Book Reviews

This is the story of an amazingly courageous woman who traveled from Europe to Zimbabwe on her own, and what a story it is!This book reall...
Alice
Dot Bekker…my favourite person. I feel like I know but I don’t. I’ve read your book describing your amazing journey about going home to Zimbabwe...
Adele
What an amazing read,what a brave woman!!!I just cant put the book down, shes such a good writer ❤️ (Facebook)
Thoko
This book was an answered prayer, a daily entertainment and a true inspiration. I feel like I know Dot personally after reading this book....
Michelle
I found “Going Home to Africa” a gripping, authentic, informative and humorous book! Gripping…in the countless unpredictable travel/r...
Gerald
From the first chapter I was hooked and followed Dot's adventures down the coast of West Africa with awe. I bought the book because I too am con...
Jordan
Dot took me on the journey of a lifetime. I witnessed the challenges, frustrations, joys and overwhelming beauty of Africa from the comfort of m...
Wendy
I had the pleasure of meeting Dot when she was living in Solsona and have followed her adventures on Going Home to Africa on IG. I have been so ...
Ruth
This is a brilliant story of a lovely lady driving solo from Northern Africa through many countries to go home to Zimbabwe. This touches my hear...
Dallas
Going home to Africa is an honest, humble and uplifting account of an incredible adventure and Dot’s fighting spirit and firm belief in the univ...
Fiona
Absolutely Compelling I could not put this book down and I am not an avid reader, getting bored quickly. I loved every moment of her jou...
Antoinette
FANTASTIC BOOK! I LOVED every page of this book and didn't want it to end. I have read many travelogues and this was by far my favourite...
Kevin
My first impression was just: Wow! Hats off! What an impressive book... I can already now say that it is, along with Doris Kearns Goodwin's Pulitze...
Susanne
Dot is one of the most amazing "road" friends we made while overlanding through Africa, and whatever we were doing she brought a tremendous sense o...
Laurie
I absolutely love travelling so this story really spoke to me. Having followed Dot in real time on her epic journey, I’m now absolutely loving the ...
Catherine
I think the fact that you share ALL of your experiences, good and bad, and do NOT leave out the huge challenges and obstacles you had to face on a ...
Susanne
I’ve just been spending the whole evening with your book. I feel so fascinated by your story and I love the way you’re describing both breathtaking...
Alexandra
Absolutely loved it. Very inspiring and Dot I would love to meet you one day when I visit Zimbabwe again. Thank you for sharing this amazing story....
Justyna
I have just finished reading Going Home to Africa and I really enjoyed it. I enjoyed it more as the journey went on... Her experiences become more ...
Nicola

Going Home to Africa

Follow my dream to return to the African country of my birth from the continent of my heritage and the adventure that will take from from Europe down the bulge of Africa into South Central Africa.

Going Home to Africa - The Book

I'm often asked why I wrote the book and to be honest it was in response to the many requests I had from my followers to share more of my story and travels. Little did I know at the time that it would take me longer to write about it than it would to actually do it. From starting to write in November 2019 to publishing in April 2020 it was indeed a mammoth task. I had to write the story, and after setting out the structure I simply threw it all down into my computer. The initial story was...
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The route map

I'm frequently asked for more details on the maps for the book and regret I've not really successfully managed to get this included.  However, if you are interested this Google map identifies pretty much every location that I stopped at en route.  Use the link below to take you to the Google map.   shorturl.at/fCGUX    
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Interview with a Friend

I had a delightful and interesting conversation with Catie and as someone who has done some of North Africa it was interesting to share our common experiences. See more about the podcast linke below.https://www.catiefriend.com/podcast/2021/12/11/chatting-to-dot-bekker
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Expedition Portal Interview

Expedition Portal is a highly acclaimed magazine for overlanders and I was honoured to be interviewed by Ashley Giordano.  I enjoy doing interviews as each interviewer tends to focus on a different aspect of my journey and with each telling of my story I feel that I am reliving the adventure. Find the story using this link   https://expeditionportal.com/going-home-to-africa-interview-with-dot-bekker/
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Round 2 with Joe Mars

When I first returned to Zimbabwe I had a really fun interview with Joe Mars and after reading my book he wanted to chat to me again about my return, my book and my work with girls.   https://joemarsonradio.wixsite.com/thejoemarspodcast Publish Post Once published, the post will appear on the blog listing
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Podcast with Tantenda Rungisa

Tatenda reached out to me and asked me to contribute to her podcast.  Find it here ... https://anchor.fm/tatenda-rungisa/episodes/Dot-Bekker-shares-her-story-on-driving-20-000km-alone-back-to-Zimbabwe--A-story-to-remind-us-that-anything-is-possible-evg4dj
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Local Newspaper - Chronicle

I was interviewed by a local newspaper about my journey home.  I struggle to get people here to understand that my journey was more than a tourist drive and certainly a whole lot more complicated.  Nonetheless, making it into the local paper has to be some kind of achievement.  Follow the local take on the link below.   https://www.chronicle.co.zw/just-in-60-year-old-embarks-on-19-country-tourism-drive/
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Interview - Helen in Wonderlust

On of my posts on Facebook led to being contacted by Helen, herself an intredpid traveller who loves backpacking and West Africa.  With her own travels at a halt due to COVID she is keeping her blog going with stories of other travellers and felt my story merited being interesting and asked if she could interview me about my journey. I had great fun chatting to her and here is her interview. https://www.heleninwonderlust.co.uk/going-home-to-africa-driving-from-morocco-to-zimbabwe-via-west-central-africa/
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The Book

