by Editor | Aug 1, 2004 | Products, Safari Gear, Simon and Baker Travel Review
When we are in the African bush we take mosquitoes very seriously. Being bitten is cause for concern. Some types of malaria, a disease transmitted by certain mosquitoes, are hard or impossible to treat effectively. As a result, mosquitoes become not a small annoyance but a life threatening menace. The first time, several years ago, we treated our clothes with insect repellent in preparation for a trip to a malaria zone; we had to dip them using a special container, which we later disposed of. It was a big production and the clothes felt slightly stiff after they dried. The Sawyer spray was much easier and practical to use. Our clothes remained intact after we sprayed and air dried them. There were no unpleasant odors, no damaged fabrics or other side effects that we noticed; nor were we bitten by any insect while we wore the clothes we had sprayed, even after they had been washed several times at the African camps and lodges we stayed at.
by Editor | Jul 1, 2004 | Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Comfort
Sassybax, an alternative bra designed by TV star Amanda Horan Kennedy to fight visible bra lines, was comfortable and practical enough for travel. Though none of the promotional materials recommended Sassybax for travel, they did say it was more comfortable than traditional under wire and sports bras. We tried it on a roundtrip transatlantic flight and during the trip.
by Editor | Jul 1, 2004 | Products, Safari Gear, Simon and Baker Travel Review
We were preparing for a bush trip to Africa when we first heard of the new Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, registered Buzz Off pretreated insect repellent line. We loved the idea right away. It meant we didn’t have to dip or spray our safari clothes in permethrin. The safari color (khaki) Buzz Off clothes were ready to wear, odorless, designed to wick off moisture, washable and a good value for money, especially when compared with the chore and cost of purchasing regular clothes, spraying them with permethrin, and then leaving them to dry for hours before we could pack or wear them.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Luggage
The Osprey Transporter 90, a combination backpack and luggage, made an ideal companion for the remote locations we visited during our Southern Africa adventures. It was soft sided allowing it to conform somewhat to the shape of the space we placed it in. It was versatile and sturdy; handsome enough to accompany us to five star properties and sporty enough for camping accommodations. The padded sides provided extra protection for our contents. The Transporter had straps across the front, which made it possible for the bag to shrink or grow depending on how much we wanted to carry in it. This feature was useful when we purchased a large souvenir that would not fit into any of the other bags. The souvenir fit into the Transporter because the bag expanded to accommodate the extra contents.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Security
The Magellan’s Security Bag (Large) is a travel bag used to protect film from airport x-ray security devices. The Security Bag is made of a flexible lead fabric and weighs 16 oz empty. We used the Security Bag for a total of 4 weeks and tested 2 rolls of film with it. One roll was 200 speed film and the other 400 speed film. Carry-on luggage is scanned by security scanners at a lower power level than check-in baggage security scanners. The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) does not recommend putting film into check-in baggage so we chose to place our film in our carry-on luggage inside the Magellan Security Bag. As of this review date (Sept-14-2004) the TSA states the following about placing film through security screening equipment,
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Safari Gear, Simon and Baker Travel Review
When we were game viewing, we carried our Micro-Zoom compact binoculars everywhere – they still have the telltale African dust to prove it. Their light and practical design made them easy to carry and a pleasure to use. They were the perfect starting point for basic safari sightings. Whenever we wanted a higher magnification, we would pull out our much heavier second set of binoculars. Most of the time, the Micro-Zoom binoculars were just right for our needs and light enough to carry comfortably, even when we went walking for three or more hours in the bush.
