One Week Until Arrival

In exactly one week (give or take 20 mins) my plane will touch down in Dar Es Salaam and I will begin my volunteering. So you'd think I would be on here every day writing about how excited I am. Unfortunately, I've been too busy juggling all sorts of details that need to be in place before I leave, to write much.

My first big task was to but all the supplies I needed. This included a large backpack (the one I got has a 75L capacity), clothes, a sleeping bag and related items, as well as many small things that may come in handy during my 12 weeks overseas. I have spent a good amout of time at Mountain Equipment Co-op in the last three weeks. Medications also took up a big chunk of that (if I get sick, I will be prepared). It took me over a week to get the majority of the items and I'm still slowly working on a few every day. The good news is hopefully I will have everything I need by Sunday.

Packing has also been an activity I've devoted many hours to. I've decided I'll need to be organized if I want to be living out of a couple of bags for three months. I've divided all my clothes up and put them into varying sizes of ziplock bags. I've done this for two reasons: 1) easy access (and it won't create a mess just looking for one thing), and 2) protection against leaky items. Hopefully it works out and I can continue to use the bags for the whole trip. I've filled my bigger bag and I have a smaller one I will likely end up checking in for the flight as well. Hopefully I don't go too much over. I will take a smaller shoulder bag for my netbook and some books on the plane. I have been asked by a tour operator to buy a daypack (for him) so I may use that as a carry-on as well.

I also found the time to get one final vaccination: multi-strain menningococcal. It was a bit pricey, but hopefully it will help keep me healthy while in Tanzania.

Another task that has cost me a lot of time has been my travel arrangements, but more on that in a few days. Mostly I am all set for what I am doing in my four weeks, but I have one or two loose ends to tie up before I'm ready to share the whole trip.

So that's what I've been up to the last little while. The next week will be spent finalizing all the little details (travel insurance, visas, final packing, getting ready for my actual programming, learning swahili, and on and on). I'm sure I'll be getting ready right until Sunday afternoon when we leave for the airport.

Anyway, keep watching this space. I'm sure in about 8 days time it will actually start to get interesting - and before then I hope to put up some good answers as to what I will be doing in Tanzania.