napamatt

Full bird list can be found here.

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=77303

mkhonzo

I AM JEALOUS!

napamatt

A great compliment from you, thanks.

santharamhari

I noted that you went down near Kirkmans? But, Selati pride was hiding?

jasher

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the update on the Split Rock Male. I'm happy to hear he's doing well, though it's a bit sad to hear that he no longer roars (better for his health, no doubt). I have a number of photos of him and his brother roaring on my previous trips -- pretty impressive!

Cheers,
Julian

KayeN

Hi Matt,

Just looking at the bird list - quite some list, though I am surprised no red crested Korhaan, as we saw a few, and heard a lot more, even saw one do that beyond ridiculous mating ritual!

Kind regards,

Kaye

I think I have a ways to go before I am a real, real birder!

napamatt

Hari

Spent a lot of time in the south, no sign of the Selati pride.

Kaye - unlucky not to see the red crested Korhaan, also I've never seen the crest or flight, so you are ahead of me.

santharamhari

ok. They'll show up next time...

blackwell

sounds like a great trip. we were there aug.saw the styx prides three cubs .dont have the currage to my wife they didnt make .it

buzztechie

Matt -
I have a question for you about the bag limits with SAA and in London and JNB.

I am headed to Botswana this May (37 more days!) and am flying SAA LHR-JNB. I called SAA and they indicated the bag limit out of LHR was 30kg for checked luggage and 8 kg for carry on.

I am not worried about the weight limit on the checked luggage, but with all my camera gear, I am very near this 8kg limit for my one carry on and I am a bit worried.

I was wondering where they weigh your carry on bags at both LHR and JNB? Is it at the ticket counter or at the security checkpoints into the gate areas?

Someone recommended to take a lens out of the camera bag and put it on my person (jacket pocket), but this seems to be easier if the weigh-in of bags is at the ticket counter.

I am very excited for this Africa trip (my first), but I am stressing over all these bag restrictions.

If you have any advice on how best to navigate the London and SAA bag weight restrictions, please let me know.

Thanks.

cary999

good question buzztechie, I face the same thing soon.
regards - tom

napamatt

Techie

At LHR they will allow only one bag and the dimensions are quite small. Make sure your measure your bag well, otherwise they will make you check it. I don't remember any weighing of hand luggage at LHR.
At JNB they weigh your entire cart in the check in line before you get to the counter and they write a tag for the desk agent. If you are over weight, they send you to the far side of the terminal to pay the difference. I asked a couple of questions and was told that the weight limit for internal flights will be the same as your international flight if you flew SAA, but keep your boarding card as proof and I would double check that. Also they will increase your limit if you have status with the airline. I am Premier Exec on United (Star Alliance) and so got an extra 10kg. If DW had her card, we would not have had any excess.
I'm sure like all airline / airport rules things will change on a second by second or staff by staff basis.
I would have a contingency plan available, particularly at LHR if you think your carry on is not going to make it. Also Rocco's fishing vest with a million pockets might well come in handy, particularly for small lenses, cleaning kits etc.

safarichuck

Buzztechie and Tom,
I just have a moment to post a quickie here but I also am faced with the same situation in just about 7 weeks. I discovered a great bag and thought I woul mention it to you both. It is made by Think Tank Photo (see their web site) and the bags are light weight, the right size to fit some of the supertelephotos and are sized to fit a variety of airline limitations. Until someone like Andy Biggs develops a bag line for our needs, this looks like the best bet.
Cheers, Chuck

buzztechie

Thanks for all the info.

Per the LHR website, the size limit on your one carry-on bag is:
56 cm tall (approx 22in.)
45 cm wide (approx 17.7in.)
25 cm deep (approx 10in.)

Size is not really my problem as my Crumpler bag is well within those limits. Its that darn 8kg/17.6 pound weight limit with SAA. The Heathrow website lists no weight limit which matches what napamatt said about not having his stuff weighed at Heathrow.

I weighed my camera bag today, and I am at 17 pounds (w/bag). That's cutting it close (my duffle bag with all my clothes is only 20 pounds!). I just want to make sure that if necessary, I can stuff a lens in my pocket during the bag weigh-in to make sure I make the limit. It seems this may only be needed outbound JNB to LHR.

I am flying first class so I hope that eases up on the restrictions maybe even a little.

But I may look into one of those photo vests just in case.

Also, what about inter-Africa flights? Are Air Botswana and Nationwide strict on their bag limits?

cary999

LHR requirements have changed in the last few months, eased up some. Find a cardboard box 22x17.5x10 inches, that is a big box. That is the size of allowed carry on at LHR now. Weight limit is the amount that you can lift unaided into the over head locker.
The problem now is with the SAA weight limitation.
regards - tom

cary999

This quoted from SAA domestic SA flight web site (probably same as international information)-
"Your one piece of hand luggage should be no more than 23cm wide, 52cm long and 40cm high, and its weight should not exceed 8kg on all SAA flights excluding flights mentioned below."
It says "should not", is that the same as "must not"?
regards - tom

napamatt

If flying first class, the restrictions will not be enforced. Furthermore, you are right at the amount, so not to worry. In addition I bet you could find some weight to either put on your person or in your duffel (obviously unbreakable. IMO the SAA restriction is used on domestic flights to increase revenue. I see this as being a bigger part of flying going forward on all carriers, hey in England they want to charge you more tax the more often you fly.
Air Bots doesn't seem to have any restrictions like this and we have never had a problem at JNB or Maun.