Ethiopia: Of feasts & famines

Where in the world is Kim, I hear you ask? Yes, sadly my blog has been dormant for the last couple of months. The main reason being that I have been very busy travelling around Ethiopia updating the Bradt Travel Guide to the country. While I do plan to make some big changes with this site for the coming year, in the meantime if you want to catch-up with my Ethiopian explorations you can view more of my photographs from my trip on my Wild Writing fanpage. The above s a picture of the Blue Nile Falls.

The anticipation of travel revisited

Today I woke up and realised that in exactly eight weeks I'll be taking off on my next big trip for work to South Africa and Ethiopia. So I thought it was the perfect time to revisit a post I wrote in 2008 about the anticipation of travel and update it taking into account my new trip.

Alain de Botton might argue otherwise, but I really believe that half the fun of travel is the anticipation. Here’s how I’m try to savour the excitement in the build up to a big trip.

Buy a calendar
The first thing to do is to get a calendar and circle your departure date. I’m not advocating that you start wishing your life away in a great countdown to take-off, but it is fun to day dream and of course very useful to be aware of how many days or weeks you have until you leave – especially if you are like me and have a million projects you need to finish before you leave!

Make a list
I love lists. There is nothing more self-satisfying than crossing something off a “to do” list. At the moment I’m working with one long running list (though for every item I cross off, I seem to be adding another two or three “to dos”!). A more practical solution might be to have several lists – the all important “must do” list (organise passport, visas, tickets), a “things to buy” list (new camera, backpack), a “packing” list (T-shirts, underwear), a “things to organise at home before you leave” list (redirect mail, cancel subscriptions) … Just think; I could make a list of “to do” lists!

Buy a guidebook
OK, so the guidebook author is suggesting that you buy a guidebook! Now I’d never recommend that you consider your guidebook 'the Bible', but they do offer heaps of good practical information such as when to go and how to get around which helps make travelling easy as well as providing you with a handy and easily digestible snapshot of the country’s culture, history and politics. I’ve started with the Bradt guide I am updating and plan to buy others from competing guidebook companies (it always pays to know what the opposition is up to!). And for something completely different, I’ve also order the Royal Geographic Society’s updated 1889 guide Handy Hints to Lady Travellersby Lillias Campbell Davidson which I thought might provide me with some insights (and entertainment) on how my Victorian counterparts travelled around Africa.

Learn the lingo
If you are travelling to a country where you don’t know the language, it always pays to know some basic greetings before you arrive. You never know, you might even be able to put a smile on the face of a surly immigration official with a simple “hello” greeting in the local language. Although there are some 70 ethnic languages spoken in Ethiopia, fortunately for me English is the most widely spoken European language. That said, I am still trying to wrap my tongue around Amharigna (also written as Amarigna), which is the official language of Ethiopia.

Get cultural
A great way to absorb yourself in the culture of the country you are about to visit is to rent a video about your destination or read a book set where you are visiting. Not only will you get a better feel for the country, but if you try to locate and visit the places mentioned in the book or movie once you’ve arrived also makes for a more unusual and unique way to experience the country. I’ve ordered Beneath the Lion’s Gaze a novel by Ethiopian born-New York-based writer Maaza Mengiste. A friend also just droped off a copy of The Mountains of Rasselas: An Ethiopian Adventure by Thomas Pakenham.

Read the local papers
The best way to get acquainted with local politics and events is to start reading the local newspaper. Fortunately, with the rise of the Internet this is very easy to. A quick look on line and you’ll discover that almost every newspaper around the world has their own website – even those in Ethiopia such as Ethiopian News and the Ethiopia Daily.

Do you agree that half the fun of travel is the anticipation of travel? If so, how do you savour the excitement in the lead up to an overseas trip or holiday?

Ethiopia guidebook update take two

After much deliberation, I've decided to move my research dates for the 6th edition of the Bradt Travel Guide to Ethiopia back by a few months. I'll now be criss-crossing my way around this mammoth country throughout the months of September, October and November 2011. I'm still looking for a travel buddy, so give me a shout if you want to join me on what is set to be my most epic wild wandering to date.

Adventures with a guidebook author

Ever wonder what it's like to be a guidebook author? Want to know how to get your start in travel writing? During a brief break in between having just completed the update of Bradt Travel Guides’ Ghana and organizing my next trip to Ethiopia, I briefly sat down with Sherri from AdventureTravelGuidebooks.com to answer the tough questions about my most recent guidebook update on Ghana and what it’s like to be a travel writer. You can see the full interview, Adventures with Kim Wildman, here.

Ethiopia guidebook update

I've been so excited about the recent release of the new Bradt Travel Guide to Ghana which I updated late last year, I almost forgot to mention that I’ve just signed up to tackle the 6th edition of the Bradt Travel Guide to Ethiopia. For 10 weeks over April, May and June next year I'll be driving, bussing and bush taxiing my way around the entire country covering everything from the busy streets of Addis and the colourful South Omo Valley to Bale Mountains National Park and the thundering Blue Nile Falls – not to mention everything in between.

In all my travels to Africa, I've yet to make it to Ethiopia. Of course as child of the 80s, I grew up with the images of emaciated children and cracked barren earth that were beamed around the world during Bob Geldof's Live Aid concert in 1985. But there is much more to this ancient country than those lasting negative image stereotypes. So I'm really looking forward to debunking the myths and discovering Ethiopia for myself. If anyone wants to join me for my latest wild adventure, drop me a line!

Ghana guidebook giveaway

The new Bradt Travel Guide to Ghana which I updated late last year has finally hit the shelves of bookstores around the world. The most comprehensive English language guide to the country, I'm not totally biased in saying it is a must for first time travellers to this bewildering and bewitching West African destination. To celebrate I thought I'd give away a copy.

To win all you need to do is answer this simple question:

Who was the Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations for ten years?

The first person to provide the correct answer in the comments section of this post wins the guide (just make sure you include your email so I can contact you for an address to send the guide to).

Wild Wednesday: Win a travel guide to Tanzania

In celebration of my wish for a wild, wild New Year for everyone this year I've decided to start a new regular segment for my blog titled Wild Wednesday. If any of you have seen my website, you'd know I have an affinity for the word 'wild'. It is more than part of my name. Wild is also symbolic of who I am. It describes my life and my experiences and it informs how I work and how I write. So in embracing my wild side, I've decided that each Wednesday I'll highlight something I consider wild whether it be a wild experience or wild photograph from my travels, a wild person or a wild place or even a wild posting from another blogger. To kick Wild Wednesday off, I'm giving away a copy of the new Bradt Travel Guide to Tanzania which I helped Philip Briggs update last year. All you need to do is answer this simple question:

What is the name of the wonderfully wild national game park stretching from northern Tanzania into southern Kenya which is famous for the annual migration of millions wildebeest and zebras?

The first person to provide the correct answer in the comments section of this post wins the guide (just make sure you include your email so I can contact you for an address to send the guide to).

Good luck!

Ghana: The adventure begins again

I've been home now just on a week and, having finally found my feet, I've begun the gruelling task of updating the Bradt Travel Guide to Ghana. While many people assume a guidebook author's work is done when they return home, this is in fact when the real work begins. From visa regulations and bus schedules to the descriptions of new hotels and restaurants, every little detail of a trip needs to be revisited as you transcribe your notes on everything and then add them to the current text (not to mention, marking up and redrawing maps). Just to keep myself on my toes, I've set myself the ambitious deadline of 20 December for my initial hand in date hoping I might be able to make it to shops just before Christmas to buy a few presents. I'll still have months of edits and queries to wade through, but this means I now have 42 days to update 420 pages (actually 41 if you don't count today). Impossible?... I'm thinking POSSIBLE. Mind you, considering I'll probably only emerge from my study to refill my tea cup, I may not have much of a social life over the coming weeks! Luckily my friend Margi, who accompanied me for the first three weeks of the trip, has decided to chronicle our adventures in her new blog Ghana road trip. In her first two posts, Margi recounts our journey from Jo’burg to Accra and our first day trying to come to grips with Accra's hectic public transportation.... Hmmm...I wonder if she has time to update a chapter or two? ;-)

New Bradt Travel Guide to Tanzania released

While I was off galavanting around Ghana, the new Bradt Travel Guide to Tanzania which I helped Philip Briggs update last year was finally released. It's so nice to see the final product after months of blood, sweat and tears. The new 608 page guide is jam-packed with practcal information for both independent and upmarket travellers on everything from how to oragnise a safari and tips on photographing wildlife to how to avoid trouble with hippos, crocodiles and snakes, and interacting with the local people. It also provides detailed coverage on Tanzania's world-famous national parks, including the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater, the lusciously laid-back islands of Zanzibar, Pemba and Mafia, and the country’s rich history and culture. Click here to find out more.

Just another day in paradise?

