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Tips for Woman traveling solo to Africa
Published May 19, 2010 | WOW do I wish I had these tips before I ventured off to Africa.. Although I was not alone during the actual safari vacation I make the trek to Kenya from the US alone. I must say it was very scary to arrive in a country all alone especially as a female (late at night) only to have a total stranger waiting at the airport with a sign with my name on it. I had to trust that all would be fine… I can honestly say that my palms were sweaty and I kept my hand on the car door just in case I had to make open and jump… I will that my adventure was amazing and that Kenya is a magical place. The people were so kind and gracious and I look forward to returning.
Here is the link to my previous post with some photos!! http://www.wheresmydamnanswer.com/WP02/2008/05/25/my-out-of-africa/
Practical Tips for Women Traveling Solo to Africa
Compliments of Sandy Salle
Whether you need a break from the grind of daily life, are looking for a chance to reconnect with yourself, or are simply in need of a good adventure, traveling solo to Africa isn’t as scary or as difficult as you might think.
In fact, I believe it’s the best damn thing a woman could do for herself. Traveling solo to Africa is rewarding on so many levels-where else can you enjoy a good book while a herd of elephant congregates around a watering hole in front of you? Or spend an afternoon with people from all over the world, seeing cheetah stalk its prey?
Think you’ll be lonely, think again. You’ll never lack for companions and never be bored, and after a day or two, you’ll find yourself wondering why it’s taken you this long to step out on your own.
Now, ladies, before you go running off to the Serengeti or the banks of the Zambezi, here are a few tips to keep in mind when planning to travel solo to Africa.
1. Plan down to the last detail. To ensure you’re not left stranded and to ensure your safety, plan your transport, lodging, and other details well in advance. No matter where you go, the last thing you want is to be stuck somewhere without a phone, unable to reach the people you need to reach. Also, planning in advance means you’ll be able to see and experience everything you’ve dreamed of.
I suggest booking your trip through a reputable tour operator or hiring a private guide. Not only will they handle the details for you, but they also can advise the best places to visit or to avoid and help you plan a trip based on your needs and desires. If you plan on spending time in larger cities, such as Nairobi, Cape Town, or Harare, make sure you hire a guide who knows the city inside and out.
2. Dress appropriately. I’ve seen too many women travelers assume that what is acceptable in their community is acceptable in other cultures. Never assume. Do your research. If you are planning a trip to the coastal areas of Kenya where the population is Muslim, you need to know that the women are mostly covered and rarely seen in public. So the last thing you want to do-despite the heat and the tropical atmosphere-is to run around in a bikini top and shorts. Not only will you offend, but you’ll also stick out like a sore thumb.
While you should take into consideration cultural factors, it’s also important to dress for the elements. In countries such as Zimbabwe and Zambia, game drives and evenings can be chilly, so a fleece and or jacket is needed. During the day, I advise wearing sunscreen and a hat to prevent burning.
3. Pack Light. Ladies, we don’t need half the stuff we think we do. I always tell my clients to pack what they want, then remove half of the contents packed. Trust me, you don’t need nine pairs of trousers and two dozen tops. If you are planning a week-long safari, taking 2 trousers and a pair of shorts and 2-3 shirts is plenty. Many safari lodges provide complementary laundry services, so you don’t need to worry about lugging around dirty clothes.
4. Be aware. No matter how street savvy you might be, it’s important to be aware of your surroundings at all times. While you have little to worry about when staying at safari lodges, traveling in the larger cities requires you to be on guard.
I suggest not carrying a purse; instead, wear a money pouch around your neck. Again, dress appropriately and conservatively. If you receive catcalls or men whistling at you, ignore them and keep on walking. And, lastly, wear a wedding ring or something that resembles one. Wedding bands tend to deter interested parties from approaching you.
If you’d like help planning your solo African adventure, please contact Sandy Salle www.hillsofafrica.com.
3:10 to nowhere
Published May 7, 2009 | The word travelling was originally in this post title, but I took it out, cause it’s one of those words that just doesn’t look right. So I googled it and turns out you can spell it this way or that way and they’re both right. But the bonus of looking it up is that there was a banner ad on the dictionary web page for ancestry.com and this was their tagline: ‘Did someone else in your family have a screw loose?’ I really like it when even faceless, marketing people know that I’m a nutcase.
