West Africa's Safest Tourist Destination

According to the Lonely Planet guide, Sierra Leone is now one of West Africa’s safest tourist destinations. Although I have ventured into Rwanda, I’m still a bit hesitant to visit this West African country. Maybe it’s because of the tens of thousands of people who were killed during the 1991-2002 civil war or the two million who were displaced. Maybe it’s because of the child soldiers brandishing AK-47s. Or maybe the violence and corruption depicted in the 2006 film Blood Diamonds is too fresh in my mind. I’m not thinking tropical drinks on the beach in Freetown. I’m thinking warlords, rebel forces, and military coups. It’s also not comforting thinking that the country’s neighbors—Liberia and Guinea—also aren’t known for their stable governments. If a problem arose, I’d be looking out at the Atlantic Ocean, thinking that New Jersey is a long way away.

Danger in Johannesburg

Johannesburg is repeatedly rated as being one of the most dangerous cities in the world. When I first visited in 1998, I immediately noticed all of the gated properties with bars on the windows. I was advised not to walk anywhere, and I didn’t. At the very least, I could have been robbed, but I was more concerned with being raped or killed. Peter Greenberg quotes some interesting statistics about the city in his book Don’t Go There: “From April 2006 to March 2007, there were 611 murders.” From 2006 to 2007, there were 2,332 carjackings and “from April to December 2007, there were 1,353 rapes and indecent assaults.” In fact, Johannesburg has earned the reputation as being the rape capital when a report cited that one in five men admitted to having sex with a woman without her consent. Despite the danger, I have always enjoyed myself there, visiting the local malls and restaurants. I just made sure to take a taxi everywhere. It must be horrible though for the people who live there. Two of my friends—one male and one female--said they would move to another country without hesitation if they had the opportunity.

Lonely Planet Hotel Bookings

When planning a trip, there’s nothing more convenient than booking a room online, but Lonely Planet has taken this convenience to a whole new level. Their website offers the visitor the opportunity to book accommodations in 24 African countries such as Algeria, Djibouti, and Ethiopia. Since I have been researching a trip to Mali, I found listing for Timbuktu. While most could not be booked online, if available, contact information (web sites and e-mails) were provided. The reviews certainly reinforced my assumptions that the choices would be limited in the desert town would be limited and basic. I was surprised though to see that Visa and Mastercard were accepted at such a remote location. One review states that the hotel is a hot 20 minute desert walk to town but nestled in the sand. Another equally inviting review describes the hotel as providing “cool relief from the relentless sun and insects.” Despite these less than complimentary descriptions, I still find the destination alluring. It’s just a matter of time before I book online for a stay in Timbuktu.

Christmas in Africa

I have always wanted to visit Africa at Christmas. And who wouldn’t? It was 81 degrees in Johannesburg yesterday. The Drifters trip I was exploring—the 9-day Coastal Explorer--would have been perfect. I would have flown into Cape Town and then travelled along the coast to Durban and then flown out of Johannesburg. The tour would have left plenty of time to hike along the coast and swim in the Indian Ocean. (The current is strong, and there is always a danger of sharks, but it’s a risk I have taken before.) I would have spent Christmas and New Year’s there and would have had a chance to visit my friends in Knysna. When I initially checked, the airfare was $2,400. (The same flight today is $2,900). The most I’ve ever paid to fly to Africa so far was $1,700, and that was painful enough. The tour, on the other hand, was very reasonable—only about $1,000. If the daily news about the economy weren’t so bad and had I not just gotten my hours cut at my part-time job, I might have been willing to pay the price. As it stands now, I check the airfare every day, hoping for a dream deal.

Birding in Africa

I never had an interest in birds until I went to Africa. While canoeing on the Zambezi river, I saw my favorite bird for the first time—the Carmine Bee-eater, a vibrant multicolored bird. I have also enjoyed wonderful sightings of African Fish Eagles, Flamingos, and Pearl-spotted Owls, the smallest in Southern Africa. In order to better prepare myself for my next safari, I have orders a DVD set from http://www.sabirding.co.za/. These three DVDs feature videos of over 500 birds with their calls. I’m anxious to see how many I already know and learning more about some rare finds. The Southern African Birding site also offers a wiki describing many locations to go birding. A worthwhile blog that features African birds is http://10000birds.com/. Charlie Moores has some great shots.

Malls in Johannesburg

What All-American woman doesn’t love the mall? And, when I travel to Johannesburg, that’s one of the first things I do. The Cresta Mall is actually within walking distance of the Drifters Inn where I usually stay. One of my favorite things to do is visit the book store, Exclusive Books, and load up on travel essays about Africa. Then I visit one of the restaurants there and have one of my favorites: Welsh rarebit with a local beer. I’ve also been known to grab a bit of biltong to nibble on as I browse. As you can see from the photos, the mall is as modern as any in the States: http://www.globalvillageproduct.com/pdf/ZA_Cresta_Vol2.pdf Visiting the mall is also a perfect activity for killing some time before my transfer to the airport at the end of the trip. I have also visited a more upscale mall—the Sandton, which required a taxi drive, as well as the Eastgate.

Butternut Squash Soup

Nothing says Africa to me like butternut squash soup. It’s as common in South Africa as French onion soup is here. There are two ways to make it. One version calls for cream while the other uses stock and a bit of butter. You can also buy it in the supermarket. Campbell’s makes a great low-fat version and Wolfgang Puck makes a creamy and fattening alternative. I’ve made it at home, and it’s quite easy, especially if you buy the frozen butternut squash that is already cut into chunks. You Tube has a great video “Butternut Squash Soup,” which also suggests adding croutons as a garnish.