|
My bags are packed, I'm ready to go
Not really. I'm stressing trying to squeeze 50 lbs of potatoes into a 26 lb. sack.
Thusly, I'm obsessing about how much deodorant do people really need for 21 days, will the people next to me care. How much sun block is needed if applied lightly, will one pair of undies last 10 full days before I have laundry service - please advise. Meanwhile, if it looks like I'll be crossing paths with any of you and you think you want to rub shoulders with the likes of me and DH give a shout. Here's my itinerary; <font color="blue"> 22 July 2008: JOHANNESBURG Southern Sun 1 1 n. 23 July: VICTORIA FALLS Ilala Lodge 1 n. 24 July: MANA CANOE TRAIL 3-n./4 d. 27 July: SOMALISA CAMP, HWANGE 3 n. 30 July: SELINDA CAMP, SELINDA-LINYANTI 4 n. 03 Aug: LITTLE VUMBURA CAMP, 2 n. 05 Aug: CHITABE LEDIBA CAMP, 3 n. 08 Aug: Quad Bike activity and Overnight trip to Ntwetwe Pan with braai (barbecue) dinner. 1 n. 09 Aug: PLANET BAOBAB 2 n. 11 Aug: DEPARTURE </font> Thanks all for your help. |
Hi Sherry,
Just wanted to say "happy travels" and hope you see the dogs ...... Hari |
Have a great trip Sherry! Travel safe! If Beks or Sophia are around, tell them Hello!
Aloha! |
Now lets see, the deodorant. Hmmm, yes, some is needed but just take a small one - Sherry, if you run out, just pick a few leaves from a nearby tree and rub under your arms. Well, of course though, if it turns out to be a poisonous plant, make sure you have some kind of topical itch lotion in your bag.... >)
Sun bloc. Well, again, take a little one, and if you need more, just ask the cook at each camp to please do up a light paste of flour and water for you, maybe have him colour it a bit with raspberries, or peaches or something so that you won't look as though you have flour paste on your face... :-@ And the underwear. This has been discussed in detail I believe on my packing list thread! There were some good - albeit really ickky suggestions on that thread! :"> :-) :-) OHMIGOSH I can't beleive you are almost away!!! Have a GREAT trip and I can't wait to hear all about it! Blaze some paths for me!! |
Guess then you have enough shampoo and conditioner. :) (and meds)
Small deodorant is all you need and SPF, though if you choose the local paste Lynda describes, you'll fit right in! Have a great time. |
If you stay long enough, the need for deoderant becomes irrelevent, as many Africans don't wear it. But I'm sure the people traveling with you will care!
I was recently in Africa for a month, and packed 3 of the small travel-sized sticks. I used 2 during my time there. Hope that helps. |
Have a great time, Sherry!
|
I'm already feeling better thanks to your replies.
Hari, I'm de-jinxing myself by asking to NOT see the dogs - think that will work? Dennis, Sophia (and Beks, if he's around) will personally be taking me to see the kids - I'm actually more excited about that than anything. I'm sitting on my hands waiting to see if my packages arrived safely. Thanks for the intro. Lynda, I've printed out your packing list and am using it as a guide. No laundry service though until 10 days into it - yikes. I shall smear myself with the suggested goop and hope that I don't attract undo attention from bugs, wildlife or humans. Sandi, I chopped my long curls off and now have a bob. Very liberating and more economical as I now use 1/3 as much conditioner - who knew. Gritty, Good deodorant tip. I'll bring 2 and wing it from there. Patty, Thanks. You must be about ready for something interesting yourself - no? |
25 days until we leave for Australia \:D/
Still waffling over some details and trying to decide on a reef trip. Treepol and I are going to see if we can manage a mini-GTG on Tasmania after she gets back from her 2 months in Africa. |
Yup - I think that's a good strategy! Should work!!!
|
This is a power packed itinerary and I remember back when it was just getting off the ground.
I'd sugget changing undies more frequently than changing camps. Of course you'll want to feel fresh for the quad biking! I would have loved to meet up with you in Africa. But it looks like not this time. Have a wonderful and memorable trip! |
Patty - enjoy and as always fill us in upon return. I know you'll do Australia in an unusual and wonderful way and would love to see pics. and hear about it.
Lynn & Hari, Thanks |
Can't believe I'm asking this but does anyone know if there's an internet connection at any of the above mentioned locals?
