People , I was very interested to see that on my poll of what scares you the most about Africa , far and away the highest on the list was the fear of lost guns – very closely followed by the long flight - guns - well thats a whole subject over which we have no control however heres how i deal with the flight if its of any help , we all have our ways of dealing with it , this is mine -

I will have made that flight five different times this year and heres how I handle it – I am ADHD to the enth degree so I have to have a variety of activities to keep my scatterbrain entertained !!!!

I take a laptop with an extra battery – most of the time on my overnight in Johannesburg there is internet connection – so in the ten days or so before I leave I start deferring emails and work that I can do while I am on the plane – I can pile them all up and when I hit the ground in Johannesburg get them all sent off

I often take a movie with me , that I can play on my laptop with earbuds

There is usually at least one okay movie on the flight that’s not bad entertainment
I have a kindle and always have at least one or two good books on that -

SAY YES TO DRUGS ambien – that gives me a minimum of 7 hours of solid sleep – I plan the ambient at a time when I would have been going to bed at my destination , that way you are that much closer to getting over the jetlag , also the first two nights after I land I resist the temptation to nap in the day and take an ambient when I retire –

dealing with the flight is okay , the jetlag sucks but ambien is awesome in that regard - also making sure i eat at mealtimes and no matter how much i dont feel like doing so i make sure i excercise a bunch the first two days after arrival - in bothy directions

So heres the math

Total flight time – 17 hours 30 minutes
Computer battery – 4 hours
2 movies --------------3 hours
Ambien---------------- 7 hours
Reading - ------------- 1- 2 hours

As far as rifles going missing that’s a whole different subject but suffice to say that I think we are way way better off now than we used to be , Johannesburg is a breeze these days since the world cup that’s a smooth and very easy process – there will always be a few guns that are delayed and its always going to be a worry !!!!

Makes the flight seem reasonable, even for a guy 2m tall.

I've just started reading up on this stuff and guys like you make me feel like it is much more doable than I had first believed.

Ivan,

Good plan and glad it works for you.

My trip from the west coast is 23hrs+ going and 24hrs+ on return, if all goes according to schedule, SFO-JNB-SFO. Add in another African country and things change dramatically.

Worst case was some years ago when I departed Zambia and a delay departing JNB (SAA) resulted in a crowded inspection at the port of entry which in turn caused a re-routing via Chicago rather than a direct flight home. My 24hr trip became a 29hr return + the Lusaka-JNB leg. I was miserable and exhausted by the time the trip was over. I now always take a change of clothing in my carry-on.

Ambien - I've tried it more than once, without positive results. Business Class does help and that's how I fly anytime the flight time exceeds 5 hours.

I think about flying to Africa or Europe from the US and quite frankly long for the golden age of travel. Can we please bring back steam ships and trains? I would really like to arrive home from my vacations less tired than when I left for them!

jmho

Quote: My 24hr trip became a 29hr return + the Lusaka-JNB leg.

Last time it was Senuko-HRE-JNB-DKR-IAD-SFO-LAS, 39 hours from start to finish. What rocket surgeon at United thought San Francisco is between Washington and Las Vegas??????

Better than Ambien, try SERAQUEL --

Take one at takeoff, eat dinner, wake up in JoBerg

It is not the trip there I hate...but...the one home. But...since I got my new Martin boy...the trip home is not to bad either!!!

Ditto on the Ambein. It doesn't do squat for me on an airplane. I figure that the economy seats are so cramped and uncomfortable that I could take a bottle of cyanide and it would put me out.

If I go again I will be traveling business class or nada.

Only thing that scares me about Africa is to have another scope failure and wound a Lion....twice....with around 14 hours of follow up in the Zim Jess...
Not for the faint of heart who get upset about SAPS forms!

My doctor prescribed Tamazapam instead of Ambian and its eight hours of solid sleep for me. Met a couple at Afton House who hadn't slept in two days and gave them each one. The next morning they said they each got eight hours.