Late June Botswana safari questions
May 26th, 2007 | 11:20 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Late June Botswana safari questions
Hi, all,
First of all, thanks so much for all of the asisstance you have provided for my upcoming trip to South Africa, Botswana and Victoria Falls. It is very much appreciated.
I leave for South Africa on June 12 and start an 8-day Botswana safari on June 22. As I make final purchases and plans for the trip, I have a few fairly specific questions I was hoping to get additional guidance on, especially from those who have been on safari in Botswana in mid-June to mid-July. Many of these revolve around clothes:
1) Colors: getting khaki or tan or olive pants has not been a problem. getting shirts in those colors (long or short sleeve) is more problematic. So, I wanted ask about colors for jackets and shirts in particular: are greys/charcoal colors okay (I found some great long and short-sleeve t-shirts at REI that seemed to fit the bill)? How about dull dark blues, dark greens and/or black? Any other suggestions on colors and/or sources of shirts and jackets would be appreciated.
2) Dressing for the cold weather, especially in the mornings, seems to be critical. I have read all the postings about layering, but still have some questions:
Will wearing a mid- to light-weight jacket (which would keep out wind) over a fleece vest, long shirt and undershirt fit the bill, or is a down or wool jacket required? (Any specific suggestions on brands or models people have used would be great)
Similarly, our packing list from the safari provider said something about sun hats but nothing about winter style hats (like wool or acrylic pull-over style caps) -- are both needed/useful?
Any thoughts on make or typoe of gloves would be appreciated as well.
3) Given the cold mornings and evenings, are mosquitos likely to be a problem at all? Besides bringing DEET-based repellants, is anything else useful (like DOOM insecticide and/or mosquito cools)? At camp in between safari outings, are dark colors more likely to attract mosquitos than lighter colors?
4) How critical is it for each person to have a set of binoculars (as opposed to two people sharing a pair)? I think I'd rather buy one good pair than two mediocre pairs? (Also, I will have a 100-300mm zoom lens)
5) Does it make sense to bring 2 pair of shoes in case one gets wet (we'll be at one wet camp and one mixed wet/dry camp?
6) Is packing in a backpack without a frame an acceptable alternative to using a duffel bag? Does a day pack (with things like camera stuff, et ones, sanitizer, etc) count towards weight or other allowances if it is carried on the short-hop planes? (I don't think weight will be an issue. More concerned about whethere I would need to pack these items in the duffel bag or backpack as opposed to carrying them on separately).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on these issues. I am hoping to get my shopping be it online or in "real" stores done in the next few days and your suggestions will be very helpful to achieving that.
John H.
First of all, thanks so much for all of the asisstance you have provided for my upcoming trip to South Africa, Botswana and Victoria Falls. It is very much appreciated.
I leave for South Africa on June 12 and start an 8-day Botswana safari on June 22. As I make final purchases and plans for the trip, I have a few fairly specific questions I was hoping to get additional guidance on, especially from those who have been on safari in Botswana in mid-June to mid-July. Many of these revolve around clothes:
1) Colors: getting khaki or tan or olive pants has not been a problem. getting shirts in those colors (long or short sleeve) is more problematic. So, I wanted ask about colors for jackets and shirts in particular: are greys/charcoal colors okay (I found some great long and short-sleeve t-shirts at REI that seemed to fit the bill)? How about dull dark blues, dark greens and/or black? Any other suggestions on colors and/or sources of shirts and jackets would be appreciated.
2) Dressing for the cold weather, especially in the mornings, seems to be critical. I have read all the postings about layering, but still have some questions:
Will wearing a mid- to light-weight jacket (which would keep out wind) over a fleece vest, long shirt and undershirt fit the bill, or is a down or wool jacket required? (Any specific suggestions on brands or models people have used would be great)
Similarly, our packing list from the safari provider said something about sun hats but nothing about winter style hats (like wool or acrylic pull-over style caps) -- are both needed/useful?
Any thoughts on make or typoe of gloves would be appreciated as well.
3) Given the cold mornings and evenings, are mosquitos likely to be a problem at all? Besides bringing DEET-based repellants, is anything else useful (like DOOM insecticide and/or mosquito cools)? At camp in between safari outings, are dark colors more likely to attract mosquitos than lighter colors?
