As you know Andy, we are always up for a trip but having just booked a trip round Africa in November 2008, it may be 2009 before we can make it. On our trip, we are going to some of the places in Africa that I have wanted to visit since I was a school boy (a long time ago
) and read about them.
We fly from London to Mopti in Mali, then we visit Timbuktu - that is one of the places that has always fascinated me, but I have never been.
As the end of the camel train route from the Mediterannean, it has a fascinating history since ancient times. Camel caravans still apparently arrive laden with salt from the desert. They then disgorge, and other camel trains used to travel to other points in West Africa, such as Kano in Northern Nigeria, where you could see camel trains arriving when I first came here manned by Tuaregs (not the VW SUV kind
); rather the nomadic people of the Sahara.
Then a visit to the Dogon country, the people live on the bare face of the escarpment and have the most amazing carved doors. We also go to Djenne, where there is the world's largest mosque made of mud.
We then fly to Victoria Falls, on the Tanzanian side, we've been before, but it never fails to impress.
Then Cape Town, and a sojourn in the Cape Grace Hotel. We have spent quite a bit of time in Cape Town in the past, so know all the interesting places to visit quite well already, so we'll be able to recharge our batteries ready for the rest of the trip.
Moving on, we fly to the remote Indian Ocean island of Madagascar and stop in Antananarivo, the country's fascinating capital. We also have a trip to the UNESCO World Heritage site at Ambohimanga - it is of religious and historical significance in the culture of the Malagasy people,.
Once more onto a plane, as we then fly to Zanzibar - the spice island, another place I have always wanted to visit and we had to cancel a trip to there some years ago because of a business issue that cropped up.
On to Kilimanjaro Airport and a stay in the Ngorongoro Crater at a game reserve. Then back to Kilimanjaro, via Lake Manyara National Park for additional game viewing before for the flight to Addis Ababa. Several days in Addis, before we visit Lalibela regarded as one of the wonders of the world. The remote town's churches were carved out of solid rock by King Lalibela in the 13th century. this must be one of the higlights of what we are going to see.
We have one more leg before we return to London and that is to Tripoli, the capital of Libya. We have just two nights here at Libya’s only five star hotel, the Corinthia Bab al Africa. However, we will visit Laptis Magna which flourished in the 2nd and 3rd century A.D. The extensive ruins are spread over a large area and include the huge theatre, offering a great view over the city and the Mediterranean.
Just over 3 weeks in total it should certainly be a humungous holiday, certainly one to remember particulairly with the places and sites we are visiting, though we are not doing it by motorbike (like Ewan/Charley)or car, but by private jet.
Brian
). 