Headed to Africa? Emailing home just got easier

by Sean McLachlan on

Cyberjunkies face a serious problem when going to Africa–most countries have slow and unreliable Internet service. I’ve been encountering this problem myself as I try to set up my upcoming trip to The Gambia. Luckily for some countries, a new high-speed fiber optic cable will provide quick access to the rest of the world.

The BBC reports that the first undersea cable serving East Africa has just come online. Now South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, and Mozambique have a dedicated connection to Europe and Asia. Email can then be routed through one of the nodes there to continue on to places like North America. The cable is owned by African company Seacom and was supposed to go online in June but was delayed because of pirates off the Somali coast.

The faster connection is good news not only for homesick tourists, but also African businesspeople and students, like the Tanzanian schoolkids pictured here, and will help lower the “information debt” of several developing countries.

Anyone willing to fund a certain Gadling blogger to check out the connections for himself? I’ll be happy to report back on my findings.

Win a volunteer vacation to South Africa from Keen

by Kraig Becker on

Outdoor gear manufacturer Keen is joining forces with U.K. based travel company i-to-i to send one lucky winner on a trip to South Africa, where they’ll have the opportunity to take part in a week-long volunteer vacation at an animal rescue society in Cape Town. To enter to win, simply go to the contest website and fill out the online form. All entires must be received before August 21st, and the winner must travel before Sept. 30, 2010.

The trip, which is valued at $4000, includes airfare to South Africa, and accommodations in the volunteer hostel at the TEARS animal rescue shelter, where the winner will have the opportunity to help educate locals on care of their pets, provide veterinary care, and distribute food parcels for pets of underprivileged families. TEARS also works with children, teaching them the responsibilities of pet ownership and instilling a nurturing attitude.

Voluntourism has been a growing trend in travel over the past few years and i-to-i has been on the forefront of that trend. Since its founding in 1996, the company has sent more than 20,000 people on volunteer vacations in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. It seems only natural that they would team up with Keen, who has also been very forward thinking in their approach to sustainable gear and environmentally friendly practices.

This is certainly an interesting contest. I’m not sure I’ve seen anyone give away a volunteer vacation before. But it is an interesting way to explore South Africa, especially Cape Town, and give a little something back while you are there.

Ferry crash in Spain strands 1,000

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Imagine spending 20 hours crammed onto a ferry with almost 1,000 strangers. This is exactly what happened this weekend when strong winds forced a ship going from Orán, Algeria to Alicante, Spain to crash into the dock. Those on board were able to get off, and the next wave climbed aboard … where they would wait for almost a full day.

On Saturday night – after boarding Friday night – some of the passengers were permitted to step off the boat for a while, before trying again. Only around 40 people did so. Traffic in the other direction was a nightmare, though. Close to 120 cars showed up for the Saturday night ferry, only to find it canceled.

Given that this was a ferry, there were no reports of time being passed via shuffle board and low-rent lounge acts. There did not appear to be a buffet, and if there was a Captain’s table, it probably had folding legs.

It looks like the Alicante-Orán service could be working again on Monday.

Into Dakar: The logistics of a journey into Senegal

by Grant Martin on

It’s surprising to many that Dakar is actually closer to the United States than many points in Europe. As the crow flies, it’s under 4000 miles from New York City to the westernmost point on the continent, a 7.5 hour flight from the bustling streets of Queens.

Given the proximity, it’s not too difficult to manage a trip as short as a weekend or use DKR as a waypoint for further travel into Africa. Delta Airlines flies direct from New York’s JFK and Atlanta, while South African also connects from Washington Dulles and JFK on its way south. Tickets start at around $1000.

Unfortunately, Dakar airport charges airlines an outrageous tax for flights departing and arriving during daytime hours, so many flights transit between the miserable hours of 2AM and 5AM. Knowing this, the airport stores and restaurants also stay open during these times, providing solace from the often unbearably unconditioned terminal.

Once you reach the border, you’ll need to fill out a common immigration form and present it upon entry. There is no advance visa or fee to worry about, but you’ll need to put an address on your form, so make sure you either know where you’re going or have a fake address ready.
Dakar airport is also one of the few in the world without an ATM or money changer handy, so you’ll either need to be prepared to pay in dollars or use one of the stodgy money changers that drift around the airport. A fair exchange rate is 500 francs to 1 dollar, so you can expect to get 250 to 400. If you exchange a twenty now, you can withdraw francs from one of the numerous ATMs in the city later.

