Preparation

This is the itinerary of the Oasis Grand Adventurer trip - days 1-73 doesn't include the time in Nairobi before trip started or the several days afterward in Cape Town.

Days 1 - 5
Our trip began with a short drive north from Nairobi into Africa's greatest natural feature, The Great Rift Valley. Our journey took us into the valley where we visit Lake Naivasha. We camped near the lakeshore where Hippos fed at night! Here you could also walk to Elsamere, the house of Joy Adamson of Elsa the Lion and Born Free fame, and enjoy a film of her life - and cream teas! You could walk through Hells Gate National Park - the only game reserve in Kenya in which you are allowed to walk.

From here a mountainous drive through the spectacular Nandi Hills brought us to our next stop at Eldoret. The following morning, we crossed into Uganda and camped near Jinja. We spent the following three nights at Bujagali Falls, just downstream from the source of the Nile. This is a spectacular area, and a superb place to go whitewater rafting. Then we went to visit a local school and helped paint a classroom on a volunteer day for Soft Power Education.

Days 7-12
We traveled to Lake Bunyoni where you could hire canoes, play volleyball, or swim in the deepest lake in Uganda. From the town of Kabale, we headed to Kisoro near the Uganda/DRC border and visited the Parc Nacional des Virunga to see the Moutain Gorillas. The rainforests on these mountain slopes are home to several families of Mountain Gorillas and is a highlight of travel in this area. Spending time with these fast-disappearing gentle giants of the forest is an awe-inspiring and humbling experience for everyone that trekked to see them.

Days 13-16
We headed back to Lake Bunyoni for two nights and then continued onto Kampala, the capital, where we had a free day to spend in local cafes and nightspots. We then continued west through patches of forest and green fertile countryside and passed a number of small towns and villages along the way where we could see local crafts people at work.. We also stopped at the spot where our route crosses the equator.

Days 17 - 19
Ending the first stage of our tour and our travel in Uganda, we re-entered Kenya and traveled to Lake Nakuru National Park. Lake Nakuru is a soda lake and our game drives here allowed us to see its world famous flock of almost a million Pink Flamingos, as well as a wide variety of wildlife including Rhino, Hippo, Lion, Leopard, Hyena and Giraffe.

Days 19 - 27
A half-day drive brought us back to Nairobi for a day, before continuing south towards Tanzania we stop at the town of Arusha from where we used a local safari company to guide us through Ngorongoro Crater and Serengeti National Parks. On the crater floor we spent the day viewing wildlife including Elephant, Lion, Cheetah, White Rhino, Hippo, Antelope, Crocodile and Pink Flamingos. From here we went into the Serengeti for a day, where vast herds of Wildebeest roam the plains. We also visited a local Maasai Village and learnt about their culture and way of life.

It was a one-day drive to Dar Es Salaam, passing a number of small towns and villages along the way and the towering peak of Mt Kilimanjaro (which we didn’t see!). We camped for 1 night in a campsite on a beautiful Indian Ocean beach. From here everyone took the ferry out to Zanzibar for four days and relaxed on Zanzibar's famous white beaches in the northern area. We ventured into the narrow bustling streets of Stone Town and its exotic spice markets, old slave forts and dungeons for the night. Then it was back to Mikadi Beach campsite in Dar to relax before a long drive across Tanzania.

Days 28 - 35
After Zanzibar we began our journey through the interesting and often mountainous hinterland of Tanzania. We passed through the peaceful national park of Mikumi where we saw Elephant, Giraffe, Zebra and Antelope from the roadside. Passing rivers and small waterfalls we entered Malawi, which is dominated by its huge fresh water lake. We spent several days at small laid back campsites on the edge of the lake. Most people chose to relax on the sandy beaches or try their hand at diving or windsurfing as we followed the lakeshore south. Leaving the lake we continued to Blantyre in the south of the country, where we stopped for two nights and organised our Mozambique visas.

Days 36 - 42
From Blantyre we crossed the border and began the next stretch of our travel in Mozambique. We follow the infamous 'Tete Corridor' which was well known in the days of Mozambique's long running civil war as the 'Gun Run'. We entered Zimbabwe and traveled to Harare, the capital, and spend two nights here before continuing to Gweru where we visited Antelope Park and went game viewing on elephant and horseback. Plus we did the walk with lion cubs which was a great highlight.

Days 43 - 48
From Gweru we traveled to The Great Zimbabwe Ruins, once the greatest medieval city in Sub-Saharan Africa and from where the name Zimbabwe is derived, literally meaning 'house of stone'. Next we headed to Bulawayo for the day. We were supposed to catch the old colonial-style sleeper train from here but had to drive instead due to train wreck, so arrived a day early at the adventure playground - Victoria Falls.

Days 49 - 57
Mosi oa Tunya 'The Smoke That Thunders' is another highlight of the trip. There is something here for everyone, from grade 5 white water rafting and canoe trips, the Flight of Angels, to one of the world's highest commercial Bungee Jumps, plus jet boating, gorge swings, abseiling and a whole lot more!

After all the adrenaline had been spent we headed into Botswana and Chobe National Park was our first stop, where we took a cruise on the Chobe River - a less intrusive way to view its wildlife, particularly the hordes of elephants. From here we then organised our trip into the Okavango Delta. Had the chance to go on a Mokoro (dug out canoe) and explored the extensive waterways of this unique desert wetland as well as take several game walks.

Days 58 - 66
Heading west, we crossed into Namibia and traveled towards Etosha National Park, recognised as one of the world's greatest wildlife viewing areas and where we could game watch by night at one of the floodlit watering holes. From Etosha we visited a local Cheetah Park before continuing on to the Brandenberg Mountains in Demaraland and the Skeleton Coast. We visited the world famous Cape Cross Seal Colony where thousands of these mammals - and their accompanying odour pervade the coastline, before making our way to Swakopmund where we spent three days. Indulged in quad biking and dune sledding as well as lots of delicious food!!

Days 67 - 73
A one day drive took us to the Namib-Naukluft Park, a vast expanse of desert which contains some of the highest sand dunes in the world. At Sossusvlei we stopped and explored the area and the dunes. Continuing south we entered the semi-desert, until we arrived at one of Africa's most sensational natural features, Fish River Canyon. Then we moved onto Ai-Ais Hot Springs for the night to soak in the lovely hot pools. A couple of hours drive away we cross the Orange River and enter South Africa. Near Stellenbosch we visit several of the historic Cape Wineries before reaching the exciting and vibrant city of Cape Town.

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.