Africa

When I was seventeen I went on an expedition to Zimbabwe. I spent six weeks camping and walking along the Zambezi River. I fell in love with the country then. I was lucky enough to return when I was twenty one and spent time traveling on the local buses and hitching around Zimbabwe and Botswana. As a result of this I became slightly obsessed with the continent and read every book I could find. When I couldn't decide what to do with my life I decided I wanted to be like Dian Fossey and go and live with the Gorillas in the mountains in Rwanda. But when I realised that I didn't really like climbing mountains I had a re-think. So I decided to write to Kuki Gallman and go and live on her reserve in Kenya. Sadly I was talked out of that too.

When I was nineteen I snapped the ligaments in my right knee and spent a good few months immobile or on crutches. When I was bed bound my Godmother sent me a book about Ffyona Campbell who walked across the continent, quite often risking her life and experiencing real dangers. It allowed me to walk with her whilst lying on my sofa waiting for my knee to heal.

These three amazing women have helped fuel my love of Africa and my  desire for adventure. I used to love living out of my rucksack and being completely independent. I still have my rucksack that I took to Zimbabwe. (Some twenty one years later) It holds many happy memories of adventures in foreign lands.

Ahhh Africa....What an amazing, huge, diverse and fascinating continent you are!

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