Pulse - May 2021 - 27

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR VETERINARIANS
When going to the countries in southern Africa from California most people from my groups fly British Airways from
LAX to London. After a several hour layover then it is British Airways from London to Johannesburg (the cool people
call it Joberg).You can also fly Delta through Atlanta, Emirates
through Dubai, and KLM through Amsterdam, all going into
Joberg. Various other airlines and routes exist besides these
popular ones.
There is an interesting fact about the Los Angeles to London flight that many people are not aware of. Looking at a
map it seems to make sense to go from West to East, flying
across the United States. Look at a globe and you will see that
you are mostly going North, and flying partly over Greenland.
Pull out that globe and see for yourself.
As a general rule, plan on spending between $1500-$2000
for a roundtrip economy class flight, although the price is volatile right now due to COVID. I have been flying to Africa
since 1986, and this price has barely gone up in those decades.
It is a heck of a deal when you consider you are going 20,000
miles round trip, and sure beats the alternative.
On my last several Africa trips my travel agent got me
and several members of our group Business Class for the
mid 3,000's. I have seen Business Class flights to Africa for
between $5,000-$8,000, so this is a great price also.
British Airways has a flight on the Airbus A380 that leaves
at 9:30 PM from LAX. This is the flight I have been taking
for my last 3 trips to southern Africa, and is the one I prefer
due to the time of the flight and the fact I love the A380.
During the daytime prior to this flight I have time for last
minute things. I get up early that morning and stay active
during the day so that I am tired by the time a meal is served
and I get settled in, which is around 11 PM.
If you are flying through London be aware that Heathrow
is not just an airport, it is also a city, so make sure you have
several hours at least for your connecting flight to Joberg. It is
modern, well organized, and with a bit more security than we
have domestically.

Make sure your liquids and toothpaste are in a clear plastic
bag, and any extra lithium-ion batteries are in your carry-on
and not your checked bag. Put extra lithium-ion batteries in
a fireproof container like I talked about last month.
Sleep is very important on trips like this since your body is
going to be way out of sync with the stress, the crowds, the
waits, the strange food, the time zone changes, and low pressurization and humidity in the cabin. Some people try to set
their time zones at their destination by adjusting their sleep
patterns prior to leaving. Others swear by melatonin.
For me the most important thing for sleep is to fly Business Class where you have more room, better food, and most
importantly, a bed that lays flat. The extra cost over economy is worth every penny to me. I recommend budgeting
for it when planning your trip years in advance, or saving up
those frequent fliers miles (assuming you can use them due to
blackout dates and the understandable reluctance of airlines
to give up a paying seat).
Since most African safaris are once-in-a-lifetime, and you
will forget the price you paid long before the memories of
the trip, do it right and don't skimp in this area if possible.

In case you haven't seen it this is what Business and First Class
seating looks like on some British Airways flights

Lauren, my
student/assistant
photographer
on my Zambia
trip, is showing
you how you
should spend
most of your
time during the
flight. As you
can see she is
not in Business
Class.

You will go through an additional security check at the gate for your flight to Joberg

PULSE

MAY 2021

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Pulse - May 2021

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