Nobody ever goes to Africa! Why not?

0verblood

I've just noticed that every thread here is about SE Asia or S.America. Has anybody here been to Africa? I've been in Uganda for almost 4 months now, and I've met a lot of backpackers from all over the world (the majority are german for some reason) but I've only met two Irish lads, and they were just on a short two week visit before flying back to Dublin. Do people fear this continent or something?

LiamMc

(the first part of this post isn't a swipe at boards.ie Travel)

First, the main destinations are North America and Western Europe. I understand that Spain is a bigger destination for holidaymakers from Ireland than Britain. Is that true (or true up to recently)? If so, to me that's incredible.

If you were planning a trip and needed advice that you would have to rely on, would you start a thread on this forum? Maybe an ego-building thread stating where you're going.

The reason nationals of Developed countries travel on holiday to the Developed World is down to a few factors.
Previous relationship with region
Commerce, trade, immigration. (That's immigration in either direction).
Direct Flights
Travel Agents pushing destination or availability through specilist Travel Agents.
(For Irish travellers all of the above has The Gambia as a common denominator).
If your company is communicationg with a certain place or you work with staff from a region. It can pique the curiosity.
How many Irish people have holidayed in UAE or other Gulf States just because of the convenience of the direct flight ( I understand that UAE is nor developing world).
In the 1980's there was agent somewhere around Bristol that specialised (and still does) in trips to Albania. I considered using them.

Over 15 years ago I remember reading that there was a travel snobbery among people. If a colleugue/neighbour went to Dubai, someone else went to Peru and a third person found a route to the Maldive Islands.

At that time I also remember reading that Germany was considered ten years ahead in choosing their destinations than Britain. Nowadoys, Afghanistan, Colombia and Algeria would be in the Travel books of Germany or Scandinavia. Slower Britain and Ireland are catching up.

I think the two Irish nationals you met did very well for themselves. To make a short trip to a remote(?) destination. Rather then the seven month trek south to north.

Gaz

I spent 4 months going from Cairo to Cape Town fully over land and it was a truly incredible expierience ... not easy but definitely the highlight out of all my backpacking.

I recommend it to anyone that will listen.

Flynn

Gaz wrote: »

I spent 4 months going from Cairo to Cape Town fully over land and it was a truly incredible expierience ... not easy but definitely the highlight out of all my backpacking.

I recommend it to anyone that will listen.

I was on a sailing trip in 2008 and our captain was always raving on about east africa, he suggested that exact trip to us. Said something like, "if i was your age i'd do Cairo - Cape Town" or something like that... it has stuck with me since and it's something i really want to do.

What kind of costs would you be looking at compared to say Latin America? from various travel books i've read on Africa it seems private guides have to be hired for just about everything which would probably up the costs?

Gaz

Visas can be expensive, Sudan is $100 then they have various "administrative" charges on top of that :rolleyes: , with the exception of the more southern countries budget for $100 a visa.

Transport costs are very cheap , you will travel on some crazy things , one of my best memories is going from Ethiopia to Kenya through the northern plains on the top of a goat truck for 2 days .... even the goats where strapped to the top of the truck !

Food and accomodation is very cheap and most things to see are very cheap. you dont need a guide for anything with the exception of things like safaris ... this is where you can rack up costs. But if you shop around and get advise from others even this can be done cheaply ... I did a fantastic 3 day safari for less than $300.

I would say no more than a 1000 - 1500 a month. I was travelling with the missus and we spent about 5K in 4 months

Flynn

I could live with 1000 a month... 1500 may be pushing it! Cheers for the advice... i'll look into it.

Civilian_Target

I crossed west africa earlier this year.
I wouldn't recommend it.... it's hard core! It's not cheap, it's uncomfortable, it's not renowned for safety, it's incredibly poor, visas are a pain, corruption is rife, and you need to speak fluent french.
There was a period where I went for 4 days without talking to another white person.

It was certainly an interesting experience, I am glad I did it... but if I had attempted to continue the same way for six months I would have died, and I'm not enthusiastic to return.

biomedgirl

0verblood wrote: »

I've just noticed that every thread here is about SE Asia or S.America. Has anybody here been to Africa? I've been in Uganda for almost 4 months now, and I've met a lot of backpackers from all over the world (the majority are german for some reason) but I've only met two Irish lads, and they were just on a short two week visit before flying back to Dublin. Do people fear this continent or something?

Yeah i was in ghana for 3 months and most of the westerners i met were German too! I lived and worked as a local and did some travelling around also. Went to Burkina-Faso as well. Totally different environment there, poverty was definitely on a scale far larger than Ghana. I was terrified before I went and people at home didnt help my nerves with all these horror stories, but it turned out that I didnt need to be afraid at all and came back with a totally different perspective.

Kiwi_knock

I have been in Ethiopia for the last two summers but only for two weeks on both occasions. I did not get the opportunity to travel around as I was doing voluntary work. However my experience there has really made me want to experience a summer travelling around the country. After experiencing the country on a small scale I would not hesitate to return because I know what the people are like and what to expect from the country.
Why don't people go on holiday to Africa, well simply people value safety as one of their primary reasons for choosing a particular holiday destination. There is a misplaced belief that you will constantly be hassled by beggars, while there is a substanial number of them there majority of them are not forceful unlike some you encounter in the western hemisphere. A lot of people like structured holidays as well which is nearly impossible in Africa.
African tourism mainly at the moment attracts a certain type of people, the so called adventurers and thrill seekers. There are the sites and scenery for it to be a family destination but at the moment it does not have the right image.

Cullen82

Agree totally with Gaz above i spent 3 Months travelling through Africa at the start of my travels - It beat ANYWHERE else I went hands down Asia, South America etc

IMO I don't think you can culturally experience any other place in the world like Africa:D

seawolf145

0verblood wrote: »

I've just noticed that every thread here is about SE Asia or S.America. Has anybody here been to Africa? I've been in Uganda for almost 4 months now, and I've met a lot of backpackers from all over the world (the majority are german for some reason) but I've only met two Irish lads, and they were just on a short two week visit before flying back to Dublin. Do people fear this continent or something?

I have worked 2 years offshore on the west coast of Africa.
Nigeria,Ivory coast,Cameroon,Angola,Ghana etc.
One thing is for sure.
I WILL NEVER EVER GO BACK AGAIN IF THEY PAID ME 10 TIMES THE WAGES.
You are not worth ****e as a white man in Africa.
Good Luck

tenchi-fan

I went to tanzania and zanzibar.
i'd recommend the safaris and the beaches but there's very little to do in the towns. It's impossible to go shopping too, seeing as all the shops sell dirty clothes and crap electronics. The asian restaurants can be nice.

youcancallmeal

When booking my RTW ticket I was planning on SE Asia then OZ and NZ. After that the travel agent said I had a choice of either Africa or South America, couldn't do both due to restrictions on the amount of miles on the RTW ticket. I decided to try and get off the beaten track a little and went for Africa. I did 2 months travelling from Johannesburg to Cape Town on the Baz Bus then did another 3 months travelling from Cape Town up to Nairobi on an overland truck. Best decision I ever made, I'm sure I would of enjoyed South America but from what I heard and read about South America I think Africa suited me much more.

Four of a kind

Myself and my girlfriend did Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda from Jan-april 2009 as volunteers and backpackers.

I was an unreal experience but hard core in terms of travelling.

For anyone who wants a real of my trip blog its address is below in the signature.

and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBeX-g2YCrI for a photo montage of the trip!