I’m Back – Faye Anderson Blog #5

It is the early hours of the morning and I am heading for the airport for my return to South Africa. But before that, I go back 2 months to when I was preparing for this trip. Firstly I needed to get a new passport, then check if any visas or vaccinations were required and of course, think about what I may still need to purchase for the trip.

I am a person who likes to pack and repack many times, trying clothes on, mainly to see if they still fit and to make sure I am colour co-ordinated. What is necessary and what I want to take just because I like it is always a difficult decision to make. Then I must also consider the weight allowance as I usually come up with the idea that I’ll take things so that I don’t need to buy anything over there or because I think I won’t bring certain items home.

Checking return flight times is a must as many times I have been on tour when someone realises they are booked to fly out on the day the tour ends. This can be a problem as we realise that we will be arriving in the late afternoon and not at lunchtime as they had hoped, so getting to the airport on time is questionable. This can be very stressful for the guides to try and make this possible. It is also unfair to the other clients as they usually have their tour cut short with no choice. Sometimes people leave the tour a day early in order to get to an airport on time. My advice is to take the time to read all you can, then read it again. The Nomad Pre-departure Document and the Tour Itinerary have lots of information to help you make the most of your great holiday. There is a section on what to take that I read before every tour, but still take too much. My motto must be If it fits in bag, and the weight is good, then it goes.

Well, I have arrived at the airport and now have 2 flights ahead me, which gives me more than 17hrs to watch movies, maybe do some reading and catch up on a few hours’ sleep. As usual, I arrive full of excitement as my next 2 days are spent at Belvedere Estate relaxing yet eager to start my tour. As more people start to arrive, I wonder which tour they are taking, maybe they are on my tour?

The big day finally arrives and after completing all the paperwork required I begin meeting some of the people I will be spending the next 3 weeks with. The ages and nationalities vary, so it’s a good mix, we are all given a locker for our luggage and after finding a seat, we are on our way. This is the start of another adventure, each one is different and yet each one is like my first time on tour… Super excited!