Africa – Travel Stories from Around the World

Disbelief of Wonder
Erik Trinidad tries to convince his safari camp cook of the existence of Stevie Wonder. However, his impressions of the piano great do nothing to help his cause.

Okavango Detour
A side trip to the Okavango Delta in Botswana leads to a close encounter with a herd of elephants.

Dem. Rep. Congo
Gorillas in Zaire
With fake ID in hand, Justin Pushman spent an hour with farting gorillas in Parc National des Virunga.

Kinshasa: Food Scarce, But Guitars Abound
In making guitars, the love of music is a labor of love, but Chris McCarus writes that local conditions make living a difficult enough labor itself.

Desolated Place, Desolated Man
A theft is the last straw for a disillusioned reporter in Kinshasa.

Egypt
Japanese Strategies for Climbing the Great Pyramids
Through the wisdom of Japanese backpackers, David Weber learns the strategies and tactics for accomplishing one of Cairo’s new sports – Pyramid Climbing!

Egypt: Tales of the Unexpected, Part I
‘Saddam Hussein changed my life,’ the camp manager told Aoife Hegarty. This was one of the more interesting conversations she had during her two week sojourn in Egypt.

Egypt: Tales of the Unexpected, Part II
Aoife Hegarty saw no possible harm coming from a little dance with a Muslim lady on an Egyptian ferry. She was wholly unprepared for what happened next. The entire lower deck of the boat exploded.

Illegal Hospitality
There is no such thing as free kindness, when Christine Michaud’s presence in an Egyptian man’s house nearly gets him arrested.

Sinai Sunrise
Daina Cooper was looking for a combination of rich culture, history and fun. She found all of these in Egypt.

Shadow Lines, Part II
As far as Philip Blazdell and Egyptian coaches go, it’d be easier to battle the devil than cross from Dahab to Cairo, but surviving Cairo is even harder.

Shadow Lines, Part I
Indiana Blazdell is in the house as Philip wanders Egypt, only to wind up with the biggest new adventure of his life upon him.

Diving in Sharm el Sheikh
David Barker travelled to the Red Sea having not dived in 2 years, but as soon as he was underwater, he felt like he had never been away.

Cycling with the Police in Egypt
After the Luxor attack, the police are very protective of travellers.

Leonardo di Caprio, Kate Winslett and a Bunch of Egyptians
A cinema experience is taken to the next level in Alexandria.

Ethiopia
Calamity Strikes in Series
Ethiopia will always beckon Petrus Vermaak and other travelers, despite the calamities that cause stress.

In Search of Savages
Outside Gamo-Gafa, K searches for members of the Mursi tribe, despite their rep for being, well, a bit mean.

Ghana
A Teacher In Ghana NEW!
By becoming a teacher in Ghana, Colyn Alcock hopes to pitch himself into the middle of West African life and learn something new.

First baby steps into Ghana NEW!
Just one day into his trip, Colyn Alcock gives his first impressions of Accra, Ghana’s capital.

An African Shopping Experience NEW!
Colyn Alcock went to the main "shopping mall" of Accra. He surprisingly discovered that more than just bananas are carried on a Ghanaian’s head.

Character Building in the Sub-Sahara
During her internship, Erica Taylor is learning to adjust to the Ghanaian way of life, with plenty of patience and oceans of humor.

Coffins and Crocodiles, a Journey Through Ghana
Beautiful scenery, a gorgeous coast and interesting, relaxed people, coupled with low crime and a cheap, excellent local beer, make Ghana an ideal place to explore.

Kenya
Interactions with the Masai
The Masai, through their boldness, captured the interest of one shy and narrow-minded traveler. Cecile LeBlanc ended up with a treasured memory.

On Safari
Bob Riel found something primal about being on the African plain, as if he’d been there before.

Kenya: Patchwork of Experiences
Bob Riel found Kenya to be an intense mosaic, from the dreadfully frustrating to the sublimely beautiful.