No big surprise, but somehow things have gone awry at casa lindaloohoo. Monkey has become a clingy whiner, and no, I DON’T know where he gets that from, and I have become an excuse whore. I have every excuse in the book about why I have posted so infrequently that I could rightly be considered a guest poster on my own blog.
To be fair, for the entire month of April, we have been sick here. Alot. Like, Amityville horror house, head spinning, dueling vomit flyby’s kind of sick. Listen, if I start seeing flies or blood oozing out of the walls, I am so outta here.
And then I went to Palm Springs for a few days because my friends and their kids needed a bell hop to bring the bags in. And I was in the small room. The kind of room where you just grease the walls and spin to get into bed. Monkey was pretty much the pimento in the olive there. But it was kinda gorgeous and we had the huge beach entry pool all to ourselves for three days and someone else cooked, so I’m not whining or anything.
Then yesterday, Hubunit and I met some friends and took the train down to Olvera Street in downtown Los Angeles for Cinco de Drinco. And that was a blast. Especially the guy behind us talking really loudly on his cell phone: ‘ . . . I don’t believe it, that bitch wanted money, after she don’t give me no pussy and with her small little titties . . . ‘ And that’s the part I feel I can share with you all. He pretty much talked like that non-stop the entire forty five minutes. And then at the end he overheard us discussing Virginia with our friends who used to live there and he interrupted to say ’Did I hear you talking about Virginia? Yes, alright. I graduated from the University of Virginia.’ And then he shook our hands as if we were at a proper english tea party. Wow. Say it with me: University of VAGINA mouth.
Then we met even more friends and drank much tequila at a restaurant where the bartenders were drinking too and when our friend ordered one last margarita, they sent her a huge tumbler full of Silver Patron over ice, with salt around the rim. And things just went downhill from there.
Fully clothed again and on the train ride back home, we were surrounded by a bunch of yuppie commuters and I must admit, the things I complain about are WAY more interesting than what they complain about.
Oh the glamorous life of a stay at home mom. I know you’re jealous. All of you.
Weekend Away = Why my friends ask me to stay in a different hotel
Published February 12, 2009 | Next month, I’ll be heading back east to attend a mom’s weekend getaway with some of the women I call friends, but who happen to live three thousand miles away from me. Perhaps that’s why they can still call me friend. We’ll see what they’re calling me after one weekend spent in close quarters.
I’m flying in late on a Thursday night. Going back in time. Or ahead in . . . time. Fuck. It’s math. Listen, they have three more hours than I do. Whatever.
Everyone has very excitedly agreed to leave early Friday morning. And by early, I mean, before it’s reasonable to drink. So this is how I asked my friend to pick me up from the airport:
Uh, friend, before you get all giddy about leaving your toddler aged children to suffer thru lessons in the properties of helium gas at the hands of their ‘yeah, I’m smarter than a rocket scientist’ dad, consider that I’m now asking you to pick me up from the airport at midnight, take me to your house, get me settled on your sofa where I will sleep like the dead with my mouth hanging open, waking up one minute before we have to leave, with wild hair and wilder eyes, to stumble out to a car, any car, where someone will drive me to bumfuck Vermont, where I will probably create fire out of whatever they give us to make at the complimentary cooking class, thereby setting off the sprinkler system, causing a mass evacuation of the resort and ensuring dirty looks and shitty service from the staff of said resort for the remainder of our stay.
To be fair, I did tell her to take her time before saying yes.
I couldn’t ask my other friend to pick me up because, in the giddy flurry of emails working out the details, I let it slip that if she brought the baby she is breastfeeding and then expected me to babysit while my friends all went cross country skiing (WTFness for xcountry skiing), that I would be taking her daughter for her first tattoo. Because I think seeing Lil Biotch peeking out of the back of her diaper will land me in jail make her the center of attention. On a Rolling Stones video about 15 years from now. Oh yes, they will too still be together.
