in so you don’t look like a victim, threat, or escapee. Put on wears similar to theirs; move as they do; speak as they speak, and remain ordinary as well. It’s better to appear like the average man than extravagantly.
Evaluate The Situation
To navigate hostile lands successfully requires an insightful assessment of the happenings around. You don’t just act without observation. You are most likely to lose guard.
The key is always to remain calm, so your emotions don’t control you. You may be scared or angry but will have to keep it under leash. Hostile crowds are typically violent and merely looking to engage; don’t give them a reason to. Mix with the crowd if possible but do so wisely. Be careful because an opposing side may challenge them, and you may get caught up in a fight that doesn’t concern you.
Remember that the crowd is just your vessel of freedom; don’t scuttle it. You have to evaluate every possible option available to you as the seconds tick tock. When you’ve successfully done so, you must have mapped out an escape plan; and even if you haven’t, you would not have blown your cover.
Leave Your Running Boots At Home
Never start running when navigating hostile grounds except when it becomes necessary.
It is normal for most people to have a fight-or-flight response when facing a threat, while some may just freeze to a spot due to shock. However, the most common response to threats remains running, but this doesn’t mean that it is the most effective. Sure, there are situations that’ll warrant running for your life, but most people run unnecessarily.
The problem is that running labels you as prey, and trust a hostile to capitalize on this fear. You’ll immediately be thrust into a hunting game and not as the predator. This is even worsened if you’re running in panic and without focus. You’ll be a much easier target.
Instead of running, walk reasonably as others do. Maintain a steady pace as you walk, but you can pick it up slowly if you’re well familiar with the route you’re taking. This will ward off unnecessary suspicions. By the way, it is common for us to go about with our faces stuck to our phones, and we therefore rarely know alternative pathways we can take when SHTF. I suggest that you keep your phone pocketed as you travel today; you’ll see how much you’re failing to notice.
Anticipate Possible Obstacles
Regardless of how you plan, you cannot be sure of its safety until you’ve successfully made it. So, you have to prepare ahead for obstacles. Before starting your journey, you must have mapped out threats that you are likely to come across and identify ways to nullify or escape them. Failure to anticipate obstacles will cause you to panic should anyone rise, and your entire planning and efforts may go to waste.
Finalizing The Strategies For Navigating Hostile Grounds
A crucial yet often overlooked part of your strategies for navigating hostile grounds is trust formation. I am very emphatic when I advise that you don’t trust anyone when escaping hostilities because you really can’t tell who is who. When you run into people who look like neutrals, be on your guard always. Never let your guard down until you’ve completed your survival mission.