Tips on Packing for Africa from a Real Live* African!
We are going into winter. It does not snow. It DOES and WILL get colder than you think. Especially in the mornings. Bring layers. Also gloves. Yes seriously.
Water bottle. If it does get hot, you will thank me.
Hats. Suncream. Sunglasses Nuff said.
Mosquito Spray. Ditto. Also good to spray on your boots/ankles when hiking through long grass to deter ticks.
Binoculars, Camera, bird book (or App. I recommend the one from Sasol-it’s what I use-useful to have photos and calls!) Batteries. Chargers. Plug adaptors (we are 220V over here)
Dark/neutral colours are better in the bush. Leave the white t-shirts at home. They’ll only get dirty and dusty and attract leopards. (Just kidding).
Schistosomiasis doesn’t occur in clear running water. NO slurping from stagnant puddles.
Re the luggage thing: sadly ORThambo (Johannesburg) is notorious for sticky fingered luggage handlers. If you are transferring through there, then try check you luggage as late as possible so it spends as little time in the bowels of the airport as humanely possible. Also, you’ll see theses guys offering to wrap your luggage in giant swathes of cling film. Opinions differ on whether it deters theft. I always do it and *knock on wood* haven’t had a problem yet.
Botswana is breathtaking. You are going to have an incredible time! I’m a little jealous that I can’t go back to visit! I send you good birding vibes, Fish Eagles a plenty, Little Brown jobbies in the reeds, vast soaring-yet-silhouetted-therefore-unidentifiable-raptors and….real honest to goodness wild Ostriches! YES!
You’ll never be the same xx
*(Of course I’m alive….if I were dead I would have written ‘zombie’)
Tips on Packing for Africa from a Real Live* African!
We are going into winter. It does not snow. It DOES and WILL get colder than you think. Especially in the mornings. Bring layers. Also gloves. Yes seriously.
Water bottle. If it does get hot, you will thank me.
Hats. Suncream. Sunglasses Nuff said.
Mosquito Spray. Ditto. Also good to spray on your boots/ankles when hiking through long grass to deter ticks.
Binoculars, Camera, bird book (or App. I recommend the one from Sasol-it’s what I use-useful to have photos and calls!) Batteries. Chargers. Plug adaptors (we are 220V over here)
Dark/neutral colours are better in the bush. Leave the white t-shirts at home. They’ll only get dirty and dusty and attract leopards. (Just kidding).
Schistosomiasis doesn’t occur in clear running water. NO slurping from stagnant puddles.
Re the luggage thing: sadly ORThambo (Johannesburg) is notorious for sticky fingered luggage handlers. If you are transferring through there, then try check you luggage as late as possible so it spends as little time in the bowels of the airport as humanely possible. Also, you’ll see theses guys offering to wrap your luggage in giant swathes of cling film. Opinions differ on whether it deters theft. I always do it and *knock on wood* haven’t had a problem yet.
Botswana is breathtaking. You are going to have an incredible time! I’m a little jealous that I can’t go back to visit! I send you good birding vibes, Fish Eagles a plenty, Little Brown jobbies in the reeds, vast soaring-yet-silhouetted-therefore-unidentifiable-raptors and….real honest to goodness wild Ostriches! YES!
You’ll never be the same xx
*(Of course I’m alive….if I were dead I would have written ‘zombie’)