Adrienne Posted December 15, 2011 Report Share Posted December 15, 2011 Next April hubby and I are heading overseas - going via Johannesburg, Sth Africa to the Victoria falls in Zimbabwe, then on to Kenya to visit/work in an orphanage and visit our sponsored children, Zanzibar, Tanzania for a safari, Uganda to visit the silverbacks (gorillas), then via London to Germany, Switzerland, Italy and France before flying home from Barcelona, Spain. We have travelled in third world countries before, having spent a reasonable amount of time in both India and Thailand but I am wondering if any of you have some travel tips for Africa apart from the usual ie get your vaccinations done, organise travel insurance. We have already travelled in Europe but are hoping, finances permitting to purchase a BMW motorcycle in London and take it through Europe before shipping it back to NZ. All suggestions welcomed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyM3 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 hi adrienne, one thing that I have learnt when I went on a trip with my family is take small lolly bars for the village children. When we went we took some and handed them to the children in namibia and instantly became populat with the villagers :slfg: . also take really warm clothes, in africa it get seriously cold in the evening :sage: . i warned you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 the prospect of 'visiting' gorillas makes me laugh - do they know you're coming? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 the prospect of 'visiting' gorillas makes me laugh - do they know you're coming? I do hope so and I do hope that by the time we have walked in to find them that they have cups of tea waiting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 Well my tip is this: take your time walking in and make some noise so they know you're coming, otherwise they won't have time to do their hair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 :rotf: :sml1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackp Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 don't give lollies to the kids, they buggers their teeth. take pens and paper instead. also having travelled through a few third world countries my top tip is "always carry bog roll" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirt Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 don't give lollies to the kids, they buggers their teeth. take pens and paper instead. also having travelled through a few third world countries my top tip is "always carry bog roll" +1 Give them toys and stationery. Anytime we or other people we know go to third world countries alway give a big bag of stationery out. You should be fine, get the shots. I always have a hidden compartment on me to carry cash. Personal favorites are hollowed books or belts cans with unscrewable lids Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 never carry cash on the underground in Europe, just a credit card in your sock/bra etc Would love to do africa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyM3 Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 haha, these are all great ideas, when I went we took lollies and they were fine, good point though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted December 16, 2011 Report Share Posted December 16, 2011 driving round africa, do not leave doors unlocked, and DO NOT stop to buy things at the lights from street vendors... they will just as likely smash and grab your purse and or bags. watch out for retard taxis, they are even worse over there as they are largely un-regulated. other than that, ENJOY! :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Even in April it is still warm enough for mosquitos, so please make sure you had malaria treatment before going. Like Cricketman said don't stop and buy from vendors whether at trafic lights or next to the road. Always lock your doors and wind your windows up whether you are in your car or not. Never carry too much money stick to cards, always have two people at an atm and check that there is no devices attached to where the card goes in (my mom lost her whole salary that way just a few months ago) The taxis cricketman is referring too are minibusses. Avoid those, we used to treat them like an ambulance, never show road anger to them, just let them pass and do what they want. I know we sound a bit over the top, but did live there for several years and still have family there. Oh and always put your phone, purse or valuables under your seat while driving, never in view so it can be seen from the outside of the car, that is when you are in the car driving Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 None of these tips seem over the top to me. Seven years ago my family including my children, then 16, 13 & 11 years spend 5 1/2 weeks travelling in India. We had a minivan with a drive and a security guard, who when we stopped anywhere got out and stood at the back of the van to make sure no one nicked off with the luggage. We learnt very quickly to keep our windows up. In Africa we will be on our own some of the time so I appreciate all advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted December 17, 2011 Report Share Posted December 17, 2011 Something else I remembered. Don't wear valuable jewelery. I used to turn my weddingring around and walk with a fist, so that the diamond was not visible. Have you ever seen a south african woman here in New Zealand, they look like they own jewelry stores with the amount they wear, its cause we did not dare wear it in South Africa. I am glad you don't think its over the top, I think sometimes people that are not from there, don't always understand the fear people live in while there. Also something I remembered, I read it on a family members facebook status. Dont stop at the picnic spots next to the road, rather drive until you get a roadstop with petrolstation, mc donalds and so on, they usually have a little picnic table there as well. Which reminded me of another thing. If you get a flat from driving over something in the road, keep on driving don't stop to fix it. Drive very far ahead and if you have to then stop and fix it, but preferrably drive to a town or garage. Its a very popular way to hijack cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophia Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 :sage: in short: Don't .....did not dare .....don't ...... don't........ Dont stop....don't stop... do not ... DO NOT ...watch out ......... never don't ...." :digH: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted December 20, 2011 Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 Okay, it sounds bad, well, it is bad, BUT!!! Don't let it put you off, long as your mindful of whats going on around you, and realise your not in kansas anymore, you shall be sweet. :thup: It is a Beautiful country, with much to see and do, Cape town, Durban, Port Elizabeth are all much better cities. I'm from Jo-burg, where it is at its worst... :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted December 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2011 We were using Johannesburg as the hub to get to the Victoria falls and the way the flights fell it left us with a couple of days. However Malaysia Air is no longer flying direct from Kuala Lumpar to Johannesburg so now we have to fly from KL - Bangkok - Nairobi - Johannesburg - Victoria falls. We will see only the inside of the airport for a few hours! Oh, and nothing will put us off. We've paid for all our flights, gorilla permits and our land travel deposit so we are going. First vaccination was yesterday - tetanus booster - with our yellow fever and typhoid in a couple of weeks. Still not decided on rabies vaccination but we will be getting the influenza vaccination and drinking the horrible cholera drink, plus getting 5 weeks of anti malaria tabs before we leave. All other required vaccinations we have already had and they are for life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 I agree with Cricketman, South africa has beautiful sights just be save thats all. Do not forget to go to the Capetown aquarium, your jaw will drop, it makes Kelly Tarlton look like a small little fish shop Just take sea sick tablets if you are going to stand infront of the Kelp forest LOL I got seasick staring at the kelp swaying front and forth the whole time :sick: If the spider crab is still there, its a wonder to see, its huge and looks like a massive spider although its a crab. You sound as if you got all your medications sorted, thats very good especially malaria, its a nasty one :nilly: http://www.aquarium.co.za/ http://www.aquarium.co.za/species_exhibits/the_kelp_forest_exhibit/ see you do not want to stare too long over here you begin to sway with the kelp :nilly: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted December 21, 2011 Report Share Posted December 21, 2011 Had malaria 3 times growing up in Zim/SA... :thup: DO NOT RECOMMEND :sick: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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