My drive through Africa took 8.5 months, writing the book took 7 months, the editing, proof reading, publishing and such took a further 8 months ... all in all the book took more time and headaches than the journey ... well OK, maybe they are on a par! I've never written a book before, well that's not entirely true ... I have written a book but it is still in a folder tucked away looking for a rewrite ... However, this was the first time ever that anyone wanted me to write a book and after my journey so many...
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MOST INSPIRING GUEST AWARD

I was invited by the Global Travel Channel which is run by Mark Philpott to do a podcast with him shortly after my return to Zimbabwe in late 2019.  This podcast was entered into an awards program whereby people could nominate the podcast against various categories.  I happened to win this one as the Most Inspiring Guest for 2019/2020.  I was most shocked and humbled to receive the award.     Below is the link to the episode.  
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Podcast Interview - 4x4OutFar

Thanks to Anton of 4x4OutFar for interviewing me on his podcast and asking me some different questions and having a laugh with me. Follow the link below to find his podcasts with other overlanding stories. https://anchor.fm/4x4outfar/episodes/Going-home-to-Africa---Dot-Bekker--Happy-Zimbabwean--Learnt-the-overlanding-wave--tar-tyres-and-stuck-in-sand-eebu1o?fbclid=IwAR1iWpYO4sms_FvIr4jwqYosbxEygrpPtXLlc_m0LT_8_IE2lfVvYyt9WO0
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Interview - The Edge of Adventure

Adam and I met via The Global Travel Channel on which we have both been guests and we found mutual admiration, plus the fact that I find him a pleasure to look at and listen to, I know, I have a penchant for delicious young men with a beard and hat, but there is no harm in pleasing the eyes. He really is charming with a huge heart and with the quarantine lockdown and a halt in his travelling he is doing some online interviews with people he is connected to.  It was my pleasure to be asked to join...
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Things that go bite !

Green mosquito heaven
I have to be honest, I’m delicious, not even an acquired taste, just plain outright delicious!    That is the opinion of any small biting thing that is around, especially mosquitos.  It is the bane of my life and I can confess that I have been scarred with PTSD as a consequence of the mosquitos of Africa.  When the merest twitch or brush against any part of my body I will twitch with unexpected urgency as a reflexive action, after having been subjected to untold number of bites over my lifetime with an intensity over the months I was driving...
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Visit Zimbabwe - Podcast

Thanks to the Global Travel Channel and Mark Philpott for another chat, this time I'm taking you on a virtal tour of Zimbabwe.  Come along and find out why you should visit my amazing country.  
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Global Travel Channel Podcast - Visit Zimbabwe

I was delighted to join Mark Philpot of the Global Travel Channel Podcast for a second time to talk about why Zimbabwe should be on everyone's bucket list as a holiday destination. Listen to his podcasts and enjoy Visit NEW PODCAST. EPISODE 122 Listen here  https://www.patreon.com/ posts/35581631 Amazing Zimbabwe Woman Dot Bekker takes the time to personalise a trip for you to her beautiful country. We start at the majestic Victoria Falls, and then move onto one of Africa’s best Game Parks at Hwange National Park. After that a side trips are possible to Mlibezi or Binga on Lake Kariba,...
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The Good and the Bad

The Plateau, Nigeria
I’m regularly asked which country was the worst, the best, the most beautiful, the most friendly, etc. I’m not a person who does best, bestest, I believe that everything has good and bad, but as people are curious here is a headline of my thoughts, notably these are my opinions based on what I saw and experienced … First to clarify that the countries I drove through were, in order of travel, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea (Conakry), Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Cabinda (Angola), Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe....
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Interview - Les Marioles Trotters

I first met French couple Anatole and Marion in Togo as we were crossing the border.  Our journey's crossed paths several more times into Nigeria and then we next met when they came to visit me in Zimbabwe.

They travel full time and their YouTube channel is very successful.  I was delighted when they asked me to do an interview to help them answer some of the questions that they get asked by their audience, such as, can a woman do this kind of travel, do you need to know about your car, do you need a 4x4.  

IntBelow is the interview.

 

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Magazine Interview - Nzira

When I was in Namibia Julie Havercroft contacted me from Nzira Magaine and some months later the magazine published the article.  Nzira means road in the local Shona language. Below is an image of the article. 
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Overlanding Essentials

Take care of the small things and the big things take care of themselves
A Recurring question is what would I consider to be some of the most essential items I took with me on my journey and I will give you my top picks, in no specific order. A keyring penknife . I was given this gift by my nephew and it served me well. Not only was it a penknife, with the added benefit of bottle opener, screw driver (flat and star) but it most usefully had a small button which switched on a tiny LED light. That light was so incredibly useful, being on the keyring it was always with me...
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Good Morning Zimbabwe - Interview

It was an early morning start to get to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation studio for a brief interview with Merelin Ngwenya the host for Good Morning Zimbabwe coming out of Bulawayo. Regret the video was taken with a direction switch.      
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About Dot

Dot is Zimbabwean born and raised and after having lived in Europe for 20 years she decided to return home but uniquely she decided to drive  through Africa to get there.

She achieved her dream by driving 20,000kms through 18 West African countries over 8.5 months on her own for most of the journey.  Her book of the same title will soon be launched,and you can find out more about Dot or subscribe to the Blog for more.

 

Kusasa Scholarship Fund

Alongside my journey I've decided to raise funds for scholarships for girl's education in Zimbabwe, find out more about that here, to contribute to the Scholarship Fund please do so here.