Nip, Tuck and Run
Sophie Dixon-Box was asked to attend a female circumcision ritual in Kenya. Fortunately, she’d rehearsed her answer at university years earlier.

Dhow Ride on Kilifi Creek
John Barth and his brother Jamie have a chance to talk with the locals and get their dhow ride before leaving town.

Nairobi to Siakago
John Barth details the bumpy road trip he took in Kenya – but he still can’t figure out why everyone knows his brother Jamie.

Hakuna Matatu?
Sophie Dixon-Box spent a summer in Kenya and developed a love-hate relationship with the local transportation.

The Many Faces of Kenya
Tomas Padilla spends his Kenya trip on safari in the wild, in the wilds of Nairobi, and with a tribe of Masai.

Trekking Mt Kenya
Hiking the highest mountain in Kenya over four days, as a more interesting alternative to Kilimanjaro.

At Home in Lamu
This Kenyan island is a magical place, charged with mysterious energy.

Madagascar
How Not To Arrive In A Foreign Country NEW!
Andy Maloney quickly learns a few important lessons when arriving in Madagascar – and he ends up at the place he was trying to avoid.

Malawi
Soft Landings and Heavy Breathing in Malawi
Aaron O’Sullivan’s note to all parents: You do not send a chocolate addicted child with an eating disorder to the Cadbury’s chocolate factory for a holiday. And never, ever send an 18-year-old pot-smoking Californian to Malawi.

Tambuku Parable
It was on the back of a pick-up truck that Stephanie Lemieux made a silent pact with herself to always be a cow.

Mauritania
Shallow Graves
Trapped by a broken-down truck in the middle of the Sahara, Megan Woods buys her life for Christmas, for the paltry sum of £500.

Terjit Oasis
Greenery in the heart of the Mauritanian desert.

Morocco
Uncovered at the Hammam NEW!
When Elizabeth Nystrom received a scrub in a Moroccan hammam, she couldn’t differentiate pain from intense relaxation – an entirely enjoyable feeling.

Battling Knee-High Insurgency NEW!
Chris Hamilton’s eight weeks of stop, drop and roll training proved to be a miserable failure. Chris was without cover and had been caught by a surprise attack.

Ten Things to Know When Taking the Ferry to Tangier
A tongue-in-cheek look by Keith Hatton on 10 tips for travel across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier.

Lost in the Medina
Annie Krog and her fiance are determined to explore the medina in Fez without a guide.

Raiders of the Lost
After hours of walking through the desert looking for gazelles, Glenn Kaufmann found the real treasure was the chance to get good and lost for a while.

Three Meters of Snow
Benjamin Hansen doesn’t know for sure if he was hustled in Morocco, but he was certainly given plenty of conflicting advice on a trek in the High Atlas.

Walking with Camels: A Trek in the Sahara
After five days in the desert, competition was stiff about who smelled worse – Friedel or the camels.

Trekking in Morocco’s High Atlas Mountains
The Berbers taught Brent Spencer about their way of life as well as this world we all share.

A Quest for Rest
Steve Power’s 40 hour journey across Morocco involved poo eating camels, large ladies asleep in his lap, rancid meat, backed up Canadians and nice ladies throwing up.

Atlas Shrugged
Melissa Vinitsky hiked the Toubkal trek in the High Atlas Mountains and found it to be one of those experiences you just look back on and laugh.

The Land of the Berbers
Kristin Piljay will always remember the amazing mountains, desert and Berber music of Morocco. And despite the scams, the people were lovely too.

Sun of the Desert
Dublin Simon Community organised a Hike for the Homeless of 100km across the Sahara Desert. It was an experience Michael Jordan will never forget.

Moroccan Madness
Neither the desert, the Marrakech market or the hotel karoake is safe from Jeanette Bergman.

Morocco: On the Verge of Itself
A land fiercely traditional and full of daily change, a land of harsh desolation shadowed by lush oases.

Moroccan Serpent
A very close encounter with a water snake in the Atlas Mountains.

