Africa-The Good-The Bad-The Ugly side of it

A reality Check before Traveling to Africa

Those glossy brochure expectations of an African Holiday and then the reality!

Visiting Africa?  Maybe it is time for a reality check? 

You have been busy searching out your Safari Trip in Africa.  Your trip of a lifetime.  You have downloaded and received brochures in the mail and to you it could not get any better, it seems awesome to you and awesome it is.

Africa is a place of extremes and people who come here, either love it or hate it, there seems to be no middle ground.  Before coming here they have seen the National Geographic's specials, they have read articles, have maybe even read some travel guides and books. In their mind's eye is the Africa of Karen Blixen as seen in the movie "Out of Africa."  This romantic and nostalgic place called Africa, the open sky, the most fantastic sunsets, the animals, the scenery such as the rift valley, or the mountains of the moon,  but nothing prepares you for the reality of Africa...but a trip to Africa.

The reality of Africa, like any other place in the world, there are the downsides of it, the beauty has some warts, some faults that can take away from a trip here and make one a skeptic, make one one of those that hates Africa and I have certainly met some of those.  Thank goodness, that they are in the minority.

The brochures, the wildlife specials, the travel books, they only tell you the good side of Africa and they do not prepare you for the bad and the ugly side of things and once you get here, you might be quite disappointed.

There is the dust...I mean dust...in the west one has dust, but not the red dust of Africa...as I type it is on my keyboard and this keyboard is only three months old, the inside of cars, on your clothes, shoes, the red clay dust of Africa touches everything.

There are the insects, and I mean insects...they will even visit you under your mosquito net...Tsetse flies., spiders that leave long lasting sores, I have a huge scar on my leg from one, roaches that will meet you in the toilet at night, the size of a truck, of course I am exaggerating, but you get the point.

There are all those trying to make some cash off of you, from the money changers, taxi drivers, people selling souvenirs, no is never heard, you are simply bombarded.  There are the government officials from police, to customs and immigration with whom one cannot reason besides using a bit of cash.

There is time, schedules, appointments, important to a westerner, waiting for food in a restaurant, all thing that could be irritation points to many a traveler.

There are the things that are supposed to work, but don't, there are your expectations and the reality.

The good news is ... Africa is fantastic, but the Africa you will experience is a bit different from the brochures and websites...if adventure you seek, this is the place, if you have a sense of humor, Africa is for you, if you don't mind a bit of dust, Africa is for you, if a mosquito buzzing at your head at night will not drive you crazy, Africa is the place for you to visit.

The scenery is fantastic, the roads are getting better, but probably not up to your standards, the wildlife is abundant, and the people are friendly and simply lovely.

Africa has faults, but the beauty and wonders of Africa simply outshine the bad and ugly side of things, at the end of the day, they simply fade away in the glory and wonder of Momma Africa...since 1992...loving it dust and all...jon 

This year experience Africa-Discover one of its Pearls-the Mountain Gorillas of Uganda

Last updated: 08 March 2010

Africa-The Good-Bad and Ugly Sides of Africa Travel

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