87 days to go. The countdown has started. In fact it started 3 days ago when I parted with 20% deposit for the expedition.

I’m going to Namibia. It will be the trip of a lifetime. I am going to track animals on foot, visit a local tribe learning some of their skills and go with them them on a “bushwalk” for a few days. I will also be visiting a second game conservancy to get a closer look at some other wildlife.

I’m slightly excited as you can imagine. Since I was a kid, I’ve always wanted to go to Africa to see the wildlife. In the last few years, I’ve been nervous about going because of the tourist Safari stigma. I think that now I’ve found the ideal expedition where bushcraft meets tracking in an African environment. What more could I ask for?

I was going to go last year but the expedition (with another provider) was cancelled. I thus still have the money (just) but it must be spent this year before Mrs P gets her paws on it!! (To be fair I’ve said she can have a new pair of shoes and some more hair products).

I’m going with a highly respected international tracker and once in Africa, guides and local expert trackers will be there to provide tuition.

Every now and again, I will update you on what preparations I’m making and how these preparations are going, what kit I’ll be taking and why and other general information and research information I come across.

Follow me on Pablo’s Great Adventure!

60 days to go.

I certainly won’t be spending stacks of money on kit because a) I don’t need it and b) I can’t afford it!

I haven’t been to that continent before so I’ve had to do a bit of research on kit and clothing as well as taking advice from the expedition leaders.

Here’s the recommended kit list:

Training and work clothing

• Large brimmed sun hat or similar
• “Cargo” type trousers (2 pairs)
• Long sleeve cotton shirt (2)
• Synthetic thin socks (2 pairs)
• Walking socks (3 pairs)
• Underwear
• Desert or Jungle boots
• Belt

Evening/relaxation wear

• Shorts (cargo type)
• Cotton “T” shirt (2)
• Sandals or lightweight foot wear
• Underwear
• Warm fleece or similar (the evenings can become chilly)
• Flip-flops
• Swimming gear (is there a pool there?)

Camo is illegal in some African countries. I’m not sure about Namibia, but I’m not taking any chances, so outfitting at my local surplus store is out. Ttsetse flies are attracted to blue and black colours. Anything white or black or bright is not a good idea. It’s very similar to our own principles of blending in with the landscape with neutral colours; so olive green and khaki or sand colours is the way ahead.

You might ask why do African tribesmen (for example the Masaai) wear bright colours in the bush. The answer is simple – they are protecting their cattle from attack by predators, and so want to stand out as much as possible.

I spotted some hard wearing Rogue cotton shirts, and a pair of trousers at the Wilderness Gathering on John Muirden’s stall and I couldn’t resist a multi-pocketed waistcoat. At £12-00 to £17-00 per item I think I’ve made a bit of a saving. I’ve already got a khaki coloured Tilly hat, so I’m pretty confident I won’t spend much more on clothing. Perhaps some new sandals would be good.

I will have to sort out a light fleece. The night temperatures may drop quite a bit. I suspect the old Swandri shirt will be a bit of an overkill as well as being heavy to pack.

Actually, I’ve already raided the surplus store for some boots. £20-00 saw me walk away with some good fitting second hand Meindl desert boots. Just the job – oh, and a nifty sand (actually pale pink) coloured light weight neck scarf at £4-00. Good sturdy boots are important because of the large thorns which will apparently shred light footwear.

Clothing wise I think it’s all systems go.

Pablo.

You can’t go on an expedition to Africa without getting advice about inoculations. It’s also advisable to have little fitness training behind you.

My fitness has been an uphill struggle because from October last year until about April I was literally immobile because of a ruptured Achilles tendon. After the go ahead from the physios, I was determined to put a few miles behind me in preparation for the trip and I’ve been in training for about a month now.

My reasoning is that it’s going to be hot and I don’t want to be struggling with extra body weight. I also want to be able to walk some distance without having to worry about being puffing and panting or being uncomfortable. In short, the less I have to worry about, the more I will enjoy the trip. I’ve already lost half a stone but I need to lose another half. I’m walking and running a mile and a half and I want to raise this to 3 miles walk and run before I go.