That plan backfired because this friend agreed wholeheartedly that a tattoo was definitely in the stars for her tot and could I get her tongue pierced as well, assuming that, me being from California and all, I’d know how to do that? To which I insinuated that she was being selfish and only wanted the baby’s tongue pierced because she was still breastfeeding and as a woman, mom should be getting something out of that barbaric practice . . . actually, she may already not be calling me friend anymore.
I just realized that I used the word giddy twice in this post. Thought that was worth pointing out.
Look away…I’m mainstreaming now…
Published October 20, 2008 | Even though I’m a professional baker, and love food to the fullest…there is something that cannot complete the circle quite like making a connection with someone that speaks your language.
I. love. food. PERIOD. Baking, yes, my passion. Yes, precise. Very little room for wiggle when it comes to the bones when making a cake - the baking soda or the flour…the ingredients…Eh, yeah, a bit…but to be spot on you must measure.
But cooking…? Now, that is a different story. A pinch here, a dash there…taste…GOLDEN.
My mother NEVER let me in the kitchen ‘cos she said that if I woulda seen it, I wouldn’t have eaten it…and true that might be, I eat ANYTHING that you put in front of me. Ask Mr. G. about our dinner at Archipelago in London, he’ll cringe, I think. (check out the photo gallery…had the chocolate covered Scorpion at the end of the meal – was AWESOME…probably more shock, but…the pic is great)
Fortunately, my parents raised me to eat in a very diversified manner from a young age. We had the chance to travel alot, exposing me to the brains and the snouts, and the trotters and the raw foods that are now so HAUTE on tv and popular menus today. So much of it was strange and exciting along the way, and well, I guess that kinda made me the foodie I am today. (Thanks Mom & Dad)
Lots of dinners out lately….
Where else do you talk incessantly about your top 5 faves of ANYTHING food related whilst stuffing your gob with pork cheeks and wine? Oh, and throw in that you have a penchant for true crimes & serial killers (Michelle will TOTALLY relate to this…;)) and a friendship blossoms over a kick ass bottle of Spanish wine and and some sweetbreads. ‘Nuff said.
Didn’t think you could say anything about that…
p.s. and I’m not done yet…Monday night heading on out to Chef Randy Rucker’s sublime concept of the Tenacity Supper Club, for his 7 Deadly Sins Dinner.
This is what will be served…
7 deadly sins
envy…
tuna layered with compressed watermelon & nasturtium leaves
lust…
tennessee hackleback caviar, carbonated oysters, shaved radish & rice porridge
pride…
soft-deviled farmhouse egg with pimenton, gherkin tapenade & smoked toast
wrath…
razor clams marinated in togarashi oil, young lemongrass & frozen jalapeno water
greed…
grated black truffle, warm sabayon, charred king trumpet mushrooms & consommé of black truffle
sloth…
sea snails grilled slowly over oak, garlic nage & molasses
gluttony…
foie gras milkshake, rich butterscotch & cocoa crusted pave of foie gras
Peace out
Our Hurricane Ike Refugee
Published September 22, 2008 | So when Hurricane Ike was getting ready to put it’s feet on land, our very own Jody was already on her way here to Los Angeles for a mastermind planning session that she had planned for quite some time. She met up with the ladies of Where’s My Damn Answer for some photos and videos before she headed up to Ojai for her conference and then returned to visit with our family on Sunday for a sleep over.
Well as most people who sleep over will tell you, we have an awesome time sharing our patio with our friends. The wine pours freely and friendships are cemented in time on the patio. Everyone who walks out there says it’s like a “secret garden”. In fact, when Jody was moving … we shared MANY patio moments and often joke that we need more patio time.
Add being worried about what’s going on at home and searching the internet for the latest news to the comfort and safety of patio time and you get: plenty of surfing the web, sipping great wines, listening to music, looking up old lyrics, giggles and silliness.
This is just a snippet of little things that go on when we shut the doors to the rest of the world … drink some wine … act silly … and enjoy our friendships.
ENJOY … I’m sure you’ll be cracking up like we were … even without the wine it makes me laugh now!
Patio Time with our Hurricane Ike Refugee from Kristy Nuttall on Vimeo.
