You people are treasures! Those lists are excellent; I won't need some of the listed items (I'm not planning on swimming, for example), but they're very helpful starting points.

TC, I've just started looking at your photos, and between those and everyone else's advice, I'm sold on the "take more memory cards" idea now. Wow. And using the inflatable airplane pillows for the game drives is great; I never would have thought of that.

Iowa_Redhead, I have been looking at some of the LUSH products, actually. I like the idea of bringing "bars" of shampoo/conditioner/moisturizer if possible; it helps out as far as TSA requirements go. Do you know whether they sell unscented products? I want to avoid anything that makes me smell too good to insects, that's my main issue. On a related note, has anyone tried those permethrin soaks for clothes (obviously, I wouldn't put it on skin)? Do they help?

I'm off to look up the "bush breaks" posts TC mentioned now.

Patandhank, I sent my visa requests directly to the embassies in Washington, DC. both times. You can usually download the required paperwork on-line and then mail it off. They came back quite quickly.

Still have a bit of a wait till my trip but this thread is really useful! So thanks everyone!

Would like to hear more details about sandi's cable ties to lock your luggage. Do you mean those plastic things that you pull thru? Sounds great for international flights but what's the best way of securing your luggage while on the ground??

Does Wilson airport have any lockers to store a small bag of your beach stuff?

Bush break post:
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...-serengeti.cfm

KathBC, We used the cable ties to secure our things on the ground as well. You can get them in many sizes. We locked valuables inside our bag with a cable tie and then used a larger cable tie to secure the bag to something solid -- a tent pole. We also took a small Pacsafe, mostly to keep camera equipment secure when not in hand.

http://www.pacsafe.com/www/index.php...n=detail&id=11

Hahahahaha!! TC, that bush break link is priceless. It's one of those questions that people don't think to ask or don't want to ask, but to which it's vital to have the answer. I did pick up some tissues/sanitizers already, but I'm now thinking I'd best grab some more before my trip. And I hadn't planned on bringing a skirt, but that may need to change, too.

Bookmarking - some great advice here

patandhank - China requires Visa prior boarding your international flight.

Kenya doesn't as you can purchase on arrival. However, if you choose to mail away you can send to the Embassy in Wash, DC or there's a Consular office in NYC, but remember then when doing so you have to provide passport size photos (not required when on arrival), send by Priority/confirmation mail and enclose return postage paid secured for passport to be returned to you. Why many simply choose to purchase Visa on arrival, queue or not, you still have to wait for your luggage to come off the carousel.

This is the time to remove your watch and not look at it until you're heading home... you'll be on Africa-time for the duration... where there's someone to wake you, feed you, scheduled activities, etc... take a deep breath and enjoy!

Cable ties are used to lock up everything, whether for checked bag that goes into belly of the plane or when once in-country and leaving your room/tent for game drives or meals.

WindowlessOffice -

I'd double check the BA carryon limit as last I checked even if you could lift it into the overhead, it may only be 10/lbs (or some ridiculous low number). I personally, base my overall weight on the 15Kg/33-lbs for internal Kenyan flights, which main bag gets checked; then I have a carryon with the important - air tickets, passport, money, cameras, make-up (yes I do attempt to look cute when I can see anything often in dark rooms/tents or I just step outside and primp , meds and misc stuff!

Last I heard London LHR airport allows only one carryon? Not one carryon plus one personal bag like USA airports. One, total, carry on. Same for all BA? But, of course, are you flying through LHR?

regards - tom

I'll give BA a call before I commit to the carry-on idea; thanks for the warning, sandi. The way BA's website is set up, it looks like the lower weight allowances apply only to their franchise carriers and I'm limited primarily by my level of fitness if I'm on BA itself (an all-too-effective limitation in my case, I'm afraid). I'd hate to find out otherwise only upon reaching the gate, though.

Looks like at least in general you are allowed two peices of carryon.
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...n/public/en_us

regards - tom

I heard about that restriction, too, Tom, but it looks like it was lifted. At least, that's what I'm seeing according to Heathrow's website: http://www.heathrow-airport-guide.co.uk/security.html

Windowless - In every camp including the Porini camps they had flashlights in the tents. I brought a flashlight but I never needed it, so it was a waste of space/weight.

Sandi's idea for a secondary camera is another one of her great suggestions I used, and although I didn't need the spare, it came in handy when a women in my group in the Mara had forgotten her battery charger and there were no other chargers that matched her battery. I gave her my secondary camera to use during the balloon and during our last game drive, and she just put in her SD card, so it did come in handy for someone and it was nice insurance to know I had a spare.

In regards to locking things while on safari, I used the Cable locks when needed, but I had a day bag that I took with me almost everywhere that held my passport, money, Itouch, binoculars and camera, along with antiseptic wipes, kleenex and small plastic bags for bush breaks. Only wish I'd brought along some of the Peanut Butter and Crackers packs or Kashi Bars!

Instead of bringing books and the weight that comes with them, I just downloaded the Amazon App for my Itouch and put on several books and the Audobon Guide to African Wildlife guide, and this also cut down on weight. You can also read at night as the Itouch or Iphone has a backlight (unlike the kindle). Some people think the Itouch or Iphone is too small to read, but it is very easy to change pages (no refresh time) and after you get used to the size it is more than fine. I also downloaded a Swahili app, Soduku, Solitaire and a few other games on the Itouch as I didn't want to bring my laptop.

I'm all about going as light as possible and shedding weight as I go along although I doubt I'll ever figure out how to get by with all "carry on" except when traveling in the US. I was just above my 33 kilo weight limit for my first internal flight (that is the only flight that weighed my luggage) but that was due to school supplies and a few toys for kids, but I was able to give these away at my my first stop which included the village visit in Amboseli so I had a bit more room once I headed to Ol Pejeta and the Mara.

nycjv - what sort of day bag did you take? Any photos?

I don't care for back packs and have been searching for something with alot of pockets rather than 1 main compartment.

Hope I'm not stealing your thread windowless, but thought you may be interested in this too.

KathBC - This was very versatile it's called the Hampton Bagg - see link as it's now on sale at ebags. The bag has various compartments and worked very well and most importantly it's easy to clean especially after the dusty game drives. I bought the mushroom taupe type color. There is also a smaller Hampton Bagg but I liked the full size as it fit everything perfectly.

http://www.ebags.com/product/baggall...ductid=1111629

KathBC - Sorry I have the Khaki/Black, but the Mushroom color bag with the Caspian blue lining might be better as you'll be able to see the "black" items a little better than mine with the black lining.

Thanks nycjv!! Did you have a separate bag for your camera that you put inside? My camera is a point & shoot so no lenses.

Yes I have a Lowepro camera bag which fits my camera perfectly so it wasn't too large. I also didn't have any extra lens' as my camera isn't adaptable but it did have a 12x optical zoom which worked very well.

Did the camera bag fit into the Hampton?

Windowless, I don't know if Lush offers anything scentless or not, sorry. Check their website or give them a call and ask. They *might* have something or might have ideas for you.

KathBC - Everything fit into the bag, which included my wallet, camera in the lowepro bag which is fit close to body of camera so it didn't add a lot of extra bulk, binoculars, passport, antiseptic wipes, kleenex, Glasses, Hat etc. You can read the reviews that are very favorable on the link on ebags and it may tell you a bit more.