longhorn55

History--My son has been fascinated by the Zulu/British/Boer Wars ever since he was about 8 years old. He's read lots of books and is very knowledgable on the subject. We wanted to take him to walk the battlefields and finally worked it all out last year when he was 16 years old. We threw in some safaris, too, and some hiking in the Drakensburg (where, we learned, they had filmed "Zulu&quot. It was a fabulous family vacation.

Guenmai

ttt.Happy Travels!

suzic

I am and have always been an animal lover. As an only child I always escaped into books of far away places- mostly Africa. After what should have been a fatal car accident in Dec 2003, I decided it was time for a real vacation. I researched trips, and went for a month to S.A., Zim, and Bots. I have never been anywhere where I have felt so "at home" and where I belonged, than when I was in Africa- particularly in Zim, and in the bush. I went back a year ago, and can't wait to return. Suzi

Tanya_in_Kenya

I had no choice in the matter! I was taken to Kenya as a two-month old baby by my parents and it's been home to me ever since...(My father has lived in Africa for over 60 years - since he was seven years old).

Tanya
http://www.wildernessdiary.com

barryozed

I was living in New Zealand, just went through a divorce and decided to treat myself. Went to Zimbabwe and Keyna. While I was there a Sogoma (witch doctor) said I would return to Africa to live which I thought was crazy since I had no intentions to. 5 years later I ended up in South Africa for 10 years....never underestimate the magic of life.

Dana_M

After reading Nyamera's trip report and her never ending quest to get to Keyna permanently, I thought of this thread and to top it.

So, what made you go to Africa for the first time and why do you love it so much?

sallysaab

I've wanted to go to Africa for about 25 years, always wanted to do a National Geographic tour but have never had the money until,
2004, when my sister talked my mother, who was in the early stages of Alzheimers, into taking us to Cape Town, Timbavati, Vic Falls & Chobe. It was the worst/best time I've ever had, if you get my meaning.
Mum's since passed and has left enough funds to go again several times yippee!!!!!!!!!
Whoops, the funds not the passing!
Have been planning my 2009 60th b'day trip since then.
And thanks to you all at Fodor's it will be exceptional.

tuckeg

This:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-78908741.html

afterall

For me it was a spur of the moment thing; something to do; an opportunity to see something more of the world. I don't remember thinking about it for very long.

After all, when you are 20 years old anything is possible. So leaving Uni with no idea of what I wanted to do, I decided to make who I knew matter (for probably the only time in my life!!). The father of a friend lived in Kampala and worked in the education sector. He had already found a job teaching in a primary school for another friend taking a year out from study. So I and two others thought we would do the same.

It didn't work out. You could say it was a case of extreme bad timing. Ten days after we arrived Idi Amin issued his notorious edict that all Ugandans of Asian descent must leave. There were road blocks everywhere; the country's Chief Justice disappeared and was found dead and badly burned in the boot of a car. The borders were closed.

We left on the train to Kenya. Four of us - two women and two men. The men were taken off the train at gunpoint at Jinja and it was, as you can probably imagine, extremely tense and very frightening. They did come back, but they could easily not have done. The train was stopped several more times and boarded by armed soldiers, but eventually we crossed the border and I will never forget the greeting from the officials on the other side. "Welcome to Kenya!".

I stayed in Kenya for a year earning a living doing this and that.

Needless to say I fell in love with Africa and its people. On that trip the closest I got to a safari was Nairobi Game Park. I have been back to Kenya several times since, and Uganda once (what a beautiful country) and have crossed the continent from north to south and east to west (even visited some game parks!!).

I still love the people, the landscape, the music, the sounds and the smells, more than the animals.

