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Travelling in Africa

Written by nice from the blog An inquisitive mind and random thoughts! on 17 Sep 2009
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In exactly three weeks I will be in Uganda, and as much as it will cost me a lot of Rands I am looking forward to being in a different country again and experience how do fellow Africans live their life.

I do not know much about Uganda itself, actually it was a crazy decision. When a colleague that we met in one of the courses, invited us to her wedding I accepted and saw it as an opportunity to see Uganda and get the feel of what it is like to live there for just a week.

I have heard that there are boda-boda rides which are used by some to get around and they are risky, and one of their delicacies is eating grasshoppers (all this thanks to Precious' show).

One thing though that gets to me now is the admin that I have to go through, amongst other thing I have to have the following items:

- obviously, the passport
-a visa
- vaccinations for yellow fever and malaria tablets
- travel insurance
-foreign currency and travel wallet card

And on top of that I plan to enjoy every momemt and have FUN

Now bloggers:

Where in Africa have you travelled to before
If you have not been in any African country, where do you dream of going to
What kind of admin did you have to get through
Any advice on what I should take with
Any spots that you know in Uganda that I must definitely make an apperance in?

24 Comments

nice
17 Sep 2009 13:56

Talk to me bloggers and lets get your views

Ms. Jay
17 Sep 2009 13:58

willbe back.....

nice
17 Sep 2009 14:00

Where in Africa have you travelled to before
I have travelled to Namibia, and one of the places I miss the most was the restaurant called "Cattle Baron" . The food served in that place was super amazing.

I miss the Biltong the most though, I have still not tasted anything better than some of their there.

I also went to Swakopmund, and seeing the ocean and the dessert at the same time still makes me appreciate the beauty that the Lord made.

What kind of admin did you have to get through
Luckily I had gone there to work so my employer had to organise everything, but the only thing I remeber was that I had to have a work visa, no vaccinations and all......so a visit to Namibia appears mucg easier than to Uganda

TheLady
17 Sep 2009 14:06

There's a Cattle Baron on Main Road in Bryanston...

Ms. Jay
17 Sep 2009 14:12

wat r u saying TL? lol

nice
17 Sep 2009 14:14

Will be waiting Ms Jay

i will look for it TL, phela I live in the South and there isnt one. I will visit the one in Bryanston to see if I will feel like I'm in Namibia again

Green.arrow
17 Sep 2009 14:28

wow...thats so cool nice...
Given tht most of my fellow pst gradders are foreigners, im making a deliberate effort to become good friends with most of them so tht i can visit them when we are done...
Have never been to any other african coutry...
But so far looming trips are Botswana, Zimbabwe and Kenya....and probably nigeria in the next year or 2....I simply cannot wait,they are actually on my wall ryt now....i pray and day dream about them often....
And im ryt there with u with the preparations....
I envy Precious like crazy...thst primarily why i dont watch Precious Africa (i know thst bad)...

nice
17 Sep 2009 14:40

GA, you must watch so you can have real dreams about your planned destination. You will be able to visualise it from what you see on her show.

Now that you mention Botswana and Zim , I feel like I should have started there including Lesotho, before going further up North. But ke in the near future as God willing I intend to make this visit to one AFrican country an annual thing.

mathata
17 Sep 2009 14:51

@nice,dont use malaria tablet until you have malaria.

i dont know what to write,i have so much in my mind.

nice
17 Sep 2009 15:12

mathata, write all of it down

and what do you mean I should not use the tablets, they told me that they are to prevent the malaria. I still have to locate the closest travel clinic as they wont give them to me as work - not for business travel,

mnyamana
17 Sep 2009 15:28

@mathata: ur advise is not true. You need to take the tablets to prevent you getting malaria. Trust me I am a doctor.

Toxic
17 Sep 2009 15:34

our xmas function is going to be at some cattle baron somewhere kae kae.

i wish i was going with you nice! i love travelling! Sadly i seem to visit the same place over and over again...mozambique LOL

Goin to maputo nxt week and swaziland the week after that.....hopin to do lesotho for new year's eve.

as for what to carry...........SUN BLOCK NANA. Nothing like peelin skin for weeks after a holiday to make you wish you'd thought of sun protection. Nje anything to do with the sun: sunhat & sunglasses etc.

can't give advice on anything else cause i'm a disorganised traveller...have fun mara and try and find Phil's brother for me pls . (if u don't watch BBA, ignore this last part)

BigMama
17 Sep 2009 15:42

Reply from: TheLady 9/17/2009 8:06:23 PM

There's a Cattle Baron on Main Road in Bryanston... That place is always full on fridays, can l join you one day TL, your treat????

