Leiv

Hi,
next august I wanna go to Africa for a 2 week travel, I've never been there
(except Madagascar), so I want to try an african country, I wanted to go to
Togo and Benin, but
http://www.dfae.diplomatie.fr/voyage...s/default2.asp
discouraged me for security reasons...
Which country would you recommend me?
here are my requerements :

- Safe country is a must (according the page above)
- French spoken country
- Friendly people

Thanks a lot

.

Jean-Marc V. Liotier

On Thu, 03 Apr 2003 19:04:47 +0000, Leiv wrote:

    > next august I wanna go to Africa for a 2 week travel, I've never been
    > there (except Madagascar), so I want to try an african country, I wanted
    > to go to Togo and Benin, but
    > http://www.dfae.diplomatie.fr/voyage...s/default2.asp
    > discouraged me for security reasons...

The French ministry of foreign affairs advice for Togo and Benin basically
boils down to this : "you're in Africa man, don't be stupid and show off
your wealth like a stupid expat and everything will be fine. Otherwise,
expect trouble".

If you travel as a scruffy backpacker and keep your vigilance and street
smarts at all times, you will be fine. If you stroll downtown in a nice
suit after dark like you were in Paris, expect some serious trouble :
display of wealth, darkness and a big cities are the three most important
factors of risk. It is the same everywhere in Africa, although places such
as Nairobi or Abidjan among others are much more violent than the rest. On
the other hand, 99.5% of the people are amazingly nice. Just keep in mind
that there is 0.5% who are just waiting for you to be stupid.

All ministries of foreign affairs in the world are trying to cover their
asses. By painting things in a prudently pessimistic light, they make sure
that those who still decide to go know what they are doing. If some who
don't know what they are doing still decide to go, they are able to say "I
told you so, it's not my fault". So take their advice with a
heavy grain of salt. That said, if you know how to read it it is still
excellent advice. Just keep things in perspective and remember that
endemic petty theft at night and in big cities is a very normal situation
in Africa, and not so unusual in other parts of the world.

Don't be discouraged by people who tell you not to go : go and see for
yourself, that's what travel is about !

Tashi

Good health and high spirits! I agree with Jean-Marc.
If you want a really good first time experience, why not try Burkina
Fasu.... Ouagadougo and BoBodilasi (sp) are very entertaining places.
Burkina has a good mixture of Christianity, Muslim and Animistic religion
with none predominating the other.
With the exceptions of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria all other
countries in the North West and West are French.
Mali is very good to visit if your into backpacking.... good culture(dogon)
tombouktu, the majority is Muslim in the north and the climate is more
drier.
I just returned from a 2 month adventure 2 weeks in Haiti, 2 in Moroc, 2 in
Mali and 2 in Burkina Fasu. The one I enjoyed the most was Burkina.

p.s.Madagascar is and African country
Tashi


"Jean-Marc V. Liotier" wrote in message
news[email protected]...
    > On Thu, 03 Apr 2003 19:04:47 +0000, Leiv wrote:
    > > next august I wanna go to Africa for a 2 week travel, I've never been
    > > there (except Madagascar), so I want to try an african country, I wanted
    > > to go to Togo and Benin, but
    > >
http://www.dfae.diplomatie.fr/voyage...s/default2.asp
    > > discouraged me for security reasons...
    > The French ministry of foreign affairs advice for Togo and Benin basically
    > boils down to this : "you're in Africa man, don't be stupid and show off
    > your wealth like a stupid expat and everything will be fine. Otherwise,
    > expect trouble".
    > If you travel as a scruffy backpacker and keep your vigilance and street
    > smarts at all times, you will be fine. If you stroll downtown in a nice
    > suit after dark like you were in Paris, expect some serious trouble :
    > display of wealth, darkness and a big cities are the three most important
    > factors of risk. It is the same everywhere in Africa, although places such
    > as Nairobi or Abidjan among others are much more violent than the rest. On
    > the other hand, 99.5% of the people are amazingly nice. Just keep in mind
    > that there is 0.5% who are just waiting for you to be stupid.
    > All ministries of foreign affairs in the world are trying to cover their
    > asses. By painting things in a prudently pessimistic light, they make sure
    > that those who still decide to go know what they are doing. If some who
    > don't know what they are doing still decide to go, they are able to say "I
    > told you so, it's not my fault". So take their advice with a
    > heavy grain of salt. That said, if you know how to read it it is still
    > excellent advice. Just keep things in perspective and remember that
    > endemic petty theft at night and in big cities is a very normal situation
    > in Africa, and not so unusual in other parts of the world.
    > Don't be discouraged by people who tell you not to go : go and see for
    > yourself, that's what travel is about !

A.Spencer3

Tashi wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > > With the exceptions of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria all
other
    > countries in the North West and West are French.

Er ... Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea?

Surreyman

Tom

In article ,
a.spencer3 writes
    >Tashi wrote in message
    >news:[email protected]...
    >> > With the exceptions of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria all
    >other
    >> countries in the North West and West are French.
    >Er ... Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Equatorial Guinea?
    >Surreyman
Senegal. Gambians tend to speak English.
--
tom