No worries, Iowa_Redhead, I just figured I'd ask in case you knew offhand. I can certainly do a bit o' research myself. J.R. Liggett does a line of solid shampoos/conditioners, too, so I have a couple of things I can check out.

And don't apologize for adding questions here, KathBC; I'm loving all the tips people are leaving. Even if I don't use them now, if I enjoy this safari half as well as I expect to, I'll probably go back. And who knows what information might come in handy at that point?

nycjv, I have paper copies of a couple of animal guides -- I have the Audubon <i>Field Guide to African Wildlife</i> and the Withers and Hosking <i>Wildlife of East Africa</i>. I actually have one of those Barnes & Noble Nook readers that I plan on bringing for the plane and any free afternoons that I'd like to fill, but I wanted to get the actual photos from the paper copies of the guides, so I'll be lugging them all along. I don't have an iPhone and I refuse to bring that wretched Blackberry my office assigned me -- they'll think I'm available for work if I do that! -- so I'm going to have to content myself with those resources. I expect they'll serve me well enough, so long as the battery holds out. Are there any other books people would recommend? I'm a huge bookworm and am always happy to add to my "to read" list.

I've been traveling and have just resurfaced. Can't believe you've gotten FORTY replies in 24 hours. This certainly is a hot topic.

I'm torn between reading everyone's responses, answering you comprehensively, or finishing my own trip report before I'm banished from this board altogether.

I will start with answering your questions and then will read everyone else's answers, so excuse me if I'm repetitive.

1) Visa: We got ours in advance in LA, but many people from our flight got them upon arrival at 10pm.

2) Charging: Mr. C was in charge of charging. He always seemed to be sneaking off to various huts to do this, but it worked and everything was always charged. The freakiest part of this was that our Blackberry's worked perfectly - not at the camps, but as soon as we arrived into the middle of nowhere on our game drives.

3) Shedrick's: Just email them in advance and they will set everything up. I think you can only go at 5pm, which is a little early for bedtime, but you will catch the little ones in time for their evening bottle.

4) Photo Memory Cards: We are not "real" photographers, but took five cameras (two more serious point and shoots), and some little ones, with just one card for each camera. We also brought an old, small laptap and uploaded photos nightly.

5) Toiletries:
- Conditioner (2-3 small bottles)
- Sunscreen (two small tubes)
- Repellent (small roll-on)
- Deodorant (great sample sizes in Heathrow)
- Toothpaste/brush
- moisturizer (small bottle), face wash (get sample sizes of skin products from your dermatologist)
- Lip Balm
- Alleve, Pepto Bismol (didn't use), Immodium (didn't use), Antibiotics (didn't use), Malarone, band aids and neosporin
- You don't need shampoo, body lotion or even repellent - they have plenty of that

6) Tipping: I can't remember - I think we gave a little more than the suggested amount of $10pp per day. We did have to scrounge around a bit and steal some cash from our children because some of our bills were too old.

I am now going to try and find my packing list - I posted it on someone else's thread. But, truly, don't stress too much. Most of the time time it will be too dark or too dusty for anyone to see what you're wearing.

I am going to look for my packing list. I know I posted it on someone else's thread. But the bottom line is not to worry about the packing - you can benefit from all our stressful experiences.

Here is the thread with my packing list:

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...m#last-comment

It is much more abbreviated than Lynda's.

Second camera is a great idea and I always take at least 2.

Visa folks have always been present, even for late arrivals. In Sept there were 4 visa purchase lines and one have-the-visa line. I prefer to buy mine upon arrival.

Hints for one carryon: If packing another pair of shoes, tie them on the outside of your duffel for more room inside. You can use the shampoo from your NBO hotel instead of packing your own. Get a safari vest and stuff it with heavy items that might fit in your bag, but could make it overweight. If needed, you can wear your binoculars as an accessory in order to carry them on. I find the overnight flights to be very cold so wearing 2 pairs of trousers works well not only to minimize packed luggage.

Other hints: Take a few envelopes in which to put your tips. As a solo, I tip as if I were a couple (for good service) so my guide is not at a disadvantage for taking just one. It adds to the expense for sure.

In Sept the plastic ziplock that BA required for liquids was a tad bigger than a sandwich bag, not the gallon size in the US.