4) How critical is it for each person to have a set of binoculars (as opposed to two people sharing a pair)? I think I'd rather buy one good pair than two mediocre pairs? (Also, I will have a 100-300mm zoom lens)
5) Does it make sense to bring 2 pair of shoes in case one gets wet (we'll be at one wet camp and one mixed wet/dry camp?
6) Is packing in a backpack without a frame an acceptable alternative to using a duffel bag? Does a day pack (with things like camera stuff, et ones, sanitizer, etc) count towards weight or other allowances if it is carried on the short-hop planes? (I don't think weight will be an issue. More concerned about whethere I would need to pack these items in the duffel bag or backpack as opposed to carrying them on separately).
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on these issues. I am hoping to get my shopping be it online or in "real" stores done in the next few days and your suggestions will be very helpful to achieving that.
John H.
May 26th, 2007 | 03:28 PM
#2
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,440
Likes: 0
My 2 pulas and rands worth.
1) I would not do dark blue for any clothing because blue is the color used to attract tse tse flies to traps. For your travel time in Botswana you probably won’t see a tse tse. I have not. You will be out until midday when it starts to get hot so dark colors may be too warm. Greys that aren’t too dark should be fine. If you are doing drives in the vehicle, the color is not as crucial for the wildlife, it is more for your comfort—both physical comfort such as not too hot midday and mental comfort so you are not the only one in bright orange. Other sources: LL Bean, Army Navy Surplus (but don’t bring camouflage), any sporting goods store, or if you think you’ll wear this stuff only for your safari and then leave it behind try any 2nd hand store or Goodwill. Since you mentioned shopping online, you can type in the brands Marmot, Columbia, North Face. But I wouldn’t spend a whole lot on new clothes. Comfort and layers are the keys.
2) The layers you described should be fine. Any brand of outerwear will work. You’ll be offered a warm, heavy poncho most likely when you are in the vehicle. Wilderness camps will give you that but you may want to check for certain before leaving. Something to keep your ears warm in an open moving vehicle is important. A wool hat is good or a ski-type head band. I wore the headband under my safari hat. The glimpses I caught of myself in the vehicle mirrors were frightful. By midday off came the headband. I also had a wool hat that I used once.
On this last trip I brought along some mittens I had that work like this: They are wool and have gloved fingers about half way up the knuckle. Then there is a mitten flap that you can pull down over the top to cover your whole hand. Your fingertips are uncovered when you lift the flap so you can do stuff with your camera. I liked these and will take them again.
3) I hardly ever have seen a mosquito in Botswana in the morning, night, or anytime. The camps have a can of spray in your room and there usually is one on the vehicle. Sometimes there are tiny little bugs that are just annoying but not biting and the spray is helpful when applied to the inside rim of your safari hat.
4) Binocs—If one of you thinks you don’t really want to use binocs, then one pair is ok. But it can be annoying when you want to look and your partner has the binocs. A 300 zoom is good but not as good as binocs. What is also annoying is being in a vehicle with others sharing binocs. There is extra movement as one takes them off and the other puts them on that can mess up photos. Then there is the constant dialog. “Can I see them now?” “Do you want to look?” “Give me the binoculars please.” “Do you see anything? Can you see it? Is it in the tree? Give me the binoculars, I’ll find it” You get the idea.
5) I always take 2 pairs of shoes because they are so crucial and there is nowhere for replacement footwear. In addition to getting wet, what if a hyena steals a shoe (that has happened when people leave them outside) or what if one shoe comes apart (a guy’s heel came off on a gorilla trek once) or what if one pair starts becoming uncomfortable and giving you blisters (more important if you are doing walking or hiking than a vehicle safari)?
6) A backpack works well The backpack can be included in the weight, depending on how picky the charter or pilot is. But if you wear your binocs or camera then they are an accessory and not included in the weight. I take a backpack with me on the game drives with all those things you mentioned in it. You can also stow your clothes that you take off as the day warms in the backpack so they don’t get mixed up with other people’s or go flying off the seat if your driver takes off suddenly. When your discarded clothes are in the backpack they won’t fall on the floor which can be dirty.
June 12 is coming up quickly!
1) I would not do dark blue for any clothing because blue is the color used to attract tse tse flies to traps. For your travel time in Botswana you probably won’t see a tse tse. I have not. You will be out until midday when it starts to get hot so dark colors may be too warm. Greys that aren’t too dark should be fine. If you are doing drives in the vehicle, the color is not as crucial for the wildlife, it is more for your comfort—both physical comfort such as not too hot midday and mental comfort so you are not the only one in bright orange. Other sources: LL Bean, Army Navy Surplus (but don’t bring camouflage), any sporting goods store, or if you think you’ll wear this stuff only for your safari and then leave it behind try any 2nd hand store or Goodwill. Since you mentioned shopping online, you can type in the brands Marmot, Columbia, North Face. But I wouldn’t spend a whole lot on new clothes. Comfort and layers are the keys.
2) The layers you described should be fine. Any brand of outerwear will work. You’ll be offered a warm, heavy poncho most likely when you are in the vehicle. Wilderness camps will give you that but you may want to check for certain before leaving. Something to keep your ears warm in an open moving vehicle is important. A wool hat is good or a ski-type head band. I wore the headband under my safari hat. The glimpses I caught of myself in the vehicle mirrors were frightful. By midday off came the headband. I also had a wool hat that I used once.
On this last trip I brought along some mittens I had that work like this: They are wool and have gloved fingers about half way up the knuckle. Then there is a mitten flap that you can pull down over the top to cover your whole hand. Your fingertips are uncovered when you lift the flap so you can do stuff with your camera. I liked these and will take them again.
3) I hardly ever have seen a mosquito in Botswana in the morning, night, or anytime. The camps have a can of spray in your room and there usually is one on the vehicle. Sometimes there are tiny little bugs that are just annoying but not biting and the spray is helpful when applied to the inside rim of your safari hat.
4) Binocs—If one of you thinks you don’t really want to use binocs, then one pair is ok. But it can be annoying when you want to look and your partner has the binocs. A 300 zoom is good but not as good as binocs. What is also annoying is being in a vehicle with others sharing binocs. There is extra movement as one takes them off and the other puts them on that can mess up photos. Then there is the constant dialog. “Can I see them now?” “Do you want to look?” “Give me the binoculars please.” “Do you see anything? Can you see it? Is it in the tree? Give me the binoculars, I’ll find it” You get the idea.
5) I always take 2 pairs of shoes because they are so crucial and there is nowhere for replacement footwear. In addition to getting wet, what if a hyena steals a shoe (that has happened when people leave them outside) or what if one shoe comes apart (a guy’s heel came off on a gorilla trek once) or what if one pair starts becoming uncomfortable and giving you blisters (more important if you are doing walking or hiking than a vehicle safari)?
6) A backpack works well The backpack can be included in the weight, depending on how picky the charter or pilot is. But if you wear your binocs or camera then they are an accessory and not included in the weight. I take a backpack with me on the game drives with all those things you mentioned in it. You can also stow your clothes that you take off as the day warms in the backpack so they don’t get mixed up with other people’s or go flying off the seat if your driver takes off suddenly. When your discarded clothes are in the backpack they won’t fall on the floor which can be dirty.
June 12 is coming up quickly!
May 26th, 2007 | 07:12 PM
#3
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 68
Likes: 0
I just got back from a safari in Botswana so, here is my two cents worth.
1) Our group had all sorts of colors and none of it seemed to be an issue. Not that we were decked out in bright reds or yellows, but I had a pair of black and darker green and had zero issue with bugs. Several in our group had white (or what they called light pink) shirts and that also didn't seem to be a problem either.
2) I think a fleece jacket would probably be fine in the mornings. It was nippy in the mornings (we were usually in the vehicles by 7am), but by 10am, it was already getting hot and were were peeling off the jackets. We never needed anything beyond just a jacket, but this was mid-May. Granted, I am formerly from NYC, so my cold may be a bit different from what others consider cold. I didn't take a wool hat nor did I ever feel like I needed one.
3) We had no problems with mosquitos in Botswana. Our tents always had a can of Doom and a can of Peaceful Sleep in it and we did use those just as a precaution. We hardly ever used the insect repellent we brought with us.
However, something did manage to bite several of us around the ankles, legs, and hands, but we don't think it was mosquitos. Maybe sand flies or no see ums, or something, but I had little red bumps on my ankles and legs after our stay in Xijera. Anti-itch cream was invaluable.
