Things I've Learned: Cape Town to Vic Falls

You know how they say "never stop learning!"? This reaches whole new levels of bitter-sweet (or at the very least ironic) truth while you're traveling. This is only a sampling, of course, and all come with stories attached. If you would like to hear one, just drop me an email... But in the mean time...

What I've Learned:

-Look out of low hanging branches.
-Rinsing something in dirty water will not make it clean.
-Toilet paper has many uses.
-Sand + Cameras = Not good bed fellows
-People will pay shocking amounts of money to have near death experiences.
-The path doesn't actually move when it gets dark; you just can't see it.
-Wet wipes. Lots of wet wipes.
-Wash your hands, who knows where they've been!
-Boys will be boys.
-Girls will be girls.
-It is possible to become used to anything.
-If you have not felt the urge to go to the bathroom after 24 hours, you're dehydrated. Drink more water!
-When taking down a tent, be sure to roll it away from you, so the creepy crawlies underneath can run in the other direction.
-It's easy to focus so much on the photograph you forget the experience.
-One's success at pool depends entirely on how many drinks they you have had.
-Hygiene is relative.
-Head phones on means don't talk to me.
-Bandanas may hide all manner of sins.
-You make fun of the person with the first aid kit, but you still "borrow" band aids.
-People with smoke allergies should not sit down wind of the fire.
-Head lamps are amazing.
-You can tell a great deal about someone based on their choice of music.
-Large groups rarely feel self-concious; it's okay to look stupid as long as you're not the only one doing it.
-The item you are looking for will always be at the bottom of the bag.
-Someone else's picture will always be better than yours. Take pictures anyway.
-Almost anything that can be eaten hot can be eaten cold.
-Absence makes the heart obsess.
-Not everything that can go wrong will go wrong; there are always more things that can go wrong.
-You will never like your nickname, but it's better than not having one.
-If you pay in US dollars they will raise the price. If you change to local currency they will raise the exchange rate. If you pay with credit card they add processing fees, and if you pay with traveler's cheques-- HA! Unfortunately, you will need money.
-Some people are not meant to tan evenly. Most of them are British.
-Small things can cause big problems (small cuts, splinters, insects...).
-We all get homesick for different things.
-Hell may be other people, but people need people.
-There is an order to everything (dare I say it: the circle of life?).

N.