Good luck for a wonderful trip.

Windowless,

I've just skimmed all these posts and I'm pleased to see that everyone agrees with me about conditioner. I wouldn't waste time looking for cash in all the broken ATM's - just bring lots of small US bills. Porini also provides warm ponchos, so you probably don't even need a rain jacket, although we all brought gortexes which we did use (not sure what the weather is in December).

All you really need (besides a lot of conditioner) are 2-3 day outfits (including convertible pants and workout pants) and 2 night outfits, pajamas, lightweight trail runners, shower shoes, plus a fleece and a sweater. I believe Porini Rhino will do your laundry for you.

We brought Obama pens and Silly Bandz for the kids - these turned out to be perfect gifts.

So envious of your trip. We also stayed at Macushla. Happy to answer more questions.

What great suggestions! And yes, bring much more memory than you anticipate needing. I'm still editing. And I've been home over a month.

Windowless,
A friend wisely recommended West with the Night by Beryl Markham and it was a great read especially while I was traveling in Kenya. Beryl Markham was a pilot in the early days of aviation and she lived quite an interesting life in Kenya. Only challenge with this book is that it isn't on kindle or nook but it isn't too bulky and it was the only real book I took with me on my trip.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Wes.../9780865471184

A few other books that are entertaining and/or insightful are "Whatever you do, don't run, adventures of a safari guide". (it's currently on sale for Nook), "To Hell Holes and Back" by Chuck Thompson and When Elephants Weep, the emotional life of animals - See Links below

http://productsearch.barnesandnoble....t%20run&pos=-1

http://productsearch.barnesandnoble....%20back&pos=-1

http://productsearch.barnesandnoble....%20weep&pos=-1

Virtual hugs for you all -- this is such helpful info!

crosscheck, thanks very much for chiming in; I got such a kick out of reading your adventures. Your crack about the clothing palette ("reticulated pythons"!) struck a real chord. I'd been buying a lot of clothes since most of what I own is either business casual stuff or black pants and t-shirts, and I had actually complained to one of my friends not long before reading your post that I couldn't believe I had to pack for an entire trip in clothing intended to make me look like a manilla envelope. I later bought a deep red shirt to bring along, out of sheer obstinacy.

atravelynn and tinydancer, thanks to you two also for confirming all the great advice from the others. And tips for packing light are certainly welcome -- I had some major back issues earlier in the year, and while they've improved out of all measure, I don't want throw anything out of whack again by overloading myself. I do NOT want to have to spend my entire safari hopped up on Vicodin.

And book suggestions -- thank you so much nyctv! I have actually already read <i>West with the Night</i>, which I really enjoyed. Ms. Markham was a remarkable woman. I've also been re-reading some of the other books I have around the apartment (the usual suspects like <i>Out of Africa</i>, <i>The Flame Trees of Thika</i>, some Hemingway) and I picked up a few memoirs, too. Kuki Gallman's <i>I Dreamed of Africa</i>, Wangari Maathai's <i>Unbowed</i>, and one called <i>The White Masai</i> by an author whose name I've forgotten, possibly because I found her so irritating. I've also got a copy of <i>Imperial Reckoning</i> on my counter now, although I'm not sure whether I'll get to it before I need to return it to the library. It's so good to get additional suggestions, though, both for now and for things to read once I'm back. I'll bet that <i>Whatever You Do, Don't Run</i> book was hilarious; I haven't read it yet, but I read <i>Don't Look Behind You</i>, which is by the same man and was a great read.

It's hard to attend to mundane things (making sure I've got all the correct paperwork, calling my credit card companies, putting in the stop on my mail) when all these more enjoyable prospects beckon!

Thanks for the book list!! :)

Adding:

- We used a Lowepro camera bag. While we had two fairly large cameras and lens, if you don't fill it up, the bags make great carry-alls. They come in lots of sizes and the nice part is how they sit on your body. Unlike a backpack, the <u>"SlingShot"</u> bags fit under your arm and across the body in a way that makes it easy to access from the front. http://products.lowepro.com/catalog/Sling-bags,4.htm

- We made sure to <u>change out our memory cards every day</u> and keep the extras in a very safe place. Rather than use one until it was full before changing, we changed every day. That way if something happened to one card -- lost, stolen, or malfunction -- you still have some of your photos. Not all would be lost.

