Top 10 things to remember

1. Chances are we won't be reachable when on safari. We may be either escaping from the wildlife, dying from the heat, be immobilized by awe of the beauty before us or trekking through the jungle...umm, I mean South African land where wild animals live and it's hot and is sometimes referred to as a jungle by those who don't know that jungle isn't a scientifically recognized term. Right, Liza?

2. Chances are we won't be reachable at all. LOL. Liza was told her phone would work internationally. If not we won't have to worry about calls in the middle of the night. So sad. Yes, they are 9 hours ahead of Pacific Time, 6 ahead of Eastern Time.

3. We will try not to get eaten by wild animals (including potentially malaria-carrying mosquitoes), but we can only run so fast

4. We won't have internet access on safari and are hoping to have it once in Cape Town. We'll download pictures and write blog posts daily, but may not be able to post them on that schedule. If our laptops, cameras, money or any one of us get stolen, we won't post them at all while in South Africa. We hope you understand

5. We have each others' emergency contact information, so we'll take care of each other--even Liza

6. We won't be able to bring everyone gifts, but we can do the postcard thing. Send me your address and I'll send you one from Cape Town. Please don't say, "I haven't received your postcard yet" for at least two weeks after our return. You will get it. I promise

7. While I just received a camera as a gift, I cannot guarantee that I will either take tons of pictures (Roger will, I can assure you) or that those pictures I do take will be good ones. If I ask you to see a slide show of my pictures and they're blurry, dark, have body parts cut off or make you blush then I apologize beforehand. However, you WILL look at every picture and comment on how amazing it was that I got such a good shot of said subject in the picture. Thank you.

8. If there is anything you want me to do, see, take a picture of, buy you, etc. let me know. I will only guarantee that I will try my best to do it for you. Pictures of me in a leopard print thong on the beach will come at a price, so send the money order before you ask

9. I will seriously be wrecked for at least a full day after I return. I love you all, but I won't be likely to call most of you for a few days. That means I may not take calls, respond to emails, get out of bed or want to talk/see/think about airplanes until I recover. I said seriously, right?

10. No Mom, I won't be doing a walking safari amongst wild man-eating animals, won't frequent ATM's where there are criminals and card thieves, won't crash the car, won't get eaten by a shark (please, I hope not), won't have unprotected sex (you really are being optimistic that I'll have any at all!) and won't do anything stupid. I know I'm still your baby at 40, but you may be able to stop worrying just a little bit. Love you!