We are planning our time in Africa!
Looking at which countries we will potentially visit and while I am in Dublin I want to make the most of the cheap clothes before we head off.
But I have a feeling that my usual wardrobe for warm climates (skirt/singlet/flip flops) is not going to be well received in many countries in Africa.
So I would love to ask your advice!
If you have travelled in Africa please tell me:
- Where did you travel?
- What you wore and what recommendations you have?
- What items of clothing you wore the most?
- What you suggest for footwear?
And what about at the beach?!
Obviously Africa is a big place and there are many cultures and countries, so please share your experiences so that I can plan well for my trip 🙂
Thanks so much!
Serena 🙂
Serena Star-Leonard is a business coach, writer and blogger travelling around the world for 5 years and counting.
As well as capturing stories of inspiring people who are making a difference to their communities, her passion is to help people find a way to do the things they love for a living.
As well as capturing stories of inspiring people who are making a difference to their communities, her passion is to help people find a way to do the things they love for a living.
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The only place in Africa we went was Egypt and I can assure you, you need to cover up to your eyeballs. It’s not even that you have to officially. You will WANT to! I have never experienced a place with so much male attention. I had men trying to buy Kate in exchange for camels! I had men look under the table in restaurants to look at my feet (I was completely covered up except for flip flops). I had my butt squeezed multiple times as did Kate. In dark alleyways and in complete daylight without another soul around! From every doorway men made sounds like pssst pssst pssst all day, every day. Egypt was the most fabulous place we visited on our whole year away. It was also the most difficult and the only place I felt occasionally unsafe. There are 25 million people in the city of Cairo alone – so if there’s a big event there are an AMAZING number of people on the street and most of them are men. I’m quite brazen and brave and I remember reflecting afterwards that had someone grabbed Kate in that crowd (and they were standing behind her making motions like they were going to rub their groin on her!) we would have not been able to do a single thing! I was chased into the hotel by a young Egyptian on the one day that I wore a long dress that didn’t cover me completely. He shoved his arm into the closing elevator door and dragged them open! Luckily the three of us looked back at him since he had assumed I was alone. You definitely have to go to Egypt – it will fill your mind with wonder! But cover up – I think our mistake was that both of us girls have fitted clothes. Next time I would wear floppier shirts that removed any notion of my shape! And remember it will be 40 degrees – so you really just want to wear shorts and a singlet! lol. For swimming – we got a boat to take us to a deserted beach (apparently) and we swam there. It wasn’t deserted though – we had 8 men lined up on the sand watching us swim! I was so hot by then that I didn’t even care! I think people who travelled on a tour didn’t experience Egypt like we did – I noticed many of them getting around in shorts and bikini tops and I wondered how they could stand it! But they had no exposure to the street and were herded from place to place in a group. We scoured the markets on our own as well as the Pyramids and various other places. Many days were the only tourists we saw for hours and hours. I cannot wait to hear what you think!
Thanks for the tips Tracey! I think I will buy some maxi dresses before I go, and I was wondering what happened for swimming in the sea! Curious – did you accept any camels?
again, be voluminous in the amount of cloth you drape yourself with! or check out how the locals are doing it by visiting the beach the day before! my 2 cents worth.
one of the reasons why women cover up from head to foot in the hottest of climes is due to the immaturity (and disrespect) of some of the male population – I got groped on a Turkish bus, the man grabbed my breast, and I was wearing what we would call in Sydney, modest attire. but if anything follows your form/shape you’re asking for trouble, unfortunately. that’s why you should wear a scarf and a long coat!!!!!!!!!!!!!