Taxis (especially from the airport) should never cost more than 5000 CFA in the city, while most fares shouldn’t be more than 3000. If you don’t find a driver that will accept your offer, try moving outside if the airport a bit. Many taxis circle and drop off passengers, and one of these will surely take a reasonable offer. You can give your driver instructions to your hotel in French or just give him a map – chances are, he won’t speak English.

Once established in Dakar (and most likely after your nap) getting around the city is fairly easy by cab. As an alternative, it’s often possible to take car rapides, a sort of minibus throughout the city, but for the casual traveler it’s probably not worth your time acclimating to the routes and payment systems.

Good restaurants can be difficult to find, so make sure that you print out the wikitravel guide or tear out a few pages of your Lonely Planet before heading out into the streets. And while the the tap water is clean and drinkable by even tourists, it’s probably a safe bet to drink bottled water wherever you are.

Finally, observe the practices and patience of a smart traveler. While Senegalese are very welcoming and supportive of toubab (literally “of European descent”) travelers, belligerence and ignorance have no place in this country. Keep your head down, quiet and your money in your front pocket and you’ll have a great time in Dakar.

Into Dakar: The Typical Tourist Trifecta

by Grant Martin on

It’s already been said that one doesn’t go to Dakar for the proper tourist attractions. Pick up a Lonely Planet guide to the entire country of Senegal and you’ll find a book about the size of the Kalamazoos. The draw to Senegal is not in its proper monuments or attractions, but rather in its people, history and culture.

That said, there are a few interesting sites to see if you’re looking for a day of relaxation, photo opportunities and maybe a little hassling from local trinket vendors. Break them up into a few days if you would like, but all three of these can be done in a good solid day.

Ile de Gorée (top photo)

Historically known as a slave trading hub (although the volume of slaves exported from here is questionable,) the island of Gorée 2km off the coast has been restored over the last few decades to pay respect to the ancient industry. Numerous buildings have been rebuilt to historical accuracy, with yellow and red painted walls brightly bordering the perimeter of the island. It’s a stark contrast to the buildings on the mainland, and a fairly obvious pull to tourists.

On the 45 acre island, one can visit the slave museum, history museum and any number of small shops and historical alcoves to piece together bits of Gorée’s past. Walking up to the crest of the island affords a beautiful view of Dakar as well the company of a towering concrete monument of mysterious origin.

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Expect to find a wide variety of overpriced Senegalese trinkets and art on the island, as well as guides offering their service to take you around. Maintain a steady line and you’ll avoid most of the ruckus.

There is also a small beach on Goree, but it’s fairly overcrowded and not a safe place to leave your personal belongings. If you really fancy a visit to the beach, consider Ile de Ngor on the north side of Dakar (pictured above,) with quieter, safer and nicer beaches with attendants and umbrellas.

Entry into the museums is less than $5 each while the ferry for Goree leaves frequently from downtown Dakar.

Pointe Des Almadies

A small volume of tourist-centric commerce has been built around the westernmost point of continental Africa, Point Almadies (pictured below.) One can grab a meal of fresh fish and fries at one of the numerous restaurants then walk out to the pier and take photos near the lighthouse. Afterwards, an artisians market is nearby and on the way home there is even a casino that one can stop in and visit.

Cab fare from central Dakar should cost about $5.

The Plateau

Like Paris, Dakar is divided into several regions called arondissiments. Here, however, the divisions are purely bureaucratic, and the locals rarely refer to their neighborhoods by what arondissiment it’s in. Where government and popular opinon overlap, however, is in the Plateau, the southernmost point of Dakar and home to many of the embassies, officialities and pomp of Dakar.

Here you can scour around for cafés with wireless internet, mainstream restaurants and boutiques selling traditional Senegalese wear, all against the backdrop of street vendors hawking and taxis buzzing by.

The best place to do this is on Ave. George Pompidou (also known as Ponty) just west of Place de Independence. From here you can also walk south towards the Presedential Palace, in front of which it’s rumored that “even the trees hate the President.”

Unless you’re in Dakar during the dead of winter, it’s going to be a rather sweaty visit throughout the city, so make sure you bring a bottle of water and take plenty of breaks. Worst case scenario, you can always jump into the Atlantic and cool off between destinations.

Read more from Dakar here.