Hopefully (fingers crossed) I'm off to Namibia in November with woodsmoke. They've got a long list of things to pack, but just wondering if there's anything specific (from experience) that I should take...
Namibia...
- Thread starter TobyH
- Start date
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Hey Guest, Early bird pricing on the Summer Moot (29th July - 10th August) available until April 6th, we'd love you to come. PLEASE CLICK HERE to early bird price and get more information.
Take pleanty of patience, understanding and self control - essentials for any exped that involves more than one person and never mentioned in kit lists. Do not forget your GSOH either!
John
John
Haven't the faintest shred of experience of travelling outside Europe, so really no idea
whatsoever but I'm a big fan of both of these organisations' documents so I hope these
are of interest; only the first is really relevant. John Fenna's advice sounds excellent!
I think the Earthwatch Institute do very good and detailed information PDFs which make
fascinating reading and might be of use.
An example is the briefing report from their "Desert elephants of Namibia" project:
http://www.earthwatch.org/site/pp2.asp?c=dsJSK6PFJnH&b=1147557
The briefing PDF itself is downloadable from that site, or jump straight to it at:
http://www.earthwatch.org/atf/cf/{BD9A05BF-0860-451E-AA86-7FBF37574C00}/LEGGETT_BRIEFING.PDF
I don't think the Expedition Handbook from the Royal Geographical Society will be of
particular help in this venture but it's such a joy to read I've included it anyway - quite
fascinating. Easy to get a bit lost (hah!) in their website - remember to scroll across
to the right as that's where you can download individual chapters from, but the generic
menu is in the left. Ironically a bit of a navigation nightmare. It's aimed at people
who are organising major expeditions.
This is section 1 - planning and organisation:
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Publicat...dition+Handbook/Planning+and+Organisation.htm
Just an example - countdown to the expedition:
http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/3A26B0F6-7574-4C4F-95A0-DC4F6C401629/0/HBAD.pdf
Have you got any sponsorship for this? Good luck
whatsoever but I'm a big fan of both of these organisations' documents so I hope these
are of interest; only the first is really relevant. John Fenna's advice sounds excellent!
I think the Earthwatch Institute do very good and detailed information PDFs which make
fascinating reading and might be of use.
An example is the briefing report from their "Desert elephants of Namibia" project:
http://www.earthwatch.org/site/pp2.asp?c=dsJSK6PFJnH&b=1147557
The briefing PDF itself is downloadable from that site, or jump straight to it at:
http://www.earthwatch.org/atf/cf/{BD9A05BF-0860-451E-AA86-7FBF37574C00}/LEGGETT_BRIEFING.PDF
I don't think the Expedition Handbook from the Royal Geographical Society will be of
particular help in this venture but it's such a joy to read I've included it anyway - quite
fascinating. Easy to get a bit lost (hah!) in their website - remember to scroll across
to the right as that's where you can download individual chapters from, but the generic
menu is in the left. Ironically a bit of a navigation nightmare. It's aimed at people
who are organising major expeditions.
This is section 1 - planning and organisation:
http://www.rgs.org/OurWork/Publicat...dition+Handbook/Planning+and+Organisation.htm
Just an example - countdown to the expedition:
http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/3A26B0F6-7574-4C4F-95A0-DC4F6C401629/0/HBAD.pdf
Have you got any sponsorship for this? Good luck
Matthew.Passmore
Settler
Jon - Cheers mate, can't decide whether to lug the big SLR out there or just the little one...decisions decisions...
John - I think that's very sensible advice! I'm kind of fortunate to have done alot of travelling when I was alot younger so consider myself reasonably "worldly" but Africa is somewhere i haven't been so going in with an open mind is always favourite.
Jodie - thanks for the research! it still amazes me what you can dig up!!
Matthew - They are a very good company, I've done 4 courses with them and this will be my 5th. I'll let you know how it goes!
Have bought loads of books on the Bushmen, it's quite sad reading about their history over the last 100 years. I've started learning a little Afrikaans too, though I speak German which will help.
Only 4 months to go...
John - I think that's very sensible advice! I'm kind of fortunate to have done alot of travelling when I was alot younger so consider myself reasonably "worldly" but Africa is somewhere i haven't been so going in with an open mind is always favourite.
Jodie - thanks for the research! it still amazes me what you can dig up!!
Matthew - They are a very good company, I've done 4 courses with them and this will be my 5th. I'll let you know how it goes!
