Any fellow traveller or travel blogger that needs some assistance on the planning side for an upcoming trip and you do not know where to start?

My specialty (and I love doing it) is the pre-planning of a trip, which includes:

• work out do-able travel distances for a day,
• fuel needs,
• find nice camping spots (on the tourist strip as well as off the grid),
• what to see and do,
• do some food planning for easy camp meals
• packing lists

Not only have we travelled alone in desolate and remote places in Africa but I can say that I know my own country and parts of Africa pretty well.

Do you have questions like:

what do I need to pack for your trip?,

what are the distances?

is there fuel available?

where can I get a packing list

Please do not feel that you will be asking silly questions, feel free to pop me an e-mail at  info@travelbucket.co.za and I will respond as soon as I can.

Feel free to approach us if you have any questions.  We are always available to share stories – yours or ours –  over a cup of coffee or two, or three.

If you like to collaborate or be associated with the team and our travels drop us an e-mail at:  info@travelbucket.co.za or leave a message on Facebook or Instagram.

Sorry, but Travelbucket do not accept any guest posts.  Here we share our stories and experiences.

—oOo—

CK Chesterton once said:  “The traveller sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he comes to see”.

—oOo—

The post HOW CAN I HELP? appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

• We never take all our food from home as this just adds weight to your vehicle which increases fuel consumption and with Shoprite branches in the major cities in Africa you will find most of the food stuff needs – some at a price, but you will find it.   Weigh up the pro’s and cons and decide where you find your balance!
• Be realistic when planning your food. Everything is not always as fresh as back home  or as readily available especially when planning some or other exotic dish for dinner.  Remember that you are doing this trip to experience Africa.  Sometimes you have to think out of the box to create a wholesome dish in the bush.

• Before you get nervous and fret, you do get very good meat, especially in Botswana. If Lady Luck is on your side you will find a mutton choppie at Beef Boys in Maun (Tel:  00 267 721 36 006).  You can even place an order beforehand over the phone and arrange for a pickup time and date.
• As you drive through Maun and Kasane in the North of Botswana you will spot some well-known names like Woolworths and Spar, but my all time favourite place to shop is Delta Meat Deli at the iconic Rileys Garage in Maun where you can even get some koeksisters and melktert.  To top it all Delta Meat Deli also has a Facebook page where you can contact them.

• Make an effort and follow Facebook groups such as Moz Info and Mozambique for All where you will find up to date information/comments on various aspects and you can also ask questions to fellow members in these groups.

The more you travel in Africa the more gems you will find ……. BON VOYAGE, ENJOY THE TRIP!

“The stars were better company anyway. They were very beautiful, and they almost never snored.”   —–   David Eddings

The post CROSSING THE BORDER (PART IV) – FOOD appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

• Which border post? In all our years of travel we found that it is much easier to enter/exit at smaller border posts.  At the bigger border posts, the officials are sometimes tired and irritated and will take their time to work through the processes.  Our experience is at the smaller posts they are friendlier and welcome a chat while doing their work.
• When? Try to avoid peak times, if possible, like month end, late Friday afternoon or popular public holidays like Easter.  Everybody is in a hurry and the queues are longer, the tempers flare quicker and willingness is shorter.
• Be positive! No matter how frustrated you get, try to smile and be friendly.  They are only doing their job.  A positive attitude goes a long, long way.
• Take your own pen. Pens are rarely supplied at most border posts. If you have your own, you can get a jump in the queue while filling out the form.
• Keep it simple. A clear plastic folder works wonders to keep all the documents together.
• Step out of your vehicle. When you get swamped by all the touts, step out of your vehicle, pick one, and tell him that you will contract him if he makes sure all the other touts disappear, agree on a price beforehand to go with you to customs, immigration, third party, police clearance and sometimes the health department.  In some places, the third party office can be a container hidden behind other buildings and difficult to find.  Keep a watchful eye here on your tout!
• Keep your eyes on your stuff. Even though the border officials may be above board, opportunistic thieves and pickpockets spot you long before you spot them. Make sure your vehicle is locked.  We have a standard habit of one of us stay at the vehicle while the other do the paperwork and then rotate if necessary.  Rather be safe than spoiling your trip from the word go.
• Money matters. Know the current Rand // USD exchange rate before you arrive at the border. There are APPS available for this purpose or phone a friend if needs be.   If possible, use local currency and give exact  It is easy to “not have change” available and is sometimes a standard answer (and can be very profitable)
• Never flash the amount of money you have on you – be discreet.    If you need to change money at the border, count it slowly and make sure you received the right amount.  There are “experts” out there with very swift hands.   We rather exchange Rand // USD before we leave home to avoid the risk of using money changers.
• Some borders do take bank cards, but on the other hand this is a great way to get your bank card cloned. Officials are not always willing to offer a card machine due to the “not have change” rule.  As in many situations – use your discretion!
• Check the stamp. Before you leave the counter make sure that the date stamps are correct.  You won’t be able to change anything easily once you leave.
• Obey the rules of the road. The areas around border crossings are particularly happy hunting grounds for traffic police.   Remember to stop at stop signs and stop behind the line even though they eagerly wave at you to come forward.
• Remember that as soon as you cross into another country you are on roaming charges for your cell phone.  If you plan to phone a lot rather buy a local SIM card – it is a lot cheaper.

