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, 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.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Communications, Products, Simon and Baker Travel Review
Traveling through Botswana , South Africa and Zambia for five weeks of game viewing adventures, we were thankful to have Iridium connectivity and a Motorola 9500 Satellite phone. It worked almost everywhere we tried it as long as it had clear access to the sky to receive the satellite signal. In remote camps without phones or Internet service, it was the only way to stay in touch with work, family and friends. One of our group members, who had a relative undergoing medical treatment in the U.S. , was particularly thankful for the ability to stay in touch the Iridium Motorola phone provided.
by Editor | Jun 1, 2004 | Products, Safari Gear, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Travel Comfort
Uri-Mate freed our minds from the worries associated with public bathrooms and situations with limited access to or less than desirable facilities. The Uri-Mate funnels were light weight, practical to carry in their individual packages, disposable, resistant to moisture during use and affordable. Uri-Mates could come in handy in many situations such as visiting a public restroom, having to use an Eastern toilet (flat on the ground), a latrine or outhouse or going camping, for urine tests and post surgery.
