The Journey Continues

I hope you will join me virtually throughout this journey. You can follow me on IG & FB at C.L.Wanderings. I am starting the next part of my journey in Kenya and Uganda.

What’s in this blog?

Packing for volunteering and photo safaris in Uganda and Kenya.

A little about me

I am passionate about experiencing, improving and sharing both the underwater and terrestrial world with people. I am also a person who doesn’t eat much meat, doesn’t consume alcohol or drugs, 60+ years old, has some arthritis and type 1 diabetes. I share these things because they figure in when I plan an adventure.

What do I pack?

Ugh! This is the toughest part for me. I am a photographer, a scuba diver and require medical supplies for my Tandem insulin pump and Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor. And clothes. 

There are a lot of lists available from the safari company (Natural World Safari’s), places you plan to volunteer (Ol Pejeta) and a lot of different internet sites.

How do I pick where I want to go?

Hmm…Since I am a photojournalist, scuba diver and a Type 1 Diabetic using a closed loop pump/CGM system with Tandem/Dexcom, I have special things I consider. For this trip I do not need scuba stuff, so I was thinking it would be easier to just have carry-on bags.  It turns out that durable medical supplies and backup devices/insulin are bulky, requiring extra space. I proactively paid for extra seats/baggage on the small planes within Kenya and Uganda as I need everything I’ve packed.

I am not bringing all of my cameras and lenses, just 2 Canon 7D camera bodies, 1 wide angle (Canon 10-22), 1 telephoto (Canon 70-200), and 1 extender (Canon 1.4) along with cards, batteries, chargers, etc. And a MacBook, iPad & external hard drive.  I am crazy fond of my Peak Design anchor mounts, slide lite, and cuff; these products are well built and wonderfully useful!

Then I have medical supplies.  Because I am a Type 1 Diabetic using an insulin pump (Tandem tslim) and CGM (Dexcom G6) I need durable medical supplies for every day that I am gone.  It is important that I have a few extras and backups in case there is a failure or a problem plus long-acting insulin and syringes for potential pump failures.  Additionally, I carry a backup pump in case my primary fails. Tandem was great about providing a backup pump so during my 3-6 month trip to various international and sometimes remote locations.

Redundancy is so important for critical items like medical and photography.  I do have to be reasonable about it and feel comfortable I have what I need. I also carry trip insurance and medical evacuation insurance to be sure I am ok in case of an emergency; I keep digital and physical copies of the insurance information with me.

Then there are some essentials like eco-friendly sunscreen & bug spray, minimizing the amount of plastic I can’t reuse or recycle.  Oh, and a couple of changes of clothes. Clothes that are comfortable, culturally appropriate and quick dry. Laundry service is often available for a small fee, otherwise I can wash and dry my own clothes in a stop-over location. I bring 3 pair of undies and 3 sets of socks.

Let me explain the socks. Feet are so important. I want to have liners (with toes) that keep me from getting blisters between my toes and socks that are padded and semi-thick to keep my feet comfortable in my hiking boots. I am finding this combination critical for my ability to continue to be active.

One last set of things. Basic toiletries. And I mean basic. Toothbrush, small toothpaste, hair brush, a couple of hair ties, bar of soap and shampoo bar; only the toothpaste is a “liquid”. A few other things like day backpack, travel meds, and first aid stuff.

I have to remember that people live quite well where I am going and can usually get what I need, even if it is different than what I might have at home.

All fits into 1 roller bag (not the best option for safari type activities) and 1 large backpack. I wanted to keep everything with me for this trip; lately the flights get changed often and want to be sure I have my gear and medical stuff with me. This make me flexible.

What’s next?

I will be sharing my volunteering experience at Ol Pejeta, Kenya in the next blog.