Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Thinking about a new "bucket list"
From Elaine:
After an amazing trip to Uganda and Rwanda in Feb. 2011 my bucket list of 40 years was now completed. I'd traveled to Alaska for two weeks rafted the Colorado River for a week and looked into the eyes of a mountain gorilla on my 70th birthday. I set out to compile a new list...maybe not quite a "bucket" this time but more of a smaller "pail." With a whole world out there not one place was particularly calling to me. After watching the Disney movie "African Cats" the answer came......I wanted to see the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania when millions and millions of wildebeast, zebras, etc migrate to new grazing territories such as the Serengeti. While that is a pretty amazing idea I thought, how does one person set about doing just that? I poured over itineraries of many safari companies and in the end turned back to Journey's International (the company we used in 2011) and merged together the highlights of their safari's to both countries.
Let me stop right now and clarify that when I say "we" I am talking about my friend Peggy LeVeen. While I wanted her to make this trip with me I wasn't sure for awhile she would agree. Prepared to venture out alone I was relieved when she agreed to join me. I must admit sleeping alone in a tent made me a little uncomfortable. Rooming with a stranger...even more so. But if need be my desire to return to Africa was so great I would have done so.
In January and Feb. I worked on compiling a list of the places to include on this adventure and approached several tour companies which used guides actually living in Africa. In the end, Journey's was able to put this trip together at a cost lower than other agencies.
In Feb and March the trip was tweeked a bit here and there based on advice from the local guides. The initial deposit was sent, air flights scheduled and paid for, travel insurance to think about and finally purchase, appointment at the travel clinic to see what immunizations we might need for entrance into these two countries. It turned out that the ones we needed for Uganda and Rwanda would suffice for this trip. I got my prescriptions for the malaria preventive medication and Cipro in case of traveler's diarrhea.
Downloaded an app to my phone that counts down to our trip in days, weeks and even minutes. Started putting together a box of "things for African trip." Little by little over the months it is really filling up.. Still have lots of the basics from our last trip so the cost this time will be less. Needed a roll on duffel bag as a carryon. Last time I didn't have one on wheels and I thought Peggy would kill me because she had to carry both mine and hers through the airport. Our plan is to take less with us this time because there is a 40lb weight limit on the small plane we will take from Kenya to Tanzania. We plan on wearing our same clothes and turn them inside out when they get dirty. Note to self: bring extra deodorant.
It will be winter in Africa when we leave August 16th but their winter is like our spring. No heavy coats needed. Women there wear long skirts, rarely pants. Last time we took skirts but this time we will stick with pants. I have several convertible pairs of pants. The legs have zippers above the knee and you can remove the lower leg portion to make them into shorts. Oh and let me mention that I found taking scrubs to sleep in worked out well. Comfortable and you are all dressed in case you need to go somewhere during the night time. Like when an animal bursts into your tent and you start to run.......kidding !
We took so many photos on our last trip that I'm not sure I will do that this time. In fact, the camera on my phone takes such good pictures I might just take that and eliminate some weight at the same time. This still needs some thought.
So, there you have the steps I followed and thoughts about the trip I wanted to initially share.......just in case you want to put a similar trip together.
More to come...............
After an amazing trip to Uganda and Rwanda in Feb. 2011 my bucket list of 40 years was now completed. I'd traveled to Alaska for two weeks rafted the Colorado River for a week and looked into the eyes of a mountain gorilla on my 70th birthday. I set out to compile a new list...maybe not quite a "bucket" this time but more of a smaller "pail." With a whole world out there not one place was particularly calling to me. After watching the Disney movie "African Cats" the answer came......I wanted to see the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania when millions and millions of wildebeast, zebras, etc migrate to new grazing territories such as the Serengeti. While that is a pretty amazing idea I thought, how does one person set about doing just that? I poured over itineraries of many safari companies and in the end turned back to Journey's International (the company we used in 2011) and merged together the highlights of their safari's to both countries.
Let me stop right now and clarify that when I say "we" I am talking about my friend Peggy LeVeen. While I wanted her to make this trip with me I wasn't sure for awhile she would agree. Prepared to venture out alone I was relieved when she agreed to join me. I must admit sleeping alone in a tent made me a little uncomfortable. Rooming with a stranger...even more so. But if need be my desire to return to Africa was so great I would have done so.
In January and Feb. I worked on compiling a list of the places to include on this adventure and approached several tour companies which used guides actually living in Africa. In the end, Journey's was able to put this trip together at a cost lower than other agencies.
In Feb and March the trip was tweeked a bit here and there based on advice from the local guides. The initial deposit was sent, air flights scheduled and paid for, travel insurance to think about and finally purchase, appointment at the travel clinic to see what immunizations we might need for entrance into these two countries. It turned out that the ones we needed for Uganda and Rwanda would suffice for this trip. I got my prescriptions for the malaria preventive medication and Cipro in case of traveler's diarrhea.
Downloaded an app to my phone that counts down to our trip in days, weeks and even minutes. Started putting together a box of "things for African trip." Little by little over the months it is really filling up.. Still have lots of the basics from our last trip so the cost this time will be less. Needed a roll on duffel bag as a carryon. Last time I didn't have one on wheels and I thought Peggy would kill me because she had to carry both mine and hers through the airport. Our plan is to take less with us this time because there is a 40lb weight limit on the small plane we will take from Kenya to Tanzania. We plan on wearing our same clothes and turn them inside out when they get dirty. Note to self: bring extra deodorant.
It will be winter in Africa when we leave August 16th but their winter is like our spring. No heavy coats needed. Women there wear long skirts, rarely pants. Last time we took skirts but this time we will stick with pants. I have several convertible pairs of pants. The legs have zippers above the knee and you can remove the lower leg portion to make them into shorts. Oh and let me mention that I found taking scrubs to sleep in worked out well. Comfortable and you are all dressed in case you need to go somewhere during the night time. Like when an animal bursts into your tent and you start to run.......kidding !
We took so many photos on our last trip that I'm not sure I will do that this time. In fact, the camera on my phone takes such good pictures I might just take that and eliminate some weight at the same time. This still needs some thought.
So, there you have the steps I followed and thoughts about the trip I wanted to initially share.......just in case you want to put a similar trip together.
More to come...............
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