This Is Africa - Cape Town to Sao Tome

Part 2: Adventures along the West African Coast

Dancers greeted us at the port in Luanda, Angola

Cape Town, South Africa.  It's the morning of the cruise and I am sitting at the pool in my hotel having lunch and drinking a beer, waiting to get an Uber to the port in Cape Town. On last year's cruise I arrived at the port early just to wait in hours long lines to check in and board. So, I thought - let me check in later and not have to deal with lines. But I forgot the most important phrase "THIS IS AFRICA". Lines to get through customs and board the ship were over two hours long. We had to check in, show our visa's and yellow fever vaccination cards before passport control. Finally, I boarded the ship, did a quick unpack in my stateroom, my home for the next three weeks and then met some fellow nomadic travelers for drinks. Let the adventure begin.

Walvis Bay, Namibia- It was early January 2025 when we first heard about the new Namibia visa. Starting April 1, 2025, Namibia introduced a mandatory visa requirement with a fee of $90 USD for people visiting the country or $17 USD for cruisers. Even the day of departure there was still so much confusion and misinformation surrounding the visa. "THIS IS AFRICA". I had spent ten days travelling through Namibia in 2023. So much to do from kayaking with sea lions, 4x4 over the sand dunes, living desert wildlife tours, and dolphin watch cruises. I was happy just get lunch and walking along the beach. Then getting back on the cruise ship for dinner as the sun set.

Five fascinating facts about Namibia

• Namibia boasts some of the most stunning and diverse landscapes on the continent including the Namib desert (world's oldest desert), Sossusvlei Dunes (some of the tallest dunes in the world at over 380 meters) the Skeleton Coast, Etosha Pan, and the Fish River Canyon (the second largest canyon in the world.).

• Namibia's culture is woven from the traditions of various ethnic groups, each contributing to the nation's vibrant heritage. There are over 30 different languages spoken in Namibia. The indigenous Himba and San People still keep their traditional way of life.

• Namibia's history is marked by colonization and a struggle for independence. Namibia was a German colony from 1884 to 1915 and a South African colony from 1915 until they gained their independence in 1990.

• Rich archeological history. The UNESCO site of Twyfelfontein features over 2,500 rock engravings, some dating back more than 6,000 years. The Hoba meteorite, located in Grootfontein, is the largest known meteorite on Earth, weighing over 60 tons.

• Namibia is renowned for its commitment to wildlife conservation. It is home to the world’s largest population of free-roaming cheetahs.

"Today's your day, I feel it. You paved the way, believe it

If you get down, get up, oh-oh. When you get down, get up, eh-eh

Zamina-mina, zangalewa?. This time for Africa" Waka Waka song

Luanda, Angola - After a fun sea day hanging out with my new solo traveler friends, it was time to explore a new country. I booked this Luanda city tour Luanda City tour that explored the Angolan capital. We people watched as the minibus drove us around town stopping at Miradouro da Lua a natural landscape feature created by wind and rain erosion, the Museu Nacional da Escravatura where we learned about the history of slavery in Angola, the Fortaleza de Sao Miguel where we learned about the military history of Angola and the Iron Palace. Traffic was insane. There are no jaywalking laws as women and children with baskets on their heads cut Infront of speeding cars. Some guy doing his business on the side of the road. "THIS IS AFRICA".

Five fascinating facts about Angola

• Angola exports over 1.6 million barrels of oil each year, 65% of total government revenue.

• World's fourth largest producer of rough diamonds, with less than half of the diamond territories excavated.

• Angola was a Portuguese colony for over 400 years and gained its independence from in 1975.  But due to its natural resources of oil, diamonds, and minerals, countries like US, China and Russia vied for mutual export rights.  This led to a disastrous civil war where over 1 million people killed and 4 million displaced. 

• The Civil War ended in 2002 and over the past 20+ years wealthy entrepreneurs have added billions of dollars into the country economy. 

• Angola is home to over 90 ethnic groups, with the Ovimbundu, Kimbundu, and Bakongo being the largest. The traditional music and dance such as Semba and Kizomba have gained in popularity.

Sao Tome - Sometime in the middle of the night we crossed over the equator. Back into the Northern Hemisphere. It was in Sao Tome; I had my first shore excursion. I met up with Leanne and we waited in long lines to board the tender boats for our highlights of Sao Tome excursion. Stops included the national museum located in a Portuguese fortress built in 1576. Many religious artifacts are located here. An art gallery which is the former location of cocoa warehouse.  Rail cars would pull in, load up for and bring cocoa to the port and the main square and church. We drove by several markets and villages to understand the traditional way of life. Women selling their goods in the blazing heat. Meat and fish covered with flies. "THIS IS AFRICA"

Five fascinating facts about Sao Tome and Principe

• One of the world's largest producers of sugar and cocoa in the 18th and 19th century.

• Colonized by the Portuguese in the 15th century where 2000 Jewish children were "relocated". Portuguese is the official language. However, several Creole languages, such as Forro and Angolar, are widely spoken. Gained its independence in 1975.

• Central hub for the African Slave trade route. Between 1810 and 1860 over 3.5 million enslaved people were deported to America.

• The country is the second smallest in Africa, covering just 1,001 square kilometers. Only Seychelles is smaller.

• Part of an extinct volcanic chain known as the Cameroon Volcanic Line. This geological history has given the islands their mountainous terrain, with dramatic peaks like Pico de São Tomé rising to over 2,000 meters above sea level. 30% of the island is a national park home to many endemic species of birds, plants, and animals including the world’s smallest ibis and the largest sunbird,

Stay tuned for Part 3 : Ivory Coast and Senegal