Lois on the loose

Here's a book I'm currently reading, written by an English woman who tackled Africa from top to bottom on her motorbike. She's got a typically British sense of humor which makes it a very funny read.

Lois Pryce - Red Tape And White Knuckles

Lois did not take any form of GPS equipment, or satellite phone or any gadgets. She relied only on a compass and a stack of maps to get through some of the most uncharted territory on the continent. Lois' route took her through places like Tunisia, Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon and Congo.

She also crossed the Sahara desert, which is quite an extreme journey even in a car. She camped most nights under the stars.

It's interesting that she arrived in the tropics in late December, during the rainy season when mud becomes a problem. I guess there was no choice if the desert crossing was to be done during the winter months.

The book's title is "Red tape and white knuckles", which pretty much describes the bureaucratic nightmare she experiences dealing with embassies, border posts and checkpoints. On top of that, she has to deal with the conservative Arabic countries where a white woman riding a motorbike alone actually gets her in trouble with the authorities.

This book puts my mind at ease in several ways. We're going to be riding through a comparatively visa-free region which is far more developed. At the same time, I do feel like we should try get some more "hardcore" countries under the belt. How about Angola?