Caveat: this is a blatant advertisement for Columbia Sportswear Company

I wore my Columbia shirt during the five or so hours I spent driving to, around in, and from the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve. I also spent a good portion of time not using the air conditioner. Reasons vary. One, I had my window at the approved position - open to 33% - to view the scenery and animals. Seems rather silly to run the air conditioner with the windows open. Two, the winds are amazing here, even in the city. They possess the warmth and smell of the coming summer. I wanted to feel and smell them in the openness of the rural areas. (I admit I did stick my full head out of the window in the non-predator area. Imagine the happiest dog you have seen riding in a car with her head out the window -- that was me.) last, closed car windows are a status symbol here; even more so if they are tinted. Closed car windows means you can afford air conditioning. Further, tinted windows allow you to leave your briefcase or handbag out in the open. Although I tuck my bag under my seat when driving, I try and drive without the air conditioner on and the window cracked to hear the sounds of the city. But I digress.

Back to the Columbia Sportwear advertisement. I got this "Titanium" shirt for a trip to Egypt with Fadel Gad (Joy International Travel) a few years ago. Since then its been hanging around in the back of my closet as I take in all the sun I can get in Indiana to make it through the long dark winters. I am so glad I threw it into the bag for this adventure. The long sleeves provided great sun protection without being too hot. That being said, it was a quite smelly after arriving home from the reserve.  

They really work.

Okay, here is the first advertisement. I rinsed the shirt out in the sink using these cute little TravelOn laundry soap sheets I purchased at Brenner Luggage in Indy. I am not usually much for gimmicks, but these soap sheets are quite the thing. They don't weigh anything and the dispenser is only about 2 inches by 1 inch by 1/2 inch thick. Even if you don't like math story problems, you can guess that the dispenser fits easily into the palm of your hand


The real advertisement is that the Columbia shirt goes from this,

Those garden stakes I got at the hardware store are getting quite a workout.

to this;

all in 20 minutes. Those lovely African winds have yet another admirable trait (laundry drying)!