quote:

I don't know if I'm brave enough to approach them, maybe I will just do a leg of the walk, submit an article and see what they say...The closest I have come to National Geographic is meeting Peter Godwin!

David, Maybe you could send them Jimmy's story. Tell them about the black rhino baby saved by people in the safari/hunting indutry., and who's mother was killed by poachers. Maybe they would then take you article about your walk/trip/adventure around Zim.

Keith

Hi David, I would definately try get hold of some compact satelite phone, preferably a cell, just in case there was an emergency so that they could come and find you in the middle of nowhere. I would like to have a light-weight .22 revolver (legalities and heavy to carry with everything else) for francolin and guinea-fowl, etc if I got a bit tired of rations...but if you keep a length of fine dacron or string you can always make some of those improvised noose-traps to catch them if you got desperate. I am sure there will be lots of villages along the way, and generally people are very kind and helpful...am sure you will be offered a good cooked meal once in a while.

Water is probably going to be a very important factor. In some areas you may have to carry heavy loads. Just make sure you know where all the rivers and streams are on your route and the distance and what lies between them. I am sure you could always get friends to help out with watering points between areas that are very long and dry, or you could get the community involved with this too with a bit of advertising. I would also like a water-proof gore-tex sheet/mac just to keep you dry in case of long periods of drizzle and cold, but would be space and more weight. Don't forget to apply lots of suncream, especially for your nose and lips. If you get burnt badly, the last thing you will want to do the next day is walk 10hrs in the sun! I would also recommend those flint and steel fire-making kits. They come attached and generate descent sparks and are probably much better than having to rub sticks together if your lose your lighter or matches. A small tub of vaseline to stop chafing and cracked lips. It may sound funny, but walking miles with sore chafed areas is not fun.

All in all, it sounds like an awesome once in a lifetime trip, and am very jealous indeed!

David- I read this quickly but did not notice you had worked out total weights. That should be a good starter and work up or down from there. As this is an EXTENDED adventure there are some formulas referencing what percentage of total body mass can be carried for extended times without eventual breakdown. I'm thinking that number is about 30%. Perhaps a member could chime in here if they know this formula. Best for your adventure!

So much great info to mull over, thank you people. I am going through it all and jotting down a list.

Hog Killer - very good idea to bring Jimmy into it. I have been planning to involve him, since the exercise is to raise awareness for the plight of the black rhino, amongst other things. I think I will get hold of National Geo - why not, nothing to lose. I could always work down from there.

Nzou - there will be a lot of villages along the way and, yes, Zimbabweans are generally friendly folk. Through the tribal areas the load will be less than in the safari areas, because we will be able to buy food, find water more readily. There is always a little store just down the drag in the tribal areas. Kayaker pointed out something very important - cash. Money is the way forward in the tribal areas - there will always be a few maize cobs and a chicken or goat to buy, cook and eat. Back-up is going to be minimal - just in case of emergency. I have studied the map long and hard and I don't think there is a stretch where we will run out of water, if we are cautious. Some areas will be touch and go, but we will move it up through those areas. I hear you re the chafing and sunburn!

crane - I have not worked out total weights at all. In fact, for someone hoping to leave so soon, I am very disorganized. That is why I'm chuffed that I eventually made the decision to go public here. You guys are putting things in good perspective and that's just what I need - some practical input. 30% of 80 kgs? about 25 kgs...That's what I was sort of banking on...

My mother accosted me this morning. One of her friends in the US wrote her saying she heard I am going on this walk around the country with nothing other than a knife! Ha, ha. Good, the word is getting out already, that is excellent.

Thank you very much for all of this valuable advice.

Dave

David- Here is another to check on- I am a user of walking sticks. The data you should try to find is what the efficiency is for these. I seem to remember one stick equals a 20% or so energy savings and two is something like high 20s or 30%. I'm guessing you could gathher this up off one of the backpacking sites. I would not backpack without at least one.

There is a board here on Accurate Reloading about backpack hunting that has had good information about blister prevention, packs, and the like:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...ms/a/frm/f/300106493

Might be worth a look.

Let us know if you need some public support with a magazine or other potential sponsor.

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
Weird, but they don’t know our real motives and what we hope to achieve.

I'm curious who the our and we are.

