Embark on a remarkable literary adventure through the captivating landscapes and vibrant cultures of Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia with award-winning writer, Terry Lister. In "Let's Go To Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia," the third installment of his Travels with Terry series, Lister invites readers to join him on an extraordinary journey of exploration and cultural discovery.
From the very first pages, you'll be transported to the heart of these remarkable African nations. With Lister as your guide, you'll climb towering sand dunes, explore dense foliage, and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of life in remote villages as he shares his encounters in local communities and offers insight into their profound cultural heritage.
"Let's Go To Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia" is an invitation to experience the thrill of exploration and the joy of cultural immersion.
Whether you dream of embarking on your own African adventure or seek to savor the beauty of these lands from the comfort of your armchair, this book is your passport to discovery. So, grab your backpack, prepare your senses, and embark on a voyage of exploration, where every page unveils a new layer of beauty, discovery, and cultural immersion.
Let's go on an unforgettable adventure together!
Embark on a remarkable literary adventure through the captivating landscapes and vibrant cultures of Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia with award-winning writer, Terry Lister. In "Let's Go To Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia," the third installment of his Travels with Terry series, Lister invites readers to join him on an extraordinary journey of exploration and cultural discovery.
From the very first pages, you'll be transported to the heart of these remarkable African nations. With Lister as your guide, you'll climb towering sand dunes, explore dense foliage, and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of life in remote villages as he shares his encounters in local communities and offers insight into their profound cultural heritage.
"Let's Go To Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia" is an invitation to experience the thrill of exploration and the joy of cultural immersion.
Whether you dream of embarking on your own African adventure or seek to savor the beauty of these lands from the comfort of your armchair, this book is your passport to discovery. So, grab your backpack, prepare your senses, and embark on a voyage of exploration, where every page unveils a new layer of beauty, discovery, and cultural immersion.
Let's go on an unforgettable adventure together!
After two very interesting and enjoyable trips into West Africa, I was ready to move a little further south. As I considered where I would go, the usual consideration of civil disturbances was prominent in my decision-making. As a result, I had to bypass a few countries that, at another time, I might gladly visit.
After considerable thought, I decided to visit Gabon, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Namibia, as I figured these would be an interesting mix. There are similarities in that all have beautiful forests (though in the case of Namibia, the forest is replaced by desert) and all have an Atlantic coastline. However, in the case of Namibia, the weather conditions are such that one simply cannot swim in the freezing waters. While they all have national parks with wild animals, Namibia and Gabon only attract tourists to see the wildlife that exists. There are other differences as well, which can be traced back to how colonialism impacted each country.
My intent was to see how the people in each country lived under the circumstances they faced. I was pleased to learn that post-independence, none of these countries had suffered civil war. Despite this, there was the issue of perceived one-party rule in at least two of the countries. This concerned me. In addition, the corruption ranking some of these countries had could hinder future development.
Sadly, the continued health challenge brought about by HIV/AIDS still impacts these countries to varying degrees. In at least one of the nations, this results in lower life expectancy. However, I was pleased to learn of higher school attendance and resultant strong literacy rates in these countries. Free schooling at the primary level is also a huge positive.
The economic standing of each of these countries was relatively strong, with none being considered third-world or breadbasket countries; however, ensuring that each person has a job, a home, and, in turn, a satisfactory standard of living remains an elusive goal. While the goods and services that provide a higher standard of living are present in these countries, more needs to be done.
He’s back! One of my favorite travel writers and master storytellers has a new collection of experiences and insights from his adventures in Gabon, Cameroon, and Namibia.
In his latest travel tome, Terry Lister invites readers to join him for not only unforgettable travel adventures, but also a look at how the people in each of these three countries live under their present circumstances. As in previous travel tomes, Lister does an excellent job of capturing not only the unique sites, sights, and tourist locations in each country, but he’s also a master at capturing the “feel” of each country – its people, food, culture, customs. Much more.
Indeed, Let’s Go deploys lively prose and vivid word pictures to capture the spirit of each country for armchair travelers and all others. Told with Lister’s trademark warmth and radiant You Are There style, this includes colorful descriptions of visits to museums, national parks, arboretums, and local flora and fauna. In Gabon, for example, Lister discover trees with “malaria solving” and antiseptic properties. Who knew? Also pickpockets and indoor markets in Cameroon. This country is also a leading exporter of timber products in Africa as well as cocoa, coffees, bananas, and “bush meat.” In Namibia we “listen in” for Lister’s first-hand accounts of interactions with some lively seals, observations on the oil extraction business, an attempt to climb a huge sand dune on a windy day, and cricket matches. Also “quiver trees” (think arrows).
In detailed, day-by-day accounts of his travels, Lister chronicles his “off the beaten path” adventures. This includes contending with language barriers, unreliable transportation, and lodging challenges. This book is packed with fascinating details about the cultures and custom of each country as well as ruminations on architecture, weather, geography, and food.
The history of each country is also explored. This includes trips to historic landmarks and monuments. Discussions of the devastating effects of poaching and the tenuous status of endangered animals are included. So are interactions with locals and observations made while walking, dining, riding in a taxi or bus, relaxing on a beach, or just out and about in town.
The author ably conveys his love of travel and visiting new countries in the vivacious and upbeat text as readers experience difference cultures and customs through his eyes. By the end of the book, Lister’s ebullient writing style and keen eye for detail will ensure you have “a great holiday with an opportunity to learn as well as play” in all three countries. So you might want to start packing, planning and getting ready to go NOW!
At around 100 pages, Let’s Go is a lithe and nimble read. You can read it in an afternoon. But this is not a book to be hurried. Or gulped down in a single sitting. It’s a thoughtful work that’s meant to be sipped and savored slowly, like fine wine. Indeed, readers are likely to return again and again for additional helpings of this finely crafted collection of “armchair travels” to Africa.
Excerpts from Lister’s other travel tomes are included. These include Travels in Senegal: The Land of Peace and Purpose, A New Day Dawns, The Gambia: The Smiling Coast, and Peace, Joy and Love: Christmas Across Africa.
Let's Go is a keeper! So I’d grab a copy now and start packing now ‘fize you.
My rating: 4.5