We are spinning like whirlwinds here in the Sandbox.

Our trip is more than three months away, but there is a lot to do. On top of getting the word out, we’re working on getting donations, a vehicle, plane tickets, camping gear and vehicular equipment.

Of course, our list of essentials is much larger than camping gear and vehicles. As we draw closer to the start date, we will be worrying more about visas, vaccinations, medical supplies and finalizing our route. Given the changing country conditions, we have to remain flexible with the route. We’ll need not only a good set of maps, but also a good sense of direction.

There are also the non-essential essentials, such as memory sticks and numerous batteries for the camera. Unfortunately, there are no outlets buried in the desert sand (unless the world is way more wired than any one of us ever expected), and I’m sure no one would be pleased if we returned with no pictures to show for it. Thus, we will be stocking up on batteries. If any one of you happens to be sitting on a horde of memory sticks, camera batteries or other useful items you don’t plan to use, we sure wouldn’t mind if you sent them our way. Really though, we will post our wish list and packing list shortly to give you an idea of the planning process.

I could go on and on about our plans, but our list is long, so I’ll talk a little more about one of our immediate concerns: plane tickets. This is particularly tricky as we cannot be sure of the exact time we will arrive in Cameroon. However, we all three have lives to which we need to return, other obligations with which we need to negotiate exit and return dates. Our plan then, is to purchase tickets prior to our trip, picking a date and a city from which to fly out of in West Africa, and hope that we make it in time. Out of all our options, this seems to be the best bet.

Going forward, we will continue to update this site with news of our sponsors, press spots, fundraising events and the planning process. If there’s anything in particular you’d like to hear about, send us a note or leave a comment.

Until next time, my friends!