One Month

I'm going to Africa in 1 month. I still can't believe it. I wanted to fill you in on some of the details of my trip. I'm traveling to South Africa with one of my closest friends, Soraya Khoury. We met in a voice class at Columbia College during in fall of 1999. Soraya and I are volunteering at the Baphumelele Children's Home in a township outside of Capetown, called Khayelitsha. South Africa has the world's largest HIV+ population and Khayelitsha is home to many affected by the disease. Baphumelele houses approx. 100 orphaned children ranging from newborn to 18 yrs of age. We'll be at Baps (as it's called) until October 7th, caring for the children for 4 days out of the week and in Capetown on our off days. We'll use our time off to travel and explore South Africa. After our project ends we'll travel to the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in Botswana, to Victoria Falls in Zambia/Zimbabwe and to Johannesburg. On October 20th, we fly from Johannesburg to Bangkok, Thailand. In Thailand, we plan on seeing Chiang Mai, possibly Ankgor Wat in Cambodia and lying on some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We'll be in Thailand until November 5th, then we fly to Tokyo, where we'll spend 2 nights and we'll be back in the states on November 7th. I'm exhausted just thinking about it! If anyone has been to any of the places we're going and has advice on what to do/see, I would love to hear it!

So...in preparation for the trip, I've been reading the Lonely Planet Southern Africa travel guide. This was my favorite bit I read today:

"Rhinos tend to be wary of humans, although they may charge vehicles that get too close. If you are caught on foot and can't immediately climb a tree, face the charge and step to one side at the last moment in bullfight style."

WHAT!?! Climb a tree? Face the charge? This is OBVIOUSLY an important bit of information but I can't believe I'm actually going to be in a situation where I'll need to use it! We'll see tons of game in Botswana and I really hope I don't have to face a rhino! :-) I get immunized on Tuesday. The more I read about what I'm at risk for - Typhoid, Rabies, Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis A, Anthrax, Yellow fever - the more anxious I get. The more I read about anything, the more realistic and scary this all becomes. This is no Disney vacation I'm going on. I just hadn't given much thought to all these things yet... but I'm still SUPER EXCITED!!!

I'm off to bed.

More info on Baphumelele at http://www.aviva-sa.com/projects/people/baphumelele/index.htm.