Tanzania Visa in Hand

Such a relief to get those FedEx envelopes back today! We're good to go into Tanzania AND our US Passports are home.

Kenya Visas Obtained

We submitted our online applications on the evening of October 17, fee $51 per. Applications were received on the 18th by https://immigration.ecitizen.go.ke . Visas were issued on the 19th, and I discovered them on the website today. Woo hoo! Paperwork downloaded, printed, and in hand!

Kenya / Tanzania Tour Route

Packet Sent to United Republic of Tanzania Embassy in Washington, DC

It's a funny feeling sending passports away, but a necessary part of the Tanzanian visa application. Counting on FedEx to bring them back in a timely manner!

$100 fee per person for the Tanzanian visa, plus $20 RUSH fee.

Trip Confirmed!

Vaccines ...

... a "hidden" cost to international travel.

We have found that Passport Health in Apex is the place to go for medical travel advice. They're up on all the CDC recommendations and are prepared to supply vaccines. Today I got my Yellow Fever vaccine -- that's a once-in-a lifetime shot, as well as a shot for Typhoid. Must return for Cholera vaccine (a liquid shot taken by mouth) because Passport Health has a new protocol and has not had training for administering it yet. Rouse is scheduled for his inoculations next week.

I also received this year's flu shot this past Monday at Dr Butler's office. Both my arms are sore!

Committed

We have sent money to secure our spaces in the Safari Under Canvas tour!

Now we wait 2 - 4 days. Our spaces have been requested with the local operators. They must confirm that we can actually be accommodated on this tour. As soon as we receive confirmation we will obtain airline tickets, visas, vaccinations, trip insurance...

Spontaneity ... and the Flexibility of Retirement

While researching our potential "big" trip for 2019, Rouse the Spouse came across a deal we had to consider ... Kenya and Tanzania - Safari Under Canvas, a 15-day Intrepid Travel tour. The tour was discounted $1,500 per ticket! The tricky part - departure date from Nairobi, November 11, 2018.

Of course, our first questions were, "Should we do it?" "Is there a reason NOT to do it?" and "Why isn't this tour filling up?"

Cons

• We will miss Thanksgiving
• It's the short rainy season
• The seasonal animal migration is over in that area

Pros

• Rains create greener landscape - easier to see animals, pretty pictures
• Best time for bird-watching (critical fact)
• We save lots of money by going NOW instead of next year

We decided to go for it!

Test

This is a test of the iPad app.