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Masta_Don
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul
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 Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject: Going to West Africa. Anyone been? |
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I've been planning to hit up West Africa for quite a few months now. But it's only been recently that I started researching about it. It seems that I should get yellow fever and malaria vaccinations; anything else?
I looked at the US Dept. of State's warnings and consulted my Lonely Planet West Africa and have decided to visit Morocco (possibly the Canary Islands), Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Anyone have any experiences in any of those places? Or there any others that I should visit even if the US govt. says I shouldn't?
I didn't realize that the best time to go is between December and March. Well I can't really help it at this point and the earilest I could be there is mid-Feburary. Is that going to be a problem? I hope to stick around the area for 3 months or so.
I'd really like to take a drumming class during my travels. Lonely Planet makes it seem like there aren't many available. What gives?
Also I'd like to ingest both Miracle Fruit and Ibogaine. How readily available are either of those? |
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Tiger Beer
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:05 am Post subject: Re: Going to West Africa. Anyone been? |
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| Masta_Don wrote: |
| Lonely Planet makes it seem like there aren't many available. What gives? |
Lonely Planet is just a really bad book.
I bought several other traveler book for the Philippines. The Lonely Planet one is horrible. The writers actually hate and have contempt for the Philippines, you can see it throughout the book.
When I bought a few other guides, I was amazed at how much more of a wealth of info they have.
Maybe the same with its West Africa guidebook? |
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bucheon bum
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 9:29 am Post subject: Re: Going to West Africa. Anyone been? |
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| Masta_Don wrote: |
I've been planning to hit up West Africa for quite a few months now. But it's only been recently that I started researching about it. It seems that I should get yellow fever and malaria vaccinations; anything else?
I looked at the US Dept. of State's warnings and consulted my Lonely Planet West Africa and have decided to visit Morocco (possibly the Canary Islands), Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Anyone have any experiences in any of those places? Or there any others that I should visit even if the US govt. says I shouldn't?
I didn't realize that the best time to go is between December and March. Well I can't really help it at this point and the earilest I could be there is mid-Feburary. Is that going to be a problem? I hope to stick around the area for 3 months or so.
I'd really like to take a drumming class during my travels. Lonely Planet makes it seem like there aren't many available. What gives?
Also I'd like to ingest both Miracle Fruit and Ibogaine. How readily available are either of those? |
How do you plan to get from Morocco to Mauritania? Not sure if it is posible overland since Western Sahara is basically a no-go zone.
From what i've heard, Mauritania is a really bleak place.
What about Senegal? It is supposed to be great to visit.
US state dept. warnings are usually paranoid and overhyped. Don't let them deter you from going to a certain country. |
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Masta_Don
Joined: 17 Aug 2006
Location: Hyehwa-dong, Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 10:45 pm Post subject: Re: Going to West Africa. Anyone been? |
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| Tiger Beer wrote: |
| Masta_Don wrote: |
| Lonely Planet makes it seem like there aren't many available. What gives? |
Lonely Planet is just a really bad book.
I bought several other traveler book for the Philippines. The Lonely Planet one is horrible. The writers actually hate and have contempt for the Philippines, you can see it throughout the book.
When I bought a few other guides, I was amazed at how much more of a wealth of info they have.
Maybe the same with its West Africa guidebook? |
Possibly but what I'm most concerned about the Lonely Planet book is how much they downplay any dangers. Perhaps that's how it really is but they only warn about going to the Ivory Coast. Every other country is "sure there's crime, just like in every other city in the world, no more, no less". Paints a really rosy picture and I can't figure what's the right balance between their view and the US State Dept.'s.
| bucheon bum wrote: |
| Masta_Don wrote: |
I've been planning to hit up West Africa for quite a few months now. But it's only been recently that I started researching about it. It seems that I should get yellow fever and malaria vaccinations; anything else?
I looked at the US Dept. of State's warnings and consulted my Lonely Planet West Africa and have decided to visit Morocco (possibly the Canary Islands), Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ghana. Anyone have any experiences in any of those places? Or there any others that I should visit even if the US govt. says I shouldn't?
I didn't realize that the best time to go is between December and March. Well I can't really help it at this point and the earilest I could be there is mid-Feburary. Is that going to be a problem? I hope to stick around the area for 3 months or so.
I'd really like to take a drumming class during my travels. Lonely Planet makes it seem like there aren't many available. What gives?
Also I'd like to ingest both Miracle Fruit and Ibogaine. How readily available are either of those? |
How do you plan to get from Morocco to Mauritania? Not sure if it is posible overland since Western Sahara is basically a no-go zone.
From what i've heard, Mauritania is a really bleak place.
What about Senegal? It is supposed to be great to visit.
US state dept. warnings are usually paranoid and overhyped. Don't let them deter you from going to a certain country. |
It's possible to travel without a military convey between Morocco and Mauritania. On that route the only danger that I've heard mentioned is the landmines between the two boarders. Truth be told, I was thinking about hitchhiking for that portion of the journey. I'll be with at least one other friend and it seems common enough of a thing to do.
As for Mauritania, yes I too have heard it's bleak. But there are plenty of nomads and desert and that's appealling in an exotic way. Since I'm trying to be cheap I'd rather not fly so to get from Morocco to Mali I have to go thru Mauritania. The guide book points out enough things to do for a week or so although it looks like the highlights of the trip will be Mali and Ghana.
Haven't read up on Senegal yet. I do know there's a warning by the British govt. to not go there, only one of two for the continent (other being the Ivory Coast). I'll check it out but it seems a bit west of the route I was planning on taking. |
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pugwall
Joined: 22 Oct 2006
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| Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 6:40 pm Post subject: |
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| i have read the Bradt books are best for Africa |
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Otherside
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
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| Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:17 am Post subject: |
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I would STRONGLY advise against going to Mauritania. It is a really dangerous place and slavery is still widely practised (If I recall it was only outlawed in 2004, and the approach has been similar to the korean approach towards making prostitution illegal).
I also wouldn't recommend hitching around W.Africa, other than that, enjoy! |
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