11 Sleeps

Growing up with nicknames like “Raffe” and “Beast” it somehow seems inevitable that I would make a pilgrimage to the dark continent sooner or later. Or maybe it is the pull of my tenuous family link of ‘Dr Livingstone… I presume?” fame (apparently his sister married Reverend McAllum way back when) that has inspired my quiet ambition. In reality I think it is the giraffe-collecting zealot in me that is wildly excited by the prospect of taking a million photos of giraffes and browsing/bargaining market stall after market stall for potential additions to my collection…

Whatever the mix of reasons (not that is really necessary to have one, because is good enough!) here I am preparing to go on my adventure of a lifetime with no real idea of what to expect. Am not sure when or how my holiday somehow morphed from an 8 week jaunt and look see to a 12 week epic adventure with the belated afterthought of how this odyssey related to my budget… just as well I excel in creative accounting. So Nairobi to Cape Town and whatever lies between here I come. Another camera toting, overawed giraffe enthusiast!

Have got my last round of jabs today which am dreading. Must point out that the real pain is actually the hidden cost of pre-trip necessities, like being $444 poorer for the pleasure of being a human pincushion (for the record this covered tetanus/diphtheria, typhoid, Hep A & B and yellow fever) and that is not including the cost of the mountains of pills and potions to take with me. Not sure how I’m going to fit much else in my backpack apart from my medical kit!!

Now as D-day gets closer, my excitement is finally starting to build despite well-wishers dire warnings of tropical diseases and political instability ringing in my ears. Why do people always seem so keen to point these things out before one leaves??! So far (and this isn’t a complete list) I’ve been warned of wild animals, psychotic-inducing malarial tablets, pickpockets and not least the mosquitoes… all of which was almost enough to send my adventurous spirit to cower in a dark corner. Obviously the daring and pioneering spirit of Dr Livingstone has been somewhat diluted through the years. The good news is that everyone I’ve talked to that has spent any time in Africa has told me it is their favourite travel destination which is very reassuring!!

The plan is to ease into travel mode with 5 days in Sydney, staying with friends Liz and Mark who have both “done” Africa so no doubt will get a few hints and travel advice gems from them. Then will get a further few days of culture acclimatisation in Nairobi with my friend Roos from the Netherlands, again a veteran of Africa after 3 months of volunteer work in Kenya. Then it is on to the big yellow Oasis Overland truck (there is almost something Seasame Street going on with the colour) for further adventures… stay tuned.