Do you have any questions?  We will gladly give advice if you ask the question.

—oOo—

This is Part III in the series of articles.  Remember to read Parts I and II as well.

The post CROSSING THE BORDER (PART III) – ARRIVING AT THE BORDER appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

Most border trouble comes down to inexperience or impatience – not only in Africa, but throughout the world.  The key is to prepare well beforehand and remember, every successful border crossing pans out differently in each country. Regulations change all the time and is rapidly outdated.  There are general tips that you can follow to ease your encounter at the border post, so consider some of the following tips:

SO, THIS SAID, WHERE DO I START? 

Right at the beginning.   Planning, planning, planning and some more planning!  Start doing your homework well in advance, because it might take some time to get your ducks in a row and quacking.

The number one place to start will be at your documents.  Without a passport, the trip is not going to happen …..

• A valid passport with at least two unused pages for all the stamps and does not expire within the next six months.

• As a South African citizen, you do not need a visa for the following neighbouring countries: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland.  If you are in doubt check with your capable local travel agent, as regulations do change.
• If you travel with children under the age of 18 years you will also need their birth certificates and the non-traveling parent’s consent, if this might be the case.
• Your South African driver’s license should suffice in the neighbouring countries, but when you travel further afield it is a good idea to obtain an international driver’s license. They are obtainable from the Automobile Association.

• Make a list of all the serial numbers of your electronics before leaving home. If possible, make a copy of the documentation.  It makes declaring it at the border post a lot easier.  A scanned version I keep as my backup should any item or copy go missing.

• Arrange with your bank beforehand that you will be traveling outside South Africa otherwise the bank might block your card, presuming that fraudulent transaction are done. I normally submit to the bank the dates within which we are going to travel as well as the different countries to avoid frustration and embarrassment when paying.
• Cards work mostly in the bigger cities only. If you venture to the rural areas make sure you have enough cash on you.  We once arrived at Rakops (Botswana) en route to Central Kalahari Reserve, where we had to refuel, and the garage did not have a card machine. The only ATM was without money for the past two weeks!  Nice, nice, nice ….
• The South African Rand is accepted widely for instance in Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho, but do not always bargain on it.

• Yellow fever is a typical must-have inoculation, which normally has to be administered by a travel doctor a few weeks before your departure. It is valid for 10 years. If you visit countries in Northern Africa this is compulsory.  There are also various other shots such as cholera and typhoid, although we never deemed it necessary.   With common savvy, you can avoid a lot of these diseases.  In our 20 odd years’ of traveling the African continent we have never ever contracted any of these threatening diseases.

Remember to always carry your Yellow fever certificate with you.

• Check with your medical aid whether they will cover the costs if you need to be repatriated after a serious accident. This is not automatically covered in all medical schemes.
• Remember malaria is rife in Africa. Speak to your doctor about prophylaxes and precautions.
• Note:  We found that lots of garlic as well as gin and tonic keep them mostly at bay.

—–OOO—–

A wise person will always find a way. ~ Tanzanian proverb

The post CROSSING THE BORDER (PART I) – PLANNING appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.