Planning Phase 2

D Day + 18 - Still getting together visa's for Sinead, had a hassle with Mozambique who said that they could only issue it for two months and if they give us one now by the time we get to their border it will have expired so now we have to go in on the 10th July which will cover our stay in Mozambique. Malawi also required us to bank the fee before they will process as was the case with Tanzania, but unlike Tanzania there was nothing on their web site to say this was a requirement, you have to ask the question why they do not have similar procedures, hey that is too simple. Next step is to get our International driving licences and all the rigmarole for the car, Zambia want reflector strips white in front and red on the rear, Mozambique and Zambia want you to have steel red triangles, not available in SA only plastic ones available; a good reason to fine you when in fact all the residents use is a branch of a tree across the road 20 meters back, yellow and blue warning triangles for Moz and two reflective jackets. I also need a high lift jack, straps for goods carried on the roof and 101 other things before I will feel comfortable about leaving.
Have to book Snuggles our African Grey Parrot and truly part of the family into his board and lodging, everyone we know has dogs and cats and my sister Loraine just had to relocate to Great Brak River just when I needed her to look after Snuggles.
Have heard back from the school I went to in Tanzania and they are looking forward to welcoming us, we are taking some sporting goods and other essentials that are always in short supply (pencils, exercise books and the like).  

Planning phase

Denise and I have been planning this trip up to Kenya and back to South Africa for 2 years now, then suddenly with 3 weeks to go there is suddenly so much to finalise not helped by the need to get visa's for Sinead initially for Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya, Mozambique and Malawi and she is only a 15 months old Austrian citizen, only Zambia to date decided that it was not necessary for an infant which makes a lot of sense.
All our reservations are now confirmed, I might add that we have not had the travel gods on our side or should I say the exchange rate gods, a giggle moment by our No 1 citizen saw the Rand dive and we hope and pray that Madiba manages to hang in there as his passing is expected to further weaken the Rand, but we also pray he recovers, but the prognosis is not encouraging.
We have got our Carnet de Passage, basically our customs document to allow us to proceed through 7 borders; Botswana - Zambia - Tanzania - Kenya - Tanzania - Malawi - Mozambique - South Africa the round trip is in the order of 14000 kms.
Today we did a mock packing of our Prado and when we saw what space was left the ladies were told to cut back on their pants, shoes, make-up and the like, that is when you learn never to tell a woman to cut back on what they want to take on holiday.