I want to leave Europe and travel to South Africa without using a plane. It seems to be hard to get a job in a cargo ship, and going to South Africa by land seems suicidal and barely possible. I could use some advice, one idea I have is to buy a motorbike and travel the whole continent but crossing all the borders could be a hassle and I'd have to find a place to sleep.
I'm 22, I live in Switzerland and do farm jobs.
So, how does one go to South Africa with no plane in 2023 ? Has anyone here done such a big trip, if yes, any advice ?
>budget: 2,3k USD
>interest: work in South African farm for the better part of a year
>language: french and english
Explain EXPLICITLY why you dont want to use a plane.
That you would rather spend more time and money, let alone risk life and limb to bike across an entire continent.
And dont say you're afraid of flying, because traveling across Africa for weeks as a pasty white man on a bike is far more dangerous.
I hate technology and wish to get out of my comfort zone in order to become more resourceful and less of a pussy first world consummer. What matters is the way, not the destination.
The experience and memories I'd get are priceless.
>the experience and memories I'd get are priceless.
The reality is farmers will rather hire illegals from Zimbabwe or Malawi and pay them next to nothing instead of a white guy from Europe.
all I'm asking is a roof and some food. I've seen offers on the internet from farmer families who could use a hand, and they would probably rather have a first world white guy around their kid than an illegal from Zimbabwe.
I work in farms around where I live, I've only been doing it for a year, so far I've been a goatherd, taking care of horses and mowing the land in a golf course.
thanks for the input man, I know it's the best thing I could do but I first gotta find a way that isn't 97% suicidal.
Like you're working through temp agencies or under the table barter style?
I know its very popular with Swiss hikers to just walk into farms and ask the owner to stay in his barn or guest house and maybe get a hot meal or a nice cheese plate breakfast in exchange for a few hours work next morning
So far I've done it by talking to shop owners and farmer in my area. I've had under the table work and official work
There are white Boer farmers in South Africa still...I think.
Farming is big business there. Ostrich farming is #1 in the world there.
>Ostrich farming is #1 in the world there.
Right - because ostrich farming is an international agricultural trade the world over and not specific to just a few countries.
Yeah... They hire literal moronic Black folk for a few dollars a day to do manual farm labor.
Fly, moron.
Jesus you’re a fricking moron
Don't mistake morons for idealists.
jump off a bridge
make me
Great thanks
That's only likely to happen if I go to the wrong places with Boko Harmam activities or such, otherwise the risks are low.
You don't know where these activities don't exist though. And you have to pay bribes at various checkpoints and border crossings. How are you going to enter South Africa without a visa when you still have to make it to the farm in the Karoo?
Surprised the family wanting to host you haven't informed you of the very real dangers of undertaking such a journey through Africa or that it would be easier to simply fly to South Africa from Switzerland where they will pick you up at the airport. The guy recently
wanting to break the record by walking the length of African to Europe, just made it through South Africa and Namibia before getting jumped in Angola.
Also the only way to stop being a pasty white man is to endure hardship, that's why crossing Africa and living in SA seems to be a good way to change.
>interest: work in South African farm for the better part of a year
All that effort just to earn shit pay working on a farm in South Africa.
OP here, is it possible to become a sailor ? Maybe I should go to a port in England or south of France, do a formation, then work in a cargo ship until I arrive in South Africa.
what kind of farms do you work at? Just day labour asking around or with caritas etc. ?
the situation in Sudan is a problem. but truly there will always be a “situation” somewhere in Africa and this one is infinitely less disruptive than the war in Ethiopia was.
this is doable by bus, train and boat. how exactly? nobody knows. most of this info isn’t online, you have to navigate it yourself. Post-coof it’s probably even harder since so much of what you’ll read is well well well outdated.
it’ll be a legendary experience. you’ll get more than a couple wild stories out of it.
You're going to get killed on your insane bike trip through Africa. The natives believe your limbs and appendages make a powerful muti that keeps the evil spirits away.
If, and it's a big if, you even make it to SA, you're going to look like a crazy homeless fricker and none of the white farmers are going to trust you and give you a job. Besides, the Zimbabweans work harder for less money. You do realise the Rand is worth 1/20th of the Euro, right? Why would you do this to yourself, anon?
It's not about the money, it's about living the life. I have some relative in SA who can host me so once I'm in there I won't have the starving to death without a shelter problem.
Riding a motorcycle from Switzerland to south Africa would be badass. I don't have the nuts to do it, it probably has a sense of danger and unpredictability. But how many men truly get to experience that feeling in modern times. Go forth with balls.
thanks for the advice
1992 Dakar Rally. 7,722 miles/12,427 kilometers over 25 days.
Appreciated
I'll have to find places to sleep, that's the tricky part, probably will go to road hotels or if I ever meet someone friendly and trustworthy I'll sleep in his place
>if I ever meet someone friendly and trustworthy I'll sleep in his place
you are going to get chopped up into little pieces
Well at least it'll make some good bestgore content.
No for real I'd rather reduce the risks, that is why I'm planning the thing
There are hostels. Some are quite nice.
There are still millions of Europeans in Africa.
that's good to know
https://archived.moe/trv/thread/1053050/#1053050
https://archived.moe/trv/thread/1132461/#1132461
You're gonna hit a landmine and need one of those funny, handicap bicycles.
