A Plan Not To Plan

Upon arrival into Kenya, one thing was clear. We were, for the first time in five months of travel, ready to let someone else do the planning and take a break from the independent side of travel. It was a combination of fellow traveler recommendations and being unsure of independent travel in Africa, but doing an Overland trip with a tour company was looking like the best option.

The high council of the Gnomes was summoned in Nairobi, and the number-crunching game began. We researched numerous tour operators and the council reached a decision after four days of deliberation. The Gnomes would go on a 43-day overland tour from Nairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa, starting Oct 7 - Nov 18 with Acacia Africa. Let the African journey begin!

POST-ARRIVAL*: This post is a little outdated, but thought we'd include it anyway as an FYI when looking for an organized overland tour across one of the world's most intriguing places - Africa. Plus, it kind-of gives you a before and after take on the whole thing.

Meal Time in Botswana (Click pic to enlarge)

ITINERARY: NAIROBI, KENYA TO CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA 2012 | 43 DAYS

• OCT 7 - 13 (DAYS 1-7): Nairobi, Masai Mara, Serengeti Plains
• OCT 14 - 21 (DAYS 8-15): Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Malawi
• OCT 22 - 31 (DAYS 16-25): Lake Malawi, Victoria Falls, Livingstone
• NOV 1 - 7 (DAYS 26-32): Chobe National Park, Okavango Delta
• NOV 8 - 12 (DAYS 33-37): Etosha National Park, Swakopmund
• NOV 13 - 18 (DAYS 38-43): Fish River Canyon, Cape Town

LOGISTICAL STUFF:

FACTORS OF PICKING AN OVERLAND TOUR: 

Note:* The below info is from advice given from those that have already taken the plunge themselves, and what we learned through the booking process. We may alter these notes in the end - hopefully not.

1. PRICE - They all pretty much do the same itinerary, so pick one in between the highest and lowest price. Apparently, you get what you pay for and low may be REALLY low in regards to quality of guides and camping gear. Also, make sure you understand ALL of the hidden fees and additional costs, like admission to national parks, 3 day activities/treks/game drives in said parks, and more obvious add on activities that are truly optional. After adding these all up, the least expensive could very well become the most expensive in the bunch.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE:  We went with 'Acacia Africa', which is in the mid price range. 
2. GUIDES - Some of the more inexpensive companies may provide guides that are more like "tour leaders," aka: logistical organizers, rather than actual guides that are also knowledgeable on the areas you are visiting. Additionally, check up on the general reputation of the guides at a particular company. If you want to get really specific, you can even call the company directly and find out who will be leading the tour on the dates you want. Then do some reconisance on his/her name via travel forums and the like. You have now entered an A.D.D. Wonderland.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: We had great guides - a married couple, Julianna and Riann, with 20+ years of tours (and catering...yumm) under their belts.
3. GROUP - Which leads me to the last point. You can also ask the company what the demographics are for the group, which is a nice way of asking, "What's the age range?" Now, we understand age is just a number and maturity (or rather, imaturity) can come at any age, but there are generalities to consider. Also, remember to ask how many people max would be on the bus.
   *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: Our group ranged from 21 - 40 years old, with 12 - 22 people max, depending on which leg of the trip you're on. Something we didn't know beforehand - we booked from Nairobi to Cape Town, but some peeps on your tour may have only booked Nairobi to Zanzibar. Some Zanzibar to Livingstone. Others Livingstone to Cape Town or Livingstone to Johannesburg. So, you won't always be with the same 22 people during a 43 day trip. If you're joining in at a particular leg, you may find yourself to be "the newbie," welcomed by a 98% proof vodka shot as part of your initiation. Also, if you want to extend your trip to include the next leg, our company (Acacia) seemed to be flexible in accommodating your desire to keep on truckin'.

VISAS:

For U.S. citizens, you only need to obtain VISAs for entry into Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia, all of which you get upon arrival for $50 - $100 USD each (depending on country).

*POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: If you're a U.S. citizen, don't be surprised if your VISA fees are a little higher than every one else in your group - the country you're entering is only matching what U.S. officials charge for their citizens to enter the U.S. - Only fair.

