The Final Countdown

You might not know this, but I'm going to Africa. If you do know, you've probably heard this a hundred times but I make no apologies. The first time that I can remember wanting to go to Africa was when I was ten years old. It has only taken 40 years to make this a reality, so it's no wonder I'm a little excited!

It's only 2 days and a handful of hours before I fly out to Namibia and this will be my last post before I go. I doubt I will have any form of connectivity in the bush (note the African terminology) but I will keep you up to date by providing a series of pre-written posts that will (I hope) appear automatically explaining where I should be and what I'm doing according to our itinerary.

I have two piles of kit: equipment and clothing. I keep visiting them to see what I can remove. Inevitably I end up adding something to them, which doesn't help! Tomorrow is equipment cull day! A ruthless removal of all things unnecessary. Yup! Well, that's the plan!

I'm cramming in the study knowing I can't take all the books with me. I know the staff and guides will have a good selection of reference books. Liebenberg's 'Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa'  will be the one that goes in my tracking bag.

I've had a few more words of wisdom. Max Maxwell was born in Zambia and I had a good chat with him on the recent Shadowhawk course. He suggested keeping optics like photographic equipment in dry bags. This will help keep out the sand. Another fellow tracker is Rohan, who has visited Africa on many occasions.

Here's a few gems from him that made me smile:

• Take a powerful white head torch for checking eye shine at night (especially on the way to the loos - not joking)
• Haribo type sweets don't melt in your pocket like choc
• Tekkies: South African for soft-backed pumps, daps or plimsolls, are very versatile and take up less space than flip-flops
• A cut up gallon orange juice container makes a handy jerry to save braving the leopards at night :-))
• Stand in the shade not out in the sun
• Take a GPS and ping the vehicle before leaving it on walkabouts (guides will ask you to find the 'moova')
• Take a v. light cape/poncho with you every day
• Wear a cap, not a bush hat, and you'll hear better (but burn yr neck :-( )
• It's bastard hot and wet in the Transvaal at this time but quite cool and dry in the western Cape.  Probably cold and foggy up in Namib (just kidding :-))
• Learn bird calls (esp Oxpecker, Grey Lowrie) and behaviour (vulture sequence, etc)
• Make sure your guides do a full safety brief (ideally with a lioness scenario) every day before walking off,
• Tamboti tree: If present in your area, get someone to show it to you and learn the bark.  It's poisonous and if used for a braai fire will give everyone a headache.  It's normally found near water, so it may not be there in Namib.
• Always plan for the worst; that way you always have a plan
• 'Welkom bei Afrika' translates as 'shit happens here' and is an expression of sympathy, not welcome :-))  Africa destroys things and people, don't take anything delicate or that you'd hate to lose.

Click here for the weather.

With that I bid you farewell until 18 November when I will not only announce my return but share some excellent news.

Check back for the itinerary auto-posts.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.