Massage: Moroccan Style
An invigorating and inexpensive way to lose the stresses and strains of travel is to visit an Islamic hammam.

Mozambique
Mozambique’s Game Reserves Revisited
Mike Slater has travelled to Mozambique many times. This time he went in a Landrover TD5 130 and visited some old stomping grounds.

Senegal
Teranga Welcomes a Daughter
After losing her wallet and being sexually harassed, Katie Krueger discovers the well-known world of Senegal’s ‘teranga,’ or local hospitality.

Selling the Sacred
Katie Krueger sought tranquility while looking for one of the largest Baobab trees in Senegal. Instead, her magical experience became overwhelmed with other tourists and the vendors.

Sierra Leone
In The Rough: Sierra Leone’s Diamond Industry NEW!
Matt Brown discovers that the diamond miners of Sierra Leone do not act like those in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

South Africa
Adventures in Automobiles and Acceptance NEW!
Alexis Sathre Wolff finds Zulu culture in the most unusual of places, after giving it up for dead.

Oudtshoorn’s Ostriches
Allan Taylor raves philosophical about the many uses of an Ostrich while visiting a farm in South Africa.

Is It Possible to Climb Table Mountain in One Hour?
Huffing and puffing, Lee Abbamonte and company try to climb Table Mountain under South Africa’s hot scorching sun.

710 Feet of Air! Holy Shit!
Adrenaline junkie Lee Abbamonte takes a leap of faith – off South Africa’s highest bridge.

On Hippos
Allan Taylor sneaks a peek at Africa’s most deadly wild animal – the hippopotamus.

How to Stay Safe in South Africa
Ann McLaughlin gives you her candid advice on ways to stay safe while traveling in South Africa.

Table Mountain
Some of South Africa’s finest scenery is around Cape Town and from the top of Table Mountain, but it can be a hard walk to see the views.

Mpumalanga Interlude
Sometimes it is necessary to rest a few days to recharge the batteries. Allan Taylor found a quiet but interesting place in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Unexpected Encounters
Paul Cook experiences Cape Town from a local’s perspective, including firing a handgun, and getting up close and personal with the wildlife, human and animal.

Freckles
A child’s innocent question has Stephanie Lemieux thinking deeply about her impressions of South Africa.

Kruger National Park
Kruger National Park is teeming with wildlife and Leanne Currie-McGhee saw a good deal of it during her short stay.

Coffee Bay – A Local’s Guide
Located in the Transkei, Sth Africa, this area is home to some stunning coastline and the Xhosa community.

Jeffery’s Bay – A Local’s Guide
South Africa’s most famous surfing spot is a worthwhile stop for the traveller to get an insight into the South African surf scene.

The Baz Bus: A Review
South Africa’s version of the hop on hop off bus service is a convenient way to travel the main Backpacker drag of South Africa and into Zimbabwe.

Adventure into Nelspruit
A quick run to a shopping mall shows that travelling is not just the journey, but who you spend it with.

Ubumanzi Game Trails
This trail will really test your fitness, but offers rewards like no other.

Sudan
Fruity Pleasures
K is a sexy woman wrapped in mangoes. Even if she doesn’t know how to do the wrapping on traditional Sudanese garb. But neither do the Sudanese.

Swaziland
Four Miserable Hours in Swaziland
All Lee Abbamonte has to do to enjoy himself in Swaziland is avoid the rain, killer moths, steep mountain roads and renegade Swazis jumping in front of his car.

Swazi Magic
Sarah Macey travelled to Swaziland and fell in love with the country. She didn’t decide to stay longer, it simply happened.

Tanzania
Peril at Sea NEW!
Headed to the exotic spice island of Zanzibar, Denni Schnapp’s ferry slowly starts to sink.

People of the Valley
Zoe Bridger enjoys a classic canoe safari at an isolated fishing village in Tanzania.

One of the 1001 Night Stories
Jenny Teng was so relieved to have survived the 20-hour dhow trip from Pemba in Zanzibar to Mombasa, Kenya. But for $5 for the trip, could she complain?