- <u>Best to take several smaller memory cards,</u> rather than two or three really big ones for the same reasons.

- I don't think you'll need two field guides. <u>Pick one guide</u> and take it. Too much weight to take two.

- For gifts, we took a tube of <u>glow-in-the-dark light stick bracelets</u>. What a hit at the campfires and with kids. They weigh nothing, are cheap, and take up no space in luggage.

- <u>Ladies Packing:</u>
We packed in the large size LL Bean duffel bags. They are cheap, well made, can be monogrammed with your name for ID and weigh practically nothing. Laundry was done for free in all our camps. I packed enough clothes for four+ days and had laundry done along the way. Here’s what I took <u>for 22 days.</u>

· 2 linen long sleeve safari/camp style shirts (great for sun protection and wind in the open vehicles)
· 2 pair of the zip leg safari style pants. (They wash and dry like a dream – mine came from Lands End)
· 2 pair of very lightweight linen long pants for dinners
· 2 pair of cotton Capri length pants
· 2 skorts from Lands End in the same material as the zip leg pants. (I don’t do shorts)
· 4 very loose sleeveless tops
· 4 camis
· 2 long sleeve very lightweight tee shirts –for mosi protection.
· 1 lightweight fleece (Lands End)
· A lightweight rain parka
· 1 pair of pajamas
· My Chacos-Zongs and my Keen-Newport H2 shoes + one pair of cheap “blingy” flip flops for dressing up.
· A big, wide brimmed hat.
· A swimsuit
· 3 bras
· 4 undies
· 2 pair of socks
· A couple of bandannas

I may well end up leaving one of the guides behind, TC; they do add to the weight. I suspect my packing list (purely a mental list at this point) will undergo significant changes before all's said and done; I'd be a fool to have collected all this great advice and not take any of it to heart. I wanted to go ahead and make sure to have the gear on hand for now, as I'd far rather be pulling stuff out of my luggage at the last minute than to discover when it's too late that I've forgotten to pick up something necessary, but I'm sure some things will stay home as I head off on my adventures.

I'm still trying to find a hat I like. I ordered one of the Tilley ones, but I don't really love it. While I'm hardly expecting to be any kind of fashion plate on this trip, I don't much fancy wearing a hat that makes my face look like a big round wheel of cheese for the whole time. So ... the shopping continues.

Boy, by the time I'm done, I think REI and Sierra Trading Post (and other online stores) will have gotten almost as much from me as I paid Go2Africa. I should quit my stultifyingly boring job and open a shop that rents out safari gear to people. How many people going on their first/only safaris might be in need of wildlife guides, binoculars, clothing in various shades of "mud", etc.?

Hats, hats, hats! I think I bought three before I decided. The one I took and loved the most was one I found at a tent in NY at the 9th Ave.Street Fair. It is a very fine "straw-like" material, but has a hidden wire inside the outer edge of the brim. That wire allows one to shape the brim and it will stay. I loved it because I could flip the front of the brim up while I was using my camera. Some very floppy hats can really be a pain in that regard. This particular hat cost about $10. I found another dark green safari style hat for $10 at TJ Maxx. It was also a nice shape and being made of fabric would smash flat. It looks just like something from Tilley without the high price tag.

The green one from TJ Maxx was very similar to this:
http://www.e4hats.com/_e/UV_Sun_Prot..._Hat_Olive.htm

The straw one from NY looked very similar to this. Mine has a narrow leather head band instead of the tie.
http://www.e4hats.com/_e/5_inch_ML_W..._Hat_Khaki.htm

TravelSmith has some nice hats.

I take Tide packets to hand wash laundry. Conditioner is a must, and the solid conditioner bars look like a good solution if you can find unscented or lightly scented ones. There are bug spray wipes to save on liquid space.

What I wear on the plane is what I use for "dressy" clothes. Usually comfortable pull-on pants, nice T-shirt, one of the long sleeved linen shirts or cardigans you need, and the fleece. The fleece jacket makes a good pillow on the plane. Wear the heaviest shoes.

I bought a lot of new stuff for the first safari, too. All I really needed was the binocs and a pair of shoes. I could have found everything I needed to take in my closet. Just no white, black or bright colors. Take a scarf/pashmina to dress up and cover your shoulders if it's chilly or too sunny.

Don't forget to hit the ATM in the airport when you land. Sometimes it's your last chance to get local currency.

I like my Tilley hat because it can fall in the water or get stomped on by an elephant and it just bounces back. Just wore it on a hike here...and it is reasonably photogenic. But I didn't really need it that much in Africa because it was winter.

BOOKS - SLIGHTLY OFF-TOPIC
I too had previously read all the usual suspects about Africa, so I took Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari to read on the plane. He was not a happy camper traveling overland from Cairo to Capetown in chicken buses at the age of 60, especially because he had once been in the Peace Corps and optimistic about Africa's future. But, in spite of his grumpiness, I found it a worthwhile read and got a lot of perspective about the continent.

Don't get me started on the "White Masai." I bought it in the Giraffe Center after I saw it on a list of books recommended by guy who wrote the Rough Guide to Kenya. (He posts on TA and is reasonably literate, but he had a serious lapse of judgment with this recommendation). You're right...the author is one of the most annoying people I have ever come across in a book.

For those of you who are not familiar with the book, it is the story of a Swiss woman who goes on vacation to a Kenyan beach. There she seduces a Masai warrior, then marries him, lives in his hut and has his child. In the course of the story she almost dies often...from malaria, starvation, weekly car breakdowns with no water in the car, and even cruel sexism. The book was ridiculously episodic ("I almost died, then we broke down, then we killed a goat, then we broke down again.") It was truly the worst-written book with the least sympathetic antagonist that I have ever finished...or possibly it was just an unbearable translation. It made People magazine seem like a literary masterpiece.

Having said that, "The White Masai" did have some anthropological merit and I must disclose that I developed a sick fascination with the fish out of water aspect of the story and couldn't put it down. I ended up giving it to our guide at Lion Porini, who was very interested to see how his culture was depicted by a European.

<i>"Just no white, black or bright colors."</i>

Christabir, I <u>respectfully</u> disagree with this statement. There has been many a post on this web site regarding the wearing of color on safari. I read a wonderful article in a copy of Africa Geographic on animal eyesight while we were in Tanzania. I'll quote a bit of it here:

<i>"Mammals have evolved from nocturnal ancestors, in which rod photoreceptor dominated in the retina and color vision was secondary. Whereas most human can see four principal colors (blue, green, yellow and red) and combinations thereof, the majority of mammals have only two types of cone receptors, giving them color vision similar to that of people who are red-green color blind. Animals with dichromatic vision, as it is called, only see two primary colors - blue and yellow and no intermediate colors, such as orange or violet. Instead, they see desaturated versions of blue and yellow, and shades of gray."</i>

No need to soak clothing in any chemical as protection from mossies. Just cover up during dusk/dawn, apply repellent to any exposed skin (not face or back of neck) and you'll be fine. Of course,take your malaria meds as prescribed and with food.

Hat! Never once in 16/years have I worn one. Unless you're out on a game walk for a few hours, rest of time is in a vehicle and you're pretty much protected.

crosscheck - "White Masai" - ugh! Only because it was selling for $2 (Barnes & Noble sale) did I buy and that was a waste of $2. Actually took it with me in 2008, but why I read it thru when at the part she mentioned that even the sex wasn't good, I should have just tossed it! :) Sad woman!

Have a friend here in NYC who is married to a Masai and he managed to read some segments of the book when she wasn't... he got a good chuckle and also wondered "who is this very very strange woman?"

Sandi, The need or not for a hat depends on the type of vehicle. We were in open vehicles on our last safari and I wore my hat every single day. Both morning sunrise and evening sunset, as the sun was coming and going, the hat was indispensable. In a closed vehicle, not such a big deal as you say. We also did some boat safaris and again, couldn't have gotten along without.

You all are the best.

I'm chuckling over here while reading the reactions to <i>The White Masai</i>; I'm so glad I'm not the only one who found its popularity baffling. I was annoyed by almost everything I read in it -- did she not bother with antimalarials? she didn't know enough about the etiquette to avoid eating with her left hand? -- and wouldn't have bothered finishing it if it hadn't been such a quick read. And the author's tendency to burst into tears whenever something didn't go her way ... well, it tried <i>my</i> patience, and I wasn't the one who had to live with her!

