Travelling to Africa for the first time? When Cynthia Boal
Janssens went on her inaugural safari, she discovered a few things she wished
she’d been better prepared for.....
I had dreamed my whole life of going on safari to Africa.
It was the one trip that I always wanted to take and so, when it became a
reality — and my 50th birthday celebration — I was an eager
participant. But there were some details that no one told me...or they may have
been mentioned in the small print, but I didn’t pay adequate
attention.
These are things that I wished I’d known before I went
on my two-week safari to Tanzania and Kenya:
The Dust Let me emphasize: THE DUST! Clouds of
it. Red, brown, tan and grey dust. In your hair, in your eyes, in your nose. If
you are prepared, you can cope. The dust was worst in the Serengeti (Tanzania)
and in Samburu (Kenya). If you have any kind of breathing problem, you are
advised to bring some kind of face mask. Otherwise, a bandana to pull over your
nose can be helpful. Contact lens wearers (and I’m one) can have fits on
certain days. It might be worth your while to bring a pair of prescription sun
glasses as you may need to wear your glasses on particularly dry days. Also,
bring plenty of eye drops and large-framed sunglasses to keep as much dust out
as possible.
These conditions mean that you will probably have to wash
your hair every day, even if you are wearing a hat. Which means, ladies, that
you should bring a hair dryer. No, they are not provided...whatever the
literature says. (I found myself sharing mine with two other women.)
Vehicles are important We did not know
this when we chose our safari, but the type of vehicles used can mean a lot to
the quality of your experience. The ideal number in a vehicle is four, no
matter what they tell you. With four, you will each have a window and there
will be enough room for your photo gear and other paraphernalia. Land Rovers
and Toyota Land Cruisers are ideal; mini-vans are less so. We travelled for
three days in a Nissan mini-van and found it rather uncomfortable. It was very
difficult to manoeuver in; particularly because of the armrests, which get in
your way when you want to stand up to look out the pop-top. Most companies put
six people in a mini-van. It’s a way to lower costs, but consider the
inconvenience.
Bad roads I mean
REALLY BAD roads. Road maintenance is not a priority with neither the Tanzanian
nor Kenyan governments and thus even major arteries are deeply rutted with
potholes of unimaginable size. What this means for you is that any long drives
on your itinerary can be very bone-jarring. Take note if you have back problems
and bring a back brace.
Our company advised bringing a whoopee
cushion-type pad to sit on. These we did not need: the seats were comfortably
soft. It was the ups and downs that hurt. My husband was bounced so hard at one
point that he hit his head on the roof, with a slight cut (fortunately, not a
concussion) resulting. And, ladies, wear those sports brassieres they told you
to bring on all of the longer drives!
No
ice I didn’t know that I would not suck an ice cube for two
weeks after I left the U.S! I probably should have realised that, but I did not
think it through. We drank bottled water everywhere (and plenty was provided),
but the ice was a no-no. Why risk the potential stomach problems? This means
you have to adjust to a gin and tonic without ice. To a Coke without ice. To
ice water without ice. In fact, there was very little cold water. Most water is
served room temperature. You get used to it.
Double beds After being told that all the safari
lodges have only twin beds, we learned (on site, of course) that they do have a
few double, queen and even king beds! However, the travel agent must request
these in advance. We discovered that these treasures were being routinely
assigned to those who had made the request; we never knew we could do so.
Larium does have side effects Most
of us were informed about the side effects of melfloquine (also marketed as
Larium) when we went to the doctor to get our pre-trip inoculations. But these
effects can truly be scary and you might seriously consider whether the risk of
ruining your trip is worth it. Midway through the safari I had a night of
hallucinations accompanied by sweats and chills that I won’t soon forget.
I decided to stop taking Larium immediately. Fortunately, the episode was not
repeated.
Our veteran guides, Carla and David Keith Jones, declare
that they never take melfloquine; that, in fact, he has had malaria four times
and she has had it a couple of times. David says that in the many years that
they have been leading safaris they have had more problems with melfloquine
reactions than any other kind of medical problem. I should note that my husband
took the full course of Larium with no problems. But if you are drug-sensitive,
think about it. (refer to Travel Africa, editions 1 and 2.)
Sanitation It is not great anywhere in Africa.
Most of the toilets in the bush (when there are toilets) are long
drops...meaning slits in the floor that you squat over, ladies. Be sure to
bring along some sample-size packages of sanitary wet-wipes. They are ever so
handy for a quick clean-up. Toilets at hotels and safari lodges are just
fine.
Now I know none of this advice is earth-shaking, but paying heed
can help in making your first safari a joy from start to finish. All that said,
I must say that this trip was the best in my life, memorable from start to
finish. Even the hallucinations were colourful!
Cynthia Boal
Janssens is the immediate past president of the Society of American Travel
Writers.
