Day 1. Africa here we come!

There has always been something romantic and exciting about going to Africa.  In our younger days novels by Wilber Smith, and films, such Daktari, White Mischief and Out of Africa painted a glossy picture of this beautiful, mysterious and dangerous continent. But we decided we would have to go and see what it was really like.

The idea was spawned at a Wine Club meeting.  Originally it was to be a wine tour of South African Vineyards, with a luxury safari in Botswana to top it off.  The seasoned intrepid explorers in our wine group suggested a climb of Kilimanjaro while we were there. Build up a thirst. It is just a high altitude walk after-all.  Somewhere along the way South Africa and Botswana were dropped and a complete holiday in Tanzania set in concrete.

Mike and Michelle opted out of the “walk”, substituting a more sedate prequel to the safari, visiting Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Snorkelling and sunbathing. Nicky, Andrew, Clare, Kevin, Dara and I started our Kili preparation by walking up and down Tyne Street. We took our training further afield to the lofty heights Mt Sebastapol Red Tarns, Mt Kohurau, the Benmore Peninsula, Mt Cargill, Mt Iron and Roys Peak.

Today, freshly attired in tsetse fly-proofed clothing, we said goodbye to our friends and family and jumped on the Emirates flight to Sydney and then Dubai. Hakuna matata!