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Going Home to Africa: The Adventure of a Lifetime
Why would a 60-year-old woman make the radical decision to leave her life in Europe and drive solo through West and Central Africa in a 20-year-old van, to return to her homeland of Zimbabwe?Now you can follow Dot Bekker's extraordinary journey as she describes the ups and downs she faced over the course of her grand the countries, the people, insane traffic, corrupt borders, marriage proposals, perilous potholes and good old Africa Roadside Assistance. This fascinating journal also highlights the varied landscapes and cultural history of Africa that Dot discovered along the way, the strange, funny and sometimes terrifying situations she encountered, and the numerous challenges that she and BlueBelle endured – all the while navigating her own personal internal journey. There is an adventure on every page. 20,000km ~ 18 African countries ~ 8½ monthsWINNER 2019/20: Most Inspiring Guest - Global Travel Channel
489 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2021
17 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Dot Bekker
1 book4 followersDot Bekker was born and raised in Bulawayo in the south-west of Zimbabwe. After thirty-eight years away — the last twenty of those in Europe — she decided to return to the country of her birth; however instead of flying home like everyone else, she chose to drive on her own through West Africa.
Now you can follow Dot’s extraordinary 20,000km adventure in her first book, Going Home to Africa, where she describes the ups and downs she faced over the course of her grand expedition: the countries, the people, insane traffic, corrupt borders, marriage proposals, perilous potholes and good old Africa Roadside Assistance.
Her fascinating journal also highlights the varied landscapes and cultural history of Africa that she discovered along the way, the strange, funny and sometimes terrifying situations that she encountered, and the numerous challenges that she and BlueBelle endured – all the while navigating her own personal internal journey.
Since her return to Bulawayo, Dot has been tirelessly seeking ways to improve the future for rural communities in Zimbabwe. Her twenty years of business coaching experience is helping to enhance their traditional lifestyle with 21st Century technology in order to actively encourage sustainable development, while another of her passions is giving vulnerable and disadvantaged girls access to education, to which end she created the non-profit organisation, Kusasa. She very much believes that making progress in the gender equality/equity agenda through education is vital for her country.
She is also already working on the sequel to Going Home in Africa, which will detail the experience of returning to her homeland and the many joys and challenges she has faced since her return.
Feel free to contact Dot about any of her projects at dot@goinghometoafrica.com.
Now you can follow Dot’s extraordinary 20,000km adventure in her first book, Going Home to Africa, where she describes the ups and downs she faced over the course of her grand expedition: the countries, the people, insane traffic, corrupt borders, marriage proposals, perilous potholes and good old Africa Roadside Assistance.
Her fascinating journal also highlights the varied landscapes and cultural history of Africa that she discovered along the way, the strange, funny and sometimes terrifying situations that she encountered, and the numerous challenges that she and BlueBelle endured – all the while navigating her own personal internal journey.
Since her return to Bulawayo, Dot has been tirelessly seeking ways to improve the future for rural communities in Zimbabwe. Her twenty years of business coaching experience is helping to enhance their traditional lifestyle with 21st Century technology in order to actively encourage sustainable development, while another of her passions is giving vulnerable and disadvantaged girls access to education, to which end she created the non-profit organisation, Kusasa. She very much believes that making progress in the gender equality/equity agenda through education is vital for her country.
She is also already working on the sequel to Going Home in Africa, which will detail the experience of returning to her homeland and the many joys and challenges she has faced since her return.
Feel free to contact Dot about any of her projects at dot@goinghometoafrica.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 3, 2021
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I found it inspiring and fascinating and loved Dot's honesty and humour that threads all her amazing adventures together. As an ex Zimbabwean who pines for home, this book held special meaning for me. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
October 13, 2021
If you have ever thought about travelling across Africa under your own steam, then I would recommend that you read Dot Bekker's account of her own journey to get a detailed and honest view of all that that would entail. Not only would it give you an overview of the vastness of the journey you would potentially be undertaking, it would also give you hints on what to expect, road conditions, how to handle checkpoints, internet sites, Facebook connections, camping sites, places to avoid, SIMs, etc.
It really is a record of Dot's endeavours from putting her initial idea into action to her arrival at her destination and it has as many ups and downs in it as a badly managed African road! However, unlike Dot, I never felt stuck in her narrative (as she often did in the sand), as I found it fascinating.
