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...

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    

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

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/

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

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

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/

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/

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...

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.  

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

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...

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...

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.  

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,...

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....

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.

 

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. 

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...

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.