Road Trips

The long half term has finally come to an end and I am preparing for a BIG road trip. So big that it takes 2 days to get there and 2 days to get back. I'm heading up to Kidepo National Park in the north of Uganda which borders with Sudan. I believe we even put a foot over the border on one of the trips. This is THE park to go to if you want to encounter all the animals - giraffes, lions, leopards, cheetahs, ostriches and zebra. It has all the attraction of the Masai Mara but only a tiny fraction of the visitors.
Road trips in Uganda take a fair amount of preparation. Here's a sample from my packing list:
New camera with big zoom lens - check
Dettol and cotton wool to ward off nasty tsetse flies - check
Anti-malarials - check - don't wanna go back there again!
Sleeping sheet and own pillow case in case UWA banda bedding not up to scratch - check
Skirt to wear on journey to avoid flashing bum to random travellers whilst taking a roadside pit stop - check
Head torch - check - about time I actually invested in a torch after using my phone torch for the past 2 years
Silly straw hat to protect from glaring sun - not checked due to disapproving look from my friend in the shop
Mountaineering trousers that zip off into shorts - check - practical as they are, they will NEVER see the light of day in Kampala town - would hate to be mistaken for a tourist
New waterproof trousers and coat - check - am half hoping for a few drops of rain so I get to use them
Passport to prove Ugandan residency for discount at luxury lodge -check
Home made flapjack with safari mix stirred in to help pass the journey - check
I-pod so I can zone out during the bumpy roads and scary driving - check
Extra strength DEET - check
Amarula for night caps - check
Wine and plastic wine glasses for sundowners - check
Binoculars to spot the lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes and zebras - check
Posh frock for meal at the lodge - check
Bikini to chill at the pool - check
Salmon steaks to be cooked on a charcoal stove - check - hope we are not being over-ambitious here - if it goes wrong it'll be rice and beans instead!

So it looks like I'm all set to go ...