Apres Climb Is Set

After much pondering - and some hurried consultation of a few guidebooks - my post-climb is nailed down. I'm going on a 5-day/4-night safari in Ngorongoro Crater and the Serengeti, with the balance spent on the north end of Zanzibar.

It wasn't an easy decision. The safari would be solo and effectively private. It means maximum independence and flexibility in very comfortable accommodations (huge tents with proper beds and showers) but comes at a steep price: about $1000/day. That includes practically everything (from games drives to meals and possibly even laundry and drinks), but it's steep compared to the $150/day staying on Zanzibar would have cost.

But the extra day on safari seems like it will be money well spent as it will give more more time to move between camps and see more critters. And I'm the type to get board with the beach after a few days.

Stairs and Safaris

Seeing as it's now a bit less than 5 months before the trek, it seemed like it might be a good time to start my training.

So I started with stairs.

Not a stair machine. Actual stairs. The kind that can actually take you somewhere.

17 flights of them.

It didn't take that long to go all the way up, and naturally it was pretty quick coming down. And it didn't hurt much either... until the next morning. Ow.

While they rest, I'm settling on what to do post-climb. It'll be a safari in Ngorongo and the Serengeti, and time on Zanzibar. The real decision is between a 4-day or a 5-day safari. The safari will be solo, so I'm spending $$$ on it. Maybe they'll let me drive the land rover. :)