I'll check out hats at TravelSmith and TJ Maxx; thanks for the suggestions. I think most of the trouble is that I just have a hard time finding hats that fit correctly; I'm sure Tilley makes one that I'd like, but I have to do most of my shopping online, and not being able to try things on ahead of time is a big drawback. I'd be tempted to forego the hat altogether (particularly given sandi's input), but I know I'm not nearly diligent enough about reapplying sunscreen to my face for that to be a good idea. Even if I have to settle for a hat that I don't love, I do think the additional sun protection will be important.

TC - the colors are about dust/dirt and tse tse flies, not the animals. I was in a vehicle with a guy in a bright orange shirt, and he just looked out of place. Just to clarify.

"guy in a bright orange shirt, and he just looked out of place"

I agree. It's nice to see guests in the safari mood. A bright colored "J LO" or "Lakers" fan T-shirt simply looks strange.

regards - tom

Great thread - I'll save all the info for my trip next Sept.

crosscheck: "1) Visa: We got ours in advance in LA" - can one just walk in to the Consulate and apply for a Visa? How long did it take? I've done that in SF for visas for China and Viet Nam - took one day, as I recall.

Thanks.

Lots of great info here, just wanted to add my 2 cents:

--loved my hat (well, actually baseball style cap) to keep hair out of my face on those wind in your face game drives
--so glad I brought my "UGHS" boots for those cool early morning drives and chilly nights (I was there late August 2010)
--equally important were my slippers (otherwise known as "flip-flops" everywhere except where I live)which I would change into when the temp warmed up on the am game drive. Very convenient for slipping on and off when going in and out of your tent (see why we call em slippers???)
--agree with the recommendation to bring a mini mag lite. Yes, the camps have flashlights, but you never know--the first night we arrived, the electrical power at the hotel (and a very nice one at that!) in Nairobi went out more than once and I was glad to have it.
--nailclippers as a carry-on. I know, this sounds strange, but they came in very handy. My carry-on luggage made it all the way to Amsterdam where they decided I needed to check it. Got to the hotel in Nairobi and that little plastic locking device they secured my bag with was preventing my entry (not a good thing after traveling ~20+hrs).
--fingernail file---hate those raggedy broken nails
--totally agree with the washcloth recommendation. Better yet, take a Japanese wash cloth--less space, dries quickly and lathers better!
--as far as snacks....the camps fed us so well I didn't really need any. But, glad my sister had her bag of nuts with her when we met a young boy on the street in Nairobi who was hungary and very grateful for the handful she gave him.
--those little travel-sized toothpastes don't last more than 7 days max--take 2 or 3!
--The special time designated for those who adopt an elephant at Sheldrick's is great, but don't miss the hour long daytime visit open to everyone--it's the best!
--didn't care for the lunch at Karen Blixen's--took forever to get our food that wasn't very good
--did NOT like the roadside stops at the curios shops-too much pressure to buy stuff that looked mass produced. Had much better luck at camp gift shops and Utamaduni craft center
--cipro for traveller's diarrhea. Fortunately didn't need it for that, but my traveling partner got a urinary tract infection and it worked great for that!

Have a great trip--it's a magical place and I am so looking forward to my next one!

Guess I'm simply not "a hat person" but sure have collected many from my years of visits whether in Southern Africa where vehicles are completely open or those in East Africa where most all are protected above for the Equatoria sun.

Also, always have my mini-Maglite regardless where I travel. At roadside curios, I do a quick pit stop and then back to the vehicle; no time to get caught up in buying stuff... I have more than enough.

As with the Maglite, Cipro is always taken though never used... have enough of a supply to open a small pharmacy :)

WDLO - think you've go a good handle of the many items/things we've all done to accommodate ourselves in safari situations, whether indoors, sleeping, during game drives, general attire, miscellaneous... you should be well prepared.

... and yes, that White Masai women, most annoying! Thankfully, there haven't been many comments about the movie (yup, there was one and probably available on DVD); second book (there might even have been a third), which it appears no one read ... wonder why? :)

Preface this by saying; "I'm not a doctor", but, here's an update on meds.

