Just 2 weeks. Any advice?

hunting4sanity

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I'm pretty much beside myself with anticipation. Two weeks from today my brother and I will be en route to South Africa for our first safari. Today we talked to the bank about getting some Rand. I think everything is squared away on gun permits, airfare, paperwork, etc. Any last minute advice? Things you sure are glad you took, wish you would have taken or things you should have left at home? I've spent a lot of time getting ready, but I assume there's something I've missed, so any last words of wisdom will be appreciated. Hopefully there will be some pics to post in the near future, so I'll try posting a picture of one of our practice targets just to see if I can make a picture show up. I'm assuming the next kudu we see will be in less snow.
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Enjoy it.
Roll with it all as it comes.

Good luck.
 
Enjoy it.
Roll with it all as it comes.

Good luck.

+1

Take plenty of pictures. Not just photos of trophies.

Some things will go wrong. If you can't change them then don't worry about them.

Ask your PH and the people you are around a million questions. (hunting stories, their family history in Africa, local battlefields, bushman cave paintings, etc. If you have down time, ie: lunch break go see them) You will learn a lot.

It doesn't get any better than hunting with a close family member. You will have a blast.

Carpe Diem.

Looking forward to your photos and hunting report.

All the best.
 
Butterflies are a good thing! Embrace them!
 
I'm pretty much beside myself with anticipation. Two weeks from today my brother and I will be en route to South Africa for our first safari. Today we talked to the bank about getting some Rand. I think everything is squared away on gun permits, airfare, paperwork, etc. Any last minute advice? Things you sure are glad you took, wish you would have taken or things you should have left at home? I've spent a lot of time getting ready, but I assume there's something I've missed, so any last words of wisdom will be appreciated. Hopefully there will be some pics to post in the near future, so I'll try posting a picture of one of our practice targets just to see if I can make a picture show up. I'm assuming the next kudu we see will be in less snow.
View attachment 25270

This is going to be Lekker!
 
Call your credit card company to let them know where you will be and the dated\s of your travel.

Call your cellphone company and activate your phone for the country you will be traveling through.

Take pictures
 
Call your credit card company to let them know where you will be and the dated\s of your travel.

Call your cellphone company and activate your phone for the country you will be traveling through.

Take pictures

Good points.
I just about forgot the CC call on the way to SCI.
Did it at the airport.
 
Oh, and in the meantime do a whole lot of shooting off the sticks at ranges to 300 yards.

That's my one regret - I truly wish I'd done much more shooting off the sticks before I left.
 
Thanks for the additional insights. I'll be calling the credit card company this morning. I have been shooting off of sticks a lot, it's nice having a shooting range one mile from the house, but I'm sure I'll wish I had done it even more.
"Roll with it all as it comes." "Some things will go wrong. If you can't change them then don't worry about them."
Not sure why that sounds like excellent advice coming from you guys, yet seems like my wife has been saying something similar for years.:eek: One other question, how do you make pictures show up large in a post versus the small thumbnail version?
 
Take no more than 3 sets of hunting clothes. Wash is done everyday. If you keep yourself limited to that you will most likely be able to take your clothes in a carry on bag. If your rifles don't arrive or are late you'll still be able to go hunting with one of your outfitters rifles.
 
Try to force yourself to start adjusting to RSA time on your flight over or earlier if you have the luxury. If it means extra sleep do it, if it means staying awake do it. You'll be wide awake when you arrive but the adrenalin of touching down in RSA will wear off fairly quickly if you're still on USA time. Going over has been fairly easy for me but coming back sucks. ;D
 
Sticker shock -
If you have a smart phone and take it with you...turn off the updates while over in Africa...your bill could run into the thousands if you do not do this.
 
The one thing that you really can't replace is broken in boots. I advise you to wear a pair on the plane and put a spare pair in the carry on. As long as you have money or credit, you can replace essentially anything else (although if you forget your passport, you won't be leaving the country). But boots take time.

Two small things that go a long way are chapstick and a nail clipper with a file. You could get either of those in Africa, but by the time you realize you need them you will be well out of town.
 

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