Africa

Siwa – A Magical Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert

There was once a straight road from Cairo to the Siwa Oasis, but the desert had other ideas. Wind and sand wiped away any hopes of such convenient travel and that road is closed off today. The only way to Siwa now is up to the port of Marsa Matruh, and then down again...

Camping With Elephants at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Kenya

They appeared as shadows through the trees, one at first, then a second and a third, until the whole herd was illuminated by the glow of the full moon above. I scarcely dared to breathe for fear of alerting them to our presence. It was not the first time I had seen...

Hwange Safari Tour – Zimbabwe

I visited Hwange as part of an organized safari tour. When they told me that I was heading to this park, I was unsure about what was to come. I had never heard about Hwange National Park before and most of what I had seen in Zimbabwe previously, had been a...

African Motorcycle Road Trip, Part 3

I’m out of bed early and packing the motorcycle to head further south from Springbok. My next destination is Cape Agulhas, which means a longer day of riding. About 700 kilometres (460 miles). There was a time when I’d think twice about doing a ride of this length in...

African Motorcycle Road Trip, Part 2

The old Afrikaans gentleman says to me - “Ah, so you’re going up into Africa”. I’m intrigued by what he’s just said. I reply, half-jokingly - “Aren’t we in Africa; right here, right now?” He said nothing, just smiled back. Back on an African Road I’m rested up,...

Safari Bliss with Big Cats in Ndutu, Tanzania

Ever since my first safari in South Africa, on each subsequent safari, I have been so bold as to have a particular animal that I hope to see and I tell my guide (knowing, of course, they have no control over what wildlife chooses to present itself). So on my recent...

African Motorcycle Road Trip, Part 1

My African Journey Begins, and I’m Feeling Rather Sick I’ve just been to the nearest travellers’ medical centre and started a round of vaccinations in preparation for a road trip across southern Africa. The vaccination program covers Rabies, Typhoid, Yellow Fever,...

At Play in the Algerian Sahara

Trekking the Algerian Sahara Taghit's finest had agreed to supply a camel caravan to take me and my three traveling companions out into the depths of the Grand Erg Occidental — the portion of the Sahara Desert that most resembles an ocean — and come back for our...

Responsible Tourism in Nairobi

Responsible Tourism I woke up in Nairobi, Kenya, fully rested after 13 hours on a bus to arrive there. I had been living in Tanzania doing aid work, and was eager for a long weekend in a new country. However, with tourism being one of the leading economic sectors in...

“No Time for the Lion Park”
Nairobi Airport, Kenya

Kenya Airways Customer Service Counter – Nairobi Airport, 6:00 a.m. “Good morning. I’ve just arrived on the delayed flight from Antananarivo in Madagascar and need to rebook …” “Welcome to Kenya, sir. I hope you have a wonderful stay in our country.” “No, you don’t...

Welcome to a Yòrubá Engagement

A Yòrubá Engagement Preparing for the event Rain fell before our Yòrubá engagement. Not hard but just enough to give us a few minutes to collect ourselves and observe the world through tinted windows. A few feet away uninvited cameramen stand in the light rain waiting...

Swaziland becomes Eswatini!

During the exciting and colourful 50/50 celebrations in Swaziland last month, King Mswati III made an historic announcement that the country's name would change to 'The Kingdom of Eswatini'. Meaning “place of the Swati people”, Eswatini reverts to the siSwati language...