I swear I must be walking around Ghana with "I'm updating a guidebook" stamped on my forehead. Yesterday I was set upon by a group of curio sellers as I was jotting down a phone number outside Cape Coast Castle who angrily claimed that they didn't hassle tourists as most guidebooks stated. One even declared that he was going to kidnap me so that I wouldn't write any more 'lies' about them. I didn't even have a guidebook on me – just a pen and paper – and I certainly didn't tell them that I was updating a guide. Needless to say I made a very hasty retreat! Oddly enough I also had a similar experience outside Vic Baboo's Cafe in Kumasi a few days ago where I was harangued by a group of touts who gave me no end of grief for the unkind words that had been written about them by previous guidebook authors. I must admit it has certainly been very surprising just how clued-up everyone here seems to be about travel guidebooks and the impact they can have on business.
Picture: Sunset, Biriwa Beach, Ghana

Goodbye Byron....Hello Ghana

Hi everyone. I've now left my beautiful home in the hinterland hills of Byron Bay and am on my way to Africa for the next three months for work. First stop Singapore (where I am currently), then Johannesburg before I continue on to Ghana to update the Bradt travel guide to the country. I am sure my postings will be sparadic, but I'll endeavour to keep updating my blog as much as I can as I go along. In the meantime, you can now follow me on twitter. Also, before I left, I wrote a guest post on my favourite places in Byron for Anja over at Ever the Nomad; you can view it here.

Happy travels!

Ten alternative uses for your travel guidebook

Dan and I are now in Dar es Salaam. As we wilt under the weight of Dar's oppressive heat, I find myself longing for the cooler plains of Tanzania’s open veld. The few days we spent game driving around the national parks certainly made for a refreshing break from the hectic pace of researching Tanzania's cities and towns. The only downside however was the Tsetse fly. After suffering from their relentless bites while we drove through parts of Mikumi National Park, Dan and I discovered that our best defence against the nasty little blighters was my Bradt travel guidebook to Tanzania. Having found a new use for the guide, Dan and I decided to come with our top ten list for alternative uses for travel guidebooks:

1. A [Tsete] fly swat: Thick and sturdy guidebooks make perfect swats for flies and all sorts of nasty bugs.

2. A self-defence weapon: If you find yourself in a sticky situation throw your guidebook at your assailant. It should hopefully stun them enough for you to make a fast getaway.

3. Emergency personal insulation: Stuck sleeping outside in the cold for the night without a sleeping bag? Don't worry! Simply tear out the pages of your guidebook (preferably pages you no longer need), scrunch them up and stuff them down your top.

4. A pillow (of sorts!): I've used my guidebook as a pillow plenty of times while on long-haul bus and train journeys – it might not make for the most comfortable pillow, but at least your head will have some support.

5. Fuel for starting a fire: The used pages of your guidebook can come in very handy if you are having problems getting your camp fire started. Just be sure not to burn any important pages you might want to refer back to in the future.

6. A conversation starter: (Or as Dan calls this one, a great pick-up tool!) Dying for a little conversation or an introduction to that cute local in the corner of the coffee shop? Then play the lost tourist and use your guidebook to ask for directions. Even if you don't know the local language, hopefully they'll find your bumbling use of the language guide at the back endearing.

7. A conversation blocker: We’ve all been in this situation before with the annoying stranger on the train, plane or bus determined to natter on to you incessantly about the minute details of their last holiday, their family back home or in some cases (and my pet peeve) their latest medical procedure. Simply burry your nose in your book and hopefully they'll eventually get the hint. If not, see suggestion 2.

8. Door jam/stop: If the door to your room refuses to stay open or bathroom door just won't quite close, your guidebook makes the perfect doorstop – especially if it's one of those hefty multi-country guides.

9. Toilet paper: Why is it that there never seems to be enough toilet paper when you really need it? In Romania I once paid for the privilege of being given one tiny square piece of toilet paper when using a public bathroom. It wouldn't have been a problem apart from the fact that I was suffering from a nasty case of traveller's diarrhea at the time. Again, just be sure not to use any important pages otherwise referring to them in the future might be a little...um...sticky?!

10. A sun hat: If you're like me and forgot to pack your hat (in spite of your trusty packing list!), then open the guidebook in the centre and place it Teepee style on your head. Don’t worry about looking foolish. As a khaki-clad foreigner walking around with a rucksack on your back you already stand out!

Have you used your guidebook for a purpose that was not recommended by the publisher? If you have any suggestions to add to our list, we'd love to hear them.

One on one with guidebook author Philip Briggs

When it comes to guidebooks on Africa, without a doubt one of the most prolific and respected authors is Philip Briggs. Since the early 1990s he has travelled the length and breadth of the continent researching and writing some 25 guidebooks, including the first editions of Bradt's guides to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Mozambique and Ghana, and penned more than 100 features and columns for a variety of publications such as Africa Geographic, Travel Africa, BBC Wildlife and Wanderlust.

I first heard about Philip when I was researching the impact of tourist imagery on the small seaside resort of Coffee Bay in South Africa for my masters dissertation in 2004. While I had previously travelled through the region updating the 5th edition of Lonely Planet's South Africa, Lesotho & Swaziland in 2001, Philip had trail blazed the way in 1991 with his South Africa: The Bradt Travel Guide produced while other international guidebook companies sat back and nervously awaited the fall of apartheid. Everyone I interviewed for my study mentioned Philip and his guide and suggested that I contact him. And so I did; even quoting him in my final thesis!

