Packing for Nairobi.

I only had a few days to go and I had not yet packed for my trip to Africa.  It’s always a challenging process deciding just which camera items to take with me omn a journey.  There are the items that I need to take along and the items that I want to take along.

This time, it was not going to be as easy.  I was traveling to Africa to document the work of a mission team visiting the Rehema Home orphanage, an island in the sea of slums found in Nairobi, Kenya.   Even though I was volunteering my time, the expenses must be limited with every extra dollar going directly to improving the lives of the children. 

My travel was booked on British Airways and like most airlines; they have very exact specifications regarding the size and amount of items I could carry on to the jet.  There was also a limit to the amount of bags that I could check.

There are some items that I simply know better than to load into the hull of a Boeing 777, like my primary cameras, lenses, computer and a few-not so easily replaced- accessories.  There were simply too many perfect opportunities for my bags to fall off the cargo belt, between Newark, New Jersey and Nairobi, Kenya.  So, I knew for sure that certain stuff had to travel with me

I would be splitting my time between photography and video, both of which were of equal importance on this trip.  I considered using a DSLR, but I knew in advance that I would be interviewing many of the kids, as well as some prominent Nairobi officials and I did not want to be limited on the length of a take.  Both kids and officials say the darnedest things and I like leaving the camera on record.

Using a separate recording device was neither space efficient or practical.  For the most part, I would be working alone and without someone to slate and record audio cues, I would be left with a massive post-production headache.

So, bottom line, I was looking for the best combination of gear that would satisfy my production needs, allow me to carry most of it on the plane with me and in addition, not cripple me as I attempt to move through crowded airport security and narrow jet aisles.

There is no single camera bag that suits every occasion.  I know this, because I have owned most of them at one time or another, but I did find a backpack from Kata that really worked well for this trip.  I’ve previously owned camera backpacks but I quickly abandoned them because they were inefficient or very uncomfortable.

I loaded it with a new Sony NX5U video camera, a wide angle lens, Nikon D3, two lenses, microphones, batteries, and Lite Panel Micro and MicroPro LED lights.  There was also space for my computer and additional pockets for the normal stuff like a cell phone, Ipod, passport, pens, magazines and a snack, all with very easy access.  

The Kata pack allowed me include everything I needed to carry with me, kept it to a size that allowed me to get it on a plane and as a bonus, it was comfortable to carry around on my back. The bag would become a genuine asset while working in and around Nairobi.

In my luggage, along with my clothing and personal items, I needed to include a tripod and an endless array of non-creative, yet, essential stuff such as additional batteries, battery chargers, extension cords, power strips, lens cleaning cloths, adaptor rings, power converters, etc.  The list was endless.  

Often, when I travel, I’ll pick up some items like extension cords locally, to save on the weight.  It’s often cheaper than the cost of overweight fees, but getting stuff like that in Nairobi is often not as simple as it sounds and it’s very possible that you will pay triple the amount for less than desirable products.  I had to take the stuff I needed with me.

My second bag was filled with clothing for the kids at the orphanage, donated by some very kind and caring people.  A special thanks to Ronnie, Nicole and Veronica.

When I’m on the road for a company like Estee Lauder or Harley-Davison, getting charged for a few extra bags is just part of the deal and in most, if not all situations, my client is going to cover those extra fees.  I knew in advance that this was not going to be the case.  

As this was an international flight, British Airways allowed me to check the two bags without any additional fee.   I made sure that the weight of each suitcase was just under the 50 lbs. limit set by the airline and it was a relief to drop them off at the check-in counter.

I don't sleep well on flights. In fact, I rarely sleep at all.  If I do manage to drift off, it's while we're still on the runway or 3 minutes before they begin to serve a meal.   Having previously flown in the comfortable seats at the pointy end of the plane, adds to the discomfort of flying economy and the fact that they march you past the big comfy seats on your way to the rear only adds to the pain. 

I was delighted that my bag easily fit in the overhead bin and that there was an overhead bin available to be delighted about, as that is always a challenge when flying with camera gear.  

  

Unloading the bags, clearing security and lifting my bag into the overhead were just an appetizer.  Now, I was about to settle in for the first course.  A seven-hour flight to London, followed by an eight hour flight to Kenya.  They have not even closed the cabin doors and the woman in front of me is already trying to lower her seat all the way to the floor. 

It’s was going to be a long flight.

www.duckyou.com 

www.rehemahome.com 

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