Africa

A traveler explores the surprisingly active surf scene in Liberia. They told me not to go to Liberia. “They” being news headlines peppering the three preceding decades: a bloody civil…

After a journey through Mali to Tombouctou, a feverish traveler experiences the desert city through her hotel window. “Don’t travel there,” Abeo pleaded, placing his limp hand in mine. “You…

In the second installment of our “They Told Me Not to Go to” series, Stu O’Brien travels to Burundi amidst a chaotic election and witnesses the strength and kindness of…

During a cruise down the Nile River, a traveler and her fellow tourists watch as a small boat pulls up alongside theirs. What could these strangers want? It’s day two…

A drive through the mountainous countryside of northwest Namibia offers a couple insight into the history and traditions of the region. It was to be our most remote trip yet. …

Frustrated in her search for stimulating food in Tanzania, a medical missionary comes to appreciate the simple beauty of the traditional diet. I packed with military precision. Every inch of…

At a Gusaba, a traditional Rwandan pre-wedding ceremony, families once separated by politics and geography gather to debate, gossip, barter, and exchange stories about their lives. A man whom I…

A solo female traveler’s hitchhiking trip across Southern Africa takes an intriguing turn when she is invited to hunt a local delicacy. This story was chosen as a runner-up for…

At popular local show in the small Ethiopian village of Harar, a traveler unexpectedly finds herself performing the main act. “We are here.”  An older Ethiopian man tapped me on…