It’s hard to believe that I finally head off on my 10
week West Africa trip next WEEK. West
Africa, also called Western
Africa and the West of Africa, is the westernmost
region of the African continent. In the United
Nations scheme of African regions,
the region includes 16 countries and one overseas territory. I am travelling to nine of these countries in
10 weeks. West Africa occupies an area
in excess of 6,140,000 km2, or approximately one-fifth of Africa. It seems like this trip has been in the
planning for a long time, and I guess it actually has. I made the booking in March this year and
West Africa has been on my hit list since my last African Overland back in 2011
and I figured the earlier I do the trip the better and this was for a few
reasons.
ONE:
It was an Intrepid tour that I had originally looked at
when the brochure was on the truck of my 2011 East/Southern Africa overland
trip. There were a group of us that showed
an interest in the West Africa itinerary.
TWO:
I am in Africa and I need to make the most of my time
while I am unemployed, single (back to being) and ready and able to do this
tour.
THREE:
By the time I actually travel ON the trip I would have
been in the one place for nearly 9 months.
Not a bad effort if I say so myself.
FOUR:
You only live once and I have seen more than once that
life is short and that we need to make the most of the time we have.
I am excited about my trip and a little apprehensive at
the same time. This is going to be like
no overland trip that I have done ever before and it is going to make the
others that I HAVE done look like 5 stars.
Well after what I have been reading anyway and I think it is good to go
in expecting the worst and then anything better than what you expect will be an
added bonus. Even the company Dragoman,
who I have made my booking with, also, paint a very rough and ready picture. In
their exploratory notes, and I quote “that this trip is very much an
exploratory route and due to the unpredictable nature of this expedition it is
not always possible to follow the exact itinerary as set out below. By their
very nature overland itineraries are flexible and the regions that we are
travelling through are unpredictable. We run adventure journeys in off the
beaten track areas, often in areas without western infrastructure. You should
expect that some these areas do not adhere to western safety standards. We will always endeavour to visit all the
places listed, and often more that are not. All the information regarding the
itinerary is given in good faith and is subject to change, dependant on visas,
local political or country instabilities, weather, security & road
conditions etc. Any major itinerary changes will be decided by the crew &
company directors and will be discussed with the group beforehand whenever
possible”. Hmmmmmm what am I getting myself into?
Dragoman has been specializing in truck-based overlanding
travel for over 30 years and they pride themselves on creating adventurous,
award-winning, culturally immersive and totally unique itineraries. They own
and manage their own fleet and according to them, they have the best trained
crew and an instinct to look after their customers. They immerse travellers in local life
experiences and have held a commitment to local communities, grass roots
projects and the environment long before ‘responsible tourism’ was coined. The trip is rated basic comfort. And we are told to expect it rough every now
and again. On OVERLAND TRIPS you need to be prepared to have some night’s wild
camping, campsites with basic facilities as well as some basic hotels, often on
a multi-share basis. Some of the roads they travel along may be poor and they
say that they are physical tours; as we may well be travelling at high
altitudes, across deserts or through hot and steamy tropical countries.
Physically it can be quite tough, but not necessarily all the time and there
will be plenty of rest days and time to relax as well. The fitter you are the
more you will enjoy the trip. Hmmmmmm,
as long as it isn’t strenuous, I think I will be okay. I’m not a hiker or a trekker by any means,
and my fitness is not what it should be, but I can handle altitude and truck
days I LOVE, so I am not too worried about that side of things.
So originally I was looking at doing the whole 6 month
trip and realised that would be crazy town now that I am laying some
foundations here in Kenya and so I compromised on my original plan. Instead of doing the whole West African
continent which is a 6 month tour, and as much as I would LOVE to do that, cost
is one factor and then everything I have worked so hard for to date would be
hard to let go of for 6 months with the thought of starting from scratch
again. Not so much my house as I would
be keeping that while I was on the road, but my friends, routine and people
that I am getting to know would all go down the way side. I know now, that the friends that I have made
will still be here when I come back, but I was just getting my groove and I
just feel bad that I am leaving when I know people count on me-the babies
included. I am going to MISS everyone
like crazy. I then think of my mum who
said she was always going to travel to Canada and kept putting it off each year
and then she passed away at 52. Yes I
think life really is too short.
So what else is involved in joining an overland trip? On an overland trip you're more than just a
passenger, you're part of the crew, and everyone gets involved to help with
setting up camp, pitching tents, shopping for food and even cooking. There are
also a number of other responsibilities that are part of the overlanding
lifestyle, for example collecting water and firewood, loading luggage and
helping to keep the truck clean and tidy. This idea of ‘pitching in’ as a group
has always been intrinsic to overlanding – generations of overlanders have revelled
in the experience of being part
of an adventure rather than just a passenger.
These tours are designed to offer freedom and flexibility, so there's a
route to follow rather than a strict hour-by-hour itinerary or even day by day
itinerary. The vehicles allow us to get off the tarmac road and to travel the
road less travelled. This ability to go beyond the tourist infrastructure
is intrusive to overlanding. Truck based
overland journeys, or overlanding, is all about taking the road less travelled
and getting away from the tourist trail.
BUT this isn’t just any overland trip. It is a part of the world where only a few
tour companies operate. It is a
primitive part of the world. This epic
and challenging trip takes you right the way through some truly off the beaten
track destinations. As well as including
the highlights of Senegal and Gambia we will also delve into the lesser visited
countries of Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Cote d'Ivoire. Unlike
their more visited neighbours these countries are 'hidden gems' and are still
unspoilt by tourism; they boast a huge arts and craft scene, are packed with
colourful and vibrant markets and provide the adventurer with a rare
opportunity to experience a more traditional way of life. Physical preparation for West Africa itineraries
include the roads in these parts of Africa can be very rough which makes for
long travel days. It is however all
worth it, I’m told, for the spectacular scenery and for travelling through
regions that very few other westerners go.
Where there are public camp sites the bathroom facilities can be very
basic and may be non-existent in the case of many of the bush camps on this
itinerary. I did a quick count of the
accommodation for the 70 days and it looks nearly 50/50 of camping and guesthouses,
which is nice to know, so when we do have a ‘wild camp’ I will be able to smile
and know that there will be a basic guesthouse down the line somewhere. There
is never toilet paper provided in camps and shower facilities, if existing are
often a hose pipe spurting out cold water. Once again, the spectacular serenity
and chance to sleep so close to nature makes a little inconvenience all
worthwhile and part of the African overlanding experience.
West Africa is also a little different from the run of
the mill east Africa itineraries. The
main difference being the Portuguese traders began establishing settlements
along the coast in 1445, followed by the French and English; the African slave trade began not long after, which over the
following centuries would debilitate the region's economy and population. This also
means that the currencies & cash are better to be taken in Euros and
not Dollars. In North and West Africa
(Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon,
Gabon, Congo & the DRC) they use Euros and not US Dollars for exchanging. In terms of local money it is not really
worth trying to buy local currencies before you travel and also good to note
that in West Africa travellers cheques are almost impossible to change so for
that reason it is recommended a mix of cash and ATM cards and also note that
most ATMs only take Visa cards and NOT MasterCard.
Meals and group participation on an overland journey you
are more than just a passenger, you’re part of the crew, pitching in to set up
camp, shop for food, cook and generally help out. We operate a rota system,
dividing the group into smaller units of 5 or 6 people, so that these duties
are shared equally amongst the group. These jobs will include things like
collecting water and firewood, loading the back locker, supervising the kitty
and food stores etc. While camping on overland journeys, all meals will be
included in the kitty and this means that you will be working as a group to
prepare meals and cook for your group. (On trips south of Nairobi there is a cook
on board the truck, however you are still required to help prepare meals). A
typical camp breakfast might be toast with spreads, cereal and something hot
such as eggs or pancakes as well as tea and coffee. Lunch is almost always a
sandwich heaped high with healthy salad and assorted fillings, with fruit to
follow. Dinner might be a BBQ, risotto, pasta dish and there is always the chance
to try some local cooking. I hope they have
recipes, as I barely cook for myself let alone a group of 10+!!!!
So as I gather my things that I will be packing and
getting all the odds and ends together, it reminds me what a lucky person I am
to be able to travel and see so much of this beautiful planet including this
magnificent continent of Africa.
Yellow fever certificate-check.
Passport photos-check.
Doxycycline (malaria tablets)-check.
Travel computer all dusted off, updated and old
programmes removed-check.
The packing has started.
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