Traveling to Africa isn’t something you do on the spur of the moment. Visas, shots and some special equipment are needed. I applied for my visa early and received my passport back quidkly. Sigh of relief and check.

Once I received my Visa, I could book my flight. Since I am a Delta Gold flier, I chose Delta.

I went to the Travel Clinic and got my second Hepatitis A shot. The practitioner said I didn’t need to get a Yellow Fever shot. She also gave me a prescription for Malaria medication which I took and Cipro in case I got bad case of diarrhea. Thankfully, I did not. Hooray and check 2.

Next came the equipment I didn’t have. Since power often goes out in Tanzania, I was told to bring a headlight as well as flashlight. I also needed to get 30% Deet bug spray. Since this is rather difficult to come by, I ordered it and the headlight from Amazon.com. Check again.

Work gloves were needed for our volunteer work and I picked up a pair in the local hardware store along with extra batteries. I also needed two water bottles and a lock for in-room storage of valuables.

I reviewed my camera gear and purchased any missing items.

Now for clothing. I needed safari pants (well they weren’t required) but I knew they would be best as they are lightweight, quick drying and have many useful pockets. Travel Smith to the rescue – check again.

I had a Tilley hat purchased for my trip to the Galapagos and my travel vest that also contains multiple pockets. I’d need water shoes or sandals- already had Teva’s and a Gore-Tex rain jacket that I purchased before going to Machu Picchu. I planned to take an old pair of sneakers and leave them behind.

I don’t normally travel with towels but on this trip I would need to bring my own. Lucky me, I received an offer from Discovery Trekking Outfitters to try theirs. Discovery Trekking is an award-winning small business, having won the award for top 5 Small Businesses in British Columbia twice, as well as an award by Scotiabank for innovation in marketing.

The Discovery Trekking Extreme Ultralite Towel is indeed super light weight and baby soft. It dries almost instantly and also works as a bathing suit/shower cover-up since you can’t see through it. The Extreme Ultralight is 34″ x 28″ and weighs under 3 ounces. These pack into very small spaces.  Honestly, this towel was one of the best things I brought on my trip.

I’ve also learned that thanks to high-tech silver treatment, the towel discourages the bacteria that cause odors. The special odor-control fabric ensures you can use it several times with no musty smells. This attribute was very important because it was all I would use for two weeks!

Should I go to the beach, I do live nearby one, this towel does not attract sand. How cool. And should I get back to yoga as I plan, it will be the ideal moisture-wicking towel.

Thanks, Discovery Trekking. Your Ultralite Towel gets a five-star rating.
For more information, please visit www.discoverytrekking.com