Chapter Excerpt - Author's Foreword

The Book - Tro-tros and Potholes

Taking this trip to West Africa in 2001 was, in essence, an attempt for me to get back in touch with my roots, albeit not in quite the Haley-esque sort of way that might first spring to mind. Getting away from the consumer society in which I lived and worked, and back to the places and things that made my adrenalin rush and my creativity flow, was the goal.

Traditionally, the places that have provided the greatest respite for me are the places least travelled by other tourists. That’s not to say that I don’t like beach resorts, I just like beach resorts of the type where you might happen upon another being, and you might not; where the fanciest, most done-up restaurant is the thatched-roof place that gives you napkins so you don’t have to wipe your hands on your shorts. North America, Europe and the Middle East, I think, have seen enough of me for a while. I’ve sampled parts of Australia, Southeast Asia, and Central and South America, and definitely want to go back for more. The continent that has topped my list, though, in terms of “getting away from it all,” is Africa. From there, I can’t seem to stay away.

Return to Chapter Previews