Curiousity.
To quell insatiable thirsts
To Explore. Discover. Grow.
Put things in perspective.
Connect.
To respect the wanderlust women screaming within…
Some of the reasons we trot. Sometimes exploring the cities in which we live, other times our neighboring countries and other times going far far away.
Trevor Noah said it best when he said you’ll never regret the money you spend on travel. Of all the money I’ve spent on numerous things in life, the one I never think twice about are the travels. From each of my trots, I’ve emerged richer, taking a part of that place with me, filled with memories and sights that can’t be measured or quantified in monetary terms.
As a woman, travel often takes on different meanings and challenges. I’ve done a number of solo travels and the primary concern from family members and friends is often around security. Why, they wonder, would a single woman go out into the world on her own? Trot to an unknown place, where she knows no-one, spend her money on frivolous things like globe/Afro trotting? The solo travels have been the most rewarding. Those are the trips that allow me to spend time getting to know me. Understanding what irks me, what scares me, what doesn’t – how far I can push my comfort, how far I can bend, how much I can learn….
Are you an Afro Trotter? An African woman who is infected with the travel bug? Do you have photos of your trots? And stories? Please send them to an initiative I am part of, Afro Trotter Diaries, at afrotrotter@gmail.com. We are passionate about exploring the world, and of course exploring the world has to start at home. So we highly encourage local travel and travel across the continent. Most top travel spots rarely mention African destinations – when they do – it’s usually the Capetown’s and Cairo’s.
We want your trips to Jinja, the source of the Blue Nile in Uganda. We want Meroë, home of the largest number of pyramids in the world in Sudan. We want to hear and see more about the Namibian dunes and Sidi bou Said in Tunisia. All of these gorgeous, breathtaking un and underexplored places that are full of adventure and his/herstories that as Africans we should know and witness more of.
Of course travel comes with its own wahalas. There are issues of finances, visas, security and more…which we must talk about and address…
If you’re interested in the Afro Trotter Diaries initiative and want to contribute your stories – head on over to our online platforms – @AfroTrotter (Twitter), @AfroTrotter (Facebook), Afro Trotter Diaries (Instagram) and use #AfroTrotterDiaries when posting your travel stories.
The very first exhibition of #AfroTrotterDiaries photos will be held in Addis from 16 July to the 4th of August, covering three African spaces – Addis, Khartoum and Madagascar. If you’re in Africa’s diplomatic capital, come on over to experience an African woman’s take and her freezing of moments and spaces on to film.
Reblogged this on aliben86.
Awesome job Nebila. It actually hadn’t occurred to me that I haven’t done any solo trips in Africa. Everywhere else yes but not Africa. Jozi is also a likely destination for solo trips I think.