About helenonearth

Favourite Books:

Between travels, I love to glean inspiration from books, Youtube videos and online research about the world of countries and continents that I can't wait to visit. 

Essential reading for a deeper understanding of Africa:

Africa is not a country : breaking stereotypes of modern Africa

Dipo Faloyin, 2022

Whilst so much of Africa's post-Colonial history has been written from a Western perspective, portraying the vast continent as a land of famine, savannahs and warlords, this lively book debunks some of these stereotypes about the continent.  Faloyin takes on the concept of the white saviour complex and the damage caused by charity campaigns such as the Do They Know it's Christmas song and the KONY 2012 film. I learnt much about the diversity of cultures, climates and politics of many of the 54 countries of Africa through this read, and will never try to customise and change a traditional jollof rice recipe, as Jamie Oliver did! 

Female writers

There are many heroic tales of travel and discovery written by men, but I have found that those written by women tend to focus less on overcoming danger and more on each writer's specific goal. 

I'm a big fan of fellow Nomadmania member and Australian Janie Borisov, who has impressively travelled to all 193 UN countries. Her entertaining short stories, shared across various websites, have shown me that even when things don’t go according to plan, the misadventures often make for the most memorable tales.

Prior to visiting Central and South America, I read two books by women, When We're Not Afraid: My 12,000Km Bike-Packing Ride Through South America by Leonie Katekar and On a wing and a prayer : one woman's adventure into the heart of the rainforest by Sarah Woods. As the title suggests, Leonie Katekar actually bike packed through South (and Central) America, as a part grief, part discovery journey. Sarah Wood's focus was more singular, focusing on finding the elusive harpy eagle in the Darien Gap, a forest between Panama and Colombia, considered one of the most dangerous and impenetrable parts of the world, with no through traffic allowed to tourists. While I may never be as fearless or bold as them, reading about their adventures has quietly nudged me out of my comfort zone. Their words remind me that bravery isn’t always loud or heroic; sometimes it’s found in taking a step forward even when you're unsure, in trusting strangers, or simply choosing the unknown over the familiar. Each page I turn encourages me to be just a little braver in my own travels.