Out of Africa Before Getting In

We are returning to Africa over the winter break. After looking over dozens of sites for tours that go to multiple countries, we finally picked one from Go2 Africa. Many that we had looked at were outrageously expensive, running close to $6,000 each for ten days. Since all countries in Africa are third world, it seems like a contradiction I cannot wrap my mind around. After much web surfing this summer, hundreds of e-mails with various agencies, reading hundreds of travel newsletter posting, we found the tour that was expensive, but still within our wanting to endure financial pain in order to take it. We immediately eliminated all tours that were camping tours. Both of us have bad backs and sleeping on the ground in tents with an air mattress and sleeping bag brought back too many nightmares of years in Boy Scouts. Our tour was settled with Go2 Africa. We paid our deposit. Our flight from here lands in Johannesburg, but the found us an inexpensive flight to Cape Town where the tour starts. The tour ends in Victoria Falls, so they found another inexpensive flight to Cape Town from where we depart from for Budapest at the end of the trip. The tour goes from South Africa to Namibia, then to Botswana, and finally Zambia. All nights with the exception of 2 are in B and B's along the way. Two nights are camping in fixed tents. This was reasonable. Then today, I received an e-mail from the tour company rep. She wanted to know if she could call me. Sure, why not! We had exchanged so many e-mails and some photos, I thought this was a social thing. When I told her we had plans for the day, she shot me back an e-mail. Our tour was cancelled due to lack of participants. They will run the tour for 4 people, but only had three. The company did not think they would get the 4th in time, so was bailing on us. She did have other options and would send them along. Here we go again, having to make decisions, look over options, plan out costs: will we owe more or get a refund, and other considerations. I don't have time for all of this!!! I have papers to read and grade. I have curriculums to write and eye doctor appointments to get to. That psychology exercise is haunting my memory once again. Everything is pulling at me in all directions.

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