This post is not an instruction manual on packing- more of a cry of despair. I started packing weeks ago, gathering everything in the spare room. This is going to be my longest trip ever, 15 weeks on the road in 12 different countries. So I was approaching this with a steely eye and a cold heart. Anyone who’s travelled with me knows I generally have spare everythings and an OTC tablet for all known ailments.
I started with what I’m calling the Zelensky capsule method. 4 olive green t-shirts, 2 long and 2 short sleeved. 4 pairs of olive green pants- 2 short and 2 long. Zelensky threw a curve ball last week wearing a black suit to the White House. Black is a no-no in Africa. Its like sending a telepathic message to all the mosquitoes that your blood supply store is open for business. I wasn’t prepared for the tsetse flies in parts of Tanzania and naturally that was the only day I wore black. They love it! They’re like tiny little bombarding helicopters with unerring ability to find your open mouth.
But the packing was going well. Neat, tidy and no surplus. But one morning I walked in and noticed blue! Somehow a blue shirt had snuck in. Within minutes the bed was filled with multicoloured shirts, pants and surplus!
How do you tell your favourite clothes that you don’t love them enough to take them round the world with you on this exciting journey. Well I haven’t crossed that Rubicon just yet, I’m currently getting a pedicure in advance of heading away on Monday morning.
I’m delighted to be meeting Ann McCarthy from Uganda Lodge on Monday evening. We’ll finalise dates and arrangements for the volunteers on the 2-country gorilla tour. Tuesday I’ll be meeting the team from Inspired in the city. They’ll be supporting me while I’m away to make sure the new itineraries are posted and will provide the necessary customer support. I’ll still be available when I can but its a challenge when on the road as so many of you know.
Tuesday night brings me to Kigali in Rwanda to check hotels, Lodges and the National Park. Then on to Bwindi where I’m truly excited to be bringing English Premier League football strips to the Batwa. I’ll stay a few nights in Uganda Lodge then head to Tanzania to wish the group a safe safari.
Ethiopia will be my next stop- a very special visit to the Gurage tribe where our tour will be focused. On then to Morocco to host our EVA tour. From there a gruelling flight to Namibia. Now this one will be special. I’m visiting cheetah rescue, rhino rescue and vulture protection sanctuaries. I may even be able to visit the protected desert lions who are crtically endangered with their population plummeting from 150 to 18 in the past decades.
Might as well keep going right? Next stop will be Borneo where I’ll visit our partner Albert Aseh and the projects we will focus on. I’m talking to Albert tomorrow morning about confirming those last details for the tours next year so news on that next week.
I’ll turn 66 on an airplane from Kuala Lumpur to Kathmandu to visit Kathleen McCabe and hopefully launch our Soul of Nepal tour for 2026
And then! I’m hosting the first EVA tour in Cambodia- one of my favourites. I designed this tour myself and I truly believe it brings you the absolute best of the country. Elephant volunteering, community involvement, wonderful food and of course sunrise at Angkor Wat. Some of us will travel on to Laos for the add-on. And while it isn’t confirmed I was thinking that since I’m in the neighbourhood I might as well pop over to Sri Lanka- a much requested destination. I’ve reached out to some turtle protection projects so I’ll update on too.
So back to the packing. I’m so exhausted having planned all that I think I’ll go back to the Zelensky Capsule Model and banish the blues. Maybe just one favourite though?
Looking forward to bringing you with me on this pretty epic journey that will stretch me right out of my comfort zone.
