Very good info. to help new people.

Now info. for old people (better known as veterans.) Be nice to the new people.

The veterans on the Africa & Middle East forum excel in kindness and manners. I don't see snide remarks or sarcastic comments to sincere questions.

Time for a group hug.

Lynn:

Ewww, group hug - do we have to? Ok, I'll do it but only if it's on Afreekan turf.

Lynn,
As you and Patty are the masters of search, may I bother you for a search tutorial? You had posted some great info. regarding this fairly recently and I can not begin to find it.

Thanks all for your comments and helpful info.

Are Ebens maps back up? I think those would be a great help to any new person.

Lynn,

I go for the group hug, too...on African turf though

In fact, one of my best experiences on safari (have I told this before, and therefore am I boring people?): I was responsible for organising a group to Africa in 2004. A woman who nearly died a few months before our trip came up to me at sundowners after her first sighting of a lion pride (chewing on a hippo kill as it happened), and gave me a huge hug. Thankfully, her husband didn't join in, but we are still good mates My joy at having helped somebody have a great experience nearly matched her joy at having the experience. She was an Africa newbie and is one of the many who go back.

John

John, She goes back to the Selinda i presume?

No, Hari...Zambia with us I was a little surprised actually...she and her husband were planning South America next but it fell through. I asked them if they'd be interested in our next jaunt, outlined it to them, and the reply was an enthusiastic yes.

John

We should all be so lucky as you were John. Glad to hear your 1st safari went so very smoothly. My planning has been totally manic (to say the least) and now a few weeks out, heck, I can't even find the zip-off pants that I bought. Oh well, they'll turn up, hopefully before I leave. I figure that as long as I have my passport, air ticket, money and good binocs everything else will just kinda fall into place.

I'm in for the group hug too. Just don't mind me when I cry, as I am constantly amazed at all that I've been able to experience in my life, with Africa to come soon!!!!!

Natalie

Natalie,

There is a thread that you may find interesting since you can't find your zip-offs. The title is something like "On safari--pants optional?"

Just please wear them for the group hug.

I was a newbie last year and still feel I’m a newbie. I was overwhelmed with planning our trip even with all the research I was doing until I stumbled onto this board. The trip reports, especially Lynda’s index made planning it myself all possible. What I would like to add that has not been mentioned are the photo links, especially pictures of the camps and lodges. For me it gave me a better sense of what a place looked like than just brochures or the professionally made websites of the lodges/camps that are trying to sell you their place.

joyce

As a newbie myself, I found the Fodors board invaluable, even though I was going on a package tour. I asked questions about what to wear to sleep in, how much luggage to really take, and whether I would find a luggage cart in the Nairobi airport. I also was comforted to find specific descriptions of the lodges/camps we would be staying at.
Even when the opinions of the posters differed, it was tremendously helpful. And I learned a lot about what different people wear to sleep in!

As a newbie who craves information, there is gold in Fodor's for me:
1. the magnitude of spectacular choices Africa offers - expressed from love of the countries and the animals.
2. for most newbies the choices are overwhelming. Since 'one size doesn't fit all', Fodors teaches the right questions to ask to make your choices. THis has been invaluable.
3. Most of us wouldn't have a clue how to pack for safari or the availablity of laundry. Fodors has sensitized me to the luggage style and weight issues if you are flying between safari sites (and without you I wouldn't have considered the option of flying).
4. I have a very 'iffy' neck and back. Without you I would have never realized the need for a cushion for the jeep -- now already purchased.
It goes on and on.
Many, many thanks for your help Fodorites.
And, I hope to share my experiences with others when I return.

I planned my whole trip via these boards. When I came here I knew my wife and I wanted to go on a safari and we wanted to see the crater and migration if possible. That's about all we knew. I didn't even know what questions to ask.

You guys steered me to the best time of the year to go, where I might find the migration, operators to use, etc. Pretty much everything about our trip came from here.

From reading your posts and especially the trip reports, I gleaned enough information to know what to ask an operator and narrowed down what we wanted to do. It took a lot of reading to gain enough information to make a decent decision.

So, I guess my advice to a newcomer is to read, read, read. Take the time to read a lot of trip reports, read posts on the subjects that interest them then ask the question. It takes that much just to know what to ask. I still learn everyday about visa, medications, packing, lodges, etc.

Not sure where else I would get this kind of first hand information? I did look at other boards, but none of them are like this one for Africa. Maybe better on other subjects, but not Africa.

Keep posting and I'll keep reading and learning.

thanks for everything,
Duane