Words by: Steve Phillips
Review – Into Africa – Sam Manicom
ISBN 1-41205498-2
Publisher: Trafford
Have you ever had the urge to give up your job and go traveling for a year on a motorbike which you have only just learnt to ride? Sam Manicom did, he had invested heavily into his career, the eternal rat race to get to the top of the pile. When it was evident that the top job was not going to be he decided to do a trip down Africa instead.
I'm not sure when he did the trip, but suspect it was in the mid to late 90's. He has played down his achievements, and was eventually persuaded to write 'Into Africa'.
When I was asked to review the book, I did think that it was going to be a one man version of Ewan Macgregor and Charlie Borman's 'Long Way Down'. I have their book but haven't read it yet, so cannot compare them. I did however watch the BBC series and was disappointed. Surely an adventure couldn't be told any better than by the Beeb, with its large professional resources and executed by celebrities?
I'm not much of a reader and did have some concerns about getting through it. I needn't have worried though; I was quickly immersed in the adventures. I felt like I was around a camp fire and Sam was reliving some of his experiences.
After reading the first chapter, I did wonder if I had missed a lot of the story. It starts well over half way into his trip. Did I have volume II of the book? No, the adventure starts with a bang, literally. He is jailed for knocking down an elderly pedestrian. The story is told such that you feel like you were on the scene; it typifies what goes on in this part of the world. Even though I have lived on the continent for nearly 40 years and have heard and experienced many amazing sagas, I found this to be incredible.
We are then taken back to Greece, the start of the interesting stories. Missing the boat, the lackadaisical attitude of officials, and the cacophony of sounds at the quay side, when loading the bike onto the ferries, are some of the incidents that pepper the early part of the adventure.
The preparation is understated, allowing the reader to think that this guy went haring off into the sunset unprepared. It's only when he meets fellow travellers and tells of their relative lack of preparation, that we get an inkling that he has done a lot of research.
I was to make several trips back to the camp fire, reading two chapters a day, trying to keep in mind it took a year to do the trip and I was racing through it in a week or so.
We are introduced to various people during the trip; some were there for a long time and others for a few days. Each had a contribution to the adventures and was not a gratuitous addition. I could not help but think that some hung around because of the hope of a financial recompense, and was pleasantly surprised to read that no bribes were paid. I'm sure you all know of stories of money being the grease in African bureaucratic cogs.
Mind you thinking of the various tight spots I have found myself in over the years at boarder posts, at road blocks and particularly at gun point outside the Robert Mugabe's House (the Zimbabwean President), I have managed to negotiate my way out without having to pay in spite of it being asked or it being demanded. Africa is infectious and anyone who has spent any length of time there gets bitten, or should that be smitten by the continent and gets into your blood, so to speak. Given half a chance so can many other things. In spite of taking his tablets, Sam landed up with Malaria. He was also very aware of HIV and AIDS in a time when it was not 'fashionable' to be.
As if being in the back end of nowhere wasn't rural enough, our intrepid traveller goes in search of what must be one of the most remote places imaginable. Impassable even on 'Libby', his BMW R80 GS 'parks' her in the bushes and walks the rest of the way. It's possibly the seeming 'insanity' or total improbability that makes this book compelling reading, even to a seasoned 'African'. The bike got the name Liberty because of the freedom it gave it's owner, the name was shortened to Libby
True nuggets add to the stories, some I have experienced first hand which gave me ‘the been there and done it’ warm feeling. One such situation was at a foot and mouth check point, everything but the soles of his boots were sprayed, probably one of the most important places to spray!
The bike was pretty reliable, just as well. There are no dealers you can pop into. Repairs were performed by ‘road side’ mechanics creating parts from what could be found lying around. No backup crews on this trip. There were however problems and these were usually dealt with by Sam or a fellow biker, but there were not too many, including a puncture, a faulty speedo from new and some electrical gremlins.
A truly heartbreaking moment for any tourist is when you get your pictures developed (pre digital) and find they have been destroyed. Memories of four countries were ruined.
A wipe-out in Namibia nearly ends not only the trip but also his life, had it not been for passing tourists. This had him in hospital for a while and off the bike for a lot longer. Instead of arriving in South Africa on his bike, it was a VW Beetle that did the honours. Libby arrived in a different city aboard a 14 wheel truck, on her way to BMW to be repaired. The adventures continued on 4 wheels whilst the bones and the bike were being repaired.
A year after starting out, the trip finishes with our adventurer aboard a ship bound for Australia. Actually only the Africa leg of the trip ends, he goes on to conquer a few more continents. These adventures continue in another book, 'Under Asian Skies'.
Well could a story be told better than by Auntie Beeb?
This is a different adventure through much the same area and over a much longer period of time. The 'slow brew' definitely gives a far richer story. This sort of riding does not appeal to me, preferring tarmac touring, but I enjoyed this book very much. To answer my question though, I think it was a better story. Give it a read and see what you think.
Footnote:
Beeb and Auntie Beeb are references to the BBC (just in case I'm old fashioned and folk don't know theses terms)
Into Africa is available from www.sam-manicom.com Amazon and all good book stores.
The new edition is out and this time it has colour pics and a brand new cover. Also - the ISBN number is new with the second edition. It's now 978-0-9556573-1-3.
Sam Manicom will be book signing on the Traveldri-Plus stand at the BMF between the 16th and 18th May.
