British Air

The 'big guy' taking me to London. I was shocked to learn there will be both dinner and breakfast. Can't remember the last time I had a real meal on a plane! Then again it will be British food...

First flight

Hop #1 to Chicago.

Departure Day Arrives!

Looks like I have everything except the coat and rain gear I will need for the short excursion from Heathrow to London duirng a 11 hour stayover.









The poster container is sure going to be a pain.











Well all great journeys begin with the first step! Oops!

While this mishap was staged I did logon to find out one of my return flights had been cancelled. Fortunately it turned out just to be a flight/name change. I am good to go!

The feedback I have gotten already is nice. One friend suggested I focus on foods which sounds like a great idea. My meal mates and waiters may question why I keep pulling out my camera for each meal, but hey, if I am serious about this I have to roll with the punches.

A focus on people is an obvious choice to, as are places. So between food, people and places this thing is going to expand rapidly over the next 10 days.

Day before departure

Just checked the 5 day weather forecast for Durban. Wow! Temps rising to the mid-eighties by Friday. With snow flurries still in Pittsburgh this week that's going to be one nice change. Gotta remember to pack the swim suit and sunblock!

Also have to remember to take the weekly antimalarial tomorrow. It's nice it's a once a week pill these days. You start one week before you leave and stay on it until a few weeks after you return. I think the one I have is Mefloquine. It was first developed in the 60s during the Vietnam War because of the emergence of chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria. While quite effective, there is no perfect antimalarial. It must be taken with food, preferably in the evening, and preferably not with alcohol. Minor side effects include: stomach upset, dizziness, vivid (good, bad, erotic and otherwise) dreams, insomnia and anxiety. More serious side effects, such as seizures and psychosis, are relatively rare. So far no real side effects from the first dose; I'll have to watch the timing with any alcohol once in SA since I rarely drink on a plane (it's suppose to exacerbate jet lag).

All right... I'll keep this blog entry brief since I haven't even left yet.

Safety 2006 Blog - Durban, South Africa

Friends, Family and Colleagues:

Hope you enjoy this South Africa trip Travel Blog. Its purpose is to allow me to capture and share my thoughts, experiences, highlights and photos with all of you not as fortunate to make this trip yourself.

My itinerary has me flying to London, thru Johannesburg, on to Durban, a 3 day Safari to the HLUHLUWE Game preserve (the oldest in Africa) and then back to Durban for the trip home.

I will be attending three separate conferences, giving two papers and a poster: The 6th International Measuring the Burden of Injury (MBI) Conference, the 8th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion, and the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention.

Today, Monday, the packing is in the final stages and all the transportation arrangements have finally been smoothed out for my first highly anticipated trip to Africa. Having been unable to attend the last 2 international injury conferences I am especially looking forward to being at the World Conference in Durban, South Africa.

The preparations have included a new passport and $115 worth of polio, hepatitis A, tetanus, and typhoid protection c/o of the Allegheny County Health Department. I also had to get a prescription for special Malaria medication through my HMO. In true form, the HMO wouldn't pay the $60 for that or any other prophylaxis, but they would be more than happy to treat any malaria I contract upon my return for thousands. Ahh the US medical care system...

Packing is helped by my shiny new red Samsonites; my first ever matched pair of luggage (now I know I have officially reached middle age). My biggest dilemma is whether to take my Treo smartphone or not. It certainly is not a very brilliant smartphone because the phone part won't work in South Africa. Still it keeps my calendar, plays my tunes, and pitches in as a digital camera in a pinch; so it will probably find its way into my carry on. I just hope it doesn't find itself licked by a lion or wrecked by a rhinoceros along the way. I toyed with the idea of getting a new digital camera for the trip but the old 4MP Sony still does a good job so it will be the source of the photos I will be uploading over the next 12 days. Juggling chargers and 220V current is not an experience I am looking forward to. My travel schedule is as follows:

• Leave March 29th with a stop over in jolly old London
• March 31st I will be a the Blue Waters Hotel on Durban's Golden Mile (27-31-36838)
• April 1-5 Hilton Hotel, Durban SA 27-31-3368100
• April 6-8 Safari HLUHLUWE Game preserve , then back to the Hilton
• April 9-10 fly home