MUST HAVES:

• Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate - Some countries will not let you into the country without it.
• Travel Insurance - Some companies will not let you on the bus without it.
• USD currency - Plenty to pay for the Local Payment, paid directly to the company when you arrive (must have USD cash in hand - will not except any other currency), VISAs on arrival, and any additional fees for activities, park admissions, snacks, drinks, etc. Zanzibar has ATMs and you can pay for things with Credit Card, if necessary. Also, some places will allow for local currency when paying for fun-in-the sun-type activities.
• Note: If you are booking your tour while in Africa, you probably don't have enough USD on hand. You should allocate a few days to take money out of ATMs in local currency and exchange them into USD. If you're from The States, seem's weird to convert from USD to local currency and then back to USD, but that's how it's done (so they say). OR, the company you're booking with may do you a favor and let you pay the Local Payment with Credit Card at a high exchange rate - 5% or more.
  *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: You actually only need USD for the local payment and VISAs on arrival. All countries will take local currency for site activities and if they don't, they will be happy to oblige swiping your credit card - for a fee, of course. Also, you may be able to exchange local currency with your tour guides for USD if you absolutely need it. Bottom line - take some USD, but don't break the bank.
• Sleeping Bag / Pillow / Toilet Paper / Sunscreen / Detergent / Towel - They will NOT provide a sleeping bag for you. Check the overnight weather for the season to determine the weight needed.
  *POST-ARRIVAL NOTE: You really can take as many things as you want - within reason. Since your things will be stored on the bus the entire time, you don't have to worry about how much your bag weighs. This also means that you can buy as many curios (souvenirs) as you can carry back to the bus and then either post them home via good ole snail mail, or pack them in your carry-on for your flight home.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PICS: Nairobi (place of planning for the overland tour)

ALERT: All Systems Down At The Blog Generating Plant

Due to foreseen circumstances, and managerial visits (from both our parents), all blog assembly line personnel have been dismissed from their post with minimal notice. We'd like to apologize for the slack in production in recent weeks, but our equipment (hard drive) was damaged within the timezone continuum and is in need of repairs. In addition, there has been a breakdown in Internet access, along with shortened office hours, particularly those spent in the break room.

We're working as quickly as we can to repair the damage, and will be operating on all fronts in the blogosphere before the next Internet opportunity is available (i.e. generating posts on Israel and Jordan). Again, we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. Thank you so much for your cooperation and continued support.

Sincerely,

Mr. & Mrs. Gnome McGee

P.S.

The staff has taken their temporary dismissal to travel overland around the African continent through November 18th: Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa. Their whereabouts will be posted as a progress report within the coming week. 

Checklist

We've got 10 days to go until we leave and my notebook is getting mighty full of checkboxes, some conquered and some staring me down, daring me to cross them off at high noon with their pistol drawn. So, with all these checkboxes defying my every move, I've decided to add yet another TO-DO to my list - blog about it.


When Matt and I were planning this trip, I never really thought about all the logistical stuff that would need to happen before we could break free from all our responsibilities. There's a GINORMOUS amount. Now, this is not to scare anyone, but it's simply to say I was a bit dumbfounded by things that crept up once I started cleaning house.


MAIN THINGS TO DO BEFORE LEAVING THE TARMAC:

• General Itinerary
• Budget??
• Weather / Time of Year
• Tourist Season?
• ATM availability
• Visa Requirements
• Foreign Embassies / Consolates - To obtain visas.
• Vaccinations / Anti-Malarial Pills
• Work / Volunteer Opportunities
• Book Departure Flight (one-way ticket out of the US)
• IDs - Up-to-date
• Passport - Make sure there's enough pages. If not, can always add more at any US embassy abroad.
• Passport Photos - Make sure you have enough for number of countries requiring visas.
• Driver's License
• Diving License (PADI?)
• Make copy for family, in case you lose any of these
• Credit / Debit Cards - Cancel, Keep, Enroll
• Find ones that reimburse you for transaction and exchange fees
• Capital One Venture Card (Credit Card)
• Charles Schwab (Debit / ATM)
• Travel Notification
• Go Paperless
• Change address on all of them to permanent address
• Check when they expire
• Permanent Address?
• Absentee Ballots
• Cancel or Forward Mail
• Taxes
• Pictures / Video / Electronics
• Camera
• Storage - Hard drive, external hard drive, memory cards, flash drive, online storage?
• Computer? iPod? Tablet? E-Reader? None?
• Backpack Items - Do you really need every shoe in your closet?
• Household Items - Sell, Keep, Donate
• Doctors Appointments
• Immunizations / Vaccinations Clinic (Including Anti-Malarial Pills)
• General - Yearly physical
• Dental - Teeth cleaning
• Dermatologist - Yearly check-up
• Gynocologist - Yearly check-up
• Optomologist - Order contact lenses for the year
• Make sure there aren't any outstanding claims
• Insurance - Decide if you want to sell or keep the house or car(s) and if you want insurance on anything. 
• Travel - Scan receipts for anything expensive you're taking
• Health - Any outstanding claims?
• Car - Would you rather sell or turn in your tag for your car?
• House / Apt
• House - Who is going to make the payments? What about renewing the lease?
• Insurance
• Mortgage
• HOA
• Tenants
• Contact Sheet for family and friends - How are they going to get ahold of you?

Russian Visas

Getting a Russian Visa took a bit of maneuvering, but it was pretty painless. 

