Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town [Paperback]

Theroux travels with Africans in conditions which are unspeakable for those of us accustomed to jet travel, high speed trains and air-conditioned vehicles. He meets with many of Africa's literary icons, numerous dignitaries, and contacts from time spent in Africa 40 years previously. He is also not afraid to use his renown to gain access and audience where the rest of us would have no chance. Combine these factors with his considerable literary skill, and the result is an unrivalled publication.

His descriptions (notably the sunset on the East African plains) are breathtaking without being long-winded. He is able to contrast this with descriptions of squalor, hardship, the disintegrated infrastructure of the towns, and the transport used to travel between them . The various colleagues and friends he visits along the way, including the vice-president of Uganda, represent Africa's intellectual and political elite. Mostly, these people are enlightened, pro-active and deeply aware of the problems facing their countries. It is encouraging to read their discourse, as it is so easy to dismiss Africa as the stereotype of disenfranchised paupers governed by despotic tyrants.

His time spent in Africa during the 1960's was a time of liberation. Nationalist movements were gaining momentum, and Africans were giddy at the prospect of independence from their colonial overlords. Theroux is almost certainly unique in that he witnessed the Africa of then, and the Africa of now (but nothing of the in between) and is able to communicate his observations to a large, receptive audience. This perspective adds another level to the book which sets it apart.

Much is said about charities, missionaries and NGO's, both by Theroux, and the various others who have reviewed this book. I agree entirely with Theroux's observations. I found that the personnel working with these agencies seemed disdainful towards those of us who were really enjoying Africa, and often arrogant towards those they were professing to help. Their efforts nurture some of the most contemptible qualities of the African condition, turning them into subjugated beggars rather than empowering their independence. The deployment of aid does not improve lives, but merely provides the necessary resources required for reproduction - more aid recipients, all now living at the previous, lowest common denominator. Much of the aid is taken by the local chiefs, and is traded in the markets (lest we forget, America fought a battle in Somalia over this very issue, see the movie 'Black Hawk Down'). It may seem anathema to our sensibilities that Theroux is so scathing of these worthy men and women who have given up so much to go and help the dispossessed, but if the aid is counter-productive, even if only by Theroux's estimation, then he has the right (obligation?) to communicate it to us.

Theroux is particularly scathing of one missionary whose efforts involve reforming the 'sinful' ways of African prostitutes. In the USA prostitution may be a crime, but in Africa, he points out, it is the only channel of independence and financial freedom for women. It should be considered criminal that we are going there and preaching some dogma based on our value system, which is intended to deprive them of their livelihood. And this goes to the root of the issue, Theroux says. We are trying to solve their problems from our perspective, while driving around in a fancy white Landcruiser, the value of which is the entire life's earnings of a whole African family. African problems need African solutions run by Africans (with help from outside if necessary). They need dignity, empowerment and education - not grain, medicine and preaching. I think Theroux does a great job of communicating this - even if he does ruffle some philanthropic feathers in the process.

Why didn't I give the book five stars? Well, I feel that Theroux didn't give sufficient credence to the majority of proud Africans who lead the free and happy existence to which we all aspire. As a white traveler in Africa one is continuously exposed to the 'Give me money' syndrome. But this represents only a minute percentage of the population - those who await foreign travelers at bus stations, hotels and markets. These hustlers are a by-product of most societies - there were 8 million in Los Angeles by my last estimation. It took me at least two months of cultural immersion before I was able to transcend this exposure, and meet real Africans who were interested in my travels and reasons for being in Africa - people whom I had to seek out. Indeed, most Africans are contented, hard-working individuals unaffected by the tribulations of modern western society, let alone by their own autocratic governments whose influence over their own population is token compared to what we are used to in the west. African society thrived for millennia before the ancestors of western society even left the continent. It is cultural arrogance to assume that we need to impose our new-found values on them. Sure there are pockets of famine, abusive dictators and colonial fall-out - but for the vast majority of the continent's population, life goes on unabated. It is mostly their exposure to our society (fancy white landcruisers, satellite TV etc.) that might give them cause to kowtow. It is Theroux's failure to acknowledge this, or at least comment upon it, that I feel is the only shortcoming of an otherwise outstanding account.

Africa presents a particular challenge for travelers. If you read the papers, you will find virtually no good news from the Dark Continent. Instead, there are stories of genocidal massacres (Ruanda and Burundi), slavery (Sudan), tribal violence (most countries), rampant AIDS (everywhere), child prostitution (Djibouti and Mozambique), terrorism (Egypt and Sudan), civil unrest (Zimbabwe), rampant crime (South Africa), and so on ad infinitum. Fortunately, Theroux had spent some time in Africa in his youth and still possessed a smattering of the local languages. And he had an incredible amount of courage and fortitude.

(One of Theroux's forebears along much of the route was Michael Palin of Monty Python fame in his entertaining "Pole to Pole" series of documentaries. But then, he went along with a large film crew and could afford to pay the baksheesh required to satisfy the ravenous officialdom along the route.)

Theroux traveled by ferry boat, canoe, train, bus, taxi, truck, van, foot -- in fact everything but bicycle or airplane -- from Cairo through the Great Rift Valley to South Africa, with a few interesting detours. Except for a foiled hold-up attempt in Kenya, he managed to avoid most problems by asking the locals he met questions about the road ahead. Whenever his informants said "there are bad people there," he made whatever adjustments he could; but most times he just relied on his considerable street smarts and managed to get by unscathed.

In addition to the "bad people" one expects, there were a surprisingly large number of good-hearted people who helped Theroux without any expectation of return. In fact, the only group of people he unilaterally slams are the international aid workers with their bright new Land Rovers -- refusing all eye contact and associating only with one another. Even the missionaries prove to be more helpful. His comments in this area were quite an eye-opener to me: I had not realized what a failure five decades of international aid had proven to be.

I devoured this book in three sittings and was greatly saddened when it came to end. Theroux has changed forever my view of Africa. Although there is no bibliography, I appreciated the author's frequent references interspersed throughout the text to other background works on the subject.