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From Antarctica to Zimbabwe: How I Hit the Reset Button On My Life
Quinta was plodding through a successful but mundane career when she was relieved of her job. She took her newfound freedom and endless time as an opportunity to reinvent herself and rediscover joy in life. She packed her bags and embarked on a solo trip around the world. For three and a half months, she traveled to twenty three countries and all seven continents.
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe is the story of Quinta’s adventures as she made her way around the world. From camping in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, to walking cheetahs in Zambia, to surviving her ship hitting an iceberg in Antarctica, her experiences made her come alive and believe in herself again. This is a story of self-discovery and finding the courage to live the life we really want to.
- GenresTravelNonfiction
268 pages, Paperback
Published June 26, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 2, 2017
5 Star Review from Jack Magnus for Readers’ Favorite
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe is a non-fiction travel memoir written by Dr. Quinta. Quinta’s life had followed the professional career track expected by a child of Nigerian educators. She successfully pursued a doctorate in chemical engineering and was offered a career position in the petrochemical industry, following her success with the hiring company during her internship while in school. While she excelled at her job and took advantage of her vacation time to indulge her wanderlust, she knew something was lacking in her life. There was no spark, no excitement in her professional existence. Plus, there was the stress arising out of her knowledge that layoffs were coming, and that she would, at some point in the near future, be out of work. She had debated applying for another position in that field, but instead took her mentor’s advice to heart and waited for that layoff notice to arrive. When it did, she was struck by the feeling of freedom she was experiencing. It was, indeed, the first time that she was not under an obligation, either to her studies at school or her responsibilities at work. Her husband urged her to travel and take some time for herself, and that’s exactly what she did. Quinta mapped out a 23-country, 7-continent adventure that would keep her on the road for over three months. It was every bit the adventure she had hoped it would be, and it proved to be a life-changing experience.
Dr. Quinta’s non-fiction travel memoir, From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, is very likely the next best thing to actually taking that incredible globe-trekking journey for yourself. While most of us dream in terms of Jules Verne’s classic novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, Quinta, who loved reading that book as she was growing up, actually lived it. I marveled at the way she used her academically honed discipline to scientifically chart a successful, relatively affordable world tour, while leaving ample room for spontaneity and the occasional flirtation with serendipitous opportunities. The author is the consummate guide to each of the locations, which she describes in some detail in this memoir. She’s lavish with her appreciation for the cultures, kindness, and the scenic beauty of the places she visits, and she pulls no punches when discussing disappointments with food, service, or even a long-term friend who turned out to be a less-than-pleasant travelling companion. Quinta shares her experiences at each major stop on her trip and concludes each section with handy Tips for Travelers.
I’m particularly interested in travel memoirs about the polar regions and was most impressed with her Antarctic section and the photographs she includes from that part of her trip. I also loved her accounts of her desert adventures, especially her experiences with the sand dunes. Quinta’s photography, which is first-rate, works quite well with her eloquent and flowing narrative, making this travel memoir a truly memorable and inspirational armchair adventure. Wondering where in the world you’d like to visit sometime? From Antarctica to Zimbabwe gives the aspiring tourist a host of attractive options to consider. From Antarctica to Zimbabwe is most highly recommended.
From Antarctica to Zimbabwe is a non-fiction travel memoir written by Dr. Quinta. Quinta’s life had followed the professional career track expected by a child of Nigerian educators. She successfully pursued a doctorate in chemical engineering and was offered a career position in the petrochemical industry, following her success with the hiring company during her internship while in school. While she excelled at her job and took advantage of her vacation time to indulge her wanderlust, she knew something was lacking in her life. There was no spark, no excitement in her professional existence. Plus, there was the stress arising out of her knowledge that layoffs were coming, and that she would, at some point in the near future, be out of work. She had debated applying for another position in that field, but instead took her mentor’s advice to heart and waited for that layoff notice to arrive. When it did, she was struck by the feeling of freedom she was experiencing. It was, indeed, the first time that she was not under an obligation, either to her studies at school or her responsibilities at work. Her husband urged her to travel and take some time for herself, and that’s exactly what she did. Quinta mapped out a 23-country, 7-continent adventure that would keep her on the road for over three months. It was every bit the adventure she had hoped it would be, and it proved to be a life-changing experience.
Dr. Quinta’s non-fiction travel memoir, From Antarctica to Zimbabwe, is very likely the next best thing to actually taking that incredible globe-trekking journey for yourself. While most of us dream in terms of Jules Verne’s classic novel, Around the World in Eighty Days, Quinta, who loved reading that book as she was growing up, actually lived it. I marveled at the way she used her academically honed discipline to scientifically chart a successful, relatively affordable world tour, while leaving ample room for spontaneity and the occasional flirtation with serendipitous opportunities. The author is the consummate guide to each of the locations, which she describes in some detail in this memoir. She’s lavish with her appreciation for the cultures, kindness, and the scenic beauty of the places she visits, and she pulls no punches when discussing disappointments with food, service, or even a long-term friend who turned out to be a less-than-pleasant travelling companion. Quinta shares her experiences at each major stop on her trip and concludes each section with handy Tips for Travelers.
