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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Daniel Rintz, Himba children, Namibia

The only impossible journey
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  #1  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Calming the Family back home . . .

My wife and I are planning a trans Africa trip through the west. Looking through the HUBB, other websites, reading books, etc., I am confident that it is possible and probable that we will go and have a trip of a lifetime. Our families though, full of love and fear, are strongly against it and think that we are going into a death sentence. Any ideas how to politely educate our families and calm their nerves? Thanks,

Jeff and Melanie
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  #2  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thatsstyles2u View Post
...Our families though, full of love and fear, are strongly against it and think that we are going into a death sentence...
Could always have some fun with it. Pretend you might swop the bike for camels if you feel the need to blend in.
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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.
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  #3  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Say you have reconsidered and are going to go to Las Vegas and going to make it big by betting everything on "red"
They may consider the Congo less risky than that course of action.
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Old 26 Oct 2008
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Over 18

I know these days it's a huge assumption that you're both over 18 but if that's the case I'd say use your own amount of assertion that it's your lives and tell 'em to mind their own interfering business. Parental interferance is guilty of much injustice. Do't even feel pressured into feeling the need to make it easy or painless for them. Sounds like THEY've got to grow up not you! Invite them along, to stretch their horizons!!!! Linzi.
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  #5  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Hi there

This might sound a bit simplistic but.....

Why not get them to have a read of this website, and also the Africa Overland Website.

Once they have had a look at some other travlers tales, they might be more ready to accept that you are not on a suicidal mission, but on an adventure that many others have done (and survived!) in the past.

John

''The toughest part of any trip is the first step''
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  #6  
Old 26 Oct 2008
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Smile calm your family

Quote:
Originally Posted by thatsstyles2u View Post
My wife and I are planning a trans Africa trip through the west. Looking through the HUBB, other websites, reading books, etc., I am confident that it is possible and probable that we will go and have a trip of a lifetime. Our families though, full of love and fear, are strongly against it and think that we are going into a death sentence. Any ideas how to politely educate our families and calm their nerves? Thanks,

Jeff and Melanie
Hi Jeff, Melanie,

You could try to show them my DVD. It has worked for others. A South African family bought
it early this year and started their trip in March, in a Landcruiser with 2 small children. They will go up east side and return via the west side and have meanwhile advanced to Europe. They visited me here in the Netherlands and they assured me that apart that the DVD was good for their peace of mind, it also calmed down their family completely. It shows you the real Africa, not the evening news Africa which is only about troubles.

Oh, and this is not a commercial advertisement, I am a private person who did a double trans Africa in 2005/2006. I sell the DVD once in while but its mainly for people like your selves, to get you going and take away second thoughts and sleepless nights (I had them


Cheers,
Noel
exploreafrica.web-log.nl
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Old 26 Oct 2008
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You're not dealing with logic here, you're dealing with emotion. So you'll never succeed in calming their fears. They will have to do that themselves, and rise above their emotions. You've given them your risk assessment, but they don't buy it. They don't normally leave their comfort zone, and will never understand.


PS Is that Perth, Scotland: or Perth, Canada: or Perth, Australia?
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