-

Four of us set off for a hiking adventure in the countryside. We packed tents, food, but decided to skip carrying water. Our backpacks were already heavy. Isham promised to bring some purification tablets, but of course, he forgot. "We'll find water everywhere," he said. Little did we know what challenges lay ahead.

Monday: Spring of Hope

The first day was easy. We just followed the sound of trickling water in the forest and we found a fresh, clear, small spring. The water was cold and tasty, the best you can ever get. Good start for the week! Filling our bottles, we couldn’t help but smile, we thought every day would be just as easy as this one.

Tuesday: River Troubles

We followed the spring and it led us to a majestic river. It was a bit disappointing that the water was muddy and full of floating debris. After walking along the river all day, we were thirsty. Our spring water was long gone, but who could drink that yellowish liquid? Eventually, we collected some water from the river and boiled it over a campfire, but it still tasted off. We put some tea leaves into the boiling water to take the taste away. Lesson learned: not all natural water is safe to drink, no matter how thirsty you are.

Wednesday: Rainy Blessing

Good news! In the morning raindrops hit our tents. We quickly grabbed bottles and cups to collect the rainwater. It was gritty without a filter—far from perfect—but it still felt like a victory. At least we could wash ourselves, though it wasn’t exactly planned, since we were already soaked to the skin. Thankfully, the weather wasn’t cold, making the unintentional bath somewhat bearable. It wasn’t ideal, but it was a refreshing start to the day.

Thursday: Solar Still Genius

We still had some rainwater left, but it was sandy and not drinkable. Without filters or purification tablets, we improvised a solar still. Digging a pit, we lined it with plastic from the tent and placed a cup in the middle, surrounded by the rainwater. Covering it with transparent raincoats, we let the sun work its magic. The water evaporated, condensed on the plastic, and dripped into the cup. It was slow, but watching each drop form felt like a little triumph of survival ingenuity.

Friday: Dew or Die

With no more rain, in the early morning we turned to the grass around the tents. We dragged some of our t-shirts over dew-soaked blades, then wrung out small but precious amounts of water. It was exhausting and slow, but every drop felt like a treasure. Next time, we should try using clean t-shirts, though.

Saturday:  Leaf Funnels

We got smarter. Using large leaves from trees, we funneled dew into our bottles and cups. It was far less work than the shirt method and made us feel like survival geniuses. Nature was starting to teach us her secrets.

Sunday: Digging for Survival

Running low on ideas, we returned to the solar still, but with a twist—we needed to create water. We dug a pit in the soil, and placed a cup in the center. Covering the pit with a transparent sheet, we relied on the heat of the sun to pull moisture from the soil. By evening, enough condensation had gathered to fill our bottle. It wasn’t much, but it was life-saving—and it felt like a small miracle.

By the end of the week, we learnt a lot about water. It wasn’t just something to drink—it became our teacher, showing us patience, creativity, and respect for nature. 🌿💧

• If you were one of the hikers, what would you have done differently to prepare for the trip?
• Have you ever tasted water from a spring, river, or rain? How did it taste compared to bottled water?
• What’s the most creative way you’ve seen or heard of someone finding water in nature? Would you try it?
• On Wednesday, the group used rainwater. If you had to collect rainwater, what tools or items would you use?
• Have you ever thought about how much water you need daily? How would you save water if you were running low?
• Would you trust the solar still method to purify water? Why or why not?
• What other materials, besides leaves or t-shirts, could you use to collect dew in the morning?
• If you had to teach someone how to make a solar still, how would you explain it in your own words?
• What would you do if you found muddy river water but had no way to boil or purify it?
• What lesson from the story do you think is the most important for hikers or adventurers to remember?