Traveling through Africa...

The whole reason we are here this year is for Liam to travel throughout Sub-Sahara Africa to learn about cultures, customs, and issues of all potential countries he could be stationed at as a Foreign Area Officer (FAO). My job this year is to maximize his travel budget so that I can travel with him and enjoy this massive continent together. Seems like an easy enough task. Well, I'm learning very quickly it is not.

Traveling through Africa requires a carefully calculated plan. It requires extra safety precautions, visas, setting up travel routes, proper currency, and a few more things I'm probably not even aware of yet. Hotels may or may not take credit cards - sometimes due to power outages and sometimes just because they don't. Are mosquito nets included? Malaria isn't on my to-do list. Gas stations should be readily available but you should be prepared just in case they aren't or don't have gas. Don't forget the spare tire, windshield wipers, and other "essential" car parts. Someone said something about getting a wench for their car the other day. I found myself jealous and saying, "I want a wench on my car." I love wenches and four-wheel drive. Is it to early to prepare for rainy season? It's happened. I've gone country. Admitting it is the first step to recovery, correct?

Planes may or may not take off and land where you expect them too. Too top it all off, I'm using information provided on 3-10 websites and 1-4 books at any given moment to find a single hotel. The other day I learned it is a very good thing I grabbed a copy of our marriage license. I've heard it may be necessary to show the document for us to sleep in the same space together at night. Welcome to 1930 peeps - I guess the tan line on my left ring finger means nothing in Africa. I may not being paid in my profession this year, but I'm definitely working hard for our money.