David I have a nice MSR water purifier that I can send over the pond if you would use it. You can leave it with your brother for me to pick up if it survives the trip.

http://www.msrgear.com/watertreatment/miox.asp

A good site for gear is www.rei.com.

I would post a list of gear that you need/want before ordering it. Like a previous poster said there is probably much in our respective closets gathering dust.

David:

It's always peeks my interest when someone decides to go on a protracted wilderness trek, living as they can on what they can carry on their back. I live for those solitary treks in the wilds and although my 65 years has slowed me much more than I would admit, I still have my backpack packed and ready to go.

Here's some random thoughts -

You'll be encountering numerous rivers on your planned trek. How do you propose to cross them, especially wide rivers, rapidly flowing waters, or where crocodiles and hippos occur? If you're strictly following the perimeter of Zimbabwe there are numerous rivers (some wet, some dry) but with no bridges or drifts right at the borderline. An inflatable raft would be too cumbersome to carry but a hundred feet of rope would be very useful in river-crossing, if you are familiar with that technique.

Will you be carrying most of your food (store-bought, I presume) or will you be competing with the locals for wild animal food sources? That you will not be using a firearm should not hinder you from obtaining wild meat. Rabbits, Guinea Fowl, and snakes are fairly easy to take by throwing rocks or sticks, blowgun, bow and arrow, slingshot, traps and snares, and other improvised methods.

When hiking in areas where I am not permitted to carry firearms I often carry a stout staff, about 5 feet in length, whereon I can afix a Cold Steel Bushman knife, making it a spear. Of course it is an aid for walking, for checking the depths of water, a post for a tarp shelter, a monopod to steady optics and cameras, for self-rescue from quagmire, and for poking into holes where it would not be prudent to stick your hand and arm into.

When camping in inundated areas I prefer to use a hammock, preferably one like those used by the U.S. military with mosquito netting and tarp attached. Finding suitable trees or rock crevice to anchor your hammock can be challenging, however.

When camping on the ground, I prefer the 2-person, 3-season tent so that I have enough room to keep my kit inside with me. I also take a lightweight tarp that I use for cover from rain and sun when I am cooking.

Having potable water is of primary concern. In areas where the water sources are heavily silted or used by animals I will filter the water through a cut-off woman's nylon hosiery and then boil the water. In areas where the water sources are not as suspect I will use commercial water filter/purifiers.

To stop bleeding I have used sanitary napkins. A three-foot length of surgical tubing can be used as a tourniquet, for making a sling shot, and an Hawaiian sling.

Lastly, I would find somebody who served with Selous Scouts or 32 Battalion and pick their brain about what to do when shtf.

Good luck on your trek.

Namibiahunter

David,

One other thing crossed my mind for you: blister proof socks from Rainbo Sports.

Virtually impossible to get blisters with these babies on. Also look into the Spot Emergency beacon and tracking unit. Allows you to post your position as you travel so others can follow. If you get in a pickle, you can call in the cavalry or the Zim equivalent thereof...

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by onefunzr2:

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
Weird, but they don’t know our real motives and what we hope to achieve.

I'm curious who the our and we are.

onefunzr2,

There is a small though growing group of people who are helping me with this endeavor. I don't think anything is actually ever achieved by one person, and in this instance I am fortunate enough to have a few staunch believers backing me. Though I go on about doing this on my own steam, that is just to ensure that people don't get the wrong idea and think we Africans are kicking off another begging campaign. The truth is that I could have never contemplated tackling this exercise alone. Of course I have asked for and will accept help, whether it is sponsorship from a company, advice, help en route, whatever...Look at the support I am already receiving from guys here on this site, most of whom I have never met?

There is a woman in Harare who has volunteered to do all the admin - website, communicating with interested people, my book printers, various magazines etc...She has volunteered to do this free of charge. I hope that one day I can give her something for her efforts - hers is a most important job.

National Parks is giving me all the support I could have hoped for and more.

Several influential and upstanding members of society have given my plans the thumbs up and agreed to be on the board of trustees, when we eventually get this trust concept off the ground.

There will be guys accompanying me on stages of the walk - Parks rangers and others. Several friends of mine have expressed interest in joining me on various stages, and I just know there's not going to be a shortage of guides out there!

And then there are those who inspire me: Another woman in Harare who shelters, feeds and educates more than 100 orphans. I don't know how she does it and neither does she, but she does. Most of her help used to come from commercial farmers' wives, but that help has obviously dwindled in recent times.
And there are those who have fought for years against extreme adversity to preserve this country's wildlife heritage. They continue to fight. I have the utmost respect for these people - the only reason we still have wildlife is because of them.

This is all about focusing on the positive people and aspects of Zim, and spitting on the negative forces that have caused nothing but destruction. This is about shifting the emphasis off those who care to dance with the devil, and placing it squarely on those who are still striving to salvage the birthright of future generations. Everyone seems very concerned about the dire situation in this land at the moment, but I shudder to think what the future will bring, if we don't become fully proactive right now. Call me a dreamer and I will agree with you. I will also give you examples of certain dreamers who made their dreams reality.

Anyway, so that is why I write 'we'. This is a definite 'we' project - where I have erred is where I have written 'I'. In time, the identities of all the 'we's' will be revealed, as will everything about everything else.

Sorry for the involved answer, but it seemed a good opportunity to say that which I wanted to.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by namibiahunter:
David:

It's always peeks my interest when someone decides to go on a protracted wilderness trek, living as they can on what they can carry on their back. I live for those solitary treks in the wilds and although my 65 years has slowed me much more than I would admit, I still have my backpack packed and ready to go.

Here's some random thoughts -

You'll be encountering numerous rivers on your planned trek. How do you propose to cross them, especially wide rivers, rapidly flowing waters, or where crocodiles and hippos occur? If you're strictly following the perimeter of Zimbabwe there are numerous rivers (some wet, some dry) but with no bridges or drifts right at the borderline. An inflatable raft would be too cumbersome to carry but a hundred feet of rope would be very useful in river-crossing, if you are familiar with that technique.

Will you be carrying most of your food (store-bought, I presume) or will you be competing with the locals for wild animal food sources? That you will not be using a firearm should not hinder you from obtaining wild meat. Rabbits, Guinea Fowl, and snakes are fairly easy to take by throwing rocks or sticks, blowgun, bow and arrow, slingshot, traps and snares, and other improvised methods.

When hiking in areas where I am not permitted to carry firearms I often carry a stout staff, about 5 feet in length, whereon I can afix a Cold Steel Bushman knife, making it a spear. Of course it is an aid for walking, for checking the depths of water, a post for a tarp shelter, a monopod to steady optics and cameras, for self-rescue from quagmire, and for poking into holes where it would not be prudent to stick your hand and arm into.

When camping in inundated areas I prefer to use a hammock, preferably one like those used by the U.S. military with mosquito netting and tarp attached. Finding suitable trees or rock crevice to anchor your hammock can be challenging, however.

When camping on the ground, I prefer the 2-person, 3-season tent so that I have enough room to keep my kit inside with me. I also take a lightweight tarp that I use for cover from rain and sun when I am cooking.

Having potable water is of primary concern. In areas where the water sources are heavily silted or used by animals I will filter the water through a cut-off woman's nylon hosiery and then boil the water. In areas where the water sources are not as suspect I will use commercial water filter/purifiers.

To stop bleeding I have used sanitary napkins. A three-foot length of surgical tubing can be used as a tourniquet, for making a sling shot, and an Hawaiian sling.

Lastly, I would find somebody who served with Selous Scouts or 32 Battalion and pick their brain about what to do when shtf.

Good luck on your trek.

Namibiahunter

Namibiahunter,

Right, imagine how long this reply is going to be. Only joking. I have given the river crossings much thought, as I have everything pertaining to this journey. Along the Zambezi River front I don't anticipate a problem as a fisherman in a canoe is bound to arrive in due course...The rest of the country does pose a bit of a problem, but most of the rivers will be dry or without much water in any case. There will be a couple of fast flowing rivers to ford in the eastern highlands, but no crocs or hippos, I think!
Most of our food will be bought, but there are places to fish throughout. We will also pop in at the odd hunting camp etc for a snack!I'm not too keen on the snake suggestion!
I am very keen on the stout staff suggestion - that is a very good idea, for defense and walking support.

Thanks for all the good advice, I am looking into the hammock/tent options right now.

