Packing and 4 days

VOLUME IS THE ENEMY!

Packing for a 6 month trip in a foreign country is rather difficult. One wants to travel light, while also taking full advantage of a carry on and two checked luggage bags policy. Its not like I’m traveling to my parents for the weekend or Seattle or New York city for a week long trip, and can get by with a packing a few extra things.

I’m truly going to force myself to get by with very little. Every item counts and has dual purposes if possible and might find itself in a few stuff sacs I purchased to utilize limited volume. I plan to only check one bag, even when I wish more items could go. Things have a way of collecting over time, and all I have to do is remember all the stuff I hauled out of my apartment of 3 years in Lincoln! I'm sort of a pack rat at times and I'm sure most of the stuff on my bed will not make it over to Africa.

I’m essentially packing like I’m spending 6 months in the Rocky Mountains, but in this situation -the grasslands/dessert of Namibia. I have a huge 95 liter backpack that will hold my tent, sleeping bag, collapsible cookware, whisper lite stove, camp towels, clothing and safari sun shirts, a few layers to save packing a bulky jacket [yes it can reach freezing levels in Namibia’s deserts!], and of course a first aide kit. I’ll also take a roll-a-round with various items and my day-backpack. Finally, a camera/computer/binocular bag will also make the journey.

The packing process started when I moved from Lincoln back home to the ranch and all my possible Africa items have been sitting on the middle house bed for a number of weeks. But things have still come down to the wire and luckily my cousin who lives in Denver was able to bring a few REI items I will need when he drives to my cousin’s wedding today.

I’ve been able to add and subtract in my head what will be going, but Monday will be a true test of what will be going once I go through a packing trial. I’m going to double check on the weight limits, but I plan on firing up the cattle weighing scale and figuring out a close estimate of all my bags.

Other things:

Booked a hotel for one night in Joberg, South Africa. One hears so much about this city and how violent and unsettled the atmosphere is at the moment.

Part of me has this passion to go into the rough places and look for stories and help provide exposure and supplement dramatic real life experiences for my own development, just talk to random people to hear their stories, and not limit myself to one perception and strive to experience the full breath of a city -good and bad. There must be a little bit of a journalist in me somewhere!

Then there is this part of me that wants to play it safe. A good friend of mine from college connected me with his father who has traveled into many areas of Africa, not areas I will be living, but still provided some great general advice. The green text is the email:

"Aaron -

Things are mostly not so dangerous, though some of the cities, most definitely including Johannesburg, can be dangerous. Theft is a common problem, and you need to exercise common sense at hotels, but mostly Africa is a fine place to travel, though more expensive than you might guess given the level of poverty. I had a fantastic time and will be returning in July to work, in Mozambique, for two years. I spent nearly eight months there in 2006, most of the time in Cameroon, Senegal, and Zambia, with shorter stays in Niger, Benin, and South Africa, and one day in Nigeria.

For starters I strongly recommend a guide book, the newest edition you can get as things change. I have found Rough Guides to be best, Footprints second, Lonely Planet third, though Lonely Planet is good enough and sometimes the only choice, as they cover more places than the other two publishers. There is one book, I forget which publisher puts it out, that covers all of southern Africa, and I think would have all four of the countries you name.

Whites were well received in all of the countries I traveled in, in both urban and rural areas, and from a racial perspective I had trouble, if you can call it that, in only one country: South Africa. The entire time I was in Africa I was traveling with women, three of them altogether: a Cameroonian while I was in Cameroon and the west African countries, a Zambian woman in Zambia, and a Nigerian woman in South Africa. South Africa ended apartheid only in the 1990s, 15 years or so ago, so think of what racial relations were in America sometime in the 1880s and you have a taste. They no longer have separate bathrooms and people can sit anywhere on the bus, but in the eight days I spent there I saw only one other racially mixed couple, and I had a strong sense that many people were uncomfortable with the sight of me and a very black Nigerian woman walking together. If you are not traveling with a black woman you likely will not pick up on this, but it is definitely there.

In Johannesburg, where I spent several days, there are some fine parts of the city that are perfectly safe to walk day or night, and some parts where you must not go, period. I suggest reading the guide book section on the city and pick a hotel that it recommends; the recommendations will be for safe to reasonably safe parts of the city. At the hotel ask before you go anywhere; the staff will be able to give you reliable information. English will of course be spoken so you will have no trouble communicating.

I was also in Durban, which has some great beaches, and if you go there I suggest staying in a hotel right across from the beach, but note that the area immediately inland from there is not the best area to walk at night, though the waterfront is okay. I was not in Cape Town, though I guess that it is a safer city than either Durban or Johannesburg.

I have not been in Botswana, Angola, or Namibia, but was in Zambia for nearly two months, and I suspect that there are similarities. As to what I encountered in Zambia, the capital, Lusaka, was safe to walk anywhere during the day, and at night there was not much to do, so I did not go anywhere then. It was oddly devoid of restaurants in the central part of the city, more a sprawling town, but the hotel I stayed at had one. Pickpockets were an issue in the center city during the day. In the rural areas I traveled I had no trouble, though I heard of thefts occurring from hotel rooms. Best to carry your cash, credit cards, passport, in a money belt or lock them up with the hotel management. In Zambia I was never asked to show my passport aside from when I entered and left, and I guess that will be the case in most of the southern African countries, so a copy of the information pages and of the page with the visa is all you need to have on you, though read the guidebook as to what it recommends for each country. In the more corrupt west and central African countries one must carry the passport itself.

