Clothes, swimming things, sunscreen, malaria tabs, mosquito repellent… and a tent.

The alure and excitement of this particular trip now a little tainted by the fact that there is now the possible prospect of camping. Not that I mind camping that much. Now, at any rate. A few years ago I would have been completely against the idea. I’m more comfortable with it now. In fact, camping can be fun. My reservations relate to the fact that camping holidays, in my experience, require rather more preparation and planning than other kinds of travel.

Oh, well, the people with whom I am travelling are all highly competent and intelligent. I’m sure we’ll be able to problem-solve our way out of potential issues.

I have a backpack all packed and ready to go. I fly up to Joburg tomorrow afternoon and then we head off by bus from Joburg on Saturday morning. Head off to a couple of weeks of sun and sea and new places and new people, a couple of weeks outside of ‘normal’ reality.

They say that travel is important not just because it adds to what you know but because it changes who you are. I feel like this year has been a difficult one but also in many ways a stagnant one. I’ve done a lot. A lot of it has been in new places or new ways. But very little of it has really challenged me. Ok, that’s not true. I’ve found several of the situations and people extremely challenging.

But none of them have expanded who I am. I’m hoping the next couple of weeks will. I’m pretty sure that hope will be realised. Whatever happens with the country, the company is capable of challenging me beyond most anything else I’ve encountered for a while. Even if it involves camping.