Geoff Crowther (1944–2021)

Lonely Planet Africa on a Shoestring by Kevin Anglin and others is a survey of African countries for tourists wishing to travel to this continent. The book covers North Africa e.g. Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco; West Africa e.g. Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone; Central Africa e.g. Central African Republic, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon; and East Africa e.g. Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and many more countries. This travel guide informs the visitor when to go, about tailored trips, costs, and conduct while on such a trip. What follows are guidelines visitors should bear in mind while in these countries:
• Do your research and learn about your African country’s native background - their husbands, wives, friends, and neighbors. Find out about their origins, customs, and languages.
• Be sure to visit the places of interest. Interact with Africans at festivals, bazaars, fairs, and in community groups.
• Engage Africans in conversation - remembering that communication is essential, by being sensitive to their verbal and nonverbal language.
• It’s necessary to treat Africans and their culture with respect, and try not to denigrate them. You’ve to learn more about their country.
• By exploring the nature of the African country’s educational system, meet with support groups, pay attention to similarities, and differences to that of your country.
• Be sensitive to African religious differences. Try to be open-minded about their faith traditions, e.g., Indigenous, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc.
• Avoid condescending and derogatory remarks. Focus on your visit by emphasizing what’s important. Take the high road.
• Be accepting of the ways African natives view themselves, and don’t make judgments based on your own background.
• Respect an African culture’s festivities, ceremonies, and rights of passages by accepting its strengths, but not being hung up on weaknesses.
• Be cognizant of African foods and dress. Try understanding how they are part of the mainstream of their culture.
• With the images of natives portrayed in the foreign media, endeavor to know more about the geography of their country, or region. Separate sensationalism from reality.
• As opportunities arise while traveling learn firsthand what other African societies are like. It’s best to learn about their culture in its own environment.… (meer)