Got some fires that need watching. Thanks |
Thanks, Sherry! (I better hurry up and add something unusual and wonderful to my itinerary :? )
|
Not meaning to hijack, Sherry, but Patty, have you posted a link to your Aust trip itinerary somewhere in the down under forum? I'd love to see it!
What's your thoughts on the wavering for the reef trip? I've been on one, it was kind of touristy, but I'd go again in a heartbeat! Sherry, did you get the 50 lbs of potatoes in the 26 lb bag? |
Lynda,
I haven't posted my itinerary anywhere but here it is: Aug 14/15/16 - Cairns, reef one day and private tour with Jonathan Munro/Wildwatch another day Aug 17/18/19/20/21 - northern Tasmania, Narawntapu NP, Warrawee reserve, Cradle Mountain NP Aug 22/23 - Adelaide Aug 24/25/26 - Kangaroo Island Aug 27/28/29 - Sydney I've been wavering because all of the reef trips require so much travel time back and forth and we're also crowd adverse and don't want to do anything that takes a lot of passengers. I looked at liveaboards but by the time we were ready to book this trip (last month), the one I wanted was full. I think I've solved our problem though. I found out I can book a helicopter to drop just the two of us off at a sand spit for a few hours and pick us up later :D I was pretty much sold after I found this guy's photos on Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyl/261...n/photostream/ Now I just hope they have availability! |
Patty,
Being helicoptered to a sand split in the middle of the ocean sounds pretty wonderful to me. Lynda, Not yet. I'm down to about 32 lbs. each and can't skin anything else down. My meds. alone need a separate cart. 26lbs. for Zimbabwe is cruel and unusual - particularly when we'll be required to sleep outside and deal with 2 separate climates. We're planning on loading Mike up with a Rocko vest - wish I had one, sigh. Dennis or others who've been to Zimb. will we get shot on sight for going over. Is there a fee? Neither of us weigh 220 lb. or over (yet) - does this give us a hip up :) |
Wow, no laundry for 10 days. That's a tough one! I hope all your clothes are that dark green color. (I've noticed on the mobile safaris that the guys wearing that color don't look nearly as dirty as the lighter khaki that I have.) I wish I had known earlier that you need a vest - I have a rocco vest that I've never worn but I carry it with me just in case I ever need to fill it with camera gear. I would have mailed it to you. Have a great trip, Sherry!
|
Sherry, I think you have done wonderful getting it down to 32 lbs! I also could have mailed you my vest, I wore it the first year, but not the second - it's not a Rocco vest though, it's just a Tilley vest.
Two climates, no laundry for 10 days and the meds is a tough one to get that bag down to 26 lbs, really that's much at all - isn't a bag of sugar 22 lbs? And that bag of sugar isn't very big at all! Try putting battery chargers, extra batteries, alarm clocks, flashlights, binoculars, etc. in your carry on once you are in Africa (especially the clock, it would never get through security as a carry on internationally!) I did that last year, it worked great. Patty, the sand spit looks delicous! Wow, cool, I hope you can get that one booked. Your itinerary looks fun, I will have to look up some of the NP's you have listed as I am not familiar with them. I loved Sydney, make sure to do a harbour tour (plenty available at the dock, no need to pre-book) it is a spectacular harbour to motor or sail around in. We were on a catamaran, lots of people, but that was OK, it was still fun! Until that day out in the harbour, I really and truly thought that no other city was as breathtaking as Vancouver, but I had to admit that Sydney was perhaps just a smidgen above ! Just a smidgen though. I also really enjoyed Featherdale Wildlife Farm, yes, it is a zoo, but animals in a zoo need hugs too! And, I love to see all the indigenous animals I miss in the wild when we go to different countries. If you go, please say hi to the Tasmanian Devil for me, him and I did some bonding when I was there. :-) We did the reef trip as a day trip from a cruise ship - so I never thought of the time involved to get from Cairns out to the reef - our cruise ship moored way out in the middle of nowhere, and a catamaran came to the ship and picked us up. It was about an hour or so to get to the reef area I believe. There is a Swain's reef out there by the way.... |
sundowner,
Thanks. Lynda, The 26 lbs. includes carry on's as well - oy~! I'm down to 30 lbs. each after that all I have left is the option to throw clothes out and paint my skin. |
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:53 PM. |