I’m particularly interested in travel memoirs about the polar regions and was most impressed with her Antarctic section and the photographs she includes from that part of her trip. I also loved her accounts of her desert adventures, especially her experiences with the sand dunes. Quinta’s photography, which is first-rate, works quite well with her eloquent and flowing narrative, making this travel memoir a truly memorable and inspirational armchair adventure. Wondering where in the world you’d like to visit sometime? From Antarctica to Zimbabwe gives the aspiring tourist a host of attractive options to consider. From Antarctica to Zimbabwe is most highly recommended.
October 2, 2025
The places in this book are amazing, and I have been lucky enough to go to several of them. Others are still on my wish list for after I get done with cancer. Some of the tips at the end of chapters would be useful to tourists who just want a flying visit and don't want to really experience anywhere, and also those with a very large budget since she stayed in expensive hotels and had tours and guides for everything. Oddly she made the point she was a traveller and not a tourist...I beg to differ. Travellers are in it to get to know the place and see the place properly, tourists only see the expensive fake versions of places. She states "one week is enough to spend in any one country". This is only true if you are Jules Verne, I can't name a single country where you can get a feel for the whole country in 1 week except perhaps Nauru (since it is only 21km2), but since she judges whole countries based on 1 small part of them, she is the one missing out.
This could have been a great book but unfortunately the author was awful and seems to have written the book mostly to promote how great she is and to throw her poor friend, Kibs, under the bus every few pages. The Dr included on a book cover for a book which is nothing to do with her qualifications should have clued me in. The fact she put all her travels on Instagram with photos of herself almost exclusively, and mentioning constantly how men were hitting on her, she's size 3 etc, rather than the people she met and the places she saw, was another warning of how shallow she is. She also keeps going on about how much money she spends on others and how great she is. At one point she says she prefers breadth of experience to depth of culture.....that pretty much sums her up. She says at one point "I chose my battles and went with the flow" yet that is not what came across at all. everything had to be what she wanted and when she wanted. She complains about the food almost everywhere, she throws the whole of Europe under the bus based on 1 or 2 experiences, she states that the accommodation in Zimbabwe was "not up to my standards", hotel rooms in Europe and Hong Kong were too small, and the houses of the people she descended on (who she didn't know personally) in Trinidad and Canada were described in horrid terms. She complains about others Dune Bashing in Namibia and disturbing the peace, then does it herself in Dubai.
As for her poor friend Kibs....every couple of pages she was complaining about Kibs' behaviour or Kibs not smiling. Kibs comes into the story right at the start as she is in Canada helping a friend who has cancer....All the Author does is complain about her attitude, say she is rubbish at her job (travel agent) and complain about the poor woman's house. Then when Kibs isn't answering all her messages after she tells her she has a bad attitude she complains more, yet still goes to stay with her in South Africa and bludge free accommodation. In the end Kibs goes on a bit of the trip with her (all her choices, not what Kibs chooses) and tries to help set things up. The author complains more about how rubbish she is at her job then gets angry that Kibs is on the phone trying to sort a hire car for them. She gets angry Kibs asks how long she will be at the embassy in SA after waiting several hours outside, she was the one who didn't check she had enough pages in her passport before she left. Then she has a go at Kibs, Kibs says sorry, and she ghosts and blocks her in response and says she is "too patient with people". I feel dreadfully sorry for poor Kibs! Not once did the author ask her what was wrong or care how she felt, just ghosted her (a friend since childhood) then wrote a book throwing her under a bus. A truly unforgivable thing to do. With friends like her who needs enemies?
In addition to all of the above she clearly hasn't done her research and has made a lot of factual errors. I don't know everything, but I have travelled a fair bit and do know some history so if I can pick up this many errors, I dread to think how many a real fact checker would find. The first issue I saw was Marmite. Marmite is originally British as of 1902. Yes NZ makes a version of it (Sanitarium) and has done since 1919 but it is not the same at all and not the original. The next issue was the most lazy and egregious one in the whole book. She described herself as being like the explorers Earnest Shackleton, Walter Scott and Robert Falcon.....Walter Scott possibly she is and equal explorer to him since he is a writer and poet not an explorer. At least get the names right, Walter Raleigh and Robert Falcon Scott. Then she complains that Stonehenge was built 5000 years ago based on bones found there and she doesn't believe it.....actually built in several stages from 5000 to 3500 years ago. Next she claims Bloukrans Bridge (216m) bungee jump is the highest in the world, nope it is 5th highest behind Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (260m), Macau Tower (233m), Kushma Bridge (228m) and Contra Dam (220m). Next she claims that a quagga is an extinct species...it is not a species but a subspecies of Zebra. The last major error I saw was that she claimed that Namibia had the highest sand dune in the world. Again nope it has the 4th highest. Duna Frederico Kirbus is highest at 1230m, Cerro Blanco 824m next, then Badain Jaran 480m and then Namibia dune 7 at 383m. Lazy, lazy author.
The most insane comment is her complaining about food in Italy because she doesn't like cheese!!!!
