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After travelling for 14 years in Africa's Bush without it I finally decided to take one with me for the first time last January when I was visiting Botswana. My experience with the Iridium Satphone makes me long for more... If your travelling in remote areas like Central Kalahari, Kaokoland or driving across the great Ntwetwe Pan I for one will recommend that you take a Satphone with you.



The importance of satellite phone communication cannot be underestimated. In many cases they are a life saving device though even in the most remote places sometimes time is against the emergency services to arrive and many lives have been lost. Satellite phones are the essential lifeline to the rest of the World and thanks to modern state-of-the-art technology they form as essential contact that enables us to communicate even in the most secluded areas of the planet in a matter of seconds. Satellite phones have become the ultimate life saving device.

The presumably high costs are most likely the reason that travellers decide not to take one with them but when you spend over € 5.500 for your trip then the extra € 200 for a Satphone is surely not a genuine reason to go on Safari without it.

What is your 'excuse' not to take one with you?

So far I did not travel with a Satphone... but I can Imagine you might need it one day. People are looking for more and more safety, back in 1994 we did not have a GPS, I did buy one the next year because it would be handy to store waypoints (private camps) and wildlife sitings. Right now people want all safety features available, GPS + a programmed route via tracks4africa, satphone, 24hr vehicle back-up etc. etc. Why can't we travel without is the question? Humankind has survived for ages not using gps or satphones, guess we are either adicted to gadgets or reprogrammed into human beings fully depending on safety features & electronics and want to be in control of our travelling as much as possible. Does it make the holiday experience a better one? I guess not....

Cheers
Marco

Marco, you belong to the 'old school' type of adventurers! Being lost and out of touch for you was part of the fun



But nowadays people grow up with IPhones, Laptops & a WiFi connection around the corner! The romance is gone... I guess although I was also 'Born and Raised' in the the 'No GPS, No Control Era' people nowadays like to stay in touch with their friends. For me it's the safety issue that makes me advice people to take a SatPhone with them. Especially with newbies and people traversing remote areas a SatPhone is your best insurance.

Cheers, Hans

Darién Gap....

The first vehicular crossing of the Gap was by the Land Rover La Cucaracha Cariñosa (The Affectionate Cockroach) and a Jeep of the Trans-Darién Expedition 1959–60, crewed by Amado Araúz (Panama), his wife Reina Torres de Araúz, former SAS man Richard E. Bevir (UK), and engineer Terence John Whitfield (Australia).[2] They left Chepo, Panama on 2 February 1960 and reached Quibdó, Colombia on 17 June 1960, averaging 201 m (220 yd) per hour over 136 days. They traveled a great deal of the distance up the vast Atrato River.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dari%C3%A9n_Gap

Hans, my Series Landy used by me up to 2002 did look +/- the same....

Cheers
Marco