The following is a Guide for those new to travelling on the
African Continent. Each member shall
have this document copied onto Vellum, the better to withstand the ravages of
heat and insect attack which affects normal paper in Tropical Climes.
Known as The Dark Continent for many centuries, travellers
should be prepared and have with them the best and latest of equipment, maps
and navigational aids.
* We recommend
that each person should equip themselves with a 'Sonic Screwdriver' obtained from any registered Tardis Supplier.
* The route
has been planned using Ptolemy's Geography' in the original Greek and supplemented with Henrieques
Martellus's world map and GerardMercator’s
double cordiform world map of 1531.
Reference has been made both
to Halford Mackinders work in 1899, Colonel Sir Thomas Holdrich's map of Imperial Africa (1901) and to maintain an
eglatarian balance, also Aro Petor's Gall
Orthographic Projection of 1973.[1]
* In the
unlikely event of losing one's spoor and night falling, navigation by stars is required.
Copies of 'Star Maps for Beginners' by I.M. Levitt and R. L. Mashod and the Phillips Star Chart are easily
obtainable from your local Astronomy
outlet.
* The weather
should be stable at this period, but please ensure you bring your own Bone and Pebble collection for predictive
forecasting.
* As
preparation for the experiences of African canoeing and riverside camping, it is strongly suggested that Team Members
read Christina Dodwell's The Explorers'
Handbook which recounts 'Tested Exits from Tight Corners'. [2]
* PLEASE NOTE that Paul Theroux's Dark
Star Safari is NOT recommended reading for this trip.
* Central to each
evening's Briefing will be 'A Keeper of Words' and Tarot Cards to facilitate an unlocking of the archetypes
within Arthurian Legend and tapping into new doorways of psychic power
and visionary interpretation. Preparation before leaving is
essential using 'Legend : ‘The Arthurian Tarot' byAnna-Marie Ferguson. [3]
* All Team
members and Trainee Wizards must bring their own Wand, obtainable from 'Alivans-Makers of fine hand-crafted Magic
Wands'.
* Any member
intending to bring their own Owl should note that the 'Hedwig Site Coordinate' package is available
from all good High Street Magic Shops. Owls should be programmed to arrive
at all camps in an orderly manner.
* Permission
for Owl use has been agreed with most campsites, but this is conditional on following local rules
and regulations. Fruit Bats are under no circumstances to be caught and
eaten.
* Evening
practice for the Quiddich Grand African Cup Final will be held at 17.00. All members should bring their own
Broomstick and note that Standard Broomstick
Travel and Transportation Documentation is obtainable from the Ministry of Magic Department 11z
* Copies of
Hermione Grainger's 'Standard Book of Spells' will be carried at all times to supplement First Aid (see
below). The Hippodivertimentus Spell should be learnt by all Team Members.
* A copy of
'First Aid to the Injured', the authorised text book of the Grand Priory in the British Realm of the Venerable Order
of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem
(39th edition 1940, price 1/6 net) shall be studied in advance by allTravellers.
* All
Travellers should familiarise themselves with essential camping lore, as set out in The Boys Edition of 'Scouting
for Boys' by Lord Baden-Powell of Gilwell (1940
edition, price 1/- net). Attention is
drawn to 'Patriotism', 'How to fly the British
Flag' and 'Microbes, how to Fight them' (pp162, 'Prevention of Disease').
* A Volunteer
will be called upon to carry out the Daily Microbiological Tests on Elephant Poo as part of the 'Institute of
Funny Things to do on Holidays’, Summer
Programme.
* Evenings
will conclude with a Camp Fire Yarn and Sing Song. Travellers shall come prepared with either the 'Scouting Song Book' or the 'YHA
Songbook', it is not advised to bring
your copy of the CND Songbook, as Custom Officials may confiscate as seditious material.
* Some Camp
Sites may have dry water holes and each traveller shall bring their own set of divining rods in order
to lure thirsty elephants and other African
animals to camp.
* Dress Codes
must conform to Local Expectations. For further reading see 'With My Wife Across Africa by Canoe
and Caravan' by Colonel J C B Statton
CMG,CBE,FRGS. (Second edition, 1926, published by Simpkin, Marshall,Hamilton,Kent & Co.); and ‘’Trekking the
Great Thirst- Travel and Sport
in the Kalahari Desert’’, by Arnold W Hodson FRGS ( Published 1912 by T Fisher Unwin)
* The Wine
Waiter of the Day will serve cocktails prompt at 6pm, selecting from 'The Gentleman's Companion - An exotic
Drinking Book' by Charles H Baker Jnr
1946. ( Published by Crown Publishers, New York, MCMXLVI)
Reference
should also be made to Mr Baker in the event of the following :
* 'To allay a mild, and even a severe Syncope,
sometimes called Fainting
from Potation’
* 'To alleviate apparent Death from
Toxic Poisonings, and especially should,
in any Happenstance, the Quality of the Liquor be Suspect'.
* 'To Salvage a Guest from the Effects
of Hanging by Rope, not the Morning
After
* Other
Disorders and Mal de Tete may be treated with 'The Bengal Hot Drops' or Raffles Quiet Relief' especially in the
event of amoebic alimentary disorders.
* To find the
South Pole, hold a piece of wood 14.5 inches by 1 inch at a distance of 24 inches from one eye, closing
the other. Adjust one edge on the axis of the Southern Cross and the other on
the brighter of the two stars forming
the cross-piece. The Pole lies just beyond the right hand end of the wood.
Dear Fellow
Travellers
We look forward to our coming adventure and leave you with
the words of Colonel Statham as he travelled with his Wife across the same
Africa we shall traverse.
In the early 1900s he had a 'caravann' of 25 and 18 loads of
personal baggage. It included a 10 foot
by 8 foot tent weighing 55lbs, 10 provision boxes of venesta wood, each to hold
supplies for a fortnight for two people.
The 100 tins of Portuguese sardines were an indispensible 'must have'.
Our experiences will be different from his but we will share
his opening words.
'Before nightfall had come a splendid desert sunset; the
giant kaleidoscope of reds, yellows and purples blazed for an hour in the blue
and green evening skies before it ended; then came darkness and its myriad
stars. I almost forgot my fear of the
lions in watching constellation after familiar constellation, and over all that
arc of whiring worlds, the Milky Way."
Safe travels to our journeys beginning.
Eric and Lindsay
No comments:
Post a Comment