Now some four years later as I'm preparing to work with Philip on the up-coming 6th edition of his Bradt travel guide to Tanzania, I thought it was about time I got to know a little more about the man behind the myth.

What made you become a guidebook author? How did you get started?
When I started travelling in Africa, in the mid 1980s, guidebooks were pretty thin on the ground – Lonely Planet and Bradt published extremely patchy guidebooks to the whole continent, and that was about it. A couple of years later, Rough Guides brought out a fantastic one-country guide to Kenya, and it opened up so many exciting new travel possibilities that I was inspired to try to do the same for another country. In 1990, I wrote to Hilary Bradt from South Africa suggesting a few possibilities – Tanzania and Uganda as I recall. To my utter astonishment Hilary got back saying that she felt the time - months after Nelson Mandela was released - was right for a guidebook to South Africa, and since I was there, would I be interested? So, pretty much a case of being in the right place at the right time... and from there, I went on to produce several other pioneering guides for Bradt, including the first dedicated guidebooks to Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana and Rwanda.

What are the best and worst things about life as a guidebook author?
Best thing is the travel. Worst thing is the writing, or at least the isolation that it enforces.

What is a typical day like for you on the road?
No such thing. I'm married to a photographer and we usually travel together, so every day is a fresh juggling act of priorities. The closest thing we have to a generic blueprint is: get up at dawn for the best photographic light, dedicate the middle of the day to getting from A to B and/or research and updating, then photograph again late afternoon, and relax over a meal and a few drinks after dark.

What is your favourite place and why?
That's an impossible question. Serengeti-Mara for wildlife, Cape Town for its combination of scenery and urban buzz, Virunga Mountains for its mountain gorillas, rock-hewn churches of Tigrai (Ethiopia) for their utter weirdness, Namibia generally for its sense of space... But for me, guidebook writing/updating involves more revisiting old haunts than I’d ideally choose to do, and a lot less time seeing new places, so I'm generally most enthusiastic about places I first visited recently. Last year, my coups included Alexandria, which has to be one of the most engaging cities in Africa, and Madagascar, with its revelatory cast of oddball creatures, and this year it looks like I might finally make it to the Okavango – probably top of my Africa wish list!

How do you feel about the plethora of online travel e-zines and free travel information sites like Wikitravel and their impact on print media such as guidebooks? Do you think this signals the end of the traditional guidebook?
I don't have strong feelings. I find that online travel information for Africa has to be filtered with greater scepticism than a good guidebook. The net does have the potential advantage of being more up to date, but often it isn't, or at least it's difficult to tell. Guidebooks are more focused and portable, you have more of a sense of who wrote and researched them, and for the time being a book seems like a less clumsy option than carrying a ream of computer printouts, or booting up a laptop every time you need information or a map. So no I don't think the traditional guidebook is in any immediate danger, but publishers may have to take a more innovative approach to online updates etc.

It's the age-old question, but can you make a living as a guidebook author?
Yes, especially if you supplement the guidebook work with magazine and other writing. But it's not easy, and it will probably take several years of hard work and scraping by to reach an acceptable income level. It’s not a job I’d recommend to anybody who places earning big money high on their list of priorities.

Finally, what advice would you give to someone who wants to become a guidebook author?
I'm not sure. Its probably a tougher field to break into today than it was 15 years ago. But I think its vital to make the most of any opening that comes your way, to take on board editorial priorities (a list that’s almost always topped by 'meet the deadline', followed by 'read the spec properly', 'don’t overwrite' etc) and to take a long view of things – you need that repeat business, and that means building up good working relationships and mutual trust with editors and publishers. More mundanely, have enough money saved to see you through the first couple of years, when your income is unlikely to vastly exceed your expenses.

Time out in Tanzania

For the last couple of months, I've been busying myself with preparations for an up-coming round-world trip that will take in South Africa, Kenya, the United Kingdom, Jamaica, Cuba and the U.S. I can now announce that my mammoth world adventure has just gotten a whole lot bigger with the addition of Tanzania to my already hectic itinerary.

After a short hiatus, I'm re-entering the world of guidebook authoring, helping renowned author Philip Briggs update the 6th edition of the Bradt travel guide to Tanzania. So for six weeks over May and June I'll be training, busing and bush taxiing my way around some of the least visited parts of the country including the South Coast, Lake Nyasa and the Southern Safari Circuit. Needless to say, I'm very excited about returning to Tanzania.

I guess the saying is true - a leopard really never does change its spots!