What to Put in Your Carry-on (Advise for the paranoid traveller)

After watching movies like Cast Away and Swiss Family Robinson, or television shows such as Lost, or even Survivor to a degree, some may be thinking to themselves: "What would be handy to have along in situations such as this?" The paranoid may be trying to find a way to bring four-years' worth of emergency supplies with them in their carry-on luggage. I can't say as I'd blame you! After all, with all this talk of stripping down airplanes to make them as light as possible and save expensive fuel, it may be possible that you are taking an increased risk by flying overseas. Well, since you can't very well pack 1,460 days worth of breakfast, lunch and dinner in your carry-on luggage, I've come up with a list of items that will come in handy when you are stranded on an island in the Pacific with no apparent hope of rescue. Mind, this may be an incomplete list, but I will try to cover all the bases. Also, please not that there may be some items on this list that are not permitted in carry-on luggage. You may want to check with airline security laws before packing.

1. Magnifying Glass: This, of course, is for use in starting fires. If you have never done this before, you will want some dry tinder (coconut husk would do nicely, if you have any). Catch the sun with the magnifying glass, and you will see a little dot of light, which you should concentrate on your tinder. It should only take a few seconds, and you will have some smoke and spark. Puff on this with your breath and add a little bit more tinder as the flames grow. You should be able to have a good fire going in a rather short amount of time. I would suggest lighting said fire on the beach, and making it rather large, especially if your island home is close to the crash site, because people will be out looking for you, and a signal fire would be a great aid. You may also want to keep green branches handy for creating smoke, if you spot your rescue ship in daylight hours. Now, why the magnifying glass instead of matches or a lighter? Simple! Matches may get wet and be ruined, and there's always the possibility that the lighter will crack and the fluid will spill out. Also, you have no way of knowing how long you'll be stranded, and you can run out of matches and lighter fluid. If the sun burns out while you're stranded on an island, I'm afraid you'll have bigger things to worry about than lighting a fire. Also, a magnifying glass will come in handy for aiding in the removal of splinters (see below).
2. First Aid Supplies: These items include gauze, medical tape, rubbing alcohol, Tylenol, tweezers (for those splinters), and other useful items. A standard First Aid Kit should fit in your carry-on without any difficulties. Of course, you can't expect all of there items to last for four years, but at least you will be able to treat injuries from the initial crash, and maybe some others later on, if you're lucky and careful.
   
3. Bottled Water: One or two bottles should to. It's just to help you get by until you can find a source of fresh water (which, naturally, is the third thing you should do after first lighting a signal fire and second finding some sort of temporary shelter, though you may want to do this second if you forget your bottled water). Saving the bottles to reuse once you find that fresh water will save you from having to trek back and fourth every time you're thirsty.
   
4. Box of Granola bars (or other similar snack): Like the water, this is only intended to last you until you are able to figure out how to catch and or gather your own food.
   
5. Survival Guide: Go to your local Barnes and Noble and check out the camping section. There are a lot of handy survival guides. Look for one that has pictures of edible and poisonous plants along with how to build a shelter, gather and sterilize water, etc. The Dangerous Book For Boys may work, if you can't find something more suitable for this situation (and for the women out there, while The Daring Book For Girls contains useful information, such as how to do a cartwheel, you will want to get The Dangerous Book For Boys, instead, since it contains survival tips. I think of it as the Boyscout Handbook on steroids...). It has some information that you won't need if stranded on an island, but at least it has the survival tips that will come in handy. It is a bit large, however...
6. A Length of Rope: Because, as Samwise Gamgee says: You never know when rope will come in handy.
7. Spool of Fishing Line: To catch fish with. May also come in handy for tyeing things together.
   
8. Change of Clothes and Toiletries: Because you'll want at least a spare shirt, if you become stranded. Aside from that, in the off chance that your plane does not crash, your luggage may still become lost, and you'll be glad to have these items along.

Please note that, while a knife would be extremely handy, I have not put it on this list because packing such a thing in your carry-on may get you strip-searched, arrested, and/or fined. I'm sure nobody wants that.

Now, allow me to make a quick list of things that you should do if stranded on an island:

1. Create a Signal Fire: As mentioned above, people will be out looking for you. A signal fire will help them in their search. You'll want bright flames at night, and green branches to make smoke during the day.
2. Write "SOS" in the Sand: Put it on the beach next to your signal fire, and try to use large rocks that contrast with the color of the sand so it will be easy to see from above.
   
3. Find or Make a Shelter: Don't enter a cave without checking around it for tracks first, and carry a torch along if you decide to go inside. Making a shelter near the signal fire may be preferable to moving inland, especially for the first week or so, since you'll want to keep it lit. If you decide it's been long enough for the search and rescue team to give up, you can move inland to get out of the weather, but check your signal fire and "SOS" sign daily, just in case.
4. Find a Fresh Water Source: If your island is small, walking all the way around it may help you find where a stream lets out into the ocean. Follow this back a ways, and gather fresh water here. it is best to gather it from a running stream, as opposed to a lake or pond, because the water running over the rocks is more likely to be free of impurities. Still, it wouldn't hurt to boil it before drinking. You may also want to set out containers to catch rainwater. I might suggest emptying those if you don't use them within a day of collecting them, but I could be wrong. Better to be safe than sorry, though.
5. Gather Food: Consult your Survivor's Guide to make sure those berries are safe to eat, and see if you can find some coconuts. They're high in nutrients, and trying to crack them open will give you something to do with your time. Feel free to try your hand at fishing, but be careful if you decide to go hunting. You don't want to catch a boar and not be able to kill it in one try, because it won't think twice about killing you. Since you have a signal fire going, you can use it as a cook fire, too. You don't want to get sick on raw meat or seafood. Unless you're a professional sushi chef, you're better off cooking it.
6. Go Through the Wreckage: If it's close enough to your island to rummage through safely, check to see if you can salvage anything useful. Just don't go near the airplane engines if they're still running. You could get sucked up like that guy on Lost!
7. Don't Panic!: Easier said than done, but try to keep in mind that people are out looking for you, and you have what you'll need to survive until they do.
   
8. Never Give Up Hope: Don't let that signal fire go out, and keep on plugging. You'll make it through. Someone will find you, or you'll find a way to get away. Things aren't as bad as they seem...

I think that's about it. I've probably missed a few things, of course, but, honestly! If you are worried enough about having your airplane crash in the middle of the ocean, keep in mind that more people die in car accidents than in plane crashes. You're more likely to get hit by a semi on the highway than to have your airplane fall from the sky. If it does, however, keep an eye out for pirates (such as the ones in Swiss Family Robinson), the others (like in Lost), seek out a friend like Wilson (Cast Away) so you'll have someone to talk to, and whatever you do, don't let Jeff Probst (Survivor) make you dinner!