Generally I think you will be received well in rural areas. If you get off the usual tourist track you will be in areas where white people are not seen so much, and people will be curious about you, and very friendly. I was in rural areas in Zambia, did a long trip there in the southwest corner of the country, in Cameroon, in Niger, and in Benin. I had no troubles at all. Travel can be slow as roads are often poor and bus schedules not always adhered to.

For all of your vital papers and credit cards, somewhere keep a record of the numbers on the cards, telephone numbers to call in case of loss, and the like. You might leave all this information with someone you trust completely in the states as well, so you can call them and get it if you need it. Will you carry a laptop? I did and do. Be sure to have a set of international plugs; apple sells this (I assume with your email address that use an apple). One place to keep your vital information is in a .dmg folder, though you might want it on paper too in case the laptop is stolen.

You likely will need a yellow fever vaccination, some countries require one for entry, and hepatitis and typhoid are strongly recommended. As to malaria, you will be in the area mostly in the dry season, so perhaps you get by without taking anti-malarial drugs. I took mefloquine (also sold under the brand name Larium) while I was in west and central Africa, and continued while I was in southern Africa as I was already on the drug, and it worked. On two occasions people I was around came down with malaria and I never did. I had no trouble with any side effects. The Center for Disease Control (cdc.gov) has a long section on malaria that is worth looking at, including discussions of the various drugs used to combat it.

If you expect to spend significant time in rural areas you might want to carry 10-days or so worth of a general antibiotic, as finding medication in rural areas can be difficult, and a first-aid kit that has at least bandages, tape, and antibiotic ointment is a good idea. A strong, prescription, anti-diarrheal is also a good idea. Most doctors in the states will write you prescriptions if you explain what you are doing. You could also carry drugs to treat malaria with if you choose not to take prophylactic drugs, but it is slightly difficult to diagnose, symptoms are similar to influenza, and you might just want to get to a city and a doctor if you suspect you have it. If you use dental floss, bring it with you, and sunscreen too. Pack as lightly as you can while you travel in rural areas; leave unneeded luggage at your home base or at a hotel in a city if possible.

For money visas cards especially are widely accepted at ATMs, though at least in South Africa you can use mastercard and americanexpress as well. Be sure to get a PIN before you leave the states for each card you will carry. Dollars can be exchanged almost anywhere, so a small stash of greenbacks is worth carrying; a mix of 20s and 50s is perhaps best unless you will be only in cities, then 100s will be fine. South African currency likely will be acceptable in the area as well.

For visas read the guidebooks; most or all of the countries you are going to will probably issue you one at the border, but some you might want to get in advance.

Bribes: read the guidebooks as to the specific corruption level of each country. I did not have to pay any in Zambia or South Africa. Angola might be a problem. Have perhaps $30 U.S. or the equivalent in local currency in easy reach, the rest deeper down. Keep the $30 spread in at least two pockets, and know what you have where, so if you need to pay a bribe you pull out only the amount of money or slightly more. Speaking of Angola, I believe the capital city there, Luanda, has its crime issues, so I would read up on it before arriving.

Clothing: REI has some great clothing, shirts and pants that dry quickly and have many pockets, including some that are zippered; I recommend them. Carry lots of underwear; you will sweat a lot.

Prices in markets and out-of-the-way places outside of South Africa will be higher for white people, as everyone will assume that you are rich. If you have a local who can help you shop you will do better.

Last but not least, South Africa is more European-like than any of the other countries you mention; you might find the backroads in Namibia and Botswana to be far more exotic and worth visiting than any place in South Africa. Not to diss South Africa, it has some spectacular geography, but you might have a more interesting people experience further off the track.

If you have any follow up questions, ask. David"


Nick Kristof of the New York Times wrote a timely article about encouraging students to travel off the beaten trails in countries most people tend to avoid. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/31/opinion/31kristof.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

I did decide to pass on the 300 dollar hotel 50 yards from the airport and venture into the city for 5 miles and took Nick's advice.

NEW CAMERA!!!

I’m extremely excited about the capabilities of my new camera and lens. From what I’ve been able to capture with limited knowledge of the Canon D50 system around my mom's parents St. Paul farm, the images sure do come out nicely. With all my previous cameras, I’ve felt limited in what the technology could do, and now I have numerous options and a HUGE lens I can’t wait to explore and use to remember my experiences.

My worst fear is not having the big camera set up when I need it and resorting to my simple point and shoot! I'm sure I won't be able to carry the big camera with me everywhere, but I'll do my best!

I was told to not even think about coming to Namibia unless I have a good camera and a decent pair of binoculars. Its also good having previous experiences and knowledge passed down by previous travelers 8D

Check! Check! and triple check!