After reading your post, I think you answered some of your own questions.

Survival training is good, but it seems like you have not gone through anything that is not wet up til now. Having a general or even specific survival training does seem to be in order. If you know you are going to be in a desert area for extended periods of time, a specific desert class(I have no informed opinions, I am sure someone will come up with something) is in order.

Several places on this board, people have asked simmilar questions about getting sharps thru security. It usually winds up with several answers.

1 Don't even try.
2 Mail it to yourself.
3 Get a conceal carry permit. (not practical, but a fun thing to think about)
4 Carry non metalic equivilants of what you think you need.

I am sure I am missing some points.

A thing to think about with an EDC in an air transport situation is what would you need in the airport, on the plane and when you land on the other side. If you know you can purchase Tylonol on the other end, do you need to stash more than a trial size pack in with your carry on? If you find that you have something that you can't get through security, consider if you really need it. Remember that a SAK can be a controlled item, but you can purchase a cooking knife almost anywhere.

Rena