Suitcase Citizen

Bugs

Wayne Simpson — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 21:52:26 +0000

Bugs affect your life especially the unseen mysterious Travel Bug and it’s little cousin, the Safari Bug. I believe however once bitten by either of these, your life will change for the better. The Travel Bug will stir up your desire to go places and see things. It will broaden your knowledge of the world in which we live. It will impact the lives of others, not just your sphere of influence but everyone you meet. The places you visit, things you see, and cultures you experience will open up your world to even more adventures. When you share with others through your stories and photographs, their lives will be enhanced. Being bit by the Travel Bug is a gift you can share with others. Invite them to see the world. The travel world will re-open once this pandemic has passed. Several countries have already re-opened their borders for international travel. Where would you like to go? What would you like to see? What foods and cultures would you like to experience? It is time to make your plans. Apprehensive about traveling alone? Join a small group. Groups of six to twelve people are suited well for getting a cultural experience. Larger groups are more tourist oriented. If you have not been bitten by the Travel Bug yet, plan a journey with a few friends. Once bitten, you may set your sights on Africa. There the Safari Bug is likely to bite you. There is no cure. Your desire to continue to explore our world will take you to new places and meet new friends. What’s holding you back? Want to travel with an experienced traveler and professional photographer? There’s a contact page on this website.

Safe Journeys

Live, Laugh, Love

Ngorongoro Crater

Wayne Simpson — Mon, 27 Jul 2020 19:00:09 +0000

It is dawn. You have had a good sleep in a comfortable bed in one of the lodges on the high rim of this giant bowl. For thousands of years, this 2½ million year old extinct volcano has been home to a wide variety of wildlife. It is Nature’s terrarium and the world’s largest inactive intact caldera, 610 meters deep and 260 square kilometers in size. A unique biosphere, Ngorongoro Crater, draws about one-half a million visitors from around the world each year. As you slowly descend the steep slope in your safari vehicle, your expert guide points out the various animals, birds, and plants. He explains the unique geological history of the crater. A local Maasai walks beside the road. You see elephants, cape buffalo, and herds of impala, and other different antelope species. As you drive along the flat crater floor, you spot lions resting from the previous night’s activities. Yes in the distance, you see a black rhino. This is truly a morning to remember. Lunchtime calls for a picnic on the shore of a beautiful lake inhabited by hippos. The lodge has packed a delightful meal. Other safari groups also break for lunch in this picturesque setting. Ngorongoro Crater is one of the most popular parks to visit not only in Tanzania, but in all of Africa.

Sounds in The Night

Wayne Simpson — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 23:39:33 +0000

Something has disturbed your sleep. You open your eyes and try to adjust to the darkness. What woke you up? Then you again hear it, the unmistaken sound of a hunting lion. It sounds like it is just outside your tent. You remember that your guide told you a lion’s voice can be heard for over a mile. You try to go back to sleep. Next, you hear the comforting “Good Morning” as your steward brings you coffee and biscuits. You dress still thinking of the lion. You are off for your first game drive of the day. The sights, the sounds, and the smells of each drive are unique. Africa has called and you have answered. Tonight as you sleep, you will once again be surrounded by the sounds of Africa. Your dream has come true. You are on safari.

Chui

Wayne Simpson — Fri, 24 Jul 2020 20:19:48 +0000

A cool mist hangs in the air. The smell of ozone is all around. Slowly, she comes into focus lying gracefully yet alert beneath the leaning acacia tree. Your eyes meet for a moment. She returns to watching her two youngsters who alternate scaling the tree to rip flesh from the lodged carcass. Their muscles ripple beneath their dew-soaked coats as they ascend the acacia. Although just 20 meters away, the leopards ignore your vehicle. The cubs contently continue eating. Their mother, with a full belly, watches from below.

The tree is familiar to them. They’ve used it before. The mother leopard has killed a wildebeest or perhaps it’s a topi. It’s hard to tell. All that remains is a carcass with the hide turned inside out. The last remaining flesh is being torn away by the cubs. Time stands still. There is only you and the leopards. Chui is leopard in Swahili.

Deadvlei

Wayne Simpson — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 21:27:54 +0000

Deadvlei

You awake before dawn, quickly dress, and go to the lodge dining room for a quick cup of coffee. Aided by the light of your flashlight, you climb into the safari vehicle. For over an hour, you drive through the dark. What passes for a road is two tracks in the dirt and rocks. When the vehicle finally stops, you climb out as the dark night morphs into a thick pre-dawn gray. Grabbing your camera gear, you begin the trek across the sand, pans, and small dunes. You climb through a pass between two high dunes and there before you lies a vast pan dotted with dead camel thorn trees still standing after hundreds of years. You have arrived at Deadvlei, one of the unique sites on earth. Walking down onto the pan, you look for that special spot to view the rising sun as it appears above one of the highest dunes on the planet. Still shrouded in pre-dawn gray, you find your spot and set up your tripod and camera. Now you wait and watch the moving shadows in the changing light. It is a magical and mystical place. Your patience is rewarded with beautiful sunrise photographs. This is one of the reasons you made the trip to Namibia. It will be etched in your memory forever. This amazing morning will only be eclipsed by your helicopter flight over the dunes this afternoon. Africa calls!