Have bought loads of books on the Bushmen, it's quite sad reading about their history over the last 100 years. I've started learning a little Afrikaans too, though I speak German which will help.
Only 4 months to go...
O
oilyrag
Guest
Fishing gear, you can beachcast for Bronze Whalers there, wouldn't go for a dip mind!
You could always wear a chainmail diving suit and strap loads of shark repellent to yourself...
I think I'll struggle to catch and fish as I'm going to be near the kalahari and a mesh suit may be a little restrictive when I'm out hunting with the bushmen!!!
p.s. started on the vaccines already another 3 to go plus the malaria tablets, oh what fun. Been through it all before when I went to live in Argentina when I was a nipper.
My wife, 3 chldren(10,7,5), and myself Safarid in my old Series 3 Landrover through Namibia from the south and up through the Caprivi for 3 months about 3 years ago.
Wonderfull place. Never any problems( excluding blown head gasket).
I can recommend lots of sun lotion and hats.
Also antihistamines for insect bites. Also remember Bushmanland is a Malaria area.
We also found feet skin gets very inflamed by some types of dust and with the heat, sandals is a must. A mild steroid cream was helpfull.
Also their local german beer is very much a wonderfull cure-all.
Bushman fire-sticks are very good and deff. worth getting a few.
Have fun.
Henry
Wonderfull place. Never any problems( excluding blown head gasket).
I can recommend lots of sun lotion and hats.
Also antihistamines for insect bites. Also remember Bushmanland is a Malaria area.
We also found feet skin gets very inflamed by some types of dust and with the heat, sandals is a must. A mild steroid cream was helpfull.
Also their local german beer is very much a wonderfull cure-all.
Bushman fire-sticks are very good and deff. worth getting a few.
Have fun.
Henry
As he is going with Woodsmoke I am pretty sure that Ben and Lisa have got enough patience and self control plus they don't go anywhere without a full complement of GSOH either.
They are both two of the nicest people I know.
Sounds like a great experience on the horizon Toby. Re; the camera, if you don't take the SLR you'll have loads of great photo opportunities where you wish you'd packed it. If you do pack it you'll probably find its weight and value restrictive - that's life!
Matthew.Passmore
Settler
Here are a few tips. Hope they help.
It will be a bit chilly at night and in the early morning, not quite as cold as it would be in June or July but still enough to judder! Pack a fleece and a windproof layer (especially for wind chill if driving in open vehicles early in the morning!)
Try and get those convertible trousers. They're a god send. Shorts during the day (or zip on the legs if you're getting sunburnt), trousers at night (to keep the bugs away) and trousers in the morning for when its cold!
Take long sleeved shirts. You can roll the sleeves down to keep the sun at bay and flip up the collar to protect the neck.
Little canvas gaiters (see here at the bottom of page) are quite handy too. The spear grass and burrs gets stuck in exposed socks and shoe laces and can be irritating/painful.
Take a kikoy or shemagh as it can be quite dusty, you can also use them to cover your arms to prevent sun burn when travelling in vehicles, get them damp and they help cool you too.
Definitely take the SLR with as decent sized lens (300mm or more) otherwise any shots of game will probably just be dots on the horizon ....... a little compact camera can be quite good for those quick people/location shots and can live on the belt/in the pocket.
Also recommend taking a car charger for your camera battery ..... the type that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket as you probably won't be near a plug socket!
But as far as I'm concerned it's binoculars, binoculars, binoculars. Most important piece of kit. Get the best you can afford ....... remember to pack them in you hand luggage as they can occasionally go "missing".
P.S. If you're after something fun to take along then get one of those portable UV lights as you can go scorpion hunting at night!
It will be a bit chilly at night and in the early morning, not quite as cold as it would be in June or July but still enough to judder! Pack a fleece and a windproof layer (especially for wind chill if driving in open vehicles early in the morning!)
Try and get those convertible trousers. They're a god send. Shorts during the day (or zip on the legs if you're getting sunburnt), trousers at night (to keep the bugs away) and trousers in the morning for when its cold!
Take long sleeved shirts. You can roll the sleeves down to keep the sun at bay and flip up the collar to protect the neck.
Little canvas gaiters (see here at the bottom of page) are quite handy too. The spear grass and burrs gets stuck in exposed socks and shoe laces and can be irritating/painful.
