In South Africa cultures bumped into one another the same way. Nigeria could flirt with a rural caravan of northern nomads as easily as with intellectual literary salons of the great southern urban agglomerations, all within its borders. Some nations were so huge they defied the very notion of country. The amazing rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, in Ethiopia, were commissioned in the 12th century by the king In some coastal areas East Africans, Indians and Arabs mingled to create a bright new world. Ethiopia seemed an Africa apart, slices of history turned towards the Middle East and a Church tied to Judaism and early Christian Orthodoxy. In Kenya, just over the border, I found the opposite, an unsettling anarchy where circumventing laws was a skill to be proud of. In Uganda I found a country that reminded me of Switzerland, its neat, well-aligned rows of crops and its law-abiding culture, a country in which I wasn’t allowed to stand on a long-distance bus because it was… illegal. I spent the next year crisscrossing this giant, learning about the ancient civilizations of Zimbabwe and the colonial histories of Mozambique and Kenya, the unique cultures of Ethiopia and Eritrea and the end of apartheid in South Africa. I had known the seasons would be reversed, but freezing? In Africa? It was fitting that my first purchase on the continent would be a pair of long underwear. Nothing had prepared me for the chill of a winter landing in Cape Town in mid-July, in shorts and sandals, watching my breath curl. Africa was that, of course, but also so much more. The only time I feel confident calling it Africa is when I’m referring to the physical land mass itself…īefore my first trip, mine was an Africa of preconceptions, of humid heat and rural herds, of thick forest and arid savannah. The continent has 54 countries (plus Somaliland and Western Sahara, which are fighting for statehood) and they range from lush tropical islands to harsh desert and barren mountains. Do you mean Southeast Asia? Japan? Tibet? India? Saying you’ve been to Africa is a bit like saying you’ve been to Asia. This was a constant question during my travel through Africa. BUT FIRST: IS THERE REALLY SUCH A PLACE AS AFRICA? One thing to watch out for: there is no such thing as “Africa”. Whatever it is, Africa may well get under your skin and try to hold you back each time you think you’re leaving. It may be the glorious wildlife or hypnotic scenery, the wonderful music or the widespread sense of humor. Also, you have to do a lot of figuring out on your own so this is a continent best saved for when you’ve become used to traveling solo.īut once you get a taste of African travel, you may be spoiled and never want to go anywhere else. On my first solo trip through Africa I made a side trip to some Ndebele villages in South Africa – the beadwork and designs are breathtakingīack then, a woman traveling on her own across Africa was relatively rare – it still is.Īnd an Africa vacation may not be every solo woman’s first travel choice, usually because there is less tourism infrastructure than in Asia, for example.
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