Two 1/2 Stars, about a 5 out of 10 (really a 7 for fun reading and a 3 for information)

I was actually looking for a "swahili for dummies" type phrase book a couple of years back and found this in the search. It looked interesting so I picked it up. Read a few pages and it got shoved to the back of the stack. Picked it back up a few weeks back and finally read it.

If you consider this as a travel story, which I'm sure is how the author meant it to be considered, not as a travel guide then it is a better read. Basically the guy is an aging Aussie hippy who apparently is not very socially or sexually adept who loses his girlfriend and decides to re-visit Africa with the aim of traveling from Capetown to Cairo, mostly by using train, thumb or local type transport. He's probably a likeable enough guy (he must be, people invite him into their homes and he just parks himself there) and the book is not a total loss but you won't learn much about Swahili or broken hearts, nor will you learn much about Africa that will be helpful. I'll have to admit, he uses forms and places of travel that the average white guy wouldn't or shouldn't and through wit and a large dose of luck bumbles through. It seems to be an Aussie characteristic to want to travel as cheaply as possible and he does. He has a few clever sections that make you smile but all in all, I'd read something, almost anything, else first for information purposes.

Sample quote: (Peter decides to go bungy jumping)

"The Bloukrans River Bridge (in RSA), the site of the world's highest bungy jump.......

A group of 4 guys waited for me on the arch. There were a couple of Kiwis, and Aussie and a South African and they all acted like they had been mainlining Pepsi Max. I don't think they'd been very impressed by the way I'd crawled rather that walked upright across the arch from the walkway.

They explained the whole process and the dangers involved with an enthusiasm that frightened me even more.

'Attaching bungy to nothing in particular," said one.

'Check', said another.

'Tie it around jumper's leg in exaggerated manner so he thinks we really give a shit about safety.'

'Check.'

'Roll a joint to smoke while we leave him just dangling there.'

'Check.'

They didn't really say that of course. They said lots of reassuring technical things designed to put my mind at rest. But despite their professionalism and the obvious way they crossed all the i's and dotted all the t's I was shitting myself."