When asking advice, one just has to try and separate the selous scouts from the saloon scouts eh?

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by JohnHunt:
David I have a nice MSR water purifier that I can send over the pond if you would use it. You can leave it with your brother for me to pick up if it survives the trip.

http://www.msrgear.com/watertreatment/miox.asp

A good site for gear is www.rei.com.

I would post a list of gear that you need/want before ordering it. Like a previous poster said there is probably much in our respective closets gathering dust.

Thanks for the kind offer John, I will PM you. I have been through everything everyone has had to say, and am going to get a list finalized here soon.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
David,

One other thing crossed my mind for you: blister proof socks from Rainbo Sports.

Virtually impossible to get blisters with these babies on. Also look into the Spot Emergency beacon and tracking unit. Allows you to post your position as you travel so others can follow. If you get in a pickle, you can call in the cavalry or the Zim equivalent thereof...

Jeff

Bwana, I intend doing most of the journey in rafters. Don't know what you call them there - like sandals. I shall take a pair of trainers for rocky regions, but don't anticipate wearing them much. Boots are too heavy and I have a metatarsal issue that is a problem with any kind of boot... I will take a couple pairs of good, warm socks, but just for the cold. I struggle when my feet are cold!

Dave

Dave,

Sounds like you're gonna have a fantastic trip...... you make me quite envious!

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
one just has to try and separate the selous scouts from the saloon scouts eh?

Dave

Just have to watch who you call a saloon scout, hey..

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
one just has to try and separate the selous scouts from the saloon scouts eh?

Dave

Just have to watch who you call a saloon scout, hey..

Oz,

I've made the mistake of questioning the genuine article before...Have the scars to prove it.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by Charles_Helm:
There is a board here on Accurate Reloading about backpack hunting that has had good information about blister prevention, packs, and the like:

http://forums.accuratereloadin...ms/a/frm/f/300106493

Might be worth a look.

Let us know if you need some public support with a magazine or other potential sponsor.

Charles,

I would very much appreciate all the support I can get. It would be good to get in with a magazine that would give me a regular column, or something. I will be able to submit articles about 6 times en route...

Thanks for the thoughts, all of you. My excitement only intensifies..

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
one just has to try and separate the selous scouts from the saloon scouts eh?

Dave

Just have to watch who you call a saloon scout, hey..

Oz,

I've made the mistake of questioning the genuine article before...Have the scars to prove it.

Dave

Not Billy Lemon?

Dave,

Why don't you contact Getaway Magazine and ask if they'd be interested....... I'd have thought it's right up their street.

Jeez, no, fortunately not! There will never be a mistaken identity problem there, ha ha. I'm still breathing aren't I?

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
Jeez, no, fortunately not! There will never be a mistaken identity problem there, ha ha.

So it wasn't you I heard about..

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:
Dave,

Why don't you contact Getaway Magazine and ask if they'd be interested....... I'd have thought it's right up their street.

Getaway is a grand idea Steve, I'll write to a couple more mags today, including Getaway. Someone will show interest, I'm sure.

Thanks, Dave

Dave

Another one that might well be interested is National Geographic...... take a video recorder with you and send them the unedited footage and they might be interested in that as well..... It'd certainly be more pertinent than a lot of the tripe they accept. They don't usually give you a yes or no on the videos until they've seen the footage but it's gotta be worth taking a camera and filming the highpoints etc anyway.

I should add that a group of us were thinking of doing a similar thing up the coast of Africa in light aircraft and although NG were interested, they wouldn't commit to anything without seeing the footage first. In the end, the filming never got 'off the ground!'

quote:

Originally posted by ozhunter:

quote:

Originally posted by David Hulme:
Jeez, no, fortunately not! There will never be a mistaken identity problem there, ha ha.

So it wasn't you I heard about..

Oz, I am cocky but not stupid.

Steve, another good idea, I do have a video camera....

Have you considered canoeing along the border where the border is Lake Kariba and the Zambezi River, or does that violate your rules? If you try to walk along at least some of the border areas, you will probably have to walk a mile or two inland anyway due to swamps and crossing big tributary rivers.

I would not want to wade across some of those rivers due to crocodiles.

quote:

Originally posted by Indy:
Have you considered canoeing along the border where the border is Lake Kariba and the Zambezi River, or does that violate your rules? If you try to walk along at least some of the border areas, you will probably have to walk a mile or two inland anyway due to swamps and crossing big tributary rivers.

I would not want to wade across some of those rivers due to crocodiles.

Indy,

Canoeing does break the rules. Interesting you bring it up though...This idea is not mine - it was given to me by a good friend, Dean McGregor, quite a few years ago. Dean's original plan was to canoe the Zambezi section, but I have changed that - I want to walk the entire distance. Dean was one of the guys who canoed the Zambezi on an expedition in the 90s. Quite an adventurer and one of the guys I expect to join me for a stage.
I know we will have to walk inland at certain places and that is okay, just so long as the borderline is stuck to as much as possible. Crocodiles scare me more than anything on earth so you can be assured that I will not venture into water which may have crocs in! If we get to a river with no crossing and have to walk upstream to find one, no worries - we will just walk downstream on the far bank until we get to the borderline again, and then continue on our way. I understand there is some seriously swampy ground along the Limpopo, not too far from Crooks corner. We may have to deviate there, and there are also a few mine fields we'll want to avoid...

Dave

Take lots of pics so you can post them hear for us.Thats what i call having the time of your life

David,

Wow, what an Adventure. Good luck, looks like you are getting some good advice.

Reminds me of the story of Steve (can't remember last name) who worked in Piet Hougaard's camp in Mozambique. He got a pellet gun and a fly rod and hopped in his kayak and said he was going camping, that he would be back tomorrow.

He showed up some months later.

Good luck and may God be with you on your journey.

David,
Best Wishes on your Journey.
Some ideas
1) Have a bank account to which your well-wishers can wire money--many of us would like to contribute a little to your proposed trip.
2) Have a donkey/pack animal awaiting you at several of your rest stops in case you develop knee or back trouble, or weakness from some other reason.
3) Foods--fat has twice the calories of carbs and proteins for the same weight.
4) What are your considerations for malaria? Do you ever get attacks that last more than a day or two?
5) Water purifier bottles and some iodine pills as a second option for drinking water.
6) For your medicine kit--eye wash and antibiotic eye drops.

David,

My only advice is to find a corner of your pack for a spool or two of monofilament fishing line. Anything under ten-pound test can be used to stitch up clothes, packs or your hide, something up around 30 makes great snares in a pinch, or a garrotte if necessary. Damnably useful stuff to have handy, and you can always fish with it.

Your original "list" mentioned jeans. I haven't seen any other comments about that, but I have found that jeans have no insulating properties, making them a poor choice for either hot or cold weather, they are heavy, they can chaffe, and everything negative about them only gets worse when they are wet. Don't take jeans.

PRE- ADVENTURE

British-Kiwi Team Follow Nile To Source.

A team of Britons and New Zealanders will travel through Africa, steering clear of hippos and crocodiles, to attempt what they say will be the first complete ascent of the river Nile, the team said on Wednesday. The five men and one woman started their journey at Rosetta, near the city of Alexandria on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, and are in Cairo on their way to Rwanda, where they believe the ultimate source of the Nile lies. "Our goal is to accurately measure the length of the Nile to its longest source. There's been a lot of debate over the last several hundred years about the source of the Nile," New Zealander and team co-leader Cam McLeay said. The team believes the Nile is longer than is currently accepted. The calculation is difficult because of the many streams leading into the upper reaches of the Kagera River, the biggest river flowing into Lake Victoria.

------------------------------------------------

David & Guests

Just to say these wonderful adventures do occur and they are postively enlightening and certainily challenge of the human soul.

You are doing the right thing inthat you seek advice and ideas first before bounding off into the unknown.

A few years ago some (brave adventurer chaps) which included a couple of local KIWI blokes ONE whom actullly (lives a few kms from me in NZ) took off on an African adventure to FIND THE SOURCE of the Nile, what a wild journey, unfortunately one of the party was killed by rebels on-route in an incident but the journey was spectacular to say the least

Take care

Peter
-----------------------

POST-ADVENTURE

MEN ON A MISSION: Ascend the Nile team members

(from left) Neil McGrigor, Garth MacIntyre, Cam McLeay, and George Heathcote.

The Image, courtesy of National Geographic
---------------------------------------------

From The Times April 1, 2006

Source of the Nile is redrawn by 66 miles

By Will Pavia and Fran Yeoman

CRAWLING through the undergrowth of the Nyungwe Forest in northern Rwanda yesterday morning, the water finally stopped moving and Neil McGrigor declared that he had found the source of the Nile.

It had, by his measurement, been a journey of 4,331 miles since he set off with three comrades in small inflatable boats from the Mediterranean last September. That made the world’s longest river 66 miles longer than anyone had previously suspected.

He will return to present his findings to the Royal Geographical Society. If he is proved right, text books may have to be changed.

Mr McGrigor, 44, a Briton, and Cam McLeay and Garth MacIntyre, 43, from New Zealand, had travelled through five countries, up rapids and over waterfalls; their craft had been charged by Nile crocodiles and hippos; one of their companions was killed by Ugandan rebels and they caught inumerable tropical ailments.

“We are the first people to travel the full length of the Nile,” Mr McGrigor told The Times yesterday, by satellite phone. “It’s an incredible sight. Perhaps no one will ever see it again.”

Mr McGrigor, from Lymington, Hampshire, made his fortune in the crate industry. In 2002, with his brother Kenneth, he sold the firm for £16 million. Since then he has embarked on a series of adventures, mainly involving powerboats. Last summer Cam McLeay, a Nile enthusiast, suggested a journey along the river finally to pinpoint the source.

The 19th century explorer John Hanning Speke first mapped its course from Lake Victoria. They would go further, following the lake’s largest tributary, the Kagera River.

They set off last September, their party swelled with ministers from the Egyptian government. Crossing into Sudan they entered the swamp of the Sud. Without a reliable map - for most of the journey they relied on a chart composed by Belgian cartographers in 1937 - they navigated using Google Earth.

“A local on a barge had told them to follow the line of water hyacinths that marked the course of the river,” said Tracey Clarke, the expedition co-ordinator. They then faced a series of rapids, but had brought a Flying Inflatable Vehicle — a flying boat — to carry the boats and supplies upstream.

“It was not exactly a smooth take-off,” Mr McGrigor said. “The river was full of hippos and crocs. I did all the flying, couldn’t let anyone else risk it.”

Their progress was halted when Mr McGrigor crash landed, wrecking the craft and breaking his leg. They continued upriver, hiring porters to carry boats and luggage around rapids and entering Murchison National Park in Uganda. They were joined by Steve Willis, 36, a former diplomat from Dartford, Kent.

On November 8, as the four travelled to a camp with a single armed guard, they were ambushed by Ugandan gunmen. Mr Willis was driving and crashed into a gully. They fled in all directions.

Mr McGrigor was caught and made to kneel beside the car. “I thought that was it,” he said.

The rebels looted their supplies and set fire to the vehicle but spared his life. Mr Willis, however, had been shot dead.

The three abandoned the expedition, and returned home.

They returned to Uganda in March. Rebel activity continued in the area, and they had to begin again 20 miles upstream.

As they approached rapids and the Karuma Falls, a helicopter would latch on to each boat, lifting it in the air and carrying the explorers upriver. They left Uganda across Lake Victoria in a tropical storm. Then they were into the Kagera River system, crossing the border of Tanzania and into Rwanda.

On March 26, their boats grounded. The last five days they waded through muddy water into the dense Nyungwe rainforrest.

At 8.27am, the water stopped moving. A detachment from the Rwandan Government was present to mark the occasion with a plaque and ceremony.



“Steve would have wanted us to finish it otherwise it would have been a waste of his life,” Mr Mcgrigor said.

David,
Best wishes on your adventure. A survival kit small enough to fit in your pants pocket in case everything else is lost. Pocket knife, heavy braided fishing line for a snare, small compass, water purification tablets, a few waterproof matches, heavy plastic baggie for water container (or a couple of industrial strength condoms) and maybe a micro flashlight and one of those emergency "space blankets" might be a good idea.

More excellent advice every day, thanks guys.

jimmara - I will be sure to take thousands of pictures, no doubt about that. I look forward to posting in-depth reports for you guys as we go.

Wendell - that guy must have been crazy!

SGraves155 - Thanks for those pointers. Once the reprint of Shangaan Song is done, details on how to order it will be made public. That is how you could help us financially if you wish to. Anyone who orders the book will be assisting us with this endeavor. I don't rate 'The Shangaan Song' as a great read or anything, but it has done well locally (thus far, the only place it has been marketed is Zim) and I have received a fair amount of positive feedback. Some of you may have read some of the stories I have posted on AR from Shangaan Song. Anyhow, that's the way to do it if you want to donate some loot to the cause. Although I do have enough money right now to get going and keep us going for a while, I do worry about the months to come. Thanks for the thought.
I do get malaria attacks but not too often. I never take preventative measures but will travel with a good supply of tablets.

Jeffive - I will certainly be taking fishing line. You are correct, it can be used for so much besides fishing.

thebrewcrew - Also 100% correct, my dad pointed out yesterday all that you have said. The jeans are trashed.

Balla Balla - those guys must have been crazy!

86thecat - fine idea about the basic survival kit and I shall definitely get one together.

Thank you one and all, as always. My list keeps changing, but I am getting there. One thing I can tell you is that it looks more encouraging than the original one! I shall post what I have jotted down in due course. This is all coming together fast now, because of you guys. Thank you

Dave

David,

Get your hands on a few packets of "Quik-clot", either the powder form or the sponges. Some great prices here.

Good day,

Taking all the info gleaned into account, here is a revised list of what I need to get together. I have got (or can get in Zim) everything that is unmarked, but the items marked with a star I need to get from the US. Dr Tim Burkhart is coming out in early May to hunt elephant with my brother, and has kindly agreed to bring what he can. I am just waiting on a reply from Bryan Martin (thanks to Aaron Neilson and others) re the outdoor gear, and shall then go ahead and order it. Many thanks to surestrike and johnhunt for donating a GPS and water purifier respectively. In fact, many thanks to you all. I have decided to go with the two man tent instead of the hammock, because I will have company much of the way. It goes without saying that I shall try and get the lightest equipment available and keep my load to a minimum. I know I’ll be adding/deleting things till the last minute and am sure I’ve still omitted some important stuff. I am not taking a sat phone as frankly they are too expensive and I do actually want to be cut-off from it all. If we get into trouble we’ll send smoke signals! Oh yes, it’s drums here…Jokes aside, not trying to be gung-ho or whatever, just the way it is. Through government safari areas I will have company, and through the tribal areas help is always close at hand.
Beneath the list is a map of Zim showing safari areas, Parks etc, just to give everyone an idea. There are 4 definite stages – Vic Falls to Plumtree via Kazangula/Hwange National Park; Plumtree to Gonarezhou via Beitbridge/Limpopo Valley; Gonarezhou to Kanyemba, Via Mutare/eastern highlands, Kanyemba to Vic Falls via Chirundu/Kariba/lower Zambezi Valley. That’s it.
By the way, departure has already been postponed to mid May. I don’t intend delaying it again.

Dave

1 two-man tent *
1 backpack *
1 sleeping bag *
1 thermarest pad *
1 GPS *
1 camera, 1 charger, 2x2 gig memory cards, 2 spare batteries *
1 headlamp and batteries *
1 water purifier *
Hardcover exercise books and pens
1 medical aid kit
1 emergency survival kit
Fishing line and hooks
Multi-tool
Cash
Sunblock
Chapstick
Basic toiletries – soap, toothpaste and brush
Ziplock bags
1 small towel
Safety matches and lighters
1 machete, 1 knife, 1 spoon, 1 plate, 2 pots
1 stout staff
3 water bottles
Mielie meal, dried matemba (fish) and biltong, dried fruit and vegetables, energy powder drink, pronutro (with milk powder added), milk powder, tea, sugar, salt, beans
Two shirts, two shorts, jacket, long-johns, 2 pairs warm socks, 2 pairs rafters, 1 pair trainers, hat



Thanks to John Sharp for the map lifted from the internet!

/

David,

This looks like a fairly complete bare bones list. A few more things to consider are:

A poly ground cloth to go under your tent to protect the floor and ensure it and you stay dry;
Maps;
Dish washing detergent;
Toilet paper;
Underwear;
Rope or parachute cord;
Rip Stop tape; and
Water purify tabs in addition to the filter just in case.

Wishing you all the best on your trek!