4) We had 6 people on our tour and about 4 binocs in the group. Two of us were fairly serious photographers, so we hardly ever used the binoculars. I did not take a pair of binocs with me, but I had a lens that went out to 720mm. The guide had binocs in the truck, so on the few occassions I wanted to use a pair, there always seemed to be one available between the guides and my friends with me. Atravelynn is right though, the binocs are a lot better for close-up views than the zoom lens.
5) We were at Xijera which is a water camp, but never really got our feet wet. I don't think you need two pair in case one gets wet. What I would suggest, is you bring a pair of walking shoes that are not mesh. I had a really nice pair of mesh Merrils but water was not the issue... the sand and dust were. My feet always seemed dirty cause the sand went right through the mesh and right through the socks. I had a pair of flip-flop/slides for the evening.
6) Everyone is our group had duffle bags, but i dont see a problem with a non-framed backpack if it meets the weight and size requirements. Also, everyone in our group has a second camera bag or day bag/backpack. This was their 2nd bag along with the duffle.
I was surprised that with all the warnings of weight restrictions we had prior to our trip, not once was our baggage ever weighed in total. Our checked bags were weighed on the inter-African flights, but nothing was ever weighed for the transfers between camps nor were any of our carry-n bags weighed. Heck, I even carried on two bags (on was a bag stuffed with trinkets from the Victoria Falls market) on Nationwide despite all their signs warning that only one carry-on was permitted.
Enjoy your safari, it will be amazing!
1) Our group had all sorts of colors and none of it seemed to be an issue. Not that we were decked out in bright reds or yellows, but I had a pair of black and darker green and had zero issue with bugs. Several in our group had white (or what they called light pink) shirts and that also didn't seem to be a problem either.
2) I think a fleece jacket would probably be fine in the mornings. It was nippy in the mornings (we were usually in the vehicles by 7am), but by 10am, it was already getting hot and were were peeling off the jackets. We never needed anything beyond just a jacket, but this was mid-May. Granted, I am formerly from NYC, so my cold may be a bit different from what others consider cold. I didn't take a wool hat nor did I ever feel like I needed one.
3) We had no problems with mosquitos in Botswana. Our tents always had a can of Doom and a can of Peaceful Sleep in it and we did use those just as a precaution. We hardly ever used the insect repellent we brought with us.
However, something did manage to bite several of us around the ankles, legs, and hands, but we don't think it was mosquitos. Maybe sand flies or no see ums, or something, but I had little red bumps on my ankles and legs after our stay in Xijera. Anti-itch cream was invaluable.
4) We had 6 people on our tour and about 4 binocs in the group. Two of us were fairly serious photographers, so we hardly ever used the binoculars. I did not take a pair of binocs with me, but I had a lens that went out to 720mm. The guide had binocs in the truck, so on the few occassions I wanted to use a pair, there always seemed to be one available between the guides and my friends with me. Atravelynn is right though, the binocs are a lot better for close-up views than the zoom lens.
5) We were at Xijera which is a water camp, but never really got our feet wet. I don't think you need two pair in case one gets wet. What I would suggest, is you bring a pair of walking shoes that are not mesh. I had a really nice pair of mesh Merrils but water was not the issue... the sand and dust were. My feet always seemed dirty cause the sand went right through the mesh and right through the socks. I had a pair of flip-flop/slides for the evening.
6) Everyone is our group had duffle bags, but i dont see a problem with a non-framed backpack if it meets the weight and size requirements. Also, everyone in our group has a second camera bag or day bag/backpack. This was their 2nd bag along with the duffle.
I was surprised that with all the warnings of weight restrictions we had prior to our trip, not once was our baggage ever weighed in total. Our checked bags were weighed on the inter-African flights, but nothing was ever weighed for the transfers between camps nor were any of our carry-n bags weighed. Heck, I even carried on two bags (on was a bag stuffed with trinkets from the Victoria Falls market) on Nationwide despite all their signs warning that only one carry-on was permitted.
Enjoy your safari, it will be amazing!
May 27th, 2007 | 01:06 AM
#5
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 267
Likes: 0
When I read this in your post
"Any thoughts on make or typoe of gloves would be appreciated as well."
I thought in the personal experience of my trip in June(2004) to Botswana.
But then I realized that not been English my first language it was going to be very complicated to explain .
Then i read this in Atravelyn´S anwser
"On this last trip I brought along some mittens I had that work like this: They are wool and have gloved fingers about half way up the knuckle. Then there is a mitten flap that you can pull down over the top to cover your whole hand. Your fingertips are uncovered when you lift the flap so you can do stuff with your camera. I liked these and will take them again."
That is perfect explanation and a great idea.
The mornings of June in Botswana turned out to be very cold and more when the opened vehicles were in march.
I have seen in your another post that you are interested in photography , same as me. The best hours of light for photography are from 6,30 to 9 in the morning but also they are the coldest.
The camera and the lens remain frozen and simply the fact of holding the monopod it can turn in to a pain without protection in your hands. The mittens worked marvelously, supporting my hands warm and with mobility at the same time,besides you do not lose sensibility in the yolks of your fingers, so important at the moment of pressing the shooter or modify parameters in your camera..
Mines had a Velcro behind to keep the flap attached(that I did not use very much certainly) .If you do not find them, take a simple wool gloves with the glove fingers cut half way and it will serve you.
It may seem too simply but for me it turned out to be very important.
Atravelynn,It seems that you have answers for everything, that is very nice.
In Spanish the word for these gloves is MITONES (similar , isn´t it ?) .
I must confess that i did not even know the name in Spanish and was my wife that show it to me and the one that bought them ,thinking that they could serve me on the trip.I am glad she did.
Paco.
"Any thoughts on make or typoe of gloves would be appreciated as well."
I thought in the personal experience of my trip in June(2004) to Botswana.
But then I realized that not been English my first language it was going to be very complicated to explain .
Then i read this in Atravelyn´S anwser
"On this last trip I brought along some mittens I had that work like this: They are wool and have gloved fingers about half way up the knuckle. Then there is a mitten flap that you can pull down over the top to cover your whole hand. Your fingertips are uncovered when you lift the flap so you can do stuff with your camera. I liked these and will take them again."
That is perfect explanation and a great idea.
The mornings of June in Botswana turned out to be very cold and more when the opened vehicles were in march.
I have seen in your another post that you are interested in photography , same as me. The best hours of light for photography are from 6,30 to 9 in the morning but also they are the coldest.
The camera and the lens remain frozen and simply the fact of holding the monopod it can turn in to a pain without protection in your hands. The mittens worked marvelously, supporting my hands warm and with mobility at the same time,besides you do not lose sensibility in the yolks of your fingers, so important at the moment of pressing the shooter or modify parameters in your camera..
Mines had a Velcro behind to keep the flap attached(that I did not use very much certainly) .If you do not find them, take a simple wool gloves with the glove fingers cut half way and it will serve you.
It may seem too simply but for me it turned out to be very important.
Atravelynn,It seems that you have answers for everything, that is very nice.
In Spanish the word for these gloves is MITONES (similar , isn´t it ?) .
I must confess that i did not even know the name in Spanish and was my wife that show it to me and the one that bought them ,thinking that they could serve me on the trip.I am glad she did.
Paco.
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May 27th, 2007 | 06:36 AM
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
jh6000 - lots of good advice from Fodorites concerning weather and clothing - jackets, etc. for early morning drives on my posting, Weather in south Africa? I dont know how to do the thread thing to reference it; if anyone could tell me, I'd love to know! But its on the board under weather. VERY helpful to me as I am leaving next week. Have a great trip too! Sam
May 27th, 2007 | 06:43 AM
#9
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,766
Likes: 0
1. I generally wear green shirts, but the camps often sell khaki, which can be a nice souvenir. Its dusty in Bots in June, so avoid wearing anything you really like.
2. It's really down to you. We were out before sunup everyday at 6am, and it was bitterly cold some mornings. Use all the layers and the poncho, and definitely a hat, again camps sell beanies and the guides wear them, that should tell you something. It was our choice to be up and out by 6. If you wait until 7 it will be a bit warmer, but also April is a lot warmer than June / July when frost is a distinct possibility.
3. Few bugs at this time of year, camp has you covered. Blue attracts TseTse flies.
4. Only buy really good binocs if you're going to get continued use. Otherwise there are several threads detailing inexpensive (depending on your budget) pairs. A pair each is better.
5. Yes.
6. Generally they weigh your bags for the charter flights, we've always worn our heavy clothes and carried, binocs, camera bags and these have not been weighed.
2. It's really down to you. We were out before sunup everyday at 6am, and it was bitterly cold some mornings. Use all the layers and the poncho, and definitely a hat, again camps sell beanies and the guides wear them, that should tell you something. It was our choice to be up and out by 6. If you wait until 7 it will be a bit warmer, but also April is a lot warmer than June / July when frost is a distinct possibility.
3. Few bugs at this time of year, camp has you covered. Blue attracts TseTse flies.
4. Only buy really good binocs if you're going to get continued use. Otherwise there are several threads detailing inexpensive (depending on your budget) pairs. A pair each is better.
5. Yes.
6. Generally they weigh your bags for the charter flights, we've always worn our heavy clothes and carried, binocs, camera bags and these have not been weighed.
May 27th, 2007 | 10:42 AM
#13
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Wow .. . the breadth of depth of knowledge here never ceases to amaze me. Thanks so much.
I did look up the glomitts on amazon ... Amazon lists several varieties between $15-$30 (they ship from amazon partners). Some reader reviews note "itchy-ness" of the wool, but the functionality looks perfect.
Great replies - - thanks so much!
John H.
I did look up the glomitts on amazon ... Amazon lists several varieties between $15-$30 (they ship from amazon partners). Some reader reviews note "itchy-ness" of the wool, but the functionality looks perfect.
Great replies - - thanks so much!
John H.
May 27th, 2007 | 10:47 PM
#15
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 368
Likes: 0
Hi, all,
Having been out shopping much of the day, I have a few follow-up questions:
1) Insect repellants with DEET: We looked at 3M, which we seemed to like best. It comes in lotion (35% DEET and lasts 12 hours), aerosol (25% DEET and lasts 8 hrs) and a pump (19% DEET and lasts 3 hours). It would seem that the lotion would be best to actually spread onto one's skin (especially face and neck areas), but that an aerosol or pump would be best to spray on clothes. is that how this stuff works? Does bringing two types of repellant (one lotion, one aerosol or pump) make sense? Can you bring aerosols onto airplanes? (I didn't think you could). Any advice appreciated related to this brand or other brand of repellants.
2) We are using Wilderness safaris. Their brochure states that in Botswana, due to local customs, the staff will wash everything daily but will not wash "underwear". Does underwear only apply to underpants, or does it apply to undershirts as well? (I'd guess the former, but wanted to check).
3) Duffel bags: We bought two REI duffel bags for the two of us -- bought a 30" and a 24" for now, but may opt for two 30" (they hold twice as much). The 30" is just under $30, the 24" is just under $25.00. They metal zippers aren't as solid as I'd like, the material seems adequate but maybe not as thick as the Eddie Bauer (which I will check out tomorrow). Any feedback from people who have used the REI duffel bags would be appreciated. Are they more durable than they might appear at first? Or, would you spend the extra money and choose the Eddie Bauer duffel? [I was a little concerned that the exterior zippered pouches on the 30" Eddie Bauer bags might cause them too wide for the small transport planes].
Two comments that may be helpful to others:
Binoculars: We looked at binoculars today and thought the Nikon Action 8x40 were very good and great value for money, so we will buy two of these bincoulars. Thanks for the advice. (By the way, if anyone is a binocular fanatic, the Canon Image-Stabilized binoculars are amazing! I just couldn't justify buying these on top of buying an IS zoom lens for my camera).
Day/back packs: We found some great day/back packs at The North Face today (they have an Outlet in Berkeley, CA; web site is www.thenorthface.com). Their "Strker" model really appealed to us for the way it keeps weight off the back. Check it out. At the outlet, it was selling for $40 (vs. $60 in stores), and was marked an additional 25% off.
Thanks again for the ongoing feedback and help.
John H
Having been out shopping much of the day, I have a few follow-up questions:
1) Insect repellants with DEET: We looked at 3M, which we seemed to like best. It comes in lotion (35% DEET and lasts 12 hours), aerosol (25% DEET and lasts 8 hrs) and a pump (19% DEET and lasts 3 hours). It would seem that the lotion would be best to actually spread onto one's skin (especially face and neck areas), but that an aerosol or pump would be best to spray on clothes. is that how this stuff works? Does bringing two types of repellant (one lotion, one aerosol or pump) make sense? Can you bring aerosols onto airplanes? (I didn't think you could). Any advice appreciated related to this brand or other brand of repellants.
2) We are using Wilderness safaris. Their brochure states that in Botswana, due to local customs, the staff will wash everything daily but will not wash "underwear". Does underwear only apply to underpants, or does it apply to undershirts as well? (I'd guess the former, but wanted to check).
3) Duffel bags: We bought two REI duffel bags for the two of us -- bought a 30" and a 24" for now, but may opt for two 30" (they hold twice as much). The 30" is just under $30, the 24" is just under $25.00. They metal zippers aren't as solid as I'd like, the material seems adequate but maybe not as thick as the Eddie Bauer (which I will check out tomorrow). Any feedback from people who have used the REI duffel bags would be appreciated. Are they more durable than they might appear at first? Or, would you spend the extra money and choose the Eddie Bauer duffel? [I was a little concerned that the exterior zippered pouches on the 30" Eddie Bauer bags might cause them too wide for the small transport planes].
Two comments that may be helpful to others:
Binoculars: We looked at binoculars today and thought the Nikon Action 8x40 were very good and great value for money, so we will buy two of these bincoulars. Thanks for the advice. (By the way, if anyone is a binocular fanatic, the Canon Image-Stabilized binoculars are amazing! I just couldn't justify buying these on top of buying an IS zoom lens for my camera).
Day/back packs: We found some great day/back packs at The North Face today (they have an Outlet in Berkeley, CA; web site is www.thenorthface.com). Their "Strker" model really appealed to us for the way it keeps weight off the back. Check it out. At the outlet, it was selling for $40 (vs. $60 in stores), and was marked an additional 25% off.
Thanks again for the ongoing feedback and help.
John H
May 28th, 2007 | 09:20 PM
#17
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 873
Likes: 0
John H-
I use the 3M DEET Lotion and Jungle Juice spray (also contains DEET, I think) for body application. I put the lotion on before I get dressed in the morning and carry the spray with me. For clothing I did not use the same stuff I spray on my body, although I don't know that you cannot use it for that purpose. I bought permetherin (sp?) spray especially made to spray on clothing. You spray it on before you leave, and it stays on for up to a dozen or two washings. So, I did not need to take it with me at all. I just sprayed everything ahead of time.
Napamatt-
Are you saying they supply special soap for handwash laundry? If so, I could eliminate that small bottle of handwash detergent from my luggage (although I have know to use shampoo!). Can you detail further about the soap? I am in 5 paw camps Namibia and Botswana in late June/early July. Thanks.
I use the 3M DEET Lotion and Jungle Juice spray (also contains DEET, I think) for body application. I put the lotion on before I get dressed in the morning and carry the spray with me. For clothing I did not use the same stuff I spray on my body, although I don't know that you cannot use it for that purpose. I bought permetherin (sp?) spray especially made to spray on clothing. You spray it on before you leave, and it stays on for up to a dozen or two washings. So, I did not need to take it with me at all. I just sprayed everything ahead of time.
Napamatt-
Are you saying they supply special soap for handwash laundry? If so, I could eliminate that small bottle of handwash detergent from my luggage (although I have know to use shampoo!). Can you detail further about the soap? I am in 5 paw camps Namibia and Botswana in late June/early July. Thanks.
May 29th, 2007 | 07:26 PM
#19
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 14,440
Likes: 0
1) I have found mosquitoes to be so scarce, that whatever bug spray you bring will be fine. I bring a small pump that can fit in a pocket.
2) I think just underpants are not accepted and some places just women’s underpants. You'll have a little container of laundry soap.
2) I think just underpants are not accepted and some places just women’s underpants. You'll have a little container of laundry soap.
May 30th, 2007 | 12:04 PM
#20
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 2,619
Likes: 0
I would suggest going with the 24" duffels, as opposed to the 30" duffels. The opening in the luggage pod on the Cessna planes you'll be flying is only 9.5 " by 27". You don't need a lot of clothes, as they do laundry everywhere. My bag is 22" * 14" * 9" and held everything I needed for a similar trip last year.
