I think the lessons learnt on this thread is that there is no right way and no wrong way !!

You pay what you want to pay ! Everyone has different tastes, ideas, plans, routes etc etc etc.. There are just TOOOO many variables to say how much it all exactly costs.

We have assertained that East Africa can be done cheap (great, im doing that trip in September with limited cash)..

There is no limit to what you can spend, and if someone has worked their lives to save a good fund, good for them !! Enjoy it at your leisure.

Live and let live....

Well put Ted.
It would be interesting to hear back from Rene (OP) though to see what he eventually spent on his trip.