So in short, an accident of history.

suzic

Also by (or rather from) an accident. I was an animal lover from the start(Marlin Perkins lover)too. Then in 2003, I was in a car accident that really should have been the end of my life (ruptured thoracic aorta/spleenpelvis/chest wall etc). After miraculosly surviving the accident, and my family after the accident, I decided that Africa had always been my dream vacation, and that I had better go before it was too late! So went on safari for 5 weeks in Sept 05 with my sister, and then went back in June 07. Next trip will be (hopefully) November 09.
Suzic

ShellCat

I have read all of Wilber Smith's books, most twice for over 25 years, and finally got to live out some of the experiences from those books last October. The lightening storm outside of Durban, the incredible people we met, and of course the safari sightings at Mala Mala and in Botswana were fabulous. I highly recommend any of his books for a late evening fix at home!

divine54

we went to south africa when apartheid was abolished.

before we "discovered" africa we spent lots of vacations in australia (7 x), south pacific (fiji, cook islands, french polynesia incl. marquesas), indonesia (java and bali), thailand, malaysia, SIN, HKG.

with south africa we started our "africa exploration" and since the first visit in 95 we return at least 2 times/annually.

div

rsnyder

Even as a wildlife management biologist working as a fisheries biologist with a state fish commission I never dreamed of going to Africa. But, after visiting our daughter stationed in the US Army in Germany we got the travel "bug" and had a great trip to Egypt and Israel in 2000. We wanted to return to Israel but in 2001 the terrorism level was such we did not feel comfy. So,I began looking around and a safari to Tanzania caught our eye. Been "hooked" ever since. Dick

jjmb

As I was planning our honeymoon, I wanted to choose a location that was different. I ended up picking Tunisia, which was fantastic.

I have been a wildlife lover since a child running around with grass snakes and injured birds, and I always thought a safari would be a trip of a lifetime. Since we had gotten all kinds of shots for our trip to Tunisia, we decided to go on safari before they wore off. So I planned what I thought would be THE trip, setting aside just over 3 weeks of my 4 weeks of holidays for the occasion. With the help of a phenomenal Africa specialist travel agent, we put together an itinerary that had 4 stops in Zambia and 2 in Botswana. We weren't disappointed, and we found the experience life- changing. Sitting in camp, looking at the vast night skies with no polution made me realize how insignificant we are in this world.

So much for it being once in a lifetime; I am looking forward to our 4th safari in 2010, with many more to follow after that. There's nothing like it.

aby

hamishbear - Chapeau for the thread!

jcasale

We had always wanted to go to Africa. We went in June 2005 because my mom had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's and that was the only continent they hadn't been to.

lovejl

I wanted to be able to say I had hit all 7 continents by 30...and I turn 31 in January...hency 0ct 2008 it is for me.

Realistically, I wanted to save Africa to go with someone special...i don't have that person and I don't want to wait, so I am doing the trip I have dreamed of and can afford anyway.

I'll come back when I find that person and it will be a different experience.

Time marches on and the places change...you have to go now to experience the legend...

pattyroth

I wasn't sure the first time! That was 35 years ago and we were invited to speak at a conference in Cameroon. I had a 6 month old baby to take along and faced a mixture of excitement and fear. We went and have been back three more times, to Zaire (now Congo) for another conference and Kenya, later on to Morocco in 2005 and more recently to Tanzania in 2007, which we also loved! Africa has that siren call than just doesn't quit. www.pbase.com/pattyroth

somuch2c

It was a gift to our parents, particulary my mother-in-law who always dreamed of going to Africa. Well...her dream became our reality this August.

We've just returned from our most incredible journey and life-enhancing experience. In fact, as I write this, I have tears in my eyes...tears for the beautiful people we met, tears for the beautiful animals we saw and tears for the beautiful country called Kenya!

I believe that says it all...

steffid

We first went for our honeymoon in 2003 to South Africa (when we had the money for ist to go which we got from all the guests;-)).

Both my husband and I are animal-maniac, both from childhood on, always watching animal-documentaries on TV. I had lots of animals at home as a child (not only the cats and dogs and ponies, but I brought home everything I could carry and my parents had a lot of trouble with that;-))) And now since my last dog died 3 years ago, no pet any more, just working too many hours... But we try to manage to go back to the african bush as often as possible, so we made 4 trips in 5 years, after SA, Bots/Zim and Sambia (Zim and Sambia only a few days, which wasn't by far enough), Tanzania and Kenya last year and just came back from Kenya last friday.

I always think about if I studied the wrong subject and should have taken biology to get the chance and work with Frankfurter Zoologische Gesellschaft, the company of Grzimek which I adore for all they have done in Serengeti area. But in this case I would'nt have known my husband... so finaly I did the right thing And I am so hapy that he shares the love for the african bush and the animals.