Where have all the 'Trip Reports' gone? calling all members

[TonyQ]

@Towlersonsafari you will have course noticed that two naughty Big Year people contributed to the excellent Gabon trip report 

[wilddog]

13 hours ago, Game Warden said:

I'd be up for writing one hell of a trip report...

 

Just have to go on a safari first.

 

And take a photographer...  

 

@Game Warden  you could always start one called 'My dream Trip to............'' 

 

So sorry you have not been back for a while Matt but hopefully next year? If anyone deserves a trip you do.

Edited October 23, 2019 by wilddog

[wilddog]

Some really interesting points being raised here in the recent threads. TR writing Fatigue, lack of feedback, risk of repeating yourself etc.

 

My own 'in production' TR is one of several I have done to Mana over the years and I fully understand the fatigue. It will not be as detailed as those in the past but more akin a personal update.

 

Good to see @refox3488 chip in with her perspective on TR's, so thanks for joining in the discussion 

 

As mentioned earlier I am hopeful that newer members or 'lurkers'  (long term members but not posters) will add to the TR pot in time.

 

@TonyQ those you mention are the some of the most consistent Safaritalk contributors and we are all very grateful for that.

 

 

Edited October 23, 2019 by wilddog

[Towlersonsafari]

@TonyQ  I will admit they are less naughty!

[wilddog]

Reviewing this thread it appears that some have preferences on trip report style...........................I would just like to say that ANYTHING goes,  in terms of writing style, length of TR and photo numbers and quality. Some of us are very erudite and great photographers, others less so but ALL Trip reports should be welcomed with enthusiasm, particularly from newer members.

 

I can well remember writing my first TR, absolutely terrified, would my pics be good enough, did I write enough/too little, can I put an action sequence of my favorite animal or should I stick to one just to prove I saw it? In the end it did not matter and loads of people read it, it was liked and some commented. In addition it gave me the chance to relive it and etch it in memory.

 

For the newbies out there  if you need any help with how to upload images etc you can find this in the photography thread  ( can anyone locate the link? ) and you can have a practice with inserting images. With regard to writing, my personal approach is to write it, a section at a time, in Word, at home, spell check it, move it around and save on PC. Then upload the completed text. Writing it straight into ST is very risky and stressful. What happens if you press delete by mistake?

 

Please do ask for help if you are struggling but the style and experiences are an expression of you, and very welcome

Edited October 25, 2019 by wilddog

[Seniortraveller]

@wilddog you are beginning to get to me😀

Unfortunately my IT skills are so limited, that the only way I could do a trip report would be to write it straight into ST. I will have to make a serious effort to improve the situation, perhaps ask one of my grandchildren for assistance!!  Most of them are already streets ahead of me when it comes to technology.

[wilddog]

This was not personal @Seniortraveller Mainly to encourage newbies, and a bit of nagging to the regulars

 

The first bit of OUR TR will be up at the weekend. Please feel free to add to it whenever.. Have thought up an eye catching Title... !!!!! I will pm you....................

having said that, I hope you will to think about the Hwange section of your trip, when current circumstances, and the grandchildren, will allow.

 

Edited October 25, 2019 by wilddog

[Julian]

I feel it is really helpful to have repeat reports of the same locations and the same camps, as things can change surprisingly quickly.

For example we chose Namiri Plains as one of the camps for our second trip to northern Tanzania. That choice was based almost entirely on two or three recent trip reports on here.

I would really like to stay at that camp again in the future - but only if the location remains as wonderful for lion and cheetah sightings as it did when we visited.

If  Safaritalkers who visit there become reluctant to produce Trip Reports of a location/camp because a few  have already been produced,  then you lose the important advantage of being able to make a choice based on recent experiences. 

I also feel it is just as important to have Trip Reports of the same location at different times of the year. For example when we went to Selous and Ruaha, and for the next year or two , all the reports had been from  visiting there in the dry season. Then one Safaritalker visited there in the wet/ green season ( January I think) , and it was amazing to see how vastly different the landscape looked, and also very useful to know that the wildlife sightings seemed to be just as good.

Edited October 25, 2019 by Julian

[Dave Williams]

I tend to limit reading trip reports to places I might go myself, then as many as possible. I'd give a lousy report in regard to fig rolls, but someone loves them otherwise they wouldn't be available to buy. Every view point is valid so keep those reports coming and think about what really are the important bits that help someone plan, not "I saw an X,Y or Z" They won't be there in a years time but other influencing factors will be.

[wilddog]

But seeing x y and z is what we experience at the time and what we derive pleasure from. Certainly one can provide useful information for future guests but I do not think it should  be down just to practicalities.

 

Of course with your current TR you have a lot to offer in helping future self drivers but I do hope you will also tell us what wildlife you saw.😊

 

 

[MMMim]

Oh wow!  I am so glad I saw this thread.  We just got back from our trip (SA, Uganda and Kenya) on October 13, and I've been humming and hawing about writing a TR.  Do we really need another TR about Kenya?  Do we really need to see another lilac breasted roller picture (even if I think my picture is pretty good  )?  Well this will be a newbies perspective on a safari for sure; it was our first, but I can guarantee it won't be our last - I've been bitten by the bug (and so has DH).  Spoiler alert - we observed a lioness and her 2 sub-adult sons hunt and kill a wildebeest in the Mara.  I couldn't believe our luck (and the wildebeest's misfortune)!  I am definitely up to give writing a TR a go - stay tuned.  

[wilddog]

@MMMimGreat news that you had a fabulous time and are going to write a TR. We will all look forward to it.  😊

[TonyQ]

@MMMim  go for it! I look forward to it 

[Dave Williams]

10 hours ago, wilddog said:

But seeing x y and z is what we experience at the time and what we derive pleasure from. Certainly one can provide useful information for future guests but I do not think it should  be down just to practicalities.

 

Of course with your current TR you have a lot to offer in helping future self drivers but I do hope you will also tell us what wildlife you saw.😊

 

 

 

I certainly will be adding some wildlife shots as well as trying to help anyone planning a similar journey. I guess if you buy in to a package things are done for you but there must be lots of things you could have done yourself to make life easier. Were there enough electrical sockets in the room is one of the things that is important to me, taking a bank of sockets on an extension lead is a must for every trip we ever take nowadays but if you only have one socket and the fridge freezer is using it you really could do with a double socket adapter of the local pin type.

Must mention that when I get to the places it affected us!

[xelas]

That is so funny. Two hours ago I have started to write (in Word first) my long overdue TR from KZN ... and now I have seen this thread. 

 

For me writing a trip report is doing that trip once again ... and later on, reading it is like doing the trip yet again! As I really enjoy reading other members trip reports, I feel like I need to add also ours. We all have different writing and photographing skills but each trip report is adding its own piece into the mosaic called Safaritalk.

 

Mine will be posted as soon as @Dave Williams will finish his. I don't like to compete with the maestro  .

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, xelas said:

For me writing a trip report is doing that trip once again ... and later on, reading it is like doing the trip yet again! As I really enjoy reading other members trip reports, I feel like I need to add also ours. We all have different writing and photographing skills but each trip report is adding its own piece into the mosaic called Safaritalk.

 

 

Spot on there Alex.

I also feel it's paying back for the information I have gleaned from others.

[wilddog]

Good to see a number of previously shy members uploading their first trip reports.

 

Many thanks and keep it coming

[xelas]

On 10/31/2019 at 9:08 PM, xelas said:

Mine will be posted as soon as @Dave Williams will finish his. I don't like to compete with the maestro  .

And I keep to my promises ....

[wilddog]

Thanks @xelas.  You do indeed keep your promises 😊

Mine is underway too, albeit rather slowly 

[xcrunch]

I have been a avid follower of this site, which has provided immense information for us novice safari goers.  I planned our first safari to Namibia and Botswana based on information that fellow travelers provided, and it proved to be a life changing experience.  Our next safari is to  Uganda

and Tanzania in May which I will of course provide a  trip report.  But as a observation I would say it does not help when Game Warden has posted "  

Closing the trip reports subforum to new to new posts...

By Game Warden, October 25, 2018

This is still up and is misleading. 

[wilddog]

@xcrunchAs I am sure you will have read @Game Warden was teasing. Pure jealousy as he has not been on safari for a while.

Will follow up with him.... As it could put others off.  Thanks for the tip. 

 

Have a good trip and look forward to hearing about it when you get back. 

 

 

 

[Zubbie15]

I think your nudge worked really well @wilddog, there are so many new trip reports on the site lately it's hard to keep up! 

[xelas]

@xcrunch you have surely realised already that members of this web site are a bunch of jokers ; you should read each and every post, and specially trip reports, cum grano salis. Don't let them suck you into their visious circle of travels and trip reports; money and free time are melting faster than the April snow on my backyard. A fair warning from someone that did not heed to its own warnings .

[ZaminOz]

I still haven't done my 2014 and 2018 Luangwa trip reports

Just never have time to edit the photos down to a manageable number!

Also crazy busy with work at the moment, so only occasionally get time to drop by to like a few posts / trip reports... alas.

Edited January 30, 2020 by ZaminOz

[pault]

31 minutes ago, ZaminOz said:

I still haven't done my 2014 and 2018 Luangwa trip reports

Just never have time to edit the photos down to a manageable number!

Also crazy busy with work at the moment, so only occasionally get time to drop by to like a few posts / trip reports... alas.

 

Never mind. Confessing your sins is the first step to recovery! 

 

Hope you can get them done one day soon, even if only because who wants to be that busy with work?