Reader Story: How Helen Successfully Traveled Too Volunteered Around Africa
Years ago, my friend Zach backpacked from Cape Town to Cairo. It was him, a pocket-size backpack, in addition to zero else. He hitchhiked, rode inward the dorsum of buses in addition to trucks, slept inward ultra-cheap accommodation, in addition to ate only local food. I was fascinated past times the stories he told me of his adventure. Africa is e'er seen equally a scary house to locomote alone, amongst danger in addition to theft lurking to a greater extent than or less every corner for the unsuspecting traveler.
But at that topographic point are a lot of people who locomote the continent alone, people similar Helen. Helen is a 33-year-old English linguistic communication adult woman who spent months volunteering in addition to traveling to a greater extent than or less Africa on her own. Today, she shares how she did it in addition to how yous tin produce it too.
Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone close yourself.
Helen: My holler is Helen, I’m 33 in addition to originally from Liverpool inward the UK. In 2009 I made a life-changing determination to backpack to a greater extent than or less the world, starting inward Africa. It was 1 of the best years of my life, in addition to since hence some fantastic opportunities receive got come upwardly my trend — but hence I believe yous brand your ain destiny! I similar a shot split my fourth dimension betwixt my locomote spider web log Helen inward Wonderlust in addition to my task supporting social entrepreneurs inward business. Last twelvemonth I was working equally a tour guide inward Republic of Zambia in addition to Malawi.
What inspired your trip?
I’m a massive fan of the TV documentary shows amongst David Attenborough in addition to Tribe with Bruce Parry. In the program, Bruce lives amongst remote tribes for a calendar month at a time. I also grew upwardly watching films similar The Goonies, Indiana Jones, in addition to Romancing the Stone, but I was e'er a trivial flake scared of truly going on adventures of my own. Then my grandmother, who I truly admired for her adventurous spirit, became truly ill. It truly devastated me in addition to made me mean value close what I had been doing amongst my ain life. So I began to save in addition to hence I was made redundant from work, hence I decided it was the ideal fourth dimension to bring accuse of my hereafter in addition to larn on the adventures I’d e'er dreamed of.
Did yous experience overwhelmed when yous were planning?
There were hence many times when I was hence overwhelmed! From deciding where to larn to deciding which companies to choose, everything seemed daunting at first! I did equally much query equally I could in addition to plotted a basic route in addition to hence booked a few things hence I had a basic structure, peculiarly for the rootage leg of my trip. Once I’d done that I felt a whole lot meliorate in addition to everything began to autumn into place. Once you’re truly on the move, things tend to larn a flake easier in addition to yous relax into your travels.
Where did yous larn on your trip?
I started off amongst a volunteering projection inward Republic of Zambia called the Book Bus. I spent a calendar month there, earlier getting the Tazara Train across to Tanzania, where I spent a calendar month volunteering for an orphanage that runs a lot of outreach programs inward the Bagamoyo part on the due east coast. After that I took the double-decker upwardly due north to climb Kilimanjaro. After that I took an overland truck through Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, in addition to downward to South Africa, where I did a self-drive along the Garden Route.
What drove yous to explore Africa?
Everyone thought I was crazy to go starting off my trip inward Africa. I gauge it’s non the obvious destination for your rootage solo venture. But I constitute Africa fascinating; it was a flake of an enigma. The media portrayal of Africa is rarely positive, in addition to the history of the house is simply mind-blowing, hence I wanted to larn in addition to run across it for myself. H5N1 few of my friends had spent their post-university days exploring Europe, Thailand, in addition to Australia, but I didn’t know anyone who had been backpacking to a greater extent than or less Africa. I also beloved wildlife in addition to sunsets, hence Africa seemed the most obvious choice.
Was it hard beingness a solo woman mortal inward Africa?
To go honest, no. There are tons of preconceptions close what traveling inward Africa is like, in addition to close Africa inward general. But inward reality, it’s truly non that scary at all. Don’t larn me wrong — there are places that I mightiness non necessarily larn to, but that’s non because I’m a adult woman or that I am alone. It’s to a greater extent than to produce amongst the fact that at that topographic point mightiness go political unrest inward the expanse or something similar that. Africa is vast in addition to at that topographic point are many ways to locomote safely in addition to easily equally a woman.
What security advice would yous give to others?
Africa tin go a rattling prophylactic house to travel, if yous bring a few basic precautions. First, bring your malaria medication in addition to larn all of the relevant vaccinations. Drink bottled water, behave antibacterial manus gel, in addition to launder your hands. The most mutual crusade of affliction is people non washing their hands properly to a greater extent than or less food.
Whilst most Africans are rattling gentle, honest in addition to respectful, equally amongst anywhere else inward the globe where at that topographic point is a lot of poverty, yous demand to go careful amongst your asset in addition to non brand yourself a target. Don’t hand huge amounts of coin inward your primary wallet. I e'er behave the mass of my coin close my person, either inward my purse or a hidden coin belt, in addition to hence hand a pocket-size amount of cash inward my wallet to pay for basic things.
Don’t walk to a greater extent than or less lone after dark: endeavour to remain amongst a grouping or bring a taxi. Your hotel or hostel volition go able to recommend a reputable taxi driver to bring yous to a greater extent than or less town. I oft larn a yoke of taxi numbers whilst I’m inward a house in addition to simply role them. On some other carry note, vesture your seatbelt when available!
Was it hard to larn to a greater extent than or less on local transport?
