"Expedition" Not a holiday !!!

This is my opportunity to travel for six months, or thereabouts, with an outfit called Odyssey Overland who specialise in Overlanding. Travelling in a purpose built Scania truck I will be joining twenty two fellow explorers driving around South America in a figure of eight visiting Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. 

                                                                        

South America

                                                     

The beauty of this type of travel is that we are able to visit many more places off the beaten track. The living arrangements will be split between expedition tents, mossy nets built in and low budget accommodation. From volcanoes to glaciers, jungle to high altitude grasslands, wildlife to wild carnival, fascinating cultures and amazing activities, too numerous to mention here. I intend to suck the marrow out of it (as Butty would say) and engage in as many activities and new experiences as I can. I suppose Argentina and Samoa beating Wales recently is a new experience for some !! :)

We will be fending for ourselves, visiting local markets, buying local produce and attempting to conjour up gastronomic delights. Washing and probably not a lot of ironing will be done as we go. This is where the Tilley pants come into their own, two pairs apparently can get you round the world. One pair on the other washed and dried overnight ready for clean the next day. I was thinking maybe of stretching that to a week by wearing them normally, inside out, back to front, on my head etc etc we will see. :)

One rucksack, one daypack, ready for the off !!!!

This expedition has been in the planning stages for the last year, slowly accumulating all the necessary equipment, rucksack, Rab sleeping bag, thermarest self inflating mattress, mossy nets, leatherman, trekking boots, electronics, cameras, first aid kit and a medicine cabinet second to none. I am a walking pharmacy, pills for every occasion. Indeed pin cushion springs to mind having had numerous injections including Rabies x 3, Typhoid, Hep A, Hep B, Yellow Fever, Tetanus and a final flu jab yesterday.
Malaria tablets (doxycycline),  Diamox (altitude sickness), Ciprofloxacin (for stomach bugs) and the list goes on........

As far as electronics go I have some new equipment to enable me to record, photograph and edit the trip as I travel. A new I Pad, an early Christmas present from Lu....still getting to grips with the technology. Apps for everything including Skype, FaceTime, access to e mail, photo editing suite, books, music and a thousand and one other things to either read, play or listen to. It's a steep learning curve but I'm getting there, just don't expect miracles.

I aim to update this blog as often as possible,  wifi signals permitting, enabling you all to keep up-to date with my travels and all the activities I hope to be involved in. Hopefully I will work out how to include photos which should be amusing as well as amazing.

Finally a big thank you to Lu for supporting me with this fantastic opportunity and putting up with all the hair brain travel ideas I keep coming up with.

Thanks to all my family and friends for all your support. It is a strange situation I find myself in, mixed emotions. Excited to be off on an amazing expedition, anticipation at whats coming my way and sadness at leaving friends and family. Roll on Thursday evening, Heathrow, terminal 5, BA flight direct to Buenos Aires see you all  in seven months time.

Tony x