THINGS TO KNOW:

• Visa Time Frame:
• 30 days in Russia maximum
• This does NOT mean 30 days from when you arrive in Russia. You designate a pre-determined 30 day window of when your visa is valid. You designate these dates when filling out your application.
• In other words, you cannot depart before or stay after the 30 day window. If you arrive in Russia 3 days before you're scheduled to depart, you have to leave, no matter what.
• Russian Consolates: http://embassy.goabroad.com/embassies-of/russia
• Seattle | San Francisco | Houston | Washington DC | New York 
• We live in Orlando, so we were unable to get the visa ourselves. We needed outside help, i.e. a travel agency.
• Visa Application: https://evisa.kdmid.ru
• You have to fill out one per person online, print and sign. Can use the same ID number if applying together.
• Cannot mail or send electronically. You (or someone who represents you, like a travel agency) has to bring it to one of the five Russian Consolates in the US.
• Don't need to know when you're getting there and when you're leaving, you just need to give yourself a window of 30 days. 
• Need Invitation Letter from reputable hostel, hotel or travel agency. They will provide you via phone or email with a Reference # and Confirmation Invitation # to include in your application while you're filling it out.
• Current employment means where you currently work, not what your job status will be when arriving in Russia (for us, unemployed :)).
• Invitation Letter:
• Can get an invitation letter for FREE if you pre-book your hostel or hotel before arriving. If they are a large enough company, they should be able to provide an invitation letter for you.
• We didn't book beforehand and are pretty sure that we'll be staying at hostel that cannot give us an invitation letter, so we paid the travel agency for the invitation letter and an additional "Service Fee" to courier the applications for us. You have to pay separately for the Letter and the Service Fee. 
• Some agencies will provide a letter for UP TO 2 people, instead of having to pay for each person.
• Processing Time:
• Typically, 2 - 3 weeks.
• Shortest time we found was Same Business Day, but that's if the consulate gets to your application same day. Also, should consider at least 2 additional days of shipping docs to/from travel agency if you need to use one.
• Additional Items You'll Need:
• 1 Passport Sized Picture - Tape to Application
• 1 Open Page in Passport

***UPDATE: You will also have to pay an additional fee (500 - 700 Rubles) to register through the hostel/hotel you are staying with, if you are staying in Russia for more than 7 days.

WHO WE USED:

There are tons of agencies out there that will do essentially the same thing for you. All you have to do is figure out which one will do it for less. Found these guys to be the cheapest, and as an added bonus, the most helpful.

• Red Star Travel - Seattle, Washington
• 206.522.5995
• http://www.travel2russia.com/visa_rus.htm

BREAKDOWN OF COSTS (6 BUSINESS DAY PROCESSING):

• $140 - Visa Application (x2) = $280
• $55 - Service Fee (x2) = $110
• $50 - Invitation Letter (Includes 2) = $50
• $5 - US Postal Service Mail
• $17 - 3-Day FedEx Return Label
• $462 TOTAL

Which Way Do We Go?

"Wasn't he pointing the other way?"

So, I'm starting to feel a little like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.


All this time, Matt and I were thinking that we'd be traveling from EAST TO WEST, going from Northeast Asia (starting in Japan), Southeast Asia, Africa, Middle East then Eastern Europe (leaving from Western Russia). There were a few reasons we chose this. 1) We are on a budget, and from what we've heard from those that have traveled in Southeast Asia say that your buck goes a long way - from food to clothing to hostels (or even monasteries). Our thoughts were that we should start spending our money in the less expensive countries of SE Asia before we headed to the more expensive Middle East and Eastern Europe. That way we could see how much money we had left and spend accordingly, ie. to splurge or not to splurge. 2) We are intending to stay in Asia the longest amount of time (6 months out of 13 months on the road) and didn't want to run out of time before we got to Asia. Lastly, 3) Getting adjusted to time zones is supposedly a little easier when traveling from East to West.


BUT, all that changed when we started investigating weather patterns for each of the regions. It turns out that starting in May meant that we would be visiting SE Asia during the summer months, which we've read is the less desirable time to visit. In other words, we would be smack dab in the middle of the rainy season. Oh, well! We'd have fun either way and were thinking whatever, no biggie, let's go anyway. But, then we checked when we would be in Eastern Europe and found out that we'd be getting there (according to our time schedule) around Winter time. Hello cold fingers and frosty noses. SOOO, we had some thinking to do. Our hearts were set on going from EAST TO WEST and we had already been doing all sorts of research for that part of the world, getting all excited. Nevertheless, we talked it through (and I mean A.D.D. style - for like 3 days) and decided changing plans is what it's all about. If you find out some info and it turns out to be better than originally planned, roll with it. So, that's what we did. WEST TO EAST we go, starting in Western Russia (St.Petersburg or Moscow). Time to get excited about a different part of the world and get to buying our first plane ticket. Yay! :)


Here's our itinerary thus far: