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African Insights - Out of Africa - Too Ezine - June 2003
Africa awaits you! Traveling to Africa in uncertain times East Africa’s hotels, beaches, savannas and mountains are free of tourists right now. If you want to go and see Africa, as it really is, now is the time. Since the USA and Britain have issued a terror alert for East Africa, the cancellations have been coming in by the hundreds for airlines, hotels, safari tours and the like for East Africa.
For countries like Kenya, Tanzania, for vacation spots such as Zanzibar, this is bad news and affects the local economy. It touches the waiter and his family who works at the Norfolk Hotel in Nairobi; the artisan who carves the giraffes and elephants in Machakos, the soapstone craftsman from Kissii and even my friend John Bosco on the Entebbe road in Kampala is affected by this lack of tourists who are staying away from East Africa.
The story out of Africa tells of hundreds of workers that have been laid off in the hotels that are virtually empty, restaurants that are open but not with many guests, taxis that are staying parked at Jomo Kenyatta airport and at the Maasai Market on Tuesdays the traders are probably selling to one another since there is an absence of Westerners with cash.
But is it unsafe to travel to East Africa? I have been getting emails from lots of people who had been planning to go to Kenya, Uganda, or Tanzania but are now having second thoughts.
On the other hand I have received emails from friends who have recently traveled to and some are still in East Africa and are feeling quite safe.
In many ways, there is no better time than now to go to East Africa. There are lots of bargains from traveling to staying at nice hotels and resorts, reduced safari packages and I am sure one can bargain about most everything right now.
If I had the time, I would go right now to East Africa. Rent a car and drive across Kenya, Uganda, to Kigali and I am sure have a delightful time from the Indian Ocean to the shores of Lake Victoria and everything in between.
If you are planning on going right now or in the near future let me give you some sound advice that you might find helpful and avoid Terrorist attacks.
Africa is one of those places in the world that will change the way you look at life. It is not just place to visit, but to experience in all of its fullness. One stay home and miss out on the wonders of it all or take the journey of a lifetime. Enjoy the journey and write me your thoughts when you return….jon...Visit Africa: You will never be the same!
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