Well, the dream is over and the adventure is nothing but a memory. I'm back home in Australia, it's about nine degrees, and I can't help wishing that I was still exploring strange lands on the other side of the world. My two months travelling through the Dark Continent have come and gone, and the … Continue reading Reflections on Africa
Since the dawn of time, it has been written in the stars that I will achieve something great, and that is seeing all of the Big Five game animals. I crossed three of them - the African lion, African elephant, and Cape buffalo - off my list in Addo, and sighted a black rhino during … Continue reading Spotting a leopard
Horror movies are massively popular in South Africa (what better way to get your mind off the everyday atrocities of murder and rape than by watching a film filled with murder and rape?), so it's not surprising they named their biggest and best national park after world famous scary movie icon Freddy Krueger. Nah, just … Continue reading On the trail of the Big Five
I've been an admirer of Hollywood heartthrob Patrick Swayze for decades, and was crushed when he was tragically killed during a breakdancing competition several years ago. So when I discovered that there's an entire country where Swayze fans congregate, I hopped in my 1965 Buick Rivier, blasted the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, and headed over to … Continue reading Patrick Swaziland
I've stayed in some fucking great backpacker hostels over the years. A good hostel is the perfect place to get pissed, meet some cool people, and maybe cop a handy off a Dutch chick when everyone else in the dorm has gone to sleep (or is listening intently and masturbating silently). The hostel I stayed … Continue reading The One Man Backpackers Hostel
I've met some wonderful people during my world travels, and more than my share of complete nutters. There was Henry, the homosexual pensioner with full-face tattoos who I met in Samoa. Stavros, the pizza-crazed Slav who I saved from certain death in Hobart. And who could forget the pleasant chap who I saw giving a dog a bone in Guilin? … Continue reading It’s a Rudi-ful Day
The day starts early in Semonkong, with doneys and goats and sheep and people bubbling out into what passes for streets as soon as the sun peeks over the mountains. I was up at sparrow's to catch the sunrise, then made the most of my early start by heading out into the wilderness to explore … Continue reading The Kingdom in the Sky
Lesotho is known for three things. 1) Being the highest country in the world, with every scrap of land above 1400 metres. 2) Having the highest rate of AIDS on the planet, with around 45 per cent of the locals suffering from the nasty disease. 3) Being the only nation to have a name that … Continue reading Lesotho is remote, oh!
I would've loved to stay in Hogsback for the rest of my life and become a tree-hugging hippie, but when a rancid strain of flu swept through my hostel and people started dropping like flies, I knew it was time to get out of there. I've spent a lot of time on the coast, so … Continue reading Running to Lesotho
I've been told that Hogsback draws people to it, that the mountain has a soul and personality of its own, and that certainly seems to be the case. A South African girl I met told me to come to this tiny village in the Eastern Cape hills, and I'm so glad I followed her advice. … Continue reading Hog Wild! Hogsback is the best place you’ve never heard of!
The Drunk and Jobless World Tour 