Off To Namibia

Well, I'm off to Namibia tomorrow evening.

Mostly packed.

It still amazes me how a few T-shirts, shorts, undies and a toothbrush end up taking up so much space in my holdall. It's kind of like an inverse TARDIS.

I'm obviously really excited about the whole thing but know that I'll miss the other half a lot too.

To help her get through it I've ordered a dozen red roses to be delivered on Monday, one for each day until I get back. Of course that could have the opposite effect and make her miss me more but then I've just told her to concentrate on how good we'll feel when I come back and we'll have the whole weekend together to make up for lost time, rather than on the missing each other then and now.

Yes, you can all put your sick bags away now. I can't help how I feel!!!

It's the first trip that I've been on 'alone' since Central America in 2003 and I'm still filled with some trepidation about the make up of the group. I've not had a bad group on any organised group tours before (just the odd awkward person, or should that be awkward odd person?) but in so far as I know there are only five other people with me on this trip so it'll be important for such a small group to get on with each other to make the trip that little bit more special.

I had paid a little extra to get a single room so that I can have a bit of personal space during the trip though have been told that on three nights out of four in Etosha National Park (where we will be on safari at the end of the holiday) I will need to share with another bloke in the group.

On the plus side (hoping that he doesn't snore that is) I've been reimbursed the entire single supplement cost for the trip in compensation. This in addition to the five percent discount I get for traveling with Exodus more than three times and the discount I got for the middle east trip being cancelled, have meant I've saved quite a bit off the cover price, which is nice as it was
quite an expensive holiday to start with. (Namibia isn't cheap, unfortunately!)

Went along to a slideshow presentation on Tuesday about overland trips in Africa. The guy giving the talk was very passionate about the continent and gave a brilliant talk. He was also a photographer and had some brilliant pictures to show us and some great anecdotes to go with them. It really whetted my appetite for the holiday coming up.

Unfortunately when asked about which camera lens to take on a safari trip, he simply said the best and longest prime lens that you could afford or were able to carry. Didn't seem to think much about taking a zoom telephoto lens like my Sigma 70-300, as he said that it would just be set to the maximum zoom all the time anyway.

Fair enough but it'll have to do!

To top it off, I've already booked my next holiday at the end of January to Vietnam and Cambodia finishing off in Bangkok but this time with my mate. The other half didn't fancy it, as she hates insects!

Oh well, All being well, a romantic week somewhere in Europe next year, perhaps?

Apologies for the lack of pictures for a while (well, a decrease anyway.) Guaranteed that they'll be loads to make up for this when I write up about my travels.

Take care everyone and see you all in two weeks.