Mzungu: African Travel Diaries 1979–81

by David Carr

When David Carr reads his African travel diaries 42 years after writing them, he’s shocked at the risks he’d taken but also rather proud. In two years he’d traversed Africa south to north, surviving multiple police arrests, an encounter with gorillas, political violence, serious illness and residence in a house of venomous snakes. So Mzungu is a story about the bravado of youth. Who else but a 23-year-old would masquerade as a journalist to witness a corrupt and violent election in post-Idi Amin’s Uganda?

417 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2024

Reviews

[Jill Robbertze]

I was looking forward to reading this Travel Memoir. I was born in, and lived in South Africa during and after Apartheid and I have visited a few other countries in Africa so this had a special appeal for me and it didn't disappoint. I loved the Diary format and David's candid fast paced writing. I found myself spending some extra time on Google browsing maps and looking at images. I vaguely remember some of the historical events of the time so this refreshed my memory. Sadly so many of the problems that David encountered in Africa back then, still persist. A very interesting read.

[Valerie Poore]

I won a prize in a draw and chose this book, which appealed to me because the author had done something I wished I'd done too. It is a journal of David Carr's travels through Africa where he arrived on a ship from Australia in 1979 as a friendly, open-minded 23 year-old. Making his way north from Durban he travels by road, rail and boat (and often on foot too) through the awful entitlement and inhumanity of apartheid South Africa, the brutality of civil-war ravaged Rhodesia and beyond into Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda where he had to live by his wits and on the kindness of both locals and fellow travellers. His adventures in all these countries had me astonished he survived, especially in Uganda. But then he went still further onto more jaw-dropping experiences as he struggled his way north.

I was completely riveted by David's ability to take risks but avoid the worst Africa could have dealt him, and I can only conclude it was his genuine good nature and friendliness to all he met, regardless of status in life, that got him all the way to Algiers. My only regret is that the journal ended rather suddenly. I'd have liked something like an epilogue that wrapped up this episode of his life, maybe from his later-life perspective. Perhaps one day he'll write a 'what happened next' sequel. Here's hoping! Anyway, for all Africa lovers, I'd highly recommend reading this book.

[Carolyn]

Quite interesting but a little long-winded in places

[Linda Ann Foster]

Mzungu caught my eye to read as I am a Mzungu in Africa. I like the diary format, with David recording events closely to when they occurred. David was certainly bold in his travels & exploits on this continent. I looked up on Google maps the places he visited, as I read, to appreciate the scale of his endeavours. There’s so much geography to explore throughout. Great descriptions of Zambia, among many. David details the politics & history too, particularly in Uganda. There are so many things that happen on this continent when our go to comment is TIA = This Is Africa! Mzungu is full of such happenings, most of which are bizarre, ‘bonkers’, hilarious, and/or totally inexplicable! Enjoy the ride/read