In preparation for our last trip to Africa our travel doc prescribed Azithromiacin instead of Cipro for travelers revenge. She said they now prefer AZ over CP because you only need to take one or two tablets for a cure. As soon as the symptoms subside, one can stop. We found that only one pill did the trick. If you have a supply of Cipro, I'm sure its fine, <u>although it does have a short shelf life.</u> I had a bad UTI which got very bad because I tried to self medicate with an old prescription of Cipro. Thank heavens I wasn't traveling at the time. So check those dates, Sandi. :)

Visa in LA: Mr Crosscheck took care of this. He downloaded the paperwork, showed up at the consulate with passports and a cashier's check (no appointment), paid $20 extra for expediting, and was given the visas 30 minutes later.

The only glitch was that the website stated that our then-16-year did not need a visa. This was not the case, and Mr C, who luckily had our son's passport with him, had to go to a 7-11 and purchase an additional money order.

Delightful, that's what you people are. Helpful, generous with your expertise, and thoroughly delightful.

I'm definitely bringing a flashlight; I have to say that that's probably my favorite new "toy" for this trip, so far. I bought myself a 4Sevens Quark MiNi AA (I read about it here http://www.onebag.com/packing-list-tools.html), and I love it. It really is about the size of a AA battery, and it's very lightweight and cool. A bit silly, how tickled I was when I tried it out, but I'll take my kicks where I can get them.

I think I'm just about at the end of the list of things I need to purchase; I'm down to the polarizing filter for my camera, possibly a different hat, and whatever I decide on for gifts. I picked up a few more bandanas and "bush break" items while shopping today, and I tossed a couple of washcloths onto my pile o' packables. I'm beginning to eye that pile with trepidation; I'll be culling it down before the final packing's through, but it's a bit daunting at the moment. Still not sure whether I'll be able to pull off the carry-on only idea or not.

As for gifts, I'm considering something like those fabric frisbees or soft Koosh balls (if I can find some before I go); do you all think that would go over well with the kids? I like the SillyBandz and balloon and pen ideas, too, I just thought I should at least attempt to come up with something original before shamelessly copycatting the brilliance of prior visitors. For those who have brought things like balls to inflate upon arrival, how many gifts do you generally leave at each place? It occurs to me now that I have no idea how many children I should expect to see on village visits.

Thanks again for all the feedback on this; I was at a little class today learning about some tricks my camera does (I now know what F-stops are!), and it was so much fun seeing even more new replies when I got home.

P.S. I can't believe they made a movie of <i>The White Masai</i>. Horrors!

Oh I like the look of the Quark mini!!
But will it light up a room or provide enough light @ 5:00am when you're trying to put a bit of makeup on? (yes I still plan to, altho that could quickly change after say day 3!) ;)

<i>5:00am when you're trying to put a bit of makeup on?</i>

I gave up on that idea right quick! No one is awake enough to care. LOL

... and I'm still sleeping at 5am because I don't do morning game drives. :) I wake at about 7am when there's already light, so if it's not bright enough inside a tent, I retreat outside to enjoy my coffee along with a mirror to see what I'm doing to the face.

As is obvious from all the great input above, we all seem to figure out what works best, regardless what it is to survive in the bush!

Hee hee -- KathBC, I plan on making my "makeup regimen" consist of sunscreen and lip balm, so I have to confess that I haven't worried too much about the illumination required to apply it. But the chart on the page I linked to does lay out some of the various lumens output options, so it might boil down to how badly you want to make yourself up and whether you'll need additional AAs, should you decide to go with the Quark.

sandi, I had to laugh at your entry because I'm that way, exactly, when I'm at home. A morning person, I'm not! But luckily for me, I'm usually so excited about my rare opportunities for travel that I have no trouble getting out of bed. (Well, it was lucky except for that time I was in Spain and couldn't make myself sleep in until things actually started to open up ....)

Asante sana, y'all; you're absolute lifesavers for us lost at sea newbies.

I am just someone who doesn't bother with conditioner on safari. Then I met Sandi for drinks at the Norfolk and she looked lovely and I looked like one of the warthogs at Sheldrick.