Travel Off The Beaten Path to a Unique Tanzanian Experience
An invitation is required to attend this special event, a drumming festival to celebrate the start of the rainy season.

Strange Places, Abnormal Walks
Lionel Messias visits a couple of unusual places in the world. Stone Town in Zanzibar and the coloured earth of Chamarel in Mauritius.

Snows of Kilimanjaro
Robert Geier is determined to climb the tallest mountains of the world. This time it’s Africa’s biggest, Kilimanjaro.

Karibu Kizimbani
At a wedding in Zanzibar, the village population is treated to extra entertainment as Stephanie Lemieux dances to the beat.

No Thanks, I’m Full
Stephanie Lemieux wanted to show her gratitude to her host family by cooking a typical meal from her own country. The result was not a good advertisement for Canadian eating standards.

Lions in the Serengeti
Family pride takes on a whole new meaning when Graydon visits his sister, who researches the lions in Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park.

Climbing Mt. Meru
Mt. Meru lacks a lot of the things Kilimanjaro has in abundance: high price, altitude sickness, droves of tourists. No wonder it’s so worthwhile.

Captivated in Coastal Tanzania
Ainsley Robinson embarked on a magical yacht cruise off the Tanzanian coast. She also took some pictures…

Beach? Smeach!
Gemma Pitcher spends New Year’s Eve on Zanzibar and discovers that paradise is alive and well – and not a trust fund in sight…

Not Quite "The Beach"
A journey in search of a beach paradise doesn’t quite go as planned. Sound familiar?

The Moon and the Music
Waiting for the moon to end the fast of Ramadan in Kizambani village, Zanzibar.

This Bus Departs at Nine in the Morning
Travelling by local bus in Tanzania is an experience, but what happens when it gets hit by a mudslide?

Tanzanian Tantrums
A Christmas spent covered in mud, flipping Landrovers and searching for the perfect cocktail.

Tunisia
Travel Tunisian Style: Louage All the Way
These shared taxis are a great way to get from city to city and meet the locals.

Uganda
African Journey Mentality: Kasenyi and the Isles by Night
Helen Williams was a lone muzungu, travelling the local way in an over-crowded, leaky boat that barely kept the lake on the outside.

Gorillas in our Midst
Unreliable transport, red ants and a tough hike only made Chris Card Fuller’s experience with Uganda’s mountain gorillas even more special.

Waist High in an Elephant Bath
Oops! Helen Williams never expected to be literally into the dung and gloop of the elephants she was counting.

X-country
The Valley of Eden
Denni Schnapp finds comfort in the African forest, until a leopard changes her mind.

Gorillas in the Mist
Joanne Balmer’s sighting becomes one of the most amazing hours of her life.

Night Bus to Nairobi
How a journey across countries can touch so many of those little things that make East Africa what it so gloriously is.

Money Manoeuvers in West Africa
Getting the best deal for your dollar (or Franc) does not always mean going to the bank.

Zambia
Sounds of Africa
Each of the countries Diane Mulcahy had visited had its memorable sound. In a Zambian village, that sound was heartbreak.

An African Memory
The mystique of Africa was lost under the harsh reality of the poverty in Monze. Kevin Mulcahy felt useless but found a gift that he could give.

Zimbabwe
Africa’s Lesser-Known Park NEW!
Zimbabwe’s current political situation is drastically effecting tourism to Hwange National Park and Victoria Falls, but does not effect their beauty and impact.

Victoria Falls: The Smoke That Thunders
Out of all the natural wonders of the world, Lee Abbamonte can’t go past Victoria Falls for sheer beauty and experience.

The Other Side of Zimbabwe
Joanne Balmer has an unforgettable close encounter with one of the most wanted animals on earth – the white rhino.

Stuck in a Stupid Canoe
A canoe safari can be a dangerous activity. Stephanie Lemieux came to realize just how threatening a hippo could be.

Encounters with the Painted Hunting Dog
Once regarded as vermin, efforts are now being made to halt the extinction of this African wild animal.