acacia blossoms

acacia blossoms

Thursday, May 28, 2009

check list

The evening before leaving. A quiet day of tying up loose ends – or trying to. Shopping for last minute items. Packing safari kit. Piles of clothes set out on the bed neatly then crammed into bags.
The Trip Checklist is stuck on wall by the back door –its the last thing to look at before leaving:
Passports and visas
Tickets and travel docs, spare copies
Driving licence, vehicle registration papers
Triangles (reflective)
Fuel Cans
Puncture kit, tyre weld, airpump
First aid kit
Malaria pills, testing kit, insect repellent
Matches, braai grid kettle
Maps
Water
Bed rolls, mossie nets or tent
Fishing gear
Torch and phone chargers
I love reading this list – even when I am not leaving on a trip. There are some more that should be added but this is the bare bones. Over time the last list disintegrated. We started forgetting things. Big things – like bed rolls. So a new list is in place.
Once we drove all the way to the mozambique border and then realised we had left the vehicle registration papers behind. We had to drive home again. It was quiet in the car.
I am home alone. Al Gore is on TV describing the state of the planets resources. If we were a farm we would know we were overstocked and this is unsustainable. Some people are trying so hard to repair damage done, and create more sustainable ways of living; the bulk of humankind is intent on destroying each other, and needing more more. James Blunt plays on the CD player.
An eagle took a guinea fowl chick – six left. I hope these are survivors. Chicken is in the oven – is that a paradox? Darkness falls swiftly softly. Monkeys are having that last race across the roof before they have to find a safe sleeping spot. Windows are turning black. I should be getting on with stuff. I love this time of year!
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15 comments:

Chris Wolf said...

Peace and safe way in your travel.

Chris Wolf said...

I love your posts, though I comment rarely. I laugh now as I see your "moon rabbit", because it took me the first three visits to understand the picture! Happy belated birthday.

Rosaria Williams said...

What a list you need to go off on vacation, much more than we are used to.

Sandra Leigh said...

Your list reminds me of our motor home journeys. We make lists of things to take along, but by far the most important list is taped to the m/h's fridge. Every morning, before we set off, I stand in front of the fridge and read the list, and my husband responds to each item with "check". The list starts with "propane turned off" and includes other ultra-important things like "bikes aboard" and "vents closed". We have made a couple of revisions since we started traveling, but we wouldn't dream of starting out without our ritual Reading of the List.

Anonymous said...

I'll need this list for my BIG ADVENTURE
Thanks for making me start mine
:-)

Val said...

chris wolf - thanks - the moon rabbit - you have to love it! it took a few tries:-)on the birthday wishes - thanks so much - i have to say they just keep getting better ...

Sandra - lists are great until you lose them!! or they disintegrate x

Janet - i love your BIG ADVENTURE plans...lets pour over maps.
Thanks for all your help with the mozambique school roof prof x

ps i wish everyone who ever visited Monkeys on the Roof left message...

xxxxxV

Val said...

lakeviewer - umm whats a vacation??
but the list does help for sure x

Anonymous said...

Here via black box. I'm leaving on a trip myself in another day, but within the country so passport not needd this time. Safe journeys.

Kristin said...

I start a new list every time. I should reduce, reuse and recycle more.

Godspeed.

Val said...

greetings Citizen - ooh where are you going?

Kristin - making trip lists is a fun thing

xxV

karen said...

oh, those LISTS!! you should see mine.. crazy isn't it? Enjoyed the unfolding of your evening on my blog screen.. i am also crazy about this time of year! xx

Angela said...

How far away IS the Mozambique border, really? Why do you need water in Botswana? We have been writing for so long, but I must admit I still cannot quite picture your life! It seems so unreal. All those monkeys and eagles!
Thank you for my book present!! I love it!It was just in time!!!
Oh, by the way, vacations are the American holidays.

Janet, where are you GOING? Come to Germany? Thank you for your Morape help! You are the fourth fairy!

Fire Byrd said...

Have a wonderful time. Hopefully I'll be able to bring you good news this week from one school to another.
xx

e said...

Happy Birthday, Val...

I can't wait to hear more about your adventures. Karen did put a bit on her blog, but much more to come. Enjoy!

Verily I go. said...

I am Alice or Dorothy when I come here. You give us such an amazing view to your world. You are my adventure too, thanks for bringing me with.

my word veri: redreess..how does it know?