Posted in Check This Out, Girlfriend Get-Away, Grateful "is not" Dead | 
friends, friendship, Hurricane Ike, laughter, lyrics, patio time, wine | 
3 CommentsWhat the F*!? If they want to shock, rockers need a new word and other observations.
Published August 25, 2008 | After last night, I just need to write a bit about the overuse of this particular special word, and some other observations. We run a pretty clean site here, so I’ll try my best to talk about it without being offensive.
Last night I went to the Key Club with Carol to see Marty Casey play. Marty is an amazing performer who Carol first saw on Rock Star INXS, and has been following for quite some time (see his band Lovehammers’ site or this one for LA Guns). At this point, Marty has become the lead singer for LA Guns, a much more heavy metal band that has been around forever (Tracii Guns was originally part of Guns and Roses with Axel Rose). My hubby and oldest son (the college age one) went with us, and we also met Carol’s friend Julie, who photographs bands. It was a really fun evening, even if the music isn’t my first choice. LA guns was great – Marty is mesmerizing and Tracii is a killer guitarist. See below for a video of them. The other bands we saw were Stolen Hearts, Dogs Devine, Bang Tango, and saving the best for last, Faster Pussycat.
I gotta say, when you hear the f-word in almost every song from some of these bands, and in every sentence they speak – perhaps multiple times, it totally loses any value it had as a shocking differentiator. We heard songs like “Shut the F*@! Up”, and the totally different and original “Shut Up and F*@!” . A typical welcome speech was “Hey LA! Are you having a F*!?ing great time? F*$! yea, we are too! So let’s get this F*&?ing party started. Here’s a song about when you feel like you just want to say ‘F*&! you’ to someone. It’s called ‘F*%! You, I’m Fine’. It’s F*#!ing great!” At this point, I think they need a new word. Not sure what that might be, but I’m sure someone creative could come up with something new and truly shocking. (Just don’t do it on our site! 
)
Interestingly, despite what you might think, the music was pretty positive, as was the crowd. There were even some surprisingly pretty lyrics like “I want to wrap my wings around your heart” (Bang Tango). It was also great fun watching the people who follow these bands. We had a table upstairs (pretty good food, too), and the people next to us had to be relatives of someone in one of the bands, as they had to be at least in their 60′s. I’m sure some people might have thought I was one of those relatives too . Then there were the people who really love metal and glam, and who come out completely dressed for it. Since I have not been in that scene since the 80′s (and never really was even then), it looked to me so like they walked through a timewarp. I missed the memo on wearing black, I didn’t tease my hair enough, and hubby noticed he forgot to hang his doo-rag handkerchief off of his back pocket. Oh well. At least Kyle had his studded belt on.
Then there’s that small world thing. Here we are going to this random concert with a friend who likes Marty Casey and I find that my receptionist at the spa (MUCH younger than me) knows all these bands. She and her friend got tickets to go after hearing about it from ME. (I felt slightly hip for about five minutes after that.) Then, when Julie and I went to the bathroom, we met Karen, Kelly and Melissa, three college students Julie got to know at another Marty performance. Wierdly, the three of them go to college at SLO with my son, who spent the rest of the night hanging with them (much better for him!). The highlight for them was Marty coming into the crowd and singing with their little group for a while. I love how you can drop into a totally foreign milieu and find people connected to you from other parts of your life. Even in a town of several million people.
Last observation. I gotta give the last band, Faster Pussycat, props for working on a way to be more shocking than simply using that tired old F-word all the time. Pretty much every song they do is about F-ing in some way or place, and most use VERY colorful language. They seem to be working on a subject matter niche. As they were the headliners, I guess it is working for them. So, maybe we don’t need to help out with that new replacement word after all.
Rock On.
Karen
A girls night out in Houston…
Published July 20, 2008 | It has been a whirlwind of activity since I’ve been back – pretty much done the friend thing over the past few weeks – now it’s time to get down to business. A lot of things have been happening. My household goods have yet to arrive, so I hope to have something to wear other than my yoga pants and the one suit I brought to interview in, soon!!!
I have accepted a job with National Oilwell Varco working in there Rig Packaging Engineer Group as a Technical Writer/Expediter – start on August 4th and cannot wait. I have been involved in technical writing projects for many, many years and I’m so excited that I will be working with them. Hope they don’t mind me coming to work in a glorious combination of my yoga pants and suit…blazer with pants, skirt with t-shirt and blazer, shorts and blazer…you get the picture.
Back to the social side for a moment though. Oddly enough, a very good girlfriend of mine – Catrin Glynn (nee Griffiths) - has moved back to Houston as well. Her hubby, Sean has moved the fam back to the US for a job in the great state of Texas. A few months ago, they hopped on a plane with the newest addition to the family, lil’ Ms. Morgan Rose and are back in town for good.
Sean & Catrin have spent the last few years living in the U.K. – and we’ve only been able to spend a night together here and there, as we’ve all lived in different towns for several years!!!
Being a lady of leisure for the last few weeks – I was able to spend quite a bit of time last week with Catrin and beautiful baby Morgan. This is really the first time that I have had a chance to spend any great deal of measurable time with any of my friends babies…I have to say, it is quite disconcerting to me of how “out of touch” I am with my maternal instincts.
Catrin allowed me to strap the wee one into the car seat on our way to get our nails done…and I’ll be damned if you don’t need a PhD to do so…sheesh.
And talk about the wonderment in a child’s eyes…so utterly amazing. Morgan is extremely alert and very, very curious. This child KNOWS what is going on (just like her Momma)…you can see it in her eyes. I told Catrin she has the eyes of an old soul.
Cute little Baby Morgan at the Nail Salon…starting her out being pampered early!
Her fave new trick at 6 months+ old is to shake her head back and forth, over and over again…too funny. Cat calls it “playing Stevie Wonder” – I have a short video and I’m trying to figure out how to post it – as soon as I do, I will insert here:
Anyhow, motherhood is a stressful gig, so says my friend and she wanted to hit the town – we talked about all of our old haunts…including the one that we met in, The Richmond Arms. We laughed about all the good times and funny moments we had over the years and decided that we would stop by the Arms for a drink and see if anyone we knew might be there.
She graciously loaned me an outfit and some shoes – thank you kindly, my friend – killer style as always. She dressed me in a beautiful little black dress and wedge heels and she herself wore a beautiful Anne Fontaine ensemble with some kick ass high heels.
Sean & baby in tow, dropped us off at the new Hotel ZaZa for happy hour…we finally had a chance to chat about everything that had been going on over the last few years. The last few times that we’ve connected, it has always been in a fairly large group setting, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to spend some time, uninterrupted. We laughed and had drinks – and as she said, got a little liquid courage to hit up our ol’ pub…we took a taxi down the ol’ familiar Richmond strip…
here we are in the back of cab #1…
Once there, we walked into the dark, old pub – up to the bar – in the corner we used to hang out in EVERY Friday night, to find only one or two people milling about…we asked the bartender about so and so, and you know who…and he actually said a few of the old timers (not his words really) were outside on the patio. We decided to meander our way out there…yes, there were 3 people we knew from our pasts…still talking about the same things and still singing the same ol’ song.
Cat kicked my leg – time to make a move - our trip down memory lane was fairly short lived. We hopped back into a cab and hit a couple more spots, ending up at home at the very civil hour of 1 am, with shoes in hand. Not like we used to do…but still just as fun!!!
I am so glad to have her back in my life on a more permanent basis – that’s the best part about good friends…you can always pretty much pick up where you left off and the love is always there.
Love ya girl…you’re awesome. And ALL the things I think of you are always good thoughts…ALWAYS. And I kinda think you’re family is cool too. MUAH.
I hope those marks on this tub are from my own nasty feet…
Published June 30, 2008 | Okay, okay…so I’m sure you don’t want THAT visual first thing on a Tuesday a.m….but I’m tired – I mean dog ass tired…and I knew that I needed to take a shower.
Jenn & I are staying in the lovely Continental Inn in Carlsbad, NM – recommended by AAA…but when the “F” did they recommend it? 1957? By the time we had pulled into town, it was after 9 PM – we had been on the road since 4:00 a.m. and the cat was beginning to seriously give me dirty looks…as if to say, “Would you two bitches EVER shut up???”
