Preparation for Adventure!

Though the countdown has been ongoing for the last nine months, the reality that Leslie and I are only four days away from our South Africa/Bali/Hong Kong adventure is starting to seriously sink in. This is our third big trip to the other side of the planet, having previously visited Bali in 2008 and 2010.

Using miles from my Alaska Airlines account, we've booked first class tickets on Cathay Pacific between North America and Hong Kong, with business class booked between Hong Kong and Johannesburg, as well as between Hong Kong and Bali.

Hong Kong 747 Bound for Bali (2010)

Leslie seems mostly packed, while I'll wait until the last minute to figure out what to bring. We are each bringing two suitcases and two carry-ons (one with my laptop so I can continue to blog on the trip, and the other with my camera equipment, so as to share my photos from the trip).

We leave the house early on Tuesday, July 3 (5:30am!) to catch an 8am flight to LAX, where we'll pick up an afternoon flight to Hong Kong. We'll be crossing the equator four times on this trip, and land in the deepest part of winter on the dark continent. Our final destination for the day (well, we arrive two days later) is Cape Town, the jewel of South Africa guarded over by the mountain known as Table Top.

Until then, we're busy with two activities:

1. Watching the weather in Cape Town closely to determine if we need to pack for dry or rainy conditions (long range forecast looks like rain), and make sure our smaller suitcases bound for the Game Reserve weigh no more than 20kgs (44lbs).
2. Getting the house and the kids ready for our extended absence. Though my mother-in-law will be staying at our house the entire trip, we're preparing chore lists, making sure the pantries are stocked and the kids are ready for anything. Fortunately, Savannah drives now, so the kids can see the occasional movie and hit the beach (if the weather here in Seattle ever changes).

More to come!