There is no doubt that Dot Bekker is a formidable woman, although I think she would modestly refute this, and her undertaking to travel on a long and arduous journey on her own is a brave one. Africa has a reputation of being a continent filled with problems: poverty, violence, corruption. To an extent, Dot encounters all of these on her travels. She is suspicious of people but not unwilling to trust and is essentially living on her wits a lot of the time. However, what she also finds and this is what needs to be taken from her book is the generosity of the African people; their friendliness; their ingenuity in the face of problems; and ultimately, their humanity. There are strangers willing to help, whether digging her out if she got stuck to helping her navigate through difficult roads to offering her a bed for the night. Dot presents a balanced picture of Africa's strengths and pitfalls but on reading, one gets an overwhelming sense of the love that she has for the place.
Dot's style is detailed but filled with humour throughout. You sense her exasperation at the strange bureaucracy with which she has to deal and there are many moments where I cringed at the way that she is approached by officials. But Dot is a gutsy woman, standing up for herself with a sense of rightness, even when faced with men carrying automatic weapons.
Put simply, what I got from reading this book is this: it is a great read.
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC. This review is a true and fair representation of my opinion of the book.
It really is a record of Dot's endeavours from putting her initial idea into action to her arrival at her destination and it has as many ups and downs in it as a badly managed African road! However, unlike Dot, I never felt stuck in her narrative (as she often did in the sand), as I found it fascinating.
There is no doubt that Dot Bekker is a formidable woman, although I think she would modestly refute this, and her undertaking to travel on a long and arduous journey on her own is a brave one. Africa has a reputation of being a continent filled with problems: poverty, violence, corruption. To an extent, Dot encounters all of these on her travels. She is suspicious of people but not unwilling to trust and is essentially living on her wits a lot of the time. However, what she also finds and this is what needs to be taken from her book is the generosity of the African people; their friendliness; their ingenuity in the face of problems; and ultimately, their humanity. There are strangers willing to help, whether digging her out if she got stuck to helping her navigate through difficult roads to offering her a bed for the night. Dot presents a balanced picture of Africa's strengths and pitfalls but on reading, one gets an overwhelming sense of the love that she has for the place.
Dot's style is detailed but filled with humour throughout. You sense her exasperation at the strange bureaucracy with which she has to deal and there are many moments where I cringed at the way that she is approached by officials. But Dot is a gutsy woman, standing up for herself with a sense of rightness, even when faced with men carrying automatic weapons.
Put simply, what I got from reading this book is this: it is a great read.
This review was first published on Reedsy Discovery where I was privileged to read it as an ARC. This review is a true and fair representation of my opinion of the book.
July 28, 2021
I loved reading this book which I found very inspiring. I often felt like I was accompanying Dot on her journey. I got to learn so much about Africa, a part of the world which is not much talked about. I'm looking forward to the next book.
January 5, 2022
Going Home To Africa by Dot Bekker
Thoroughly enjoyed this highly entertaining and well detailed story of Dot’s journey home to Zimbabwe. She is obviously a very courageous and determined woman and I admire her frank descriptions of her dealings with, at times, none too helpful border officials. Her passion for Africa and its people comes shining through on every page.
As one who did a somewhat similar overland trip, albeit over 50 years ago now and to Europe from Zambia, in a VW Kombi, up the east coast instead of the west, this book was a real treat and brought back so many happy memories.
Well done Dot!
Thoroughly enjoyed this highly entertaining and well detailed story of Dot’s journey home to Zimbabwe. She is obviously a very courageous and determined woman and I admire her frank descriptions of her dealings with, at times, none too helpful border officials. Her passion for Africa and its people comes shining through on every page.
As one who did a somewhat similar overland trip, albeit over 50 years ago now and to Europe from Zambia, in a VW Kombi, up the east coast instead of the west, this book was a real treat and brought back so many happy memories.
Well done Dot!
June 30, 2022
A great example of what self determination can do! This book takes us on a journey across Africa but also give us an insight on how the little things can make a difference in our lives.
September 23, 2021
If you're interested in overlanding to Africa, this book gives you an in-depth reality check! And she was 60 years young when she made the 9 month journey in 2018-2019!! Good on ya Dot!!
August 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this read! Casually written with humor and honesty you cannot but admire this womans drive and determination to complete this journey. The best is how she emerged at the end of the adventure confidant and content having left the past behind her and in doing so she grew and developed as a person - a very special personal story - I loved it !
February 14, 2024
Inspiring story.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews