The Time is Near

Counting down the days… 22, 21, 20, 19… today, it’s 19 days until I get on my plane. They say, don’t rush time. Well, I think someone says that. I realize that the days will go by, time will continue, and soon enough, I will be boarding my string of flights that will ultimately end with me in a country I have dreamed of visiting since I was young. Wait, wrong word choice. At 39, I am still young and I am not waisting my youth before I am old.

The time now, is boring though. I’ll be the first to admit that this blog won’t have as much content or draw of dreaming and beautiful beaches. I’m currently dog sitting for my ex-wife while she is in Ecuador, hiking the mountains and jungles surrounding the capital city of Quito. She’s having a good time. I’m spending my days picking up dog poop and going to the gym to keep from going stir crazy.

So, topics I do want to cover though… My Visa, flights, and gear

My visa was taken care of rather quickly. I mentioned in the last blog, that for a South African Visa, you actually have to go to one of the embassy offices in LA, Chicago, or DC. This can pose a problem if you don’t live around the area. The good news is two fold though. First, they get processed rather quickly (though they never called or emailed to let me know it was ready) and second, you can provide a self addressed envelope from UPS or FedEx so the Visa can be mailed back to you. So only one trip. The one problem I did run into though (other than not contacting me) was that I applied for a “Retired Person’s Visa” which would be good for 48 months. I supplied all the needed documentation and met all the requirements. However, when I picked up my Visa, it was only the “Visitor’s Visa” and will expire a few days after my trip. This isn’t a major problem as I don’t believe I will need a longer duration, but I am pretty sure I am going to fall in love with South Africa and it would be nice to be able to go back without having to reapply for another Visa up in DC.

Flights haven’t been a big deal as I have had my reserved for a while now. A few things I am seeing though may help others out in the future. For example, the flights to get from the east coast of the US to Cape Town take roughly 2 days. I will leave on the evening of September 2nd and won’t get in until around noon on September 4th. The flights and subsequent layovers can be pretty lengthy. I have also looked into changing my flight as I will be getting in on the same day that I actually need to be there. I wouldn’t mind being a tourist for a day or two and getting some rest prior to class starting on the 5th. However, the cost to change a flight (for my flights) can range anywhere from $555 to a few thousand dollars. This can get expensive, so if you’re thinking about going, make sure you have your dates set before purchasing tickets.

Lastly, gear, this part is pretty short. I have the needed gear…foul weather, warming layers, boat shoes, but as the time to leave approaches, I am starting to think of other gear that may be worth having. Some I have, some I have been purchasing along the way. Items that have come to mind are things such as, a good pair of sunglasses that I won’t mind losing (not $200 Oakleys), light weather rain gear, a good hat with neck coverage, long sleeve t-shirts with SPF protection (I found SPF 50 shirts on Amazon), and a couple of headlamps with red light filters for getting around the boat at night. A big thing has also been my choice of luggage. I wanted something that will hold everything I need for 4 months, but also want it to fold down small after emptied. Being a former Marine, the first thing I thought of was a sea-bag. After 20 years, mine is pretty torn up, so I did go to E-Bags.com and got a nice zippered Everest duffle that should fit the bill. I’ve used a few Everest bags in the past and they tend to hold up very nicely. I know there’s more that I am still missing, but I’m sure being in a coastal town with a lot of sailing schools, I’ll be able to find the gear I need.

Is it still 19 days? I’ll enjoy the relaxation for the time I guess. I’m ready to go though…well, I don’t have my bags packed, and I still need to complete a few self-imposed tasks, so maybe I’m not that ready. But I want to leave NOW!!!