Your Mileage May Vary

Adventure

Category: Africa » (Page 3 of 8)

Inspiring 60-year-young solo female Dot Bekker overlands the African western route in a two-wheel drive Sprinter van from Europe to Zimbabwe

2021.03.16 /

Dot answers a lot of questions about travelling overland solo through Africa in a 2WD van. She offers proof that it can be done.

Dot Bekker tells of her adventures returning home to Zimbabwe after a failed 22 year marriage in Europe. She paid £1,700 for her old two-wheel drive Sprinter, built the interior herself for less than €2,000, using many reclaimed materials, and set about on her inspiring adventure. Dot drove over 20,000 km through more than 20 countries and is now helping educate and inspire young women in Zimbabwe.

Marion et Anatole, the young couple who did the interview, set off from France to explore Africa in 2018. Their YouTube channel is well worth following if you understand French. They offer lots of useful, practical information about overlanding in Africa, all based on their experiences.

 

Oyunaa, My Mongolian guide: walking with her was a joy

2021.03.05 /

Ruth Wiggins, The Guardian »

Our last hike was through Altai Tavan Bogd national park to Malchin Uul, a sacred mountain. Tavan Bogd means Five Saints and refers to the highest peaks there: a tantalising curtain of rock behind the huge and graceful Potanin glacier, on the border with Russia and China. At 4,050 metres, Malchin is the baby of the five; the only one that can be climbed without specialist equipment, its bewitching curves covered in scree from the fracturing of the weather.

Traditionally in Mongolia, mountain guides are male but as our trip progressed Oyunaa became determined to climb. Especially when told by guides we met along the way that the mountain didn’t want her because she was a girl; that she would bring bad luck. Oyunaa was having none of it.

Video » Botswana’s Wildlife and Wilderness

2020.08.25 /

Filmed by Martin Harvey »

If you are looking for some of the last true wilderness in Africa then Botswana is the place to go.
Enjoy this aerial cinematic celebration of the Okavango Delta and the Makgadikgadi Pans. All filmed with the DJI Phantom 4 Pro drone. An aerial video really gives one a completely unique perspective of this beautiful country.
Filming wildlife with drones has quickly got a very bad reputation. Animals running in panic from a drone, justifiable annoys animal lovers and park authorities. I took considerable care to film without disturbing the wildlife. It is possible if done correctly and by using the right technique.

Video of Live Roundtable » Sam Manicom, Simon and Lisa Thomas, and Dan Grec answer questions about long-distance overlanding by motorcycle and 4 wheels – Armchair Adventure Festival

2020.08.08 /

Starts at 7 minutes from the start.

Lots of questions answered. For example, find out why hooking up with a local charity, and having paper maps is important. Also find out what Ethiopia, Gabon, Mongolia, and the Sahara have in common.

Simon and Lisa Thomas » 2 Ride The World

Sam Manicom » Explorer

Dan Grec » The Road Chose Me

How to travel the Sahara

2020.08.07 /

Chris Scott provides Matthew Traver with some good advice on travelling the Sahara.

Matthew Traver » ExplorerWeb »

Mauritania: Good security for at least 400km east, inland from the Atlantic Coast. Provinces near the Mali border, such as Adrar, Tagant, Hodh El Gharbi and Hodh Ech Chargui, may be less safe.

…

Western Sahara: Travel and access along the N1 Atlantic Route, running down the Atlantic Coast, is easy and safe. Expect a few military checkpoints.

…

Tunisia: Avoid the Libyan border zones and the far south, which is a military area.

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Switzerland remains the best country in the world » Canada has moved up to the second spot » U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings

2020.01.15 /

For Switzerland, the 2020 ranking is the the fourth consecutive yearhas been judged No. 1 by residents of 36 countries. Canada was chosen second, overtaking Japan in the U.S. News’ fifth annual survey.

The Best Countries report, produced from an annual global survey of more than 20,000 people in 36 countries including the United States, reflects increasingly negative views of the world and within countries. Nearly half of survey respondents say conditions around the world have worsened in the past year. Likewise, an increased percentage of people say the gap between the rich and poor has grown and that nationalism is increasing.

According to the ranking, here are the Top 25 Countries in the World

  1. Switzerland
  2. Canada
  3. Japan
  4. Germany
  5. Australia
  6. United Kingdom
  7. United States
  8. Sweden
  9. Netherlands
  10. Norway
  11. New Zealand
  12. France
  13. Denmark
  14. Finland
  15. China
  16. Singapore
  17. Italy
  18. Austria
  19. Spain
  20. South Korea
  21. Luxembourg
  22. United Arab Emirates
  23. Russia
  24. Portugal
  25. India

The Bottom 5 of the U.S. News 2020 Best Countries rankings are

  • Lebanon
  • Serbia
  • Oman
  • Belarus
  • Tunisia

See the full report.

 

 

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Please tread lightly, pack out your trash, and treat every person and location with respect.

Please do not bury waste or wipes – even those that are biodegradable. Always pack out bags, sanitary wipes, and feminine hygiene products to minimize impact on the environment and the spread of disease.

If you find any errors, have any tips, or see anything that might need improving, please let me know.

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