Even before setting foot on the red soil of Madagascar I knew one of my greatest adventures would be taking a trip on a camion brousse. These beasts of transport are like normal trucks but instead of carrying goods they are fitted out to hold passengers. Long steel seats with padding to make them more comfortable are lined up in rows in the body of the truck. This is not a one person one seat job but more of slide along the bench and make room … [Read more...]
Getting Around Aswan Without Getting Fleeced
My trip to Aswan, Egypt to see the ancient Temple of Isis at Philae was a good reminder to always look on the positive side, even when you feel like you are being taken advantage of by locals. The temple itself is magnificent and dramatically situated on an island in the middle of a lake. Because the vast majority of visitors to Aswan go as part of an organized and guided tour, there is scant information available for the independent, … [Read more...]
Everything You Need to Know About Chimpanzee Trekking in Nyungwe Forest
Although the main attraction that brings people to the wilderness of Rwanda is the majestic silverback gorilla, there is plenty more wildlife and things to see in this beautiful country of a countless hills. Talk about climbing the numerous volcanos, spotting the big 5 at the Akagera National Park or biking though the famous Congo Nile Trail. Rwanda has a lot to offer for those planning on experiencing Africa’s natural beauty and wildlife. … [Read more...]
A Wild Ride in West Africa
Even the driver seemed surprised! Bad sign, these guys have seen it all. In the center of the brightly painted wheel, where the hub should have attached to the axle, was a jagged gaping hole. We’d already used our spare wheel and our jack wasn’t working anyway, so we did what anyone in West Africa would do in this situation: we settled in to wait for help. The merciless sun bullied most passengers into the shade of a nearby tree. They sat … [Read more...]
Shamanic Shenanigans in São Tomé
As we grind up the mountainside, a makeshift road block has been left meaning we have to halt. It looks like our journey is done. Three women and a small child arrive and laugh. They put down their huge buckets of bananas from their heads and inform us that local kids have created the temporary barrier to be able to charge a toll to use the road. They remove the obstruction so we can continue. The road is black volcanic rock, no more tarmac, and … [Read more...]
Slave Trade Sites Part 2: Gorée Island, Senegal.
It’s a short ferry ride to Île de Gorée (Gorée Island) from Senegal’s capital, Dakar. I wonder if I can take another day of slave museums in my worn-out state after a severely delayed flight. I quickly regret this stupid thought. Of course I can; it’s only a lack of sleep. It bears absolutely no comparison with what these people went through, so I’m sure that I can find the energy to pay my respects. Everything is calm belying the awful … [Read more...]
Slave Trade Sites, Part 1: Cape Coast Castle, Ghana
Four hours after leaving Accra, through insane traffic jams, I reach Cape Coast. I am not sure this was the right thing to do today but I am here now. On the concrete expanse of the town square black and red canvas tents have been erected. The locals are dressed in their traditional clothes for a funeral day. Around the corner from this is Cape Coast Castle. With a warning from my driver to avoid the hawkers, I pay my entrance fee and join a tour … [Read more...]
The Mists of Time: Table Mountain to Myself
This morning from my balcony, way out in the bay I spot a container ship blazoned with the logo of the company I used for my trip across the Pacific Ocean a few years ago. It sparks some wonderful memories. Whilst the bus is here, our guide is not so my fellow cyclist and I wait around. It’s the story of my time here. I have decided not to do the four hour hike up Table Mountain. I originally did not want to walk it because of my knee pain but … [Read more...]
Gorilla Trekking in D R Congo Offered at Half Price
Congo is one of the 3 countries in the world where tourists have an opportunity for gorilla safaris and spend upto one hour with mountain gorillas in the jungle. Virunga national park is home to 6 habituated gorilla families available for trekking with other families still undergoing habituation process. The Democratic Republic of Congo shares a portion of the virunga volcano region which also occupies a small part of Rwanda called the Volcanoes … [Read more...]
At the Edge of Africa : Cape Agulhas.
I have hired a car for the day. Early on a Sunday morning it’s quiet and once out of Cape Town the roads are emptier still. I take the main road, the R316, in a south-east direction. The countryside is deserted apart from the odd group of cattle or sheep out on the rolling yellow fields. The terrain becomes mountainous as I pass Napier and strangely in Bredasdorp I am welcomed to Agulhas, even though it’s another thirty-five kilometres … [Read more...]
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