Take a kikoy or shemagh as it can be quite dusty, you can also use them to cover your arms to prevent sun burn when travelling in vehicles, get them damp and they help cool you too.
Definitely take the SLR with as decent sized lens (300mm or more) otherwise any shots of game will probably just be dots on the horizon ....... a little compact camera can be quite good for those quick people/location shots and can live on the belt/in the pocket.
Also recommend taking a car charger for your camera battery ..... the type that plugs into the cigarette lighter socket as you probably won't be near a plug socket!
But as far as I'm concerned it's binoculars, binoculars, binoculars. Most important piece of kit. Get the best you can afford ....... remember to pack them in you hand luggage as they can occasionally go "missing".
P.S. If you're after something fun to take along then get one of those portable UV lights as you can go scorpion hunting at night!
OK, get the point about the camera!!! It's in!
Unfortunately won't be going near the coast so chain mail suits are out, imaging explaining that at airport customs!!!
Beer Monster (man after my own heart!!) thanks for the advice. Still on the lookout for some ripstop cotton shirts, I'm going to get some US army ripsotop cotton trousers as they will suit the sort of thing I'm doing and I've got some shorts too (will be using a daysack alot). Bino's I have. Gaitors look a good idea though I'm getting some locally made seal skin boots that are quite high and will be tucking in my trousers, but will have a peak. Have a 300mm Image Stabiliser lens which should do the job, but might get a 1.5 or 2.0x converter. This isn't going to be a safari trip though...
Battery charging is sorted there will be power supplied with inverters and stuff so should be ok, though I have a double battery pack/hand grip for the the 5D so should be ok, plus it has an AA holder too.
Thanks for the advice!!
Unfortunately won't be going near the coast so chain mail suits are out, imaging explaining that at airport customs!!!
Beer Monster (man after my own heart!!) thanks for the advice. Still on the lookout for some ripstop cotton shirts, I'm going to get some US army ripsotop cotton trousers as they will suit the sort of thing I'm doing and I've got some shorts too (will be using a daysack alot). Bino's I have. Gaitors look a good idea though I'm getting some locally made seal skin boots that are quite high and will be tucking in my trousers, but will have a peak. Have a 300mm Image Stabiliser lens which should do the job, but might get a 1.5 or 2.0x converter. This isn't going to be a safari trip though...
Battery charging is sorted there will be power supplied with inverters and stuff so should be ok, though I have a double battery pack/hand grip for the the 5D so should be ok, plus it has an AA holder too.
Thanks for the advice!!
No worries. Glad to be of help.
Can't say I've seen cotton rip stop shirts .......... you can get ventile safari shirts from Westwinds! As far as I recall you can get the ripstop trousers from Nomad Travel store for about £30.
Might also be worth taking a good old poncho along. String it up for shade or use it as a waterproof when it rains (keeps you cool too as it allows the air to circulate). Get a cheap one as it may get snagged on thorns etc ...... much better to risk this than a fancy gortex jacket (which probably won't work as it's too warm!).
Those boots sound great! Wish I had a pair!
Sounds like a pretty full on course, however, its Africa and game turns up in the most unexpected places and at the most unexpected times so take the camera everywhere
! The bird life will be quite interesting (even if you've never been a birdwatcher before you'll get hooked on african birds!) so it's worth just sitting with your bins and an ID guide during the afternoon siestas. I've also seen quite a few cheetah in the area where you will be and I'm sure there will be leopard about as well ....... you never know what may wander past.
I'm getting quite excited about the trip and I'm not even going! I can smell the woodsmoke and hear the early mornings bird calls ...... getting up first to have a look at all the animal tracks round the camp ......
Think the ripstop shirt is going to have to be just a cotton shirt, looked all over for and no luck. I think ventile is a bit too protective in terms of wind as I'll want as much ventialtion as I can get!! Trousers look good though. I'd rather not have 'camo' trousers if I can someone might get the wrong idea!!
I've bought a lightweight reasonable quality waterproof coat that fits in a small bag, so I think that should do the job and if it gets damaged I'm not too worries. I'm going to be hot and sweaty no matter what I wear and I've used poncho's before and didn't get on with them really.
It's definately going to be an experience!!
I've bought a lightweight reasonable quality waterproof coat that fits in a small bag, so I think that should do the job and if it gets damaged I'm not too worries. I'm going to be hot and sweaty no matter what I wear and I've used poncho's before and didn't get on with them really.
It's definately going to be an experience!!
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