But still, I am pretty much a ponytail wearer on game drives and even dinner, for better or for worse. I was also part of a thread here years ago about conditioner and we were all upbraided re: water conservation in areas that often experience extreme drought so...yeah, I decided I could live without conditioner while on safari. Just something to consider.

I used all my Cipro last trip but I think that's because someone cooked some crazy kuku. I have been glad to have at least some of my meds/bandaids/walking pharmacy on my trips.

Anyway, have a great trip! Please post something about your adventures after you return.

<i>... you "like a warthog"</i> No way Leely! ROTFL!

No worries there, Leely, I'm sure I'll want to talk about my trip more than anyone will want to listen.

Thanks again, everyone.

One more thing to consider, WindowlessOffice, is to try to get a couple of shots to enlarge and put on your wall so you have something to look at since you are without windows.

Bookmarking- hoping for the day...great tips

You bet, atravelynn! I'd like to bring back some good photos for both my apartment and my office, as both are in dire need of makeovers.

I've upped the number of memory cards (and cameras) I had originally planned to bring, so here's hoping for a successful outcome.

What an amazing thread! There's an absolute trawl of great information here.

But about "The White Maasai" by Corinne Hoffman.

crosscheck: I'm sure I occasionally suffer from very poor lapses of taste (just ask my wife!) but my actual review said: "Equally ridiculed and revered, an extraordinary account, effectively a journal, of a Swiss woman's extended love affair with a Samburu man, and her life in Barsaloi in the early 1990s." Personally I found it absolutely fascinating and incredibly annoying at the same time, and like you and Windowless Office and sandi, I was baffled by her clumsiness and naiveté. But I do think partly it was the quality of the translation, or a lack of empathy on the translator's part.

But there's a worse book that I couldn't bring myself to recommend in the Rough Guide at all: "I Dreamed of Africa" by Kuki Gallman (WO, you mention it, but without comment. I completely agree wit you about Beryl Markham, by the way - wonderful). I don't want to be rude to the lady, who I've never met, but I just couldn't believe the number of tragic accidents that take place in the first few pages and the whole tone – suffering rich white people in a beautiful land of simple tribes – I found just sick-inducing. Is that unfair? What do others think?

Richard - I stand corrected: Your review was absolutely spot on. And getting absorbed in that bizarre book (with its excessive exclamation marks and complaints about Masai lovemaking techniques) actually enhanced my Kenyan experience.

Also, as I've told you on another travel site, I am a big fan of YOUR writing as well. Your guide is far superior to all of the others. Wish you would start an African book club.

Hi, Richard, thanks for chiming in on the impromptu book talk!

You know, it's odd, but I ended up liking <i>I Dreamed of Africa</i> more than I expected to (the fact that a movie made from it starred Kim Basinger was NOT a mark in its favor, in my opinion). I absolutely understand your complaint about her tone and evident social status or background, but -- possibly because I read it at about the same time as I was re-reading Dinesen, Huxley, and Hemingway? -- I found it easy to take her privileged perspective with a grain of salt. I could appreciate her depiction of her adopted country without buying into the social structure, much as I did with the colonial era writers. I can't say I adored the rest of the book uncritically, either; there were definitely points at which I found the foreshadowing of the tragedies to be heavy-handed and relentless. But on balance, I thought it was worth reading.

To be fair about <i>The White Masai</i>, there were interesting tidbits scattered about even in that book, although I maintain that Ms. Hoffman's constant tearful breakdowns were headache-inducing. crosscheck mentioned the "fish out of water" aspect of the story above; there were examples of that that I found interesting (if not necessarily enjoyable). If nothing else, it reinforced my intention to learn what I could about Kenya before I visited; I don't want to be as clueless as she was!

I guess one could say that I liked <i>I Dreamed of Africa</i> in spite of some of its author's more troubling aspects, while <i>The White Masai</i> failed for me because I couldn't get past my impatience for its author.

But if anyone asked me for recommendations in the memoir category, <i>West with the Night</i> and <i>Unbowed</i> would stand head and shoulders above either Gallmann's or Hoffman's books.

My favorite book regarding Africa is "Cry the Beloved Country" by Alan Paton. It is an amazing human story. Although I think originally published in the early 50s, it is still resonate.