Michael


 * NORTH AFRICA **


 * MOROCCO **

Day 1 Entry 1: I am so excited!!! I just won a trip to Africa from a Michigan-wide raffle contest. This trip is going to be so excited! I will be going alone next week, June 4th; just my travel bag and me. First I will be flying to Morocco from the Detroit airport. Morocco is slightly larger than California and I will be flying into Rabat, the capital.



Day 1 Entry 2: I just arrived in Morocco. A 16 hour plane ride is NOT fun. I’m very, very tired. I’m going to bed; I will start my adventure tomorrow.

Day 2 Entry 1: I just arrived in Todra Gorge in the High Atlas Mountains. It is amazing; the cliffs go up 300 meters. There are many tourists here. After all, tourism is a large and growing industry in Morocco. Today, many rock climbers are climbing the side of the gorge. I am just going to go hiking in the gorge, not climbing, though.Many minerals, such as gems and gold, were discovered here in the Atlas Mountains, so many people also look for “treasure”.

Day 3 Entry1: Today I am journeying to Voubilis, a city of Roman ruins in northern Morocco. The city grew rapidly in the 1st century under roman rule. It prospered because of its success in agriculture. The city fell in the late 3rd century to tribesman. It was never retaken by Rome because of its remoteness and vulnerability.

Day3 Entry 2: Exploring the ruins is very fun. I’m taking a lunch break and a local (who can speak English) told me about the culture of Morocco. Morocco’s culture is based on Arab, Berber, and African traditions. Artists are known for their vast array of pieces, such as carpets, pottery, jewelry, brassware, and woodwork.


 * EGYPT **

Day1 Entry1: I just landed in Cairo, Egypt’s capital city and the largest city in Africa, and saw the great pyramids of Giza while passing overhead. Egypt is a Republic. Today I will be visiting the local bazaar, or market, in Cairo. Today’s bazaar is said to have a great varieties of food and goods. I can’t wait.

Day1 Entry2: I bought lots of cool souvenirs, such as a small wooden sarcophagus box. The culture of the Egyptians is really amazing, as is their history. Egypt developed in the river valley of the Nile River. In fact, 85% of their water is supplied from the Nile. The pyramids I saw while flying over them were the tombs of great pharaohs, or kings of old. The pharaoh was the ruler of all Egypt. He was even considered a god by the people.

Day2 Entry1: I am driving to the Valley of the Kings, on the eastern side of Egypt. The Valley of the Kings is a valley in Egypt where t ombs were constructed for the Pharaoh. Many chambers are still being discovered, even to this day. I’m going to try to find a hidden chamber or treasure (though I doubt it) but I’m still going on this adventure.

Day2 Entry2: I’ve explored a lot and already been though half the passages. I did find this curious medallion with strange inscriptions on it, though. I wonder what it was for.

Day3 Entry1: Today I’m spending the whole day riding a camel back to Cairo (my car was stolen). I had a very fun time in Egypt, even if the car I rented was stolen. I didn’t find any treasure, but I did find this medallion. Learning about the history and culture was cool too. I learned a lot about Egypt. Now, I’m going to get some rest.


 * EAST ARICA **


 * KENYA **

Day1 Entry1: Kenya is amazing! As I flew over most of the country, I saw wonderful wildlife, rolling plains, and grasslands. I am still flying to my destination, which is Nairobi, on the southern border of Kenya. I will be going on a two day safari there.

Day1 Entry2: I just arrived at the Nairobi airport. While exploring, I ran into this information center and museum in Nairobi. I learned that Kenya is a republic and that the economy is based on a free enterprise system. Tourism is a growing industry, along with farming and business. Kenya was a British colony in 1920. Kenyans fought the British in the 1940’s but won independence in 1963.

Day2 Entry1: I am traveling to the Masai Mara National Reserve, at night. It is said to be Africa’s most famous safari destination. On the shuttle bus ride to the reserve, I have already seen giraffes, rhinocereses, zebras, and gazelles. The wildlife here in Kenya is amazing!



Day2 Entry2: The safari is amazing! To start this day, the sunrise was amazing. Down below is a video of part of the safari. The safari is awesome, isn’t it. I loved the variety of wildlife. It is very cool to see the animals interact in their environment, instead of being at the zoo. media type="youtube" key="p2CqXWw8izM" width="560" height="315" align="center"

Day3 Entry1: My safari is almost over. During the night, our shuttle bus all received night-vision goggles. To watch the wildlife at night was amazing. I can see why Masai Mara is one of Africa’s most popular tourist attraction

Day3 Entry2: Now that the safari is over, we are driving back to Nairobi. This old guy told me about the history of the National Reserve, and the culture of Kenyans. Kenyans make many different art pieces, from wooden masks to ornate jewelry. Kenya has about 31 million people, which are divided into 40 different ethnic groups.


 * TANZANIA **

Day1 Entry1: I just flew into the Tanzania International Airport. I will be traveling in my rented car to Mt. Kilimanjaro. There I will be hiking and visiting the Chala Crater Lake. I have 3 hours before my “ride” leaves for the Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. I’ll look around the area to see if I can get any extra information.

Day1 Entry2: Well, during the extra 3 hours, I found out that Tanzania’s government was a socialist government, but in the 1990’s, it became a free enterprise system. Also, tourism is growing, especially for the Serengeti Plain and the Mt. Kilimanjaro National Park. Tanzanian music and dance dominate much of east Africa’s culture.

Day2 Entry1: Mt. Kilimanjaro is more amazing than the picture below can describe. It is not pointed at the top, but flat. There are many people here. I am just in awe of the "mightiness" of the Mountain (This mountain reminds me of the //Lonely Mountain// in //The Hobbit//). Wow!

Day2 Entry2: I went hiking around the bottom of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Well, of course, I didn’t go hiking around the whole thing. The wildlife was amazing, too. I saw birds and some monkeys. I even caught a glimse of as leopard. Now I’m headed off to Chala Crater Lake.

Day2 Entry3: Chala Crater Lake is very cool. The water changes color, depending on the season (I read that on a sign). It is not that big, but many people are out fishing and swimming.

Day3 Entry1: I took a car from Mt. Kilimanjaro to the coast line, and got on a boat to Pemba Island. Pemba Island is called the green island. I explored around the island, and saw some more wildlife. That took me about 6 and a half hours, so I got back early.

Day3 Entry2: On my way back to the airport, I learned that Tanzania borders 3 lakes and one ocean. I think that is pretty cool! Also, Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and the source of the Nile River.

**SOUTHERN AFRICA** **MADAGASCAR**

Day1 Entry1: Traveling to Madagascar is a hastle. At first, I thought that the plane would fly straight to Madagascar from Tanzania. Unfortunatly, the airplane has to make 3 stops before we get to Madagascar. First, plane stopped at Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Then, it stopped at Lusaka, Zambia. Finally, our last stop before Madagascar is Nampula, Mozambique, but we are still flying from Zambia.

Day1 Entry2: We just arrived in Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park. The National Park is known for the steep, jagged rock formations. I will be rock climbing and hiking the rock formations. There are many cool hiking trails and rope bridges. This is SO FUN!!!

Day1 Entry3: I am very tired. Being sweaty and stuck in a 4½ car ride in a sticky, smelly van. There are 7 other people in this 13 foot van with me, and half of them are snoring their heads off! I’m getting very, very tired. Oh man, I think I have to stop writing…

Day2 Entry1: The next 2 days I will be visiting Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo. Ever since I visited Cairo, I haven’t visited a market or bazaar. I will be going around Antananarivo, visiting markets and stores. Also, I would like to learn about the culture, government, economy, and history.

Day2 Entry2: There are many markets and stores in Antananarivo. I bought some Lemons, Mangos, and Coconuts. Also, I visited a small visitors center. Turns out, Madagascar was part of the African mainland a long time ago. It broke apart when the plates under earth’s crust shifted. Madagascar’s government is a republic, and farmers produce many good, such as vanilla beans, coffee, and rice.

Day2 Entry3: The music and culture in Madagascar revolves around dance and cultural rhythms and customs from African and Asian traditions. I forgot to tell you, but I met Wesley in Antananarivo in a marketplace. We talked for a while, and this is his last country he is visiting. I enjoyed meeting him.

Day3 Entry1: I am going to the coast of Madagascar, and then flying to Zimbabwe. I can’t wait to see the coast from land level (I flew over the coast when I came here).

Day3 Entry2: The coast is absolutely beautiful. The trees, and sandy beaches. Wow! I still have to drive 38 more miles to the small airport.

**ZIMBABWE** Day1 Entry1: I am driving to the Great Zimbabwe Ruins in- as you probably have guessed- Zimbabwe The ruins are supposed to be really cool. To start out with, Zimbabwe is a Semi-Presidental Government. Mining is a major industry in Zimbabwe. Plantations for beans and rice are popular here, too.

Day1 Entry2: I am on my way to The Great Zimbabwe Ruins. These ruins are the ruins of an ancient city. The city served as a palace for the Zimbabwean king. One of its great features was its walls, which were very tall and built without mortar. The city was abandoned and fell to ruin.

Day2 Entry1: The ruins are really cool. The Conical tower was the Best structure, I thought. Also, the walls and Great enclosure were cool. A man told me that his ancestors helped build the city, which is really cool (man, he must have a long line of family to still be here from that long ago).

Day2 Entry2: The country side is very beautiful, too. The city is located on top of a hill. Speaking of hills and high places, Zimbabwe is mostly a vast, high plateau. Lots of outcrops of rocks stud the country. The climate here is continental tropical.

Day3 Entry1: on the way back to the lonely airport, I stopped at a small village, where I witnessed a cultural dance. Loud, upbeat music held the rhythm. A video below is some of what I saw. Besides music and dance, art is another part of Zimbabwe’s culture. Many forms of art can be found, such as wooden carvings to elaborate paintings.

media type="youtube" key="J8mA_s1FPUg" width="448" height="251" align="center"

Day3 Entry2: Well, I’m back to the lonely airport and ready to go to Congo, the next Country I’m visiting. By the way, about ¼ of the people in Zimbabwe follow the Christian religion. **CENTRAL AFRICA** **CONGO** Day1 Entry1: Today I am flying, yes -STILL FLYING- into Brazzaville, the capital of Congo. I will be spending my first day here. Strangely enough, the //Republic// of Congo is a //dictatorship//. When I chose this country to visit, I thought it would be a republic. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a Republic, though (Don't get the 2 countries confused). The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a //different// country that the Republic of the Congo. Congo became a country after becoming free from France in 1960.

Day1 Entry2: About that last entry, I am starting to get tired of flying. It is starting to get to be a pain in the butt. I still am enjoying visiting all the different countries. I hope Congo will be fun. I hope.

Day1 Entry3: Just arrived in Brazzaville. Walking into the city, I saw that Congo has a diverse economy. Plants and Produce are up for sale, while I saw some miners walking through, looking at the fruit. In addition to that, petroleum is being loaded on to a cargo plane. Lots of logs and timber are being unloaded from big trucks.

Day1 Entry4: Wow, I have a lot of entries today. Brazzaville is really fun. I bought a old medal or necklace. It looks really cool, like an artifact from //Indiana Jones//.

Day2 Entry1: The economy of Congo relies on the export of lumber to bringin money. As a result, many forests are being cut down, leading to deforestation. congo also exports diamonds and other rare gemstones. The Ubango River and the Congo River supply Congo with hydroelectric power. the people of Congo are known for their art. woven materials, textiles, and woodcrafts are some of the types of art they make. Over half of the people farm as subsistance farms.

Day2 Entry2: I am going to Pointe Noire, which is the second largest city in Congo, next to the capital, Brazzaville. It is a port city. I am actually going to go swimming. Boy, I can't wait to get there.

Day3 Entry1: The water felt great yesterday. the sky was crystal clear; not a single cloud in the sky. But now I have to drive back to Brazzaville, and hop on a long car trip, or in this case, bus trip, to the Central African Republic. Well, I had a great time in the //Republic// of Congo.

** CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC **

Day1 Entry1: The Central African Republic is a Republic. It was a French colony from 1910 to 1960. French is the country's official language, though most people speak Sango. One of the C.A.R.'s most important industry is mining. Diamond is one of the minerals mined there. Many people visit the Central African Republic every year to see and spend time at the National parks and the beautiful scenery. The Central African Republic lies very close to the equator, being just north of it. That makes the weather warm and humid.

Day1 Entry2: I am flying into the nations capital, Bangui. Located on the Ubangi River, Bangui is the Central African Republic's leading economic and cultural center. Bangui does most of the nations trade, and makes a variety of products, from beer and shoes to soap and textiles. The city was founded in 1889.

Day2 Entry1: I just visited another market. This time, I bought some bread and goats cheese, instead of fruit. The cheese was very good, however, I thought the bread was too dry. Anyway, that isn't the point. As I was buying the cheese, 2 vehicles, a military jeep and a sports car drove through the market and smashed some tents. The sports car looked like the picture below, and had a license plate number of JBZ6//007//. I researched the car, and found it is a Aston Martin DB5 (That is James Bond's most famous car). It could of been James Bond! Pretty cool!!!

Day2 Entry2: Just because I saw 007's DB5 sports car, I am going to the movie theater (The only one that plays in english) to see //Skyfall// for the 3rd time (It's really playing here. AWESOME!!!). Well, I'm off to watch 007 in action again.

Day3 Entry1: The movie yesterday was great! If you haven't seen //Skyfall//, I would recommend you seeing it- IT's AWESOME!!! there was a warning to get inside and lock up all doors and windows and put bug nets on. The tsetse fly is reported to be coming in a great swarm today. The tsetse fly is known to carry parasite that, if bitten, can cause sleeping sickness. I better get inside.

Day3 Entry2: The flies have passed and now I am going to the airport. The next country I will be traveling to is Togo. now time to get on another plane ride (ugh).

**WESTERN AFRICA**

**TOGO**

Day1 Entry1: Togo, a small country in the western region of Africa, is coming in view just now. At the moment, I am airborne in a very large 747 Airbus. This is the most luxurious aircraft I have ever traveled in. Togo is a Democratic Republic. The population is about 6.7 million. Togo gained its independence from France in 1960, after being under many different rulings. there are many religions in the country, including Christianity, Islam, and various African religions.

Day1 Entry2: The plane just touched ground and I have no clue where I am going. In short, I am lost in the middle of Lome'. Oh! That is what I forgot. I forgot to mention where exactly in Togo I was visiting. How silly of me! Well, I am visiting Lome', the capital and port city. This city is the country's chief administrative and industrial center. It exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels. Lome' is a very important city in Togo.

Day2 Entry1: Lome' is a very interesting city. French is the official language of Lome' and Togo. I read in a newspaper (that had a small english section) all about the natural wonders in Togo. The most major river that runs through Togo is the Oti River. Sandy beaches line the coast. Thick mangrove swamps and rain forests cover the inland.

Day2 Entry2: Tonight I am dining- that's right- dining, at a French restaurant on the west side of Lome'. I bought a book on "basic" french words. I hope that helps me ( I don't want to think I've ordered shrimp when I've really ordered raw fish).

Day3 Entry1: There are many landmarks in Togo. Lome' itself is one. Another is all the sandy beaches along the coast. I have enjoyed Tog a lot. I mean a lot! By the way, the dinner I had last night was great. The most delicious meal on the menu was "cooked to perfection" swordfish. So, I ordered that. In fact, just because I gave them an extra 10 dollars on accident, they gave me the "sword" of the swordfish. Awesome!

Day3 Entry2: "Lome', we have a problem" rang the words in my head. The plane at the airport had been hijacked last night and exploded this morning. Guess what? That means I now have to travel to the western side of Togo to get on a biplane in order to fly to Mali ( which is my next and last country I am visiting). Great! Just great.

Day3 Entry3: Just arrived at the small airport. I can't even call it an airport, its more like a single plane storage facility. The only plane here is a 1933 Ford Trimotor airplane. It is affiliated with Lao Che Air Freight. Well, I'm leaving on the Oldest plane in the world that is still in service. Yeah!

** MALI **

Day1 Entry1: At the moment, I am flying to Timbuktu, Mali. I am going to visit the Djinguereber Mosque. The Mosque was built in 1325 and held what was back then the worlds largest library. Mali is the last country I will be visiting. I can't wait to get there.

Day1 Entry2: To pass the time, let me tell you a little about Mali's economy and government. Mali has very little industry. Trading, farming and herding is the work which most people in Mali do. Mali is a republic. The country was once a colony of France from 1892 to 1960.

Day2 Entry1: Right now, it is really day one, but in 2 minutes it will be the second day of my journey in Mali. I am very tired and will get some rest. In the morning, I will start exploring Timbuktu.

Day2 Entry2: Timbuktu is a cool city. The streets are lined with traders and fruit stands. The Djinguereber Mosque is not far from where I am. I'll be going there now.

Day2 Entry3: The Djinguereber Mosque shows a lot about Mali's culture. The main religion is Islam, but Christianity and other tradtional African religions are practiced as well. Djinguereber Mosque is obviously a Islam temple. Visiting this place is cool!

Day3 Entry1: Mali is a landlocked country. It has many rivers, though, including the Niger, Bani, and Senegol. Unfortunely, I have to leave early to get to Detriot on time. I had a great time on this trip. This was a once in a lifetime experience!

** WORKS CITED **


 * Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital city, Indian Ocean. (n.d.). //Africa Travel Information - Africa Travel Tips and Advice//. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://goafrica.about.com/od/africatraveltips/ig/Africa-s-Capital-Cities/Antananarivo--Madagascar-s-cap.htm
 * Boehm, R. G. (2005). //Glencoe The World and its people: Eastern hemisphere// (Teacher wraparound ed.). New York, N.Y.: Glencoe/McGraw Hill.
 * Central African Republic - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Retrieved May 19, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_African_Republic
 * Century, t. 1., disease., & ruin., G. Z. (n.d.). Great Zimbabwe Ruins. //Africa Travel Information - Africa Travel Tips and Advice//. Retrieved May 5, 2013, from http://goafrica.about.com/od/zimbabwe/p/greatzimbabwe.htm
 * Congo, Republic of: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide & Travel/Holidays/Cities | Infoplease.com. (n.d.). //Infoplease: Encyclopedia, Almanac, Atlas, Biographies, Dictionary, Thesaurus. Free online reference, research & homework help. | Infoplease.com//. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://www.infoplease.com/country/republic-of-congo.html
 * Madagascar Guide -- National Geographic. (n.d.). //National Geographic Travel// . Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/countries/madagascar-guide/
 * Mali. (n.d.). //Wikipedia//. Retrieved May 29, 2013, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mali
 * Tanzania - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanzania
 * Togo - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Togo
 * Top Places to visit in Kenya. (n.d.). //Top Places to visit in Kenya//. Retrieved May 30, 2013, from http://travel.nation.co.ke
 * Valley of the Kings - Tombs of the Pharaohs. (n.d.). //Egypt Travel Guide - Tour Egypt//. Retrieved May 31, 2013, from http://www.touregypt.net/kingtomb.htm
 * Volubilis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). //Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia//. Retrieved May 24, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volubilis