5 funny yet annoying things Nigerians do at the cinema

The cinema culture is fast returning at an appreciable pace after it declined in the 1990s. Today, cinemas like Ozone, Silverbird and Genesis Deluxe around the country are witnessing reasonable attendance. While the many rediscover the joy of blockbuster movies on a big screen, there are some persons who may be hell-bent on diverting your attention from the screenplay and this can be annoying.

The prolific commentator

They are better commentators than Andy Gray and John Motson. However, they do not to run football commentaries but annoying movie commentaries at the cinema. They will narrate every scene, they cannot keep their emotions under wraps and they always have something to say about the movie. They cannot simply keep their mouth shut. This kind of people can be very frustrating.

The phone talkative

Your phone rings every second in the cinema hall and you pick it every time it rings. Even if you are a businessman, your phone should be on silent rather than disturbing others with your calls. It is better to just switch it off when you are at the movies. In addition, remember that you are on a date with your significant other, you should make it an eventful evening for her. However, for some people, they do not really care, they will convert the cinema into a phone call hub even though there is a clear sign that you should switch-off your phone.

The selfie addict

You cannot do without taking pictures even in the cinema. You flip out your phone, pose and click! These pictures are immediately uploaded on social media. It is either you take your pictures before or after the not everyone will be happy with the lousy display of your photography talent.

The crying baby
You will definitely regret going to the cinema if you are in the same hall with a crying baby. The question is why do some mothers bring their babies to the cinema? Because at a particular point during the movie, the baby will inescapably brawl its lungs. If this happens, you will have no choice than to leave the hall.

He who laughs last…

A comical scene was shown and everyone in the cinema hall laughs. However, for you that is when your laughter begins. You may be laughing last but you are definitely not laughing best as your laughter could bring you ridicule. It will be quite embarrassing if everyone in the hall shoot you with their piercing and angry pupil. You will have no choice than to compose.

By Jovago team

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Yellow Cards: A Mere Travelling Document or a Necessity?

Someone very close to me had a harrowing experience whilst travelling to South Africa for the first time. One of the entry requirements is a valid yellow fever card. What he didn’t know however, was the fact that the card in his possession was a fake which he obtained at a ridiculous amount from an illegitimate seller at the international airport. Because he was travelling on a student visa, he was given two options; argue with immigration officers and be deported or be quarantined and given the vaccine. He automatically chose the latter.

Many Nigerians have suffered a worse fate of detention and subsequent deportation all because of fake, invalid yellow cards. Countries that insist on Nigerian travellers having valid yellow cards at the point of entry include Ghana, Benin Republic, Egypt and South Africa.

What exactly is a yellow card? It is an international certificate indicating dates and history of vaccination for yellow fever, cholera and smallpox.

Though the last confirmed case of yellow fever in Nigeria was in 1995 with twenty five reported cases and one death, cholera is still very prevalent in our society with a fairly recent outbreak a couple of months ago. Countries at risk of yellow fever (WHO has listed Nigeria) are required to have their citizens travelling out of the country take the yellow fever vaccination and have a yellow card in accordance with the international health regulation.

In September 2013, after a diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa, the Nigerian government changed the yellow card with added security features.

A yellow card is valid for ten years beginning from 10 days after first vaccination.
With a process duration of under one hour, yellow cards can be obtained from the following places for a fee of one thousand naira;

Airports

• Muritala Mohammed airport, Lagos
• Nnamdi Azikwe International airport, Abuja
• Margaret Ekpo International airport, Calabar
• Port Harcourt International airport, Port Harcourt

Seaports–

• TinCan
• Ibaka Seaport
• Akwa Ibom
• Brass in Rivers
• Warri
•  Sapele

Land borders

• Seme
• Idiroko
• Shaki
• Chikada
• Babana
• Mubi as well as others.

It must be reiterated that the cards be obtained only from authorized government port health services who receive the vaccines from the primary healthcare development agencies; private hospitals are not permitted to issue yellow cards.

It is advised not to patronize illegitimate sellers who hang around the respective public health facilities trying to lure their prey. Do have a safe trip.

by Staff Writer

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Vegetarian? Here’s how to survive a trip to Lagos

As a tourist destination, Lagos ticks all boxes when it comes to a great travel experience: lots of entertainment and attractions, scenic landscapes, impressive neighborhoods, and numerous transport options but one thing its is not known for is its vegan food culture.

The concept of “vegetarianism” is not very popular in Lagos, in spite of how metropolitan the city is. A majority of its people love meat and hardly acknowledge the existence of beets, radishes, lettuce and kale; except during special occassions when they include salad as a side dish. This however does not mean that all hope is lost for vegetarians who dare to visit the city. Meat may dominate menus around, but  we have basic tips on how a vegetarian can survive a trip to Lagos.

Rent an apartment

The best option for a vegetarian visiting Lagos is to rent an apartment rather than a hotel or inn. This affords you the flexibility to cook your own meals and takes away the worry of possibly consuming something that is not completely made from vegetables. It also takes away the stress of having to explain to the hotel kitchen staff the ingredients that should be included in your meal.

Be very clear about what you want

Not everyone will understand what you mean by vegetarian, so rather than simply asking if a restaurant offers a vegetarian menu, be specific about what you want to eat and what ingredients you are looking for. That way they do not just say ‘No’ to your order, when in fact they may have those options you actually are looking for. If there is nothing on the menu, make a request. Simply ask for a meal to be prepared with your favorite vegetable(s) instead of chicken or fish. This usually works with a la carte meals.

Seek out restaurants with vegetarian options

Vegetarian food is not hard to come by in Lagos; you just have to know where to look. Actually, from delis in large shopping malls like Park ‘n’ Shop and Shoprite, to proper restaurants, especially Indian and Chinese, there are plenty of places to get healthy vegetarian meals. There are also some cafés and bakeries that specialize in meatless dishes. You will find vegetarian sandwiches, quiches or other baked products that are way cheaper than whole-meat meals.

Stick to Local beverages

While visiting the city of Lagos, it would certainly be great to try local cuisines and delicacies; especially those available on the streets, however, aside from fruits and leafy vegetables, it will be safer to stick to beverages, as most times the local cuisines have meat and fish or the stock included as ingredients. With beverages however, you are safe as they are mostly made from roots and leafs.

By Jovago team

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How To Deal With Strong-Armed Robbery in Lagos Traffic

Lagos, Nigeria’s most beloved city, is famous for the level of traffic commuters in the city have to endure on a daily basis. While the traffic situation can be quite frustrating and tiresome, it is not the time wasted or energy exerted that terrifies these commuters. What they find most dreadful is the possibility of strong-armed robbery in traffic.

Most areas in Lagos, especially on the Island and Peninsula, are well guarded, however, there are key traffic areas where these robberies occur not just at nights, but in broad daylight,. These areas include Marina, CMS – Costain Bridge, Maryland end of Ikorodu road, Gbagada, Mile 2 – Oshodi bridge and Idumota – Eko bridge. These armed robbers target heavy traffic routes. Although traffic robbery is something  motorists or commuters would not want to contemplate, it is equally something they can easily get caught up in.

Stay Calm

This maybe seem very hard to do, but it is the only way to survive the situation. Some robbers accost their victims by gently tapping on their side window and revealing the butt of their gun, or whatever weapon they have, while others prefer to scare their victims by smashing their side window or windscreen with a hammer. Whatever the case, do not panic, or raise alarm. The numerous witnesses will not assist or give you any protection, neither will the security men on patrol. Take a deep breath and remind yourself that you are still alive and will only have to lose a few possessions. Staying calm can reduce the chance of the offender becoming agitated and reduce the risk of violence.

Do not attack

Do not use your pepper spray or pocket knife. Do not attack the robber. Most of the robbers are not only armed, they operate in gangs and while you might have been initially accosted by one member of the gang, the others lurk around. Attacking the armed robber very rarely ends well.

Avoid direct eye contact 

No matter how low-class the robber may look or seem, behave deferentially. Avoid looking him directly in the eye as that might irritate him. Don’t stare either, as this would be perceived as threatening to the offender. Keep your eyes down and look at the chin of the offender and use your peripheral vision to obtain details. This is less threatening to the offender. Address him as ‘Sir’ or ‘oga’, whichever you find more comfortable. Most robbers have low self-esteem and a little bit of respect might calm them down or even deter them.

Cooperate 

Unless your car is bullet and hammer-proof, do not argue with the armed robber. Cooperate . Ensure you first inform the robber in clear terms that you are willing to cooperate, then respond quickly  to their demands to whatever instructions they give. Speak only if you need to answer the offender and always reply honestly. Do not try any form of heroics.

Speak clearly and with simple language

There is no gain in impressing an armed robber with good grammar. Do not try to confuse him with a foreign language, heavy/polished accent or big grammar. Respond in the simplest English you know. If you are fluent in pidgin or local dialect, whichever the robber starts communication with, continue with it. Trying to sound too polished might give them the notion that you have more than you are giving to them and that would aggravate them, and possibly encourage them inflict harm on you.Also, try not to add to much detail or say anything that is unnecessary as that could increase the pressure, cause a breakdown in confidence and lead to panic. Keep your answers short, precise and positive using simple words and phrases.

Take the robber seriously

While strong-armed robberies can also occur without a weapon- just the threat of physical violence or an actual beating followed by the demand for moneys, it is always important to assume the offender is armed. Whether you see the armed robber’s weapon or not,you can never be too sure. Be cautious, ensure you observe all his movements and listen to every word his utters. Do not underestimate his actions. Stay alert.

By Nkem 

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5 ways to keep your travelling companion happy

Travelling is much more interesting when you have a companion. Whether it is a lover, a husband, an old friend or someone you met on the trip, everything seems much more exciting when you have company. You will find yourself doing everything together and relying on them as they rely on you.  However, how you get along will make all the difference to everyone’s enjoyment and the success of the trip or expedition. The truth is, the life of your friendship with the companion can easily be terminated if you do not know how to keep him/her/them happy.

Do not discuss contentious topics

Yes. Contentious and controversial topics are usually interesting topics to discuss as they fan the embers of our thoughts and imaginations. However, they can easily get personal and turn an exciting moment into a dreadful experience. For instance, you might be a PDP supporter, while your companion is an APC supporter. Or perhaps you are a Christian and he is Muslim. Whatever the case, try to avoid topics on which you disagree, not matter how tempting. It will only stress you both out, making future altercations more likely. Instead, stick to mutually pleasing subjects. .

Do not judge, empathize

It is very easy for us to judge people rather than try to understand and consider their own angle or plight. When you are travelling with a companion don’t be too quick to make conclusions about them, give them the benefit of doubt and remind yourself that you are not perfect as well. No matter what reason you may think is justifiable for a negative or unfriendly reactions, try and put it aside while on the journey.

Control your moods

A foul mood can ruin the moment at any time. No one enjoys a bad mood, and likewise, no one will be happy spending time with a companion in bad mood…especially when it is a long trip . Keep track of your emotions, try to avoid situations that could possibly put you in a bad mood. And if by chance you find yourself suddenly feeling melancholic for no reason, apologize to the companion in advance him or at least give him/them a hint. It may not help matters much, but at least they will have an idea on why your attitude might have changed or why you are acting strangely.

Apologize after an argument

No matter how peaceable or even boring two people are, they are bound to have an argument at some point. Even when you are sure the argument might not necessarily escalate into a fight, it is important to walk away from it if you can. Walk away; calm down and approach the issue with a clearer head. If you give it some thought, you may find out that you might have been a bit wrong. Apologize for that and don’t throw a feat if your companion does not acknowledge or accept the apology immediately. Time is a great healer, with time they most probably would and you could be laughing about it over a cup of tea an hour later.

Take breaks

No matter how interesting you or your companion might be, spending every waking moment together may become stifling in the long run. Ensure you get some time apart from your companions. If your travel companion wants to spend the day at sightseeing or visiting a museum, and you’re dying to explore the malls, why not go your separate ways for a few hours? It will give you both time to relax Or, at least, hate each other less, and you might actually start to miss each other. To keep yourselves sane, where possible, plan ‘alone time’ into the program, and just relax.

By Nkem

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Creative ways to talk with loved ones when travelling

 

A concern for travellers is the expensive cost of making calls especially during international travel. In spite of the efforts made by telecommunication companies to beat down prices by roaming your number, the telephone bills for travellers keeps piling.

As to providing some reprieve, we roundup cost effective ways to make calls anywhere in the world.

Skype

There has been an increase in internet penetration in Africa with as much as 70% of the Nigerian population optimizing internet services such as online telephony at a higher rate.

Skype is a cheap way to make voice and video calls as the user will either buy credit to call a number or have enough internet data to make communicate to another skype user. However, this mode of making calls is reliant on how good your internet connection is.

WhatsApp

Aside from chatting with friends and colleagues, you can now use this app to make inexpensive voice calls. Unlike skype that you cannot call an unsaved number, WhatsApp allows you to call any number of your choice as long as it is saved in your contact.

Roaming

Roaming is a network service that makes it possible for people travelling to use their phones in a foreign country. Roaming may not be an option for some travellers however, it is effective for persons who are not tech savvy or rely on their phones for business and other transactions.

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South Africa set to dominate Africa Responsible Tourism Awards

Cape Town – South Africa rules the Africa Responsible Tourism Awards (ARTA), as more than two thirds of the long-listed tourist organisations, initiatives, businesses and projects for the upcoming African Responsible Tourism Awards are based in the southernmost tip of the continent.

The final awards will be announced in Cape Town as part of the Africa Travel Week, taking place from 6 -8 April 2016.

The competition awards responsible tourist initiatives that take responsibility for the environment of African destinations and the local citizens.

“We want to celebrate the shining stars of responsible tourism - the individuals, organisations and destinations working innovatively with local cultures, communities and biodiversity,” ARTA said.

“The variety of organisations which have made it through to the long list this year demonstrates just how powerful a force for good responsible tourism is becoming in Africa,” Heidi van der Watt for ARTA said.

Out of a total of 60 African institutions from 13 African countries, these are the 25 South African contenders for the African Responsible Tourism Award:

!Xaus Lodge

Abang Africa Travel

Access2africasafaris

Africa!Ignite

African Bushcamps

ATKV Goudini Spa


Bushmanskloof

Cape Camino

City of Cape Town

Eco Atlas

Elundini Backpackers

Endeavour Safaris

Epic Enabled

Face Adrenalin/ Bloukrans Bungy

Flamingo Tours & Disabled Ventures

Gauteng Tourism Authority

Hermanus Tourism

Kwandwe Private Game Reserve

Leriba Hotel Group

National Department of Tourism/ RSA

Original T-Bag Designs 

Proudly Macassar Pottery
QuadPara Association of South Africa

SaltyCrax Adventures & SAVE Foundation

Sani Lodge Backpackers


Last year, South African tourist initiatives were awarded gold in 6 of the 8 categories.

The jury awarded the South African Gansbaai Tourism organisation in the Western Cape the overall gold winner for making Gansbaai a truly responsible tourist destination with a long row of environmental projects.

Several organisations in Gansbaai were also awarded. Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in partnership with the Grootbos Foundation was awarded “Best for Poverty Reduction” and Marine Dynamics was awarded “Best for Wildlife Conservation”. South Africa definitely has a reputation to live up to this year.

Winners in the Africa category will automatically be nominated for the world’s most prestigious international tourist award World’s Responsible Tourism Award, set to take place in London in November this year.

Share your travel experiences with us. You can email us at sagewonders@gmail.com or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter

http://traveller24.news24.com/Explore/Green/south-africa-set-to-dominate-africa-responsible-tourism-awards-20160218

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Nigeria set to have travellers guide and tourism book

 

Current affairs, information about mineral and natural resources and their locations in different states, recreational centres, trending businesses in the country and tourist sites are just some of the things the book will contain.

 

Nigeria is set to have a travellers guide and tourism book as Nigerian Tourism Europe, is collaborating with Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) and Motoring World International to launch Nigeria Travellers Guide and Tourism book.

According to The Guardian, the book is an international publication being put together to guide, educate and inform travellers and holiday makers worldwide about tourism facilities, centres and destinations in Nigeria.

Current affairs, information about mineral and natural resources and their locations in different states, recreational centres, trending businesses in the country and tourist sites are just some of the things the book will contain.

Speaking on the project,  Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria Tourism Europe, Prince Okes Masisma stated that the project aims to kick-start the development and growth of Nigeria’s tourism industry and showcase the country as a destination for holiday makers all over the world.

Describing it as "the kind of book that is supposed to be seen in all the airports in the world so that people coming to Nigeria get to know the country", Masisma pointed out that other African countries have theirs and Nigeria shouldn't be left out.

He also added that “given the continuing crash in oil price in the world market, now is the time for Nigeria to diversify and increase her sources of foreign exchange earnings."

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Visa-free travel ‘key to African tourism - Oscar Nkala

Gaborone - Africa remained largely closed off to inter-African travel with Africans requiring visas to travel to 55 percent of the continent, the African Development Bank (AfDB) has said.
In a statement released ahead of the launch of its first-ever “Africa Visa Openness Index” scheduled for Abidjan, Ivory Coast from March 21-22, the AfDB said the stringent inter-state visa regulations were hampering African travel to African countries and had adverse impacts on the continent's economic growth and development.

“Opening up a country's visa regime is a quick-win on development that remains untapped. Visa openness promotes talent mobility and business opportunities.

“Africa's leaders and policymakers have a key role to play in helping Africans to move freely in support of Agenda 2063's call to abolish visa requirements for all Africans by 2018.

“Africa remains largely closed off to African travellers. On average Africans need visas to travel to 55 percent of other African countries, can get visas on arrival in only 25 percent of other countries and don't need a visa to travel to just 20 percent of other countries on the continent,” said Moono Mupotola, the Director for the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD), Regional Integration and Trade at AfDB.

The research was conducted by the AfDB, with assistance from global development consultancy firm McKinsey & Company.

According to a preamble of the Visa Openness Index, East and West African countries have taken the lead towards attaining the continent's goal of visa-free travel by 2018 with a 75 percent rating for visa freedom.
Seychelles tops the African visa openness policy because it offers visa-free access for all Africans. Mauritius and Rwanda were highlighted among the 10 most visa-open African countries which have reaped the benefits with improved tourists and investment inflows, which greatly improved their economic competitiveness.

Central Africa represented the biggest drawback in progress towards a visa-free continent with none of its countries making it to the top 20 list for visa openness.

With just one country making it to the top 20 visa-free nations list, North Africa also remained closed to travellers from within the continent.

The report also noted that while Africa's “Middle Income Countries” have low visa-openness scores, the continent's smaller, landlocked and island states were more open.

However, lead research consultant and director of MCKinsey and Company, Acha Leke said despite the seemingly sluggish progress, Africa had made great strides towards visa openness today than when the research started five years ago: “When we started this work, only five African countries offered liberal access to all Africans. This number had grown to 13 over the past three years. We are making progress, but we clearly need to accelerate the pace,” said Leke, who is also member of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Agenda Council on Africa.

By: Oscar Nkala

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BI: A couple who has traveled to 100 countries just got back from a crazy trip to Africa — here's what it was like

Canadian couple Justin and Anna Williams have traveled to more than 100 countries around the world.
But there's one continent they always look forward to returning to: Africa.
The duo recently got back from their fifth trip to Africa, this time traveling through Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

"From the stunning landscapes and teeming wildlife to the agreeable climate and friendly people, it always seems to draw us back," Justin told Business Insider.
From visiting the world's biggest waterfall to having their room attacked by an elephant, here's what happened on their adventure-packed trip.

After a number of connecting flights, the couple landed in Livingstone, Zambia, on the snaking Zambezi River.

Justin Williams

One of the first sights they saw was Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are the largest in the world, with columns of water that plummet into a gorge more than 300 feet below.

Justin Williams

After taking a short boat ride and hiking across Livingstone Island, they got right up to the edge of the falls at a place known as Devil's Pool.

Justin Williams

They then arranged for a flight over the falls with motorized gliders, where they were treated to incredible views. They even got close enough to the ground to witness herds of elephants and hippos migrating below.

Justin Williams

Justin and Anna had to take a ferry to cross the Ganglia River, which forms the border between Zambia and Botswana. They stopped to take a photo with a Zambian solider at the border before boarding their ferry.

Justin Williams

Their next stop was Chobe National Park in northeastern Botswana, which is home to the world’s largest concentration of elephants.

Justin Williams

While there, they connected with two friends they'd met during a previous trip six years ago. They now run a boat safari company called Pangolin.

Justin Williams

The Pangolin safari boats were equipped with ultra high-resolution cameras, so they were able to get stunning pictures of the area's wildlife.

Justin Williams

They saw everything from herds of springbok...

Justin Williams

... to hippos, which they were surprised to learn are actually considered the continent's most dangerous animals. Hippos often unpredictably ram safari boats, accidents that sometimes result in fatalities.

Justin Williams

Next, they traveled to a lodge called Elephant Sands in Nata, Botswana. Since there were no walls or fences, massive herds of elephants could be seen roaming the grounds.

Justin Williams

Justin and Anna were even woken one night to find a massive elephant had broken into the back of their hut and was drinking water from their toilet with its trunk. "It's almost like being in Jurassic Park when you can hear such a huge creature breathing so close to you," Anna said.

Justin Williams

The couple then caught a flight on a small island-hopper plane to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where they were treated to gorgeous views below.

Justin Williams

They took a pit stop on their way. Many of the stores they visited were so remote that there was nothing to buy but white rice and warm soda.

Justin Williams

Once they arrived, they hopped on some mokoros. These traditional wooden canoes are a common form of transportation in the Okavango Delta since they can easily navigate through the area's extremely shallow waters.

Justin Williams

Although the water levels were low from the dry season, the mokoro polers were able to navigate the couple to their camp.

Justin Williams

Since there were no showers at the campsite and the weather was a scorching 40 degrees Celsius, the couple would cool down by taking baths in the swamp water.

Justin Williams

The conditions at the camp were a bit spartan. There were no bathroom facilities in the camp except for bush toilets, which Anna told us is essentially just a seat elevated over a hole.

Justin Williams

They then traveled to the frontier of Ghanzi, a town in Botswana that is nestled deep in the Kalahari Desert. Here, they stayed in the traditional huts of the San Bushmen, an indigenous group of hunter-gatherers that live in the area.

Justin Williams

They said the huts they stayed in were very basic, which made for an authentic experience. They were built out of thin sticks and straws and included small iron beds, mosquito nets, and a single light bulb.

Justin Williams

While there, they were able to meet some of the local San Bushmen. They learned that the San Bushmen have been living there for thousands of years, almost entirely without contact from the outside world.

Justin Williams

Travelers can also organize walks with the Bushmen to learn some of their traditions. While on the walk, the Bushmen explained how they start fires and hunt for food to Justin and Anna though a translator. As a token of appreciation, Justin gave one of the Bushmen his Toronto Blue Jays hat.

Justin Williams

The Bushmen they were with had never seen a phone, Anna told us, so they introduced the group to a selfie.

Justin Williams

They were treated to some incredible local food on their trip. Justin told us they tried crocodile, which he said tasted like a combination of fish and chicken, as well as oryx and kudu (varieties of antelopes), springbok, and ostrich.

Justin Williams

"There are a lot of wide open spaces that haven't yet been overrun with development and tourism," Anna said of Africa. "It provides a perfect backdrop for authentic exploration and healthy soul-searching."

 

 

 

Credit:
Canadian couple Justin and Anna Williams have traveled to more than 100 countries around the world.
But there's one continent they always look forward to returning to: Africa.
The duo recently got back from their fifth trip to Africa, this time traveling through Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.
"From the stunning landscapes and teeming wildlife to the agreeable climate and friendly people, it always seems to draw us back," Justin told Business Insider.
From visiting the world's biggest waterfall to having their room attacked by an elephant, here's what happened on their adventure-packed trip.
For the full set of images, visit Justin's Instagram account.

View As: One Page Slides

After a number of connecting flights, the couple landed in Livingstone, Zambia, on the snaking Zambezi River.

Justin Williams

One of the first sights they saw was Victoria Falls, on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The falls are the largest in the world, with columns of water that plummet into a gorge more than 300 feet below.

Justin Williams

After taking a short boat ride and hiking across Livingstone Island, they got right up to the edge of the falls at a place known as Devil's Pool.

Justin Williams

They then arranged for a flight over the falls with motorized gliders, where they were treated to incredible views. They even got close enough to the ground to witness herds of elephants and hippos migrating below.

Justin Williams

Justin and Anna had to take a ferry to cross the Ganglia River, which forms the border between Zambia and Botswana. They stopped to take a photo with a Zambian solider at the border before boarding their ferry.

Justin Williams

Their next stop was Chobe National Park in northeastern Botswana, which is home to the world’s largest concentration of elephants.

Justin Williams

While there, they connected with two friends they'd met during a previous trip six years ago. They now run a boat safari company called Pangolin.

Justin Williams

The Pangolin safari boats were equipped with ultra high-resolution cameras, so they were able to get stunning pictures of the area's wildlife.

Justin Williams

They saw everything from herds of springbok...

Justin Williams

... to hippos, which they were surprised to learn are actually considered the continent's most dangerous animals. Hippos often unpredictably ram safari boats, accidents that sometimes result in fatalities.

Justin Williams

Next, they traveled to a lodge called Elephant Sands in Nata, Botswana. Since there were no walls or fences, massive herds of elephants could be seen roaming the grounds.

Justin Williams

Justin and Anna were even woken one night to find a massive elephant had broken into the back of their hut and was drinking water from their toilet with its trunk. "It's almost like being in Jurassic Park when you can hear such a huge creature breathing so close to you," Anna said.

Justin Williams

The couple then caught a flight on a small island-hopper plane to the Okavango Delta in Botswana, where they were treated to gorgeous views below.

Justin Williams

They took a pit stop on their way. Many of the stores they visited were so remote that there was nothing to buy but white rice and warm soda.

Justin Williams

Once they arrived, they hopped on some mokoros. These traditional wooden canoes are a common form of transportation in the Okavango Delta since they can easily navigate through the area's extremely shallow waters.

Justin Williams

Although the water levels were low from the dry season, the mokoro polers were able to navigate the couple to their camp.

Justin Williams

Since there were no showers at the campsite and the weather was a scorching 40 degrees Celsius, the couple would cool down by taking baths in the swamp water.

Justin Williams

The conditions at the camp were a bit spartan. There were no bathroom facilities in the camp except for bush toilets, which Anna told us is essentially just a seat elevated over a hole.

Justin Williams

They then traveled to the frontier of Ghanzi, a town in Botswana that is nestled deep in the Kalahari Desert. Here, they stayed in the traditional huts of the San Bushmen, an indigenous group of hunter-gatherers that live in the area.

Justin Williams

They said the huts they stayed in were very basic, which made for an authentic experience. They were built out of thin sticks and straws and included small iron beds, mosquito nets, and a single light bulb.

Justin Williams

While there, they were able to meet some of the local San Bushmen. They learned that the San Bushmen have been living there for thousands of years, almost entirely without contact from the outside world.

Justin Williams

Travelers can also organize walks with the Bushmen to learn some of their traditions. While on the walk, the Bushmen explained how they start fires and hunt for food to Justin and Anna though a translator. As a token of appreciation, Justin gave one of the Bushmen his Toronto Blue Jays hat.

Justin Williams

The Bushmen they were with had never seen a phone, Anna told us, so they introduced the group to a selfie.

Justin Williams

They were treated to some incredible local food on their trip. Justin told us they tried crocodile, which he said tasted like a combination of fish and chicken, as well as oryx and kudu (varieties of antelopes), springbok, and ostrich.

Justin Williams

"There are a lot of wide open spaces that haven't yet been overrun with development and tourism," Anna said of Africa. "It provides a perfect backdrop for authentic exploration and healthy soul-searching."

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