It’s only two days left to go until my sabbatical starts. I’m so excited and cannot believe it’s finally here. There’s been so much planning and organising. But, oh, what a privilege. When it was approved by our Dean eight months ago, 2026 seemed far away and it felt as if I had lots of time left to plan. I did plan, but only the very basics. Things like, flights, hotels and rental cars for a start. But also old friends and acquaintances had to be contacted, mainly via my mother, who has kept in touch with so many over all the years. Insurance and health cover needed to be organised (including evacuation from remote islands and archipelagos), foreign currencies bought and placed into different purses, tourist cards loaded with currency for islands that struggle with Mastercard, tour guides and tours. Luckily for me, the places I’m visiting do not require visas or vaccinations.

I have travelled and still travel quite extensively, for work, for pleasure, alone and with others, and so would consider myself to be an experiebut this trip and its planning seem entirely different. For the past few days, over the Christmas break, I’ve been planning my daily schedule as soon as I land in Cape Town. I’m hoping I’ll adapt quickly to the freedom of not checking work emails, work schedules for the day, preparation for meetings, and all other work-related tasks.

Dates: December 2025