December, 2005.

I've been thinking about the seven year time frame for this safari quite a bit lately.  Seven years is a long time, and although I had wanted to wait until I was 45 to take the trip, certain circumstances have caused me to change my mind.  I'm afflicted with scoliosis, a condition causing a lateral curvature of the spine.  The curve is shaped in such a way that it causes compression of certain discs in my back, causing excruciating pain to be a way of life for me.  Sometimes I think it's getting worse.

If it is getting worse, by the time I'm 45 it may be so painful that a safari would be out of the question.  Walking long distances is very hard for me to do, and while I have nothing against bowhunting or sitting in a blind looking out over a waterhole, that's not what I envisioned for my first safari.  I want to get out and see the country.  I want to live and breath Africa, spotting my quarry from afar and stalking close enough to get a shot.  If my back problems worsen, I won't be able to do that.

The thought began to creep into my mind that it might just be time to scrap all of my plans for my future American hunting trips and put Africa first.  These thoughts grew over the summer, but as the deer season came around in September I forgot all about my plans.  I was having the best deer season of my life, seeing deer almost every time I went into the woods.  And not just deer, but bucks.  For the first time in my life I was having a dream season.  Every time I'd go in the woods I thought about how this was what hunting was meant to be like.

Then, shortly before Thanksgiving, I was given the opportunity to review a new novel set in the world of hunting.  I thoroughly enjoyed the story (a book called Timber Ghosts by Robert Hannah) and posted a raving review on my website.  Another novelist and outdoor writer named James Woods noticed the review and contacted me via email to see if I'd like to review one of his books.  I agreed, and instead of just one book he sent two: a novel set in Africa called The Lion Killer and a collection of short stories called Honk if you Love Geese. 

The Lion Killer caused some of those old desires to see Africa awaken and grow within me.  Honk if you Love Geese exacerbated the problem, largely because many of the stories talk about the author's early experiences on safari.  Jim and I exchanged a good many letters the next couple of months, and the need for Africa grew stronger.

With these things in mind, I decided to approach Micki about the possibility of forgoing the 2007 Y.O. hunt and instead moving forward with the plans to go to Africa.  One night shortly after Christmas we sat down and I shared my thoughts with her.  She understood and accepted my reasoning, and we agreed that I could move forward with making plans for the trip.

Knowing that I'll probably take the hunt in mid- to early 2007, I realized that there was so much to do to get ready.  I'd have to choose an outfitter and a destination.  Jim Woods, a veteran of many safaris, suggested South Africa for my first adventure, and I readily agreed with this advice.  I thumbed through one of my Safari magazines and was dismayed at how many outfitters there are to choose from.  I'll have to find out about the flights from the United States to Africa.  And then there's my rifle... will a 7mm magnum do the job?  What kind of bullets do I need to shoot?  What shots do I need?

With so much to think about and plan for, my safari journal should get busy fast.