Where Will You Go?

Wayne Simpson — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 20:53:28 +0000

Where Will You Go?

While most of the world is still cautiously sheltering at home, some countries are beginning to relax restrictions. Some are allowing domestic travel for their citizens while others are extending to international travel for tourism. It is important to check each country’s current travel restrictions before making plans to travel. Countries often make unannounced changes. The restrictions vary from mandatory quarantine to routine check upon entry.

You can use this time at home to plan your next adventure, whether it be near home or abroad. Research destinations you are interested in visiting. Learn about local customs, dress codes, and greetings. Try to learn a few words of the foreign language to be encountered. Check up on what others have written about traveling to that destination. In addition to the most popular things to see and do, include off the beaten track things to do and see. Find out where the locals eat and shop. Inform yourself about weather conditions. Find the best ways to get around like walking, rental vehicles, or public transportation.

It is a good idea to have a travel check list, a guide for every trip you take. A good list would include everything you might use so that you can best choose items needed for each type of travel.

Here is a generalized list. Customize your list to fit your needs.

Travel Check List

Clothing:

Outer garments

(pants, shirts, shorts, dresses, etc.)

Undergarments

Other garments

(coats, jackets, swim wear, rain gear, hat, scarf)

Footwear

(shoes, sandals, water shoes, slippers, etc.)

Accessories

(belts, costume jewelry, shopping bag, etc.)

Personal care

(oral & hair products, deodorant, shaving equipment, insect repellent, etc.)

Prescription medications in the bottles along with a copy of the prescription.

Over-the-counter medications and supplements you take

Cell phone, charger, case

Tablet or laptop with charger and cables

Flashlight, camera, batteries, memory cards, etc.

Credit cards (one or two)

Some Cash (your home currency and the destination’s currency)

Airline and other tickets

Reservation confirmations

Decide whether you will have check baggage, carry-on or both. You may want a backpack or day bag as well. Plan to enjoy yourself, meet new friends, try different foods, and see new sites. Remember, “Be a traveler, not a tourist.”

Why Africa? Why Now?

Wayne Simpson — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 16:35:56 +0000

Africa once considered the “Dark Continent” abounds in diversity. No longer hard to get to, it has become one of the more popular exotic travel destinations. If you are bitten by the “Safari Bug”, you will want to return again and again. The people are warm and welcoming. The wildlife amazing. Africa is calling.

Tanzania is one of the first countries to open up to tourism after the pandemic. It is also one of the best places for your African adventure. With 16 national parks, Tanzania offers some of the widest varieties of wildlife viewing. Guides in Tanzania are knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful. They will help you create an experience of a lifetime. Make your plans early. Guides and accommodations are often booked a year in advance.

Two of the most popular attractions are the Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti Plain. Plan to arrive at the Kilimanjaro Airport in Arusha. Safaris are affordable. Your safari is designed to meet your needs, expectations and budget. Private and small group safaris tend to give you the best overall experience. Remember to plan time to experience the culture and cuisine. Contact us for recommendations and suggestions.

Namibia a Land of Contrasts

Wayne Simpson — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 16:52:23 +0000

Namibia has some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world including the Kalahari and Namib deserts in the south, the Skeleton Coast on the Atlantic Ocean, and the forest of Etosha National Park in the north. It is a treasure chest of opportunities for both landscape and wildlife photographers. When you step off the plane in Windhoek, you immediately know that you are in a special place.

Traveling through the vast Kalahari and Namib deserts west to the coast, you will feel the dry heat and observe the unique desert plants and animals. Spend the night in one of the desert lodges and experience the night sky like you have never seen it before. The Milky Way comes alive in color and expanse. A knowledgeable guide is essential to helping you understand everything you see in this diverse country. Nothing compares to a helicopter flight above the enormous red dunes of the Namib Sand Sea.

Your northern safari will bring you close-up and personal with desert adapted elephants, lions, zebras, and giraffes. A night game drive in one of the private concessions will awaken all your senses.

Friendly, unique, and affordable Namibia is one place you should consider visiting. You will want to return as we do. Contact us for more information.

Tanzania Safari

Wayne Simpson — Sun, 14 Jun 2020 18:48:07 +0000

You have taken the first step by researching for your trip. You selected and booked a tour/safari operator that fits your needs. You purchased your flight. And now, you are landing at Kilimanjaro airport in Arusha, Tanzania. The plane taxis to a stop in front of the terminal and the portable steps are brought alongside. Down the steps and across the tarmac to the terminal, you walk. It is evening. You can’t really see your surroundings. You could be anywhere, but you are not. You are in Africa and starting an adventure of a lifetime. After clearing customs and immigration, you gather your checked baggage and exit the building. There is a gathering outside waiting on the disembarking passengers. Many of them are holding up signs with names written in large letters. You see your name and hurry over to meet your contact.

Where you go and what you hope to see have been planned. Your excitement level is high. This is it. You are finally on safari in Tanzania.,

Your first night’s accommodations will probably be only a short drive from the airport. After the long flight, you are ready for a good night sleep. After a hearty breakfast, the adventure continues.

Tanzania