Local carry is non equally good laid upwardly equally inward other parts of the globe such equally Southeast Asia, but it’s nonetheless fairly slow to larn from H5N1 to B. There are a number of big double-decker companies that run betwixt many of the primary destinations, but they’re non equally frequent, hence go prepared that the double-decker yous desire to larn may go total or only runs on sure as shooting days, hence allow for that inward your plans. The prepare I took from Republic of Zambia to Tanzania only runs on a Tuesday inward that direction, in addition to the prepare arrived 24 hours subsequently than expected. But, at that topographic point is a mutual saying, “T.I.A.: This is Africa,” in addition to if you’re prepared for it, hence it tin go a existent adventure.
Local minibuses tin also go a proficient trend to larn around, if yous don’t heed beingness crammed into a pocket-size space. At the destination of my terminal trip to Africa, I had a few days spare inward Lilongwe, Malawi, hence I decided to bring a trip to South Luangwa National Park inward Zambia, which is close eight hours away past times car. The safari society only ran four-day trips, in addition to I only had three days. So I negotiated a discount, in addition to told them I would brand my ain trend back. When I arrived [back] at the camp, I made my trend to the bar in addition to asked to a greater extent than or less for local carry options. The bar human being said he would form out something out for me in addition to sure as shooting enough, on the 24-hour interval of my departure, I was picked upwardly past times a local minibus that took me unopen to the Republic of Malaŵi border. From there, I got a taxi, walked through customs, got some other taxi to the side past times side minibus stand upwardly in addition to hence some other minibus all the trend dorsum to Lilongwe. It took a flake longer — maybe 12 hours, in addition to wasn’t quite equally comfortable — but it was inexpensive in addition to I had absolutely no issues. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.
You volunteered a lot inward Africa. How did yous discovery reputable companies to volunteer with?
I’ve truly been truly lucky amongst the companies I’ve volunteered with, they’ve all been great. I had ii months to spare earlier doing my Kilimanjaro trek, hence I started looking to a greater extent than or less for placements. I saw an mention for the Book Bus on a task site, in addition to they are a UK-based company. After exchanging numerous emails, I knew that they would go bully to volunteer for. I also sponsor a trivial daughter inward Bagamoyo, Tanzania, hence I wanted to discovery somewhere to volunteer close her hence I could visit, in addition to through a flake of Internet research, I came across the Baobab Home. The dwelling is run past times Terri Place, an American in addition to her hubby Caito, who is Tanzanian. I loved the aspect of the run they were doing, in addition to asked if I could come upwardly along to assist out! My 3rd volunteering assignment was inward 2011 at Soft Power Education inward Uganda, amongst whom I’d spent a 24-hour interval helping out inward 2009, hence I knew they were a proficient company.
My primary slice of advice would go to contact previous volunteers, which is easily done past times Facebook these days, or aspect for recommendations from bloggers or online forums. I tin recommend a lot of proficient volunteering projects that I’ve come upwardly across on my travels.
What advice would yous receive got for people trying to backpack lone to a greater extent than or less Africa?
If you’re worried close going for the rootage time, joining an overland truck is a bully trend to run across the continent. You won’t receive got equally much liberty equally yous would if yous were traveling completely independently, but carry in addition to nutrient is taken attention of, in addition to at that topographic point are plenty of opportunities to leave of absence in addition to close in addition to run across the existent Africa.
Joining a volunteering projection tin go a bully trend to larn used to backpacking alone. Spending a calendar month inward Livingstone, Zambia, working amongst the local people in addition to beingness an active fellow member of the community truly helped me settle inward to Africa, in addition to I was good prepared for all of the solo locomote I did.
If yous produce determine to larn it alone, I’d recommend booking accommodation for your rootage few nights. Most proficient guesthouses volition go able to assist yous volume your onward travel.
Check the visa requirements for the countries yous are going to. Most allow yous to larn entry at the borders, but it’s best to banking concern gibe beforehand. You volition demand a yellowish fever certificate for many African countries.
Always bring a mix of dollars inward diverse denominations, that are dated post-2002. Some currencies are only available inward country, but visas tin go purchased amongst dollars. Traveler’s checks tin go hard to change, hence I’ll leave of absence it upwardly to yous whether yous bring them. H5N1 Visa carte is much to a greater extent than widely accepted than whatever other card.
Be flexible, brand sure as shooting your schedule isn’t likewise tight, in addition to hold back the unexpected. If yous tin encompass that, hence yous volition receive got an unforgettable adventure.
Oh, in addition to go prepared that yous WILL autumn inward beloved amongst this continent.
Helen’s even out (as good equally my friend Zach’s experience) shows that spell at that topographic point peradventure go touts, scams, in addition to petty offense (my friend got robbed at knifepoint inward Malawi), if yous hand your wits close yous in addition to role some mutual sense, yous tin safely backpack to a greater extent than or less the continent of Africa.
Just similar whatever other house inward the world.
If yous desire to read to a greater extent than close Helen’s adventures, banking concern gibe out her blog, Helen inward Wonderlust.
Become the Next Success Story
One of my favorite parts close this task is hearing people’s locomote stories. They inspire me, but to a greater extent than importantly, they also inspire you. I locomote a sure as shooting way, but at that topographic point are many ways to fund your trips in addition to locomote the world. I promise these stories exhibit yous that at that topographic point is to a greater extent than than 1 trend to locomote in addition to that it is inside your grasp to attain your locomote goals. Here are to a greater extent than examples of people who gave upwardly living a typical life to explore the world:
- Two San Diegans conquer their fears in addition to larn to a greater extent than or less the world
- Why Trish sold everything she owned to travel
- Olivia in addition to Manny quit the cubicle to follow their passion
We all come upwardly from dissimilar places, but nosotros all receive got 1 affair inward common: nosotros all desire to locomote more.
Sumber https://www.nomadicmatt.com
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