On a side note – Remember, the Beast lives a quiet life, pampered and spoiled and thou shalt NEVER disturb Her Royal Highness during slumbering…so, you get the picture…the two of us, yakking away like nobody’s business for the last 600+ miles…
Anyhow, back to our quaint night’s inn…comes with its own outside decor – a door that is missing half the paint…and the room has been freshened by the light scent of dog urine…or stinky feet…
We lit a candle that Dr. Joanne bought for this purpose exactly…thank you lady!!! – and put the cat in to sniff around a bit…
We chose to eat nuts and a boiled egg with Cholula while sitting on our respective beds, because neither one of us can be bothered to drag down to the main drag for nasty fast food…ick.
I jumped in the shower just a moment ago and the force from which the water came forth nearly knocked me clear into the next room – the dingy shower curtain, flapping in the gail force breeze caused by this deluge of water…I let my head back…closed my eyes…Awwwwwwwwwww, relaxation…legs finally stretched…bent head forward, eyes still closed and then slowly opening…coming into focus, the awful grey water swirling NOW around my ankles…were my feet that dirty? Or is this the water coming out of the tap? NO WAY DID I PICK UP THIS MUCH DIRT BEING A BEAUTIFUL PASSENGER…
Well, I didn’t want to know…so I turned off the shower…and hopped out – directly into the socks that I brought into the bathroom with me…
Now, as I sit here, using the sink as a desk, because Jenn is using the only other electrical outlet free in the room…I look over into the tub and see that it STILL hasn’t drained…ewwww…I hope I don’t fall in.
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ….crackle…….POP.
ttfn – don’t wanna die before I get home…:)
PLEASE NOTE: No, I would not purposely throw myself into dingy bath water with laptop in hand…no matter how nasty my feet had become…ever.
And also, I promise to post the highlights of our day tomorrow…sunrise at the Grand Canyon, A Meteor Crater, Lincoln Monument, Dove Chapel outside of Flagstaff…and MUCH MUCH MORE…stay tuned…
… I SUCK at good-bye
Published June 27, 2008 | Therefore, I just can’t do it. Jody … you simply MUST cancel all plans to move to Houston. I was very very WRONG when I told you to follow your heart. For really, we BOTH know that your heart is HERE with us – haha
Just kidding, kinda 
I have come to cherish our friendship – the laughs we share about people with fake hair and rolling eyes (yes biatch … we’re talking about YOU) – only sharing a couple few bottles of wine in each sitting – cupcake and cake left overs that you deliver to our door – trying new dishes – book signings – pink cotton candy dessert platters and most of all … our patio time. I expect you and Mr. G to get your patio ready, cause we’ll be out for a visit soon enough.
Thank you for being a good friend … and for being non-judgmental like me – haha. I love you long time !!
p.s. I can’t wait to hear the entries about life in Houston … we want ALL the dirty lil details too (with pictures even – haha).
Here comes the…HUH????
Published June 24, 2008 | Thank you – thank you – thank you…to all of your who have opened your homes, your hearts and shown so much love!!!
I am nearly out…leaving on Sunday…but in between taping boxes and cleaning out my closets…my amazing friends have thrown me some AMAZING parties.
I thought I would share some pics that were just forwarded to me from a party in Silverlake a few weeks ago…makes me laugh. I am going to miss my boys…you ROCK!!! They threw me an impromtu bridal shower, of sorts…see pics below…
Shocked – ALL the boys were in bridal veils…too funny
Antnee, making a final adjustment…
seanniles, feeling snarky…
YOU WANT ME TO BECOME DOMESTICATED???!!! You must be joking…right??
And a shout out to Justin from NOLA…::WAVES TO YOU BEHIND THE BAR::
Thanks everyone for making a girl feel so DAMNED special…gonna miss everyone beyond belief…
Will prolly be signing off for a couple of days…but be sure to TUNE IN FOR ADVENTURES FROM I-10 – Roadtrip to Houston series to begin Sunday!!!
Peace out…
j~
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