OK rant over. This book made me furious mostly because of how she spoke about other people, even those who were meant to be her friends, and that made me more observant and wary of everything else she wrote.
This could have been a great book but unfortunately the author was awful and seems to have written the book mostly to promote how great she is and to throw her poor friend, Kibs, under the bus every few pages. The Dr included on a book cover for a book which is nothing to do with her qualifications should have clued me in. The fact she put all her travels on Instagram with photos of herself almost exclusively, and mentioning constantly how men were hitting on her, she's size 3 etc, rather than the people she met and the places she saw, was another warning of how shallow she is. She also keeps going on about how much money she spends on others and how great she is. At one point she says she prefers breadth of experience to depth of culture.....that pretty much sums her up. She says at one point "I chose my battles and went with the flow" yet that is not what came across at all. everything had to be what she wanted and when she wanted. She complains about the food almost everywhere, she throws the whole of Europe under the bus based on 1 or 2 experiences, she states that the accommodation in Zimbabwe was "not up to my standards", hotel rooms in Europe and Hong Kong were too small, and the houses of the people she descended on (who she didn't know personally) in Trinidad and Canada were described in horrid terms. She complains about others Dune Bashing in Namibia and disturbing the peace, then does it herself in Dubai.
As for her poor friend Kibs....every couple of pages she was complaining about Kibs' behaviour or Kibs not smiling. Kibs comes into the story right at the start as she is in Canada helping a friend who has cancer....All the Author does is complain about her attitude, say she is rubbish at her job (travel agent) and complain about the poor woman's house. Then when Kibs isn't answering all her messages after she tells her she has a bad attitude she complains more, yet still goes to stay with her in South Africa and bludge free accommodation. In the end Kibs goes on a bit of the trip with her (all her choices, not what Kibs chooses) and tries to help set things up. The author complains more about how rubbish she is at her job then gets angry that Kibs is on the phone trying to sort a hire car for them. She gets angry Kibs asks how long she will be at the embassy in SA after waiting several hours outside, she was the one who didn't check she had enough pages in her passport before she left. Then she has a go at Kibs, Kibs says sorry, and she ghosts and blocks her in response and says she is "too patient with people". I feel dreadfully sorry for poor Kibs! Not once did the author ask her what was wrong or care how she felt, just ghosted her (a friend since childhood) then wrote a book throwing her under a bus. A truly unforgivable thing to do. With friends like her who needs enemies?
In addition to all of the above she clearly hasn't done her research and has made a lot of factual errors. I don't know everything, but I have travelled a fair bit and do know some history so if I can pick up this many errors, I dread to think how many a real fact checker would find. The first issue I saw was Marmite. Marmite is originally British as of 1902. Yes NZ makes a version of it (Sanitarium) and has done since 1919 but it is not the same at all and not the original. The next issue was the most lazy and egregious one in the whole book. She described herself as being like the explorers Earnest Shackleton, Walter Scott and Robert Falcon.....Walter Scott possibly she is and equal explorer to him since he is a writer and poet not an explorer. At least get the names right, Walter Raleigh and Robert Falcon Scott. Then she complains that Stonehenge was built 5000 years ago based on bones found there and she doesn't believe it.....actually built in several stages from 5000 to 3500 years ago. Next she claims Bloukrans Bridge (216m) bungee jump is the highest in the world, nope it is 5th highest behind Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon (260m), Macau Tower (233m), Kushma Bridge (228m) and Contra Dam (220m). Next she claims that a quagga is an extinct species...it is not a species but a subspecies of Zebra. The last major error I saw was that she claimed that Namibia had the highest sand dune in the world. Again nope it has the 4th highest. Duna Frederico Kirbus is highest at 1230m, Cerro Blanco 824m next, then Badain Jaran 480m and then Namibia dune 7 at 383m. Lazy, lazy author.
The most insane comment is her complaining about food in Italy because she doesn't like cheese!!!!
OK rant over. This book made me furious mostly because of how she spoke about other people, even those who were meant to be her friends, and that made me more observant and wary of everything else she wrote.
January 21, 2018
I got the pleasure of reading this book by winning it in a giveaway. I was excited to hear about the author's travels all around the world. I really enjoyed that each location visited had its own section in the book, that the stories were really honest, and that pictures were included. It was neat too, how the author put travel tips at the end of each section. I did find some of the stories to be more negative or complain-y which didn't sit as well with me. I had expected the attitude to be cheery throughout the whole book.
August 31, 2018
Not as fun as the cover picture suggests, and I found the author sometimes not as open-minded as I expected from a traveler - sometimes she was even plain ignorant, which is not a big deal per se, but she often moved on without demonstrating a genuine curiosity, or an inclination to curtail that ignorance.
Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the stories told in this book. I definitely want to visit some of the places she described after reading the book.
Plus, it was a very straightforward and an easy read. The tips add a real value to her tales.
Nonetheless, I quite enjoyed the stories told in this book. I definitely want to visit some of the places she described after reading the book.
Plus, it was a very straightforward and an easy read. The tips add a real value to her tales.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews