The big trip update – delays ahead…

Last time I wrote about the trip, by now we’d be on a countdown of 11 days to go. However…

The start of the big trip has been delayed. A few people have said “oh no! That sucks, I’m so sorry”.

And in a way, they’re not wrong. And, equally, it’s actually more than fine.

What was irritating, to some degree, is that it’s caused extra time and a small amount of stress to rearrange ourselves – mostly in our minds and some business issues. We were fully prepared and on countdown, with tasks mapped out and energy levels and appointments all geared towards 27th September departure. 

When we took Penelope up to Tilbury docks on 16th August, we expected her to be loaded onto a ship about a week later – headed to Cape Town. But there was an issue with her not being on the ship we thought she would; then another issue with another logistical matter; then the ship she was finally getting on was delayed coming to London, and we’re told that some of these delays have been caused by COVID creating staff shortages at ports.

We’re now looking at arriving in Cape Town around 21st October - because although she’s due in way before that, the extra issue is that we won’t know until 24hrs before if she will actually make it to Cape Town on that day or whether the ship will go round to Durban first and then FINALLY unload her at Cape Town on the ‘way back’!

Luckily, we’ve been able to make the rearrangement work – and it actually feels better to have more time to get things in order before we set off.

It’s been a lot less stressful than it could have been, and that is down to how we managed to chose to respond. Not so long ago this would have really thrown me and stressed me out to a large degree. This time, although irritating and time consuming, I managed to let a lot of that go. We went away to a festival last weekend and I refused to even check on the situation (she was due to set off on Sunday, there’s an app where you can track the shipping!), or to email the agent and ask – I decided instead to just wait until we heard from them as checking wouldn’t change anything. 

I was relieved when I heard on Monday that she was on her way – that means we’re DEFINITELY going…although BA have just cancelled our flights for a second time, so now we’re investigating different airline options!

This also pushes the trip closer to the rainy season, which brings different things to consider, but, again, it is as it is and we will deal with it. We’ll now be away for Christmas and my birthday, returning in January. 

Originally, we chose Namibia and Botswana as I was meant to be joining an incredible elephant tracking research expedition with the Matriarch Adventure in early November, so we decided to tie it in with that. However, due to COVID, I won’t know until a week or two beforehand if a version of that trip will actually be going ahead – so again, all change! 

We currently have: vague plan A; vague plan B and vague plan C….

Plan A (if elephant trip going ahead): Cape Town – Namibia (research trip) - Botswana – Zimbabwe – Namibia – Cape Town/Durban

Plan B (if elephant trip not going ahead): Cape Town – Botswana – Zimbabwe – Namibia – Cape Town/Durban

Plan C: something else entirely!

As with many adventures and expeditions, I learnt long ago that no plan survives ‘first contact with the enemy’ (working in event management with politicians in central government helped with that!), and any idea of control is mostly an illusion (more on that in this blog).

So…be as prepared as possible, research what you can, organise as much of what is possible and have lots of contingency options, pack lots of flexibility and be aware that the only thing that is certain is that things will change. One of the positives in this is that we now have time to get the rabies vaccine before we go (although, as I pointed out to the nurse, if something does bite me over there, I might be more worried about missing a limb than rabies!)

I’m sure this is just one of the many ways we’ll need to adapt over the coming months – and that’s actually quite a fun thought. 

P.S. If you haven’t checked out our beloved Penelope yet, the Youtube channel has an intro to her and our set up.

P.P.S. If you’re wanting to make your own ‘adventure’ happen – whether that’s a work promotion/next big challenge; a personal project; something really exciting you’ve wanted to do for years or even simply to find more fulfilment and happiness in your life, I’m inviting applications to work with me on a 1:1 basis from January next year when I’m back. Applications are open until 17th Sept, and there are three spots left unreserved. Book in a call to chat about how I’ll help you achieve your dreams.