Green.arrow
17 Sep 2009 15:42

u ryt kalokhu nice....i watched with terrible envy this week.....i'm actually saving up for a proper video camera for the events.....i also put it on the wall so tht anyone who feels touched can buy me one....:-(

GML
17 Sep 2009 15:45

@BigM, udlule kimi uzongithatha. I am in Bryanston mos you know. The Lady, say the word and I'm there...

BigMama
17 Sep 2009 15:48

Reply from: nice 9/17/2009 9:12:00 PM
I still have to locate the closest travel clinic as they wont give them to me as work - not for business travel,..

l always use NH Health Centre Northcliff 011 214 900 and vaccination for Malaria is R365 and it can last upto 10years. but the mostly recommended vaccination is Yellow Fever.

BigMama
17 Sep 2009 15:52

l love Swaziland, but the problem is the place that l always visit women are not allowed to were trousers, its strictly skirts only.

GML....l will do that, and l hope The Lady will agree to take us out next friday.

TheLady
17 Sep 2009 16:02

Hawu nase nanda manje hehehe?Hayi next Friday angikho..end October...ngizonikalela ukudla.

I'd love to travel too nice, haven't been out of this country...would love the Victoria falls first and then Namibia...nothing sexier than the dessert and the sea together. I almost went with a friend, problem was she can't drive, and I ain't gonna drive all the way there and back..hell no!!!

Toxic
17 Sep 2009 16:08

l love Swaziland, but the problem is the place that l always visit women are not allowed to were trousers, its strictly skirts only.

Where's that BigMama? What are fun things to do at Swaziland?

nice
17 Sep 2009 16:21

(if u don't watch BBA, ignore this last part)

Toxic now you are exposing me that I am dishless, I know what Phil looks like though, so if I spot someone that looks like him I will bring an address for you. Tell me tox, do you drive or fly to these places?

TL, Please add me to you cattle baron list , I will enjoy it more when someone picks up the bill. end of October it is!! Maybe when you buy me lunch I can drive with you to one of the destinations, and we can share the cost and the drive

Thank you BM, I will give them a ring to find out how much is it for the Yellow Fever (before this trip, I never knew there was something like it)

mathata
17 Sep 2009 17:52

mnyamana.is not true,i know what im taking about,did you have malaria?

Lela
18 Sep 2009 11:37

Nam guys I wanna come to cattle what what please ningandishiyi. I wanna go put as much as I can while my nunu is not here.

Toxic
18 Sep 2009 14:12

Driving is cheaper LOL! Would love to fly cause it cuts away so much of that travelling time.

Would love to see: Namibia, Kenya, Egpyt for the Pyramids, China for the Wall, Nigeria and i'm working on a Michael Jackson tour. I'll only drive to Namibia, the rest ke tlo flyah.

Sdudla
20 Sep 2009 20:50

@Nice: I love the Continent. I love travelling and I've been all over the world but Africa is the only place where I don't stick out and I feel right at home even when there are language difficulties, especially at the markets because some of the traders don't speak French or Portuguese due to illiteracy.

I've visited the following countries: Southern Africa (Zimbabwe, Angola, Swaziland)
East Africa (Ethiopia), Central Africa- (Gabon), West Africa -live in Cote d'Ivoire (Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, Togo, Nigeria).

Am planning on visiting Egypt, Morocco, Kenya and the Gambia soon.

Advice:
1. Only take the malaria pills if you're going on a short visit because if you take the tabs long-term then you cound get blind. If you drink alcohol rather live on Gin and Tonic because tonic contains the same moquito fighting chemical: quinine but without the side effects of the tablets. Plus doctors usually say that tablets actually hide the symptoms of malaria so it takes time before you actually feel sick and by the time the doctors diagnose you, it might be too late e.g. celebral malaria, meningitis etc..

2. Try and eat as much local food as posssible but make sure that the restaurants are clean even if it is the roadside ones (the shisa nyama's) or as we call them in Francophone West Africa: Maquis'.

3. Try and avoid raw veggies and salad. That's just an invitation for diarrhoea!

4. Wash your fruit with veggie wash or bleach (but rinse it thoroughly afterwards and wait an hour before eating it if you washed it with bleach).

5. Drink only bottled water, even brush your teeth with it.

6. Carry Immodium and Scopex for stomach issues.

7. Enjoy the nightlife (dance dance dance) but try and be safe when you're out at night because akulalwa!

8. Mingle as much as possible with locals, visit all the interesting places, have fun, take lots of photos (none of military or government facilities/buildings though or else you'll end up in jail).

As usual, make copies of your passport, ticket etc and always carry your passport or copies. Don't lose/forget your yellowfever card before you reach your destination because they will jova you at the airport (e.g.Uganda) and you will will pay a lot plus you won't have guarantees that the needles are new/clean.

That's all I can think of now..

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