To My 100th Country -
My Trip from South Africa to Uganda
My Trip from South Africa to Uganda
Created August 2007
By the end of 2006, I had already been to 90 countries. In 2006 alone, I had visited 23 new countries. Unfortunately, 2007 did not open with a lot of good news. My roommate lost her job and had to move to L.A. while again I failed to get the job I really wanted.
With all the frustration and failure in my life, I had to retreat to something I felt really comfortable and confident about. That turned out to be travel again. I thought, why not just going for my long term goal? To reach my 100th country this year, even if it would be a few years earlier than I planned?
So here it went. This time I chose the continent I visited least (aside from the Antarctica) in my 20 plus years of traveling - Africa. I have to say I had always underestimated Africa and even had some prejudice against it. However, this trip makes me start to love and enjoy this continent much more than before.
Due to many reasons, I did not choose to travel independently and all by myself. After searching for many tour operators (and read endless online forums), I chose Canada-based G.A.P. (Grand Adventure People) for their overland camping trip. Though I do not enjoy camping, with careful planning (comfortable sleeping bag and even a big comfy pillow) and realistic expectation (the campsite may get very nasty when it rains...), this trip turned out to be much more enjoyable than last years' South America overland camping trip. I also added a few days' independent traveling before the tour starts in Cape Town and after it ends in Nairobi, Kenya. That included an extra leg of trip to Uganda by myself.
This trip eventually broke many of my personal records: it has the longest period of traveling with a tour group; the longest time on the road overall; the longest time traveling in southern hemisphere; the longest time sleeping in a tent; and the most important of all, with the best and most genuine group of people I have ever traveled with. And of course, I eventually reached my 100th country in this trip. I could ask for more.
Of course, I also traveled to Southern and Eastern Europe after Africa. By the time I finished my family trip to Alaska in mid-August 2007, I had been to 106 country (108th if counting those countries I only stopped at their airports). Maybe it is time to slow down on my traveling. Or maybe even retire from it?
Retire? I don't know...But I do decide not to travel to any new country before 2010. I should concentrate on other important aspects of my life.
So, this is it. Here I share with you, my trip to Africa, from Johannesburg, down to Cape Town, and then all the way up to Entebbe, Uganda. And yes, finally I really find "The Trip of My Life". Maybe it is time to find "Love of My Life" (That would be much much more difficult, for sure)...
Just Some Preview
Please click the thumbnail on the pictures to see enlarged images
On a balcony of a Chinese restaurant in Stone Town, Zanzibar. I held a makeshift plate to indicate that I finally reached my Country No. 100!!
Travelogues & Photo Album
- Prologue - My Own Dark Star Safari
- Part 1: My First 93 Countries
- Part 2: The Preparation
- Part 3 - Johannesburg - Still the One I Run Away from
- Part 3 Extra - Sun City - The AfroDisney Memories from 7 Years Ago
- Part 4 - Premier Classe
- Part 5 - At the End of Africa (and Beginning of My Overland Crossing)
- Part 6 - The Other Side of the Bay
- Part 7 - Take My Orange across Orange River
- Part 8 - Sunset at Fish River Canyon
- Part 9 - The Blowing Sand That Makes Me Cry
- Part 10 - A Town Named Solitaire
- Part 11 - Just Like Deutschland - Swakopmund
- Part 12 - Ride on the Sand Dunes
- Part 13 - Engravings on the Rock
- Part 14 - First Real African Safari
- Part 15 - Last Night in Namibia - Windhoek
- Part 16 - The Lions Sleep Here Tonight - Deep into the Delta
- Part 17 - Under Spooky Baobab Trees
- Part 18 - Cruising with Elephants and Hippos
- Part 19 - Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls
- Part 20 - The cutest wildlife in Africa
- Part 21 - A New Chemistry
- Part 22 - To Zim or Not to Zim
- Part 23 - We Love Hippos: South Luangwa National Park
- Part 24 - Lazing on the Lake
- Part 25 - 99 Is So Close to 100
- Part 26 - The Date I Reached My 100th Country
- Part 27 - Stone Town Beauty
- Part 28 - King for Just One Night
- Part 29 - Wildlife Galore ¢w Serengeti National Park
- Part 30 - Last Night in Arusha
- Part 31 - Don't Rob Me in Nai-robbery
- Part 32 - Back to Northern Hemisphere
- Part 33 - Finally An Independent Traveler
- Part 34 - Floating on the Source of the Nile
- Part 35 - GLazy Days with A View
- Part 36 - Why Do All Good Things Come to An End
- Part 37 - Searching for Africa in Europe's Museums
Afterthoughts - The Updated List of "Ten Places I Want to Visit but Haven't Been to"
If you are interested, you can take a look of my 2007 European trip homepage