As far health and inoculations are concerned, I’m in the hands of the experts; well the NHS anyway. After 3 visits to the local surgery and five injections later, I feel like a pin-cushion. I’ve had Hep A and B and tetanus boosters, typhoid, and something else. I was past caring at the last visit. It must have shown as it was the injection that hurt the most!

I had to order my Malaria tablets as well. These were the most costly items and left a £68-97 pence hole in my account! Now that was painful! I was assured that these are the Rolls Royce of Malaria tablets and will have no side effects. We shall see, but at least I stand less chance of catching this nasty disease.

So, it’s full steam ahead with only 31 days to go!

Some equipment will be loaned to us for the duration of the expedition, which is just as well because the weight limit for the small aircraft from Windhoek to Hobatere and Mopane bushvelt is 15kgs.

This is what will be loaned  to us:

• Safari style tents.
• Waterproof bed roll and mattress (swag) quilt, pillow
• Machete/Panga.
• Axes

This is what’s on the kit list:

• Holdall or rucksack (equipment is carried on top vehicles between locations). I bought the Highlander 100 litre bag shown above for £28-00.
• Water bottle (1 ltr min) and mug (Crusader – obviously)
• Knife, fork and spoon (What’s a knife and fork?)
• Billy can (preferable) or mess tin (for cooking over open fires) (Old faithful Tracpac will be coming along)
• Fixed blade sheath type knife (probably clipper or EKA W11)
• Small pocket knife (SAK Hunter)
• Whistle
• Small day-sack (see below)
• 10 metres of strong nylon cord
• Note book and pencil
• Wash bag
• Camelbak water bladder or similar (Check)
• Binoculars or scope (optional, but recommended)
• Water bag (min 6 ltr) (MSR)
• Orienteering compass
• Head torch and spare batteries

I certainly won’t be adding to that list except to pack my normal belt and possible pouch.

I haven’t decided which day sack to take as yet but it will most probably be my super light-weight Camelbak Cloud Walker (which I bought for Mrs P’s cycling and forgot to give back after borrowing it!)

This weekend I’m off to Devon with Shadowhawk. There’s a full house of students and I’m instructing and also assessing some of the instructors (at their request). I’m also going to be put through the mill myself with some advanced tests and an exam(!!) Nothing like a bit of pressure!

Thanks for the visit.

You might not know this, but I’m going to Africa. If you do know, you’ve probably heard this a hundred times but I make no apologies. The first time that I can remember wanting to go to Africa was when I was ten years old. It has only taken 40 years to make this a reality, so it’s no wonder I’m a little excited!

It’s only 2 days and a handful of hours before I fly out to Namibia and this will be my last post before I go. I doubt I will have any form of connectivity in the bush (note the African terminology) but I will keep you up to date by providing a series of pre-written posts that will (I hope) appear automatically explaining where I should be and what I’m doing according to our itinerary.

I have two piles of kit: equipment and clothing. I keep visiting them to see what I can remove. Inevitably I end up adding something to them, which doesn’t help! Tomorrow is equipment cull day! A ruthless removal of all things unnecessary. Yup! Well, that’s the plan!

I’m cramming in the study knowing I can’t take all the books with me. I know the staff and guides will have a good selection of reference books. Liebenberg’s ‘Tracks and Tracking in Southern Africa’ will be the one that goes in my tracking bag.

I’ve had a few more words of wisdom. Max Maxwell was born in Zambia and I had a good chat with him on the recent Shadowhawk course. He suggested keeping optics like photographic equipment in dry bags. This will help keep out the sand. Another fellow tracker is Rohan, who has visited Africa on many occasions.

Here’s a few gems from him that made me smile:

• Take a powerful white head torch for checking eye shine at night (especially on the way to the loos – not joking)
• Haribo type sweets don’t melt in your pocket like choc
• Tekkies: South African for soft-backed pumps, daps or plimsolls, are very versatile and take up less space than flip-flops
• A cut up gallon orange juice container makes a handy jerry to save braving the leopards at night )
• Stand in the shade not out in the sun
• Take a GPS and ping the vehicle before leaving it on walkabouts (guides will ask you to find the ‘moova’)
• Take a v. light cape/poncho with you every day
• Wear a cap, not a bush hat, and you’ll hear better (but burn yr neck )
• It’s bastard hot and wet in the Transvaal at this time but quite cool and dry in the western Cape.  Probably cold and foggy up in Namib (just kidding )
• Learn bird calls (esp Oxpecker, Grey Lowrie) and behaviour (vulture sequence, etc)
• Make sure your guides do a full safety brief (ideally with a lioness scenario) every day before walking off,
• Tamboti tree: If present in your area, get someone to show it to you and learn the bark.  It’s poisonous and if used for a braai fire will give everyone a headache.  It’s normally found near water, so it may not be there in Namib.
• Always plan for the worst; that way you always have a plan
• ‘Welkom bei Afrika’ translates as ‘shit happens here’ and is an expression of sympathy, not welcome )  Africa destroys things and people, don’t take anything delicate or that you’d hate to lose.

Click here for the weather.

With that I bid you farewell until 18 November when I will not only announce my return but share some excellent news.

Check back for the itinerary auto-posts.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.

Day 1

Heathrow-Windhoek-Hobatere

[This is an auto-post written prior to departure]

Arrive at Windhoek International Airport after 10 hour flight via Johannesburg to be met by the guides. From here we fly northwest by light aircraft into the Namib Desert to the Hobatere concession and Mopane Bushveld . Our expedition camp awaits us and after settling in there’s a full briefing on the journey and adventure that lies ahead before enjoying a welcome dinner cooked over the open fire. We experience our first night under the stars of the southern hemisphere.

Days 2-4.

Hobatere

Hobatere concession is an area of outstanding natural beauty, with rolling grass plains, Mopane forest and rock kopjes. Here we will begin to learn tracking and bushcraft skills that have enabled the Bushman and other tribes to make it their home. At Hobatere there’s a permanent observation hide constructed into the side of the kopje overlooking a waterhole. This gives us the opportunity to study wildlife in detail and to witness nature in all its magnificence at very close, but safe quarters.

Hobatere concession has the largest variety of free roaming wildlife in Namibia and there is the possibility of seeing everything from the mighty elephant to the timid dik-dik. Each morning at Hobatere we will visit the waterhole to study the tracks that animals left the night before (Wildlife permitting). We will concentrate on the ancient skill of animal tracking.

Weather in Namibia

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Click on image for clearer view

Etosha National Park:

[This is an auto-post written prior to departure]

An early start is required as we set out for Bushman land. We will stop at various towns en route for refreshments before entering the Etosha National Park .

The Park is home to all the wildlife Africa has to offer and we will hopefully get to see it at very close quarters as we wind our way through the park. We finish the day at the Namutoni camp on the eastern boarders of the park, here we will have the opportunity to sit at the flood lit waterhole and watch the complex theatre of life as the wildlife comes in to drink.

Weather In Namibia

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Days 6-9. Etosha National Park – Bushman land:

[This is an auto-post written prior to departure]

Leaving Namutoni just after first light and a hearty breakfast we head into Bushman land. Here we meet and work with the Bushman. These people will share with us their vast knowledge of the hunter/gatherer skills that have enabled them to live in this amazing landscape.

We will learn survival techniques to find food and water. We will be taught methods of snaring scrub hare and guinea fowl, extracting water from plants and the ground, and foraging for nature’s bounty with the Bushmen and women as our guides. Later we will join them around their campfire to listen to the haunting sounds of Bushman song, a sound you will remember and cherish forever. We will finish the week by going on a two day “Bush-walk” with the villagers, living off the land and sleeping under the stars in this amazing and captivating environment.

Weather In Namibia

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Day 10. Bushman land – Windhoek

[This is an auto-post written prior to departure]

We return to Windhoek where our expedition ends. We will have the opportunity to stop on route at the famous “wood carvers market” to buy souvenirs and to marvel at the latent talent on display. Finally we will be transported to the comforts of a hotel, meeting later for a farewell dinner at one of Windhoeks top restaurants.

The next day is the travel back to UK.

Weather In Namibia

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I’m back! I’ve unpacked, cleaned my kit and had a good sleep.

Here’s a complete random selection of some of the 1,000 photos and 2 hours of video footage.

I’ll add some words next week.

Thanks for the visit.

Pablo.