A TRIP ROUTE
INTERESTING FACTS
Farewell to Africa is an American melodrama from 1985 filmed on the basis of the novel of the same title by Karen Blixen. An epic romance, directed by Oscar-winning Sydney Pollack. The film tells the story of the fascinating fate of the Danish writer Karen Blixen, played by Meryl Streep. A woman gifted with a strong will, went to Kenya in 1914 to set up a coffee plantation with her unfaithful husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer). To her amazement, she soon fell in love with the Dark Continent, its inhabitants and the mysterious English aristocrat and hunter (Robert Redford), with whom she had a passionate romance. Hatton was killed in 1931 when his plane crashed over Tsavo. Desperate Blixen returned to Denmark, where her writing career began in earnest. Most of the scenes were shot in her former home with sumptuous porches in Karen, a suburb of Nairobi. Blixen died in Denmark in 1962.INTERESTING STORIES
Polish civilians, after leaving the Soviet Union in 1941 and leaving Iran, set off for different parts of the world. Most, because over 18 thousand. Polish civilians found their way to East and South Africa. On the Black Ląd, 22 Polish settlements were established, the largest of which were Tengeru near Arusha in Tanzania and Masindi and Koja in Uganda. Siberians from Soviet labor camps and places of exile, men incapable of military service and orphaned children were brought here. Polish education developed (in 1945, over 7.5 thousand children studied in 47 schools of various degrees) and scouting was active (in 1945, about 4 thousand children and 61 scout groups were associated with youth). Cultural life was also developing (organized theater performances and exhibitions, choirs and orchestras, national holidays were solemnly celebrated). At the turn of the 1940s and 1950s, the inhabitants of Polish settlements had to leave Africa. Most of them chose to live in exile. On the road to Arusza, a Polish cemetery has survived, where the remains of 150 Poles are buried, including for tropical diseases.IT IS WORTH SEEING
The historical drama "The Last King of Scotland" tells the story of Idi Amin's bloody rule in Uganda, played by the sensational Forest Whitaker. We see the life of one of the cruelest dictators of the 20th century through the eyes of his personal doctor, Nicholas Garrigan. The young Scottish medic is as fascinated by the new friendship as Amin is by the Scottish culture. Seduced by the king's charisma, Nicholas quickly learns the true face of the tyrant, and his dream of a wonderful, prosperous life crumbles to dust. Garrigan embarks on a dramatic fight for survival that requires sacrifice, betrayal, and eventually fleeing the country. Amin's reign was the most tragic period in Uganda's history. Shortly after assuming power as a result of a bloody coup, the dictator withdrew from the progressive reforms of his predecessor. With terrible repression, he suppressed every act of opposition. During the tribal fights during his reign 100,000 soldiers and several hundred thousand civilians were killed. In 1978, Amin attacked neighboring Tanzania, supporting President Obote. The counterattack of the Tanzanian troops overthrew the dictator who had fled to Libya.IT IS WORTH KNOWING
When I listened to the music of the band "Queen" as a teenager, I did not think that one day I would visit my idol's hometown. Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar. His parents, British official Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Parsis from Gujarat, India. The future singer showed musical talent from childhood and, thanks to his aunt, began to learn to play the piano. In 1964, due to the civil war in Zanzibar, he left for England with his family and settled in the West London agglomeration. While studying at Ealing Art College, he met "Smile" band members Brian May and Roger Taylor. Mercury convinced the band members that they should continue to perform together, suggested a new name for the band and created its logo. "Queen" they became a star after the success of the single "Bohemian Rhapsody", which today is considered one of the best songs in rock history. "Queen" have played over 700 concerts all over the world, and the British musician is considered one of the best singers in the history of popular music. Freddie Mercury died in 1991 in London of AIDS-induced immunosuppression.January 2017
Apparently, the real Africa begins south of the Sahara. My desire to see unspoiled nature with my own eyes was very strong, but I had a lot of reservations whether to go on a trip on my own or with a travel agency. In the end, I decided to go on my own, but my fears turned out to be prophetic.
Traveling in Africa is not a piece of cake and you should be vigilant at all times as the threat may come from the least expected side. I found out about it on the first day, when I was accused of terrorism for taking photos in the capital of Kenya and arrested by the police. On the other hand, in Kampala, during a motorbike ride, they tried to steal my camera, and at the airport in Dar Es Salaam, my luggage was lost somewhere. At the same time, events such as a motor boat breakdown on Lake Victoria or the fact that the shipping company forgot to pick me up on my return from Tanzania are really trivial things.KENYA
Nairobi
Nairobi did not make a special impression on me. The strict center with many modern shopping arcades, stately skyscrapers, banks and elegant hotels is more like European cities and if not for black passers-by you might think that you are on the Old Continent. However, the nearly three-million-strong slums surrounding the capital invariably reminds everyone that it is Africa.
Masai Mara National Reserve
Due to lack of time, I decided to visit the Masai Mara Game Reserve, which is part of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Unfortunately, the weather during the safari was not good, but the animals inhabiting the vast savannas looked great anyway. For the first time I saw a cheetah, which is the fastest animal in the world. It turns out that Masai Mara is not only an animal sanctuary, as there are many Maasai villages in the reserve.
UGANDA
Kampala
The capital of Uganda, Kampala, made an amazing impression on me. It is a fabulously colorful city, full of contrasts and vibrant with life. A multicolored crowd flowing through the streets, dozens of bicycles, motorbikes and cars maneuvering between passers-by, a cacophony of sounds and a symphony of smells made you dizzy. On the other hand, a visit to Kasubi Hill and a visit to the Unesco-listed seat of the kings of Buganda was like going to another world.
Victoria Lake
Going to Lake Victoria, I planned a visit to the chimpanzee reserve on the island of Ngamba and a swim on the equator. Since there were no other people willing to attend such attractions, I had to settle for a speedboat ride. The expedition almost ended in failure when the engine broke two kilometers from the shore. Fortunately, the failure was removed, thanks to which I visited a bird island and a fishermen's village.
At the source of the Nile
When we traveled by ship on the Nile during our holidays in Egypt, I had no idea that I would ever reach its sources. Near the city of Jinja, the White Nile flows out of Lake Victoria , which in Sudan joins the Blue Nile, creating the longest river in Africa. As I had too little time for rafting, I decided to take a speedboat ride down the river. It was not crazy, but during the two-hour trip I saw a lot of water birds and an otter.
TANZANIA
Arusha
Although Arusha is the largest city in northern Tanzania, for me it was just a communication point on the way to Ngorongoro National Park and Lake Manyara. Two hours is not enough to get to know a place well, that's why I only visited the local market. However, a very interesting experience was waiting for the transport at the bus station and the opportunity to observe its unusual color and apparent disorder.
Ngorongoro National Park
Located in a branch of the East African Great Rift, Ngorongoro National Park is inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List. Its most picturesque part, the caldera of an extinct volcano, simply charmed me. The very slide down the road leading 600 meters down the volcano is extremely spectacular. At the bottom of the savannah-covered caldera, I felt like in Noah's ark, due to the great number and variety of animals living in a relatively small area.
Visiting the Maasai village
Even though the Maasai belong to one of the best-known African ethnic groups, visiting an enkang is always an interesting experience. Unfortunately, the visit took place after dusk, as my traveling companions were not interested in it and it took a while to find other volunteers. The most memorable thing for me is the traditional dance of making the highest jumps.
Lake Manyara National Park
While visiting Lake Manyara National Park, I regretted a bit that I hadn't decided to visit Tarangire. Due to the drought, the water level in the lake was lowered, which significantly limited the possibility of observing water birds in their natural environment. However, after returning, I realized that it was a good decision thanks to which I got to know the new ecosystem. For the first time I saw giraffes and African elephants from close range.
At the foot of Kilimanjaro
I only went to Moshi to see Kilimanjaro. While preparing for the trip, I found an amazing photo on the internet - a Catholic church in the background of the highest peak in Africa. This sight inspired me so much that I decided to visit this place. It was going to be a beautiful, sunny day, but my luck left me, because when I got to the village of Kibosho around noon, the snow-covered cone of Kilimanjaro was covered with clouds.
Zanzibar
As I was only in Zanzibar for one day, I concentrated on visiting Stone Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest part of the city, creating a veritable maze of narrow streets dotted with shops and stalls, simply charmed me, although I got lost more than once. The city in which different cultures have mixed for centuries also has its dark side, because Zanzibar was once the center of the slave trade in East Africa.
NETHERLANDS
Amsterdam
The over ten-hour stopover allowed me to visit the capital of the Netherlands, which of course I meticulously used. No city looks very attractive at this time of year, and so was Amsterdam. I was very curious if anything had changed here since my last visit fifteen years ago. After walking around the old town for a few hours, I found that the only thing that changed was my perception of the world around me.