[Seadog]

http://www.intrepidtravel.com/tanzania/k...epth-41674

Has anyone ever looked at something like this? For those who can't be bothered to click on the link, basically its 51 days, $3500, probably another 2k "local payment", start in Nairobi, go all the way down to Cape Town in 4x4 trucks, see all the parks, animals, sights on the ways. Theres literally dozens of these companies, all offering about the same trip.

Comfort level is like camping and field kitchens, but thats fine by me.

The other thing that caught my eye is that in almost all the reviews I've read, these trips are typically 2/3 to 90% female. Ages typically mid 20s to mid 30s.

Before I did any serious traveling I reserached these sort of tours (contiki, gap etc) I've always kept it in the back of my mind as somethign I'd like to do. I have also noticed (pics, reviews etc) that the balance always tends to be skewed noticably more towards women. This makes sense to me since women are generally not as good at planning stuff, and tend to have more an irrational fear about travelling solo or even abroad for that matter. An organzied trip can help alleviate those worries. Aside from a cool trip which would make it worth it in its own right, has anyone done trips like this and what do you think the pick up potential would be?

[Zak]

These tours across Africa are heavily advertised in backpacker circles such as "TNT" magazine for Australian and New Zealander backpackers staying in London. The whole Lonely Planet brigade of know all "I'm not a tourist, I'm a traveller" wankers are well represented as well I would I conjecture. Africa like South America attracts some of the worst types of backpackers.

I have also noted in my research for a trip to Africa that most of the bloggers are SWPL females - hmmmm - I think there's a fixation on African Brothas going on with these women, which of course they never admit to, but instead use some sort of cover story to account for their choice of destinations.

Anyway, why go to Africa and obsess over SWPL snarky backpackers when there are so many fine African women to meet?

Anyone been on one of these trips to confirm the demographics?

[Seadog]

Fair enough point. Those are the types of women (and people) I want to avoid. Oh you want to "experience" the lifestyle of a local since your not a toursit? OK, We hit the fields to start harvesting at 5am. I'll pay you the $1 you've earned when the sun goes down. Your beds over there on the ground, you can shit in *that* hole over there. Mind the Malaria.

Me personally, I love travelling, late 20s, but at the same time most of my friends can't do what I can (normal job/family stuff). So my options are to go it alone. But that gets lonely. Surely there must be more like me? I've met some travelling around, late 20s, tired of adult jobs with money in the bank?

[scotian]

I think that you should go for it. I've heard mixed reviews about Africa, especially west Africa where the tourism industry isn't so well developed and travel can be quite complicated and cumbersome at times, so going with an organized group may be a pretty good idea.

I don't know if I could go the full 51 days though, I'd probably opt for a couple of weeks max because I'd get sick of being around other people so much. It would be a good way to get your feet wet over there before you go do some solo travelling.

I wish this forum had more info on Africa because I'm definitely checking out some places there in the coming years.

[Zak]

I plan to visit West Africa on my own for the first time soon and I'm not too sure what to expect. I imagine it will be disorganised and travel logistics will be an issue. In light of this, I'm definitely going to use the services of a local tour agency to a certain extent to help organise things (I always winged it in Asia and South America).

Don't let me put you off the overland tour, I dislike professional backpacker types, but that doesn't mean that everyone on those tours would be like that; I'm certain there would also be people whom you would have more in common with too. There are bonuses to this approach as well in terms of stress and hassle reduction by letting someone take care of organising things and you can relax and enjoy the ride.

If you go on the tour, you could give a trip report and we would have confirmation of what the deal really is. This would be new intel for the members of this forum.

[brianmark]

If you do it please let me know how it goes. I did a Contiki many years ago. It was 6 girls to every one guy. I'm not sure you could call them girls: 90% were beasts! On a bus of 50 people: 8 guys; so of 42 girls only 4 I wanted to do. I hit on all 4 and ended up with the #4 best in face #2 best body. She was OK sexually at best and she was an American. 2 of the 4 good looking girls were American, the other 2 were Aussie. Please report back if you do the trip. I found the trip very confining since I didn't find the people very fun. I'm sure the sights will be great though!

[Seadog]

I've read a lot of other people's reviews, and they all basically say that half the quality of the trip will be determined by how cool the people you are with are, and how good the guides are. One good thing about the long trips like this is that they are actually the sum of 2-4 smaller trips. So people will be coming and going at a few points which can act as a bit of an insurance policy against shitty ppl. The common factors though are people generally are satasfied, and there are generally more women than men.

Honestly I wouldn't mind being around the same ppl for a solid 2 months. My life now is full on transient due to work, rarely in the same place for more than a week, so any long term relationships (even with good people or guys in a non gaming sense) are impossible.

I could certainly handle Africa on my own, but I think it would be a little more expensive, more troubles, and I wouldn't have as much access to places as the people in the know would. Camping on the savanah would be cool, and doing it on my own I'm sure I'd manage to set up in a frequently used elephant run.

Whats the AIDS situation like in Africa? Well rather I know what it is, but how does it play into your gaming mindset?

Regarding the SWPL people there(rant ahead), I'm in America for an XMas for a cruise with the family, been here 3 days and this whole country annoys me now in a way like it never did before 16 months in Indonesia. Everyones fat, they have more oportunity than 95% of the world, and its just rule after rule after rule to maintain the nice safe way of life. You're treated like cattle, shuffled through the turn style, here is the designated "fun having" zone, move it along. I saw a 8 yo in a stroller at the airport in Washington wearing a crash helmet. In Asia he'd be driving a motorbike without one, driving 4 of his brothers and sisters. All the rules, and the don't go beyond this line because the doors open outwards and you're not smart enough to figure out how to not get hit by them is really starting to get to me.

[brianmark]

(12-17-2012 08:09 AM)Seadog Wrote:  

I've read a lot of other people's reviews, and they all basically say that half the quality of the trip will be determined by how cool the people you are with are, and how good the guides are. One good thing about the long trips like this is that they are actually the sum of 2-4 smaller trips. So people will be coming and going at a few points which can act as a bit of an insurance policy against shitty ppl. The common factors though are people generally are satasfied, and there are generally more women than men.

Honestly I wouldn't mind being around the same ppl for a solid 2 months. My life now is full on transient due to work, rarely in the same place for more than a week, so any long term relationships (even with good people or guys in a non gaming sense) are impossible.

I could certainly handle Africa on my own, but I think it would be a little more expensive, more troubles, and I wouldn't have as much access to places as the people in the know would. Camping on the savanah would be cool, and doing it on my own I'm sure I'd manage to set up in a frequently used elephant run.

Whats the AIDS situation like in Africa? Well rather I know what it is, but how does it play into your gaming mindset?

Regarding the SWPL people there(rant ahead), I'm in America for an XMas for a cruise with the family, been here 3 days and this whole country annoys me now in a way like it never did before 16 months in Indonesia. Everyones fat, they have more oportunity than 95% of the world, and its just rule after rule after rule to maintain the nice safe way of life. You're treated like cattle, shuffled through the turn style, here is the designated "fun having" zone, move it along. I saw a 8 yo in a stroller at the airport in Washington wearing a crash helmet. In Asia he'd be driving a motorbike without one, driving 4 of his brothers and sisters. All the rules, and the don't go beyond this line because the doors open outwards and you're not smart enough to figure out how to not get hit by them is really starting to get to me.

16 months in Indonesia! I've been there before a long time ago and plan on going back. A very diverse country. Can you tell us about your experience of the country? Thanks!