Travelling Sam
Registered user
The early 1990’s; a time of turmoil in Africa. The Congo had been battling with one vicious power struggle after another, and Algeria was being torn apart. Sudan, one of the largest countries in Africa, was fighting a never ending war in its southern regions and Ethiopia had been wracked by civil war for 20 years.
My first book ‘Into Africa’ takes you riding though this amazing continent at a time when perhaps sensible travellers would have elected to stay at home. I'm arrested 3 times, thrown in jail, and shot at twice. And experience several of the events that overlanders fear the most, and you should be warned about something. A quote from a reader 'This book has one of the most dramatic opening chapters of any travel book, ever.'
Besides all the dramas that happen to me as I ride from Cairo to Cape Town, I try to describe the landscapes, the people I meet and take you delving into the cultures of the 14 countries I ride.
The media have said ‘Sam Manicom is now established as one of the foremost and most readable adventure motorcyclists currently writing about their adventures on two wheels.' Chuffed with that!
‘Into Africa’ is available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle format. You can also find this book in Waterstones, Stanfords Bookshops and if you purchase directly from the website www.sam-manicom.com I'll will send you out signed and dedicated copies.
Adventure Rider Magazine say - 'A skyscraper-high stack of experiences. Full of vivid detail of the terrain, people, food and circumstances.'
And as a taster, here's an excerpt:
I've just made it through war torn Ethiopia to the border town with Kenya.
'Safu drove a shiny black vintage Cadillac, which he proudly told us he'd bought from Haile Sellassie's estate when the old Emperor had died. A row of bullet holes decorated its side. Apparently he'd collected these on his last attempt to make it up the road that we'd just ridden down! He'd been stuck at the border for days. Leaning down towards us with a pleasantly theatrical manner he said, 'A bus this very day was stopped and robbed. Its occupants were raped, mutilated and then killed.' His voice swelled with drama. 'Local people are on the rampage, it's difficult to stop them, the new government is out of control in the south so the people are getting rich and married.
This left me none the wiser. But Safu Baba explained; one of the major local tribes had a bloodthirsty marriage rite. To earn the right to get married, a young man must present proof of his manhood. Traditionally, this was done by killing a man from a neighbouring tribe and then presenting his victims genitals to the potential bride. 'With the loss of control in the south there are a lot of marriages going on', he said. 'And they don't care what colour the marriage gift is either.' With this comment he pointedly grinned at Mike and me...'
My first book ‘Into Africa’ takes you riding though this amazing continent at a time when perhaps sensible travellers would have elected to stay at home. I'm arrested 3 times, thrown in jail, and shot at twice. And experience several of the events that overlanders fear the most, and you should be warned about something. A quote from a reader 'This book has one of the most dramatic opening chapters of any travel book, ever.'
Besides all the dramas that happen to me as I ride from Cairo to Cape Town, I try to describe the landscapes, the people I meet and take you delving into the cultures of the 14 countries I ride.
The media have said ‘Sam Manicom is now established as one of the foremost and most readable adventure motorcyclists currently writing about their adventures on two wheels.' Chuffed with that!
‘Into Africa’ is available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle format. You can also find this book in Waterstones, Stanfords Bookshops and if you purchase directly from the website www.sam-manicom.com I'll will send you out signed and dedicated copies.
Adventure Rider Magazine say - 'A skyscraper-high stack of experiences. Full of vivid detail of the terrain, people, food and circumstances.'
And as a taster, here's an excerpt:
I've just made it through war torn Ethiopia to the border town with Kenya.
'Safu drove a shiny black vintage Cadillac, which he proudly told us he'd bought from Haile Sellassie's estate when the old Emperor had died. A row of bullet holes decorated its side. Apparently he'd collected these on his last attempt to make it up the road that we'd just ridden down! He'd been stuck at the border for days. Leaning down towards us with a pleasantly theatrical manner he said, 'A bus this very day was stopped and robbed. Its occupants were raped, mutilated and then killed.' His voice swelled with drama. 'Local people are on the rampage, it's difficult to stop them, the new government is out of control in the south so the people are getting rich and married.
This left me none the wiser. But Safu Baba explained; one of the major local tribes had a bloodthirsty marriage rite. To earn the right to get married, a young man must present proof of his manhood. Traditionally, this was done by killing a man from a neighbouring tribe and then presenting his victims genitals to the potential bride. 'With the loss of control in the south there are a lot of marriages going on', he said. 'And they don't care what colour the marriage gift is either.' With this comment he pointedly grinned at Mike and me...'