I am thinking of doing that from Germany. I think the best route would be pic rel with your own bike or something. Fairly save countries all around. I would avoid Syria by taking a ferry from Lebanon and avoid the warzone in Ethiopia by going through Eritrea. It's doable this way I think. going the western routes is suicidal imo. Your budget is way too low for this though. Africa is more expensive then people believe.
IF you want you can also pay for a container cruise
https://www.langsamreisen.de/frachtschiffreisen/europa-afrika/suedafrika
but it's expensive and you won't find a job as a travelling sailor anymore. these days are long gone
There's a major war going on now in Sudan anon. Try again.
noooo I thought it was only south sudan. why are africans like this??
Also, the war is officially over in Ethiopia as of November 2022. I am not sure how much that means there aren't any skirmishes ongoing though.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethiopia%E2%80%93Tigray_peace_agreement
Interesting, maybe I'll just go with a bike (and boat) to Corsica or somewhere else in Europe, find a job in a farm, (spending time on my own will make me more resourceful) stack some money until I can do the actual trip to South Africa
I want to be useful and these white farmers could probably use a hand in these trying times, also I heard farm attack are going down.
Thanks a lot I'll look it up
>Interesting, maybe I'll just go with a bike (and boat) to Corsica or somewhere else in Europe, find a job in a farm, (spending time on my own will make me more resourceful) stack some money until I can do the actual trip to South Africa
dude you are swiss. that's literally the best place to make money in europe maybe the world
>work in South African farm for the better part of a year
Anon, I don't think that's a good idea.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_farm_attacks
If you want to do overland, watch the channel Itchy Boots. She's a woman traveling by bike from the Netherlands down through West Africa and I think going through Central Africa and over to East Africa next (she already did the southern countries).
Right now she's in Liberia which seems like the worst country on the trip so far, but she also goes to the countryside on purpose to avoid traffic and get cool scenery. Next will be Côte d'Ivoire.
So far the main problems seem to be:
-a lot of river crossings in rickety canoes, having to haul her bike and the whole village helping (and sometimes expecting to get paid even if they just watched)
-a lot of checkpoints. probably should prepare all paperwork in advance
-unbelievably bad road conditions, which were bad before the wet season and will make it far worse
-hard to find mechanics
-engine overheating
-crowds of people following you
other than that the people seem very friendly and helpful even if a lot of them have no idea what to do, they will go out of their way to help and figure it out
OP you sound like a naive trust fund kid needing to prove something to himself in the most pointlessly difficult way. If you need to learn to be more resourceful or whatever you can always work on a farm in your home country for more money. A farm or any blue collar job for that matter. South African rand is in the toilet so you wouldn't get paid anything, and those white farmers you alluded to are already hiring illegals from Zimbabwe that undercut you. Go stack your money elsewhere then visit South Africa for pleasure instead of work when you're ready.
I did something similar last year OP, eschewing my safety and money for adventure, it was the greatest experience of my life. Go for it, don't let the morons here dissuade you.
Are there cruises that go to South Africa? Get a job with the cruise line if there are.
How about Algeria - Niger - Nigeria - Cameroon - Gabon - Congos - Angola - Namibia/Botswana - South Africa as a land route? Not sure how unstable the current situation is in Niger and northern Nigeria between Muslims and Christians.
Become a ranch hand in Switzerland and pet fluffy cows instead
I suggest
Wwoofing for farm experience, housing and food provided in exchange for work
https://wwoof.net/
https://wwoofinternational.org/
Volunteer, pay for organized trips in many areas
https://www.ghs.co.za/
The cargo ship route is not as available as it once used to be, where you could pay for a space. You could try to work onboard, or work on a cruiseline, or rather take a cruise down there. You might also fly to another port location.
Saying this as someones whose father actually biked across Africa, the world has changed. Some places are safer some are more dangerous. You need to do your research and also realize your bike could easily get stolen. This is true is many places, even safe countries like Japan, there is always a chance of theft. Where do you plan to stay at night?
Ocean going cargo ships will be very difficult but boats going down the rivers and lakes won’t take nothing more than some spare change and a hammock to secure passage on. I have done this personally, though not in Africa.
: work in South African farm for the better part of a year
it won't be as idyllic as you might think, many dronkies working on the farm
but maybe a boere man will take pity on you and let you work a bit, good luck bro
Back when I was a low hours pilot I worked illegally flying an absolutely ancient air tractor for basically accommodation and $100USD a week. built a ton of hours though, and got treated great. if you’re white they’ll love ya. go for it anon.
That was in South Africa ? Seems like a dope experience, I'm white so I figure I'll get along with some boers once I'm there, not so sure about the blacks tho but if it works it works.
How did you log those hours if it was an under the table type situation? How did you find such an arrangement?
>t. Aspiring pilotchad
FAA could not care less if you violate work laws in a foreign country. As long as you flew by the numbers and aren’t sweeping anything under the rug in terms of flight safety or actual criminal activity like smuggling you’re fine.
Interesting. I wonder if there are these types of seasonal gigs elsewhere? I wanted to travel for a while before jumping into flight school, but if I can do it after AND get hours then that’d be ideal. Don’t want to end up in a situation where I finish flight school, frick off for a few months, then can’t get hired as a cfi because I haven’t flown in a while.
There should be boats that travel from Pointe Noire to Cabinda and then you can get to Luanda from there. Nigeria is one of the most developed countries in Africa. As a white man with a Swiss passport, you should be able to pass through conflict zones without a problem. Just pretend to be an aid worker or something. May be better to route through Niamey and Benin - I have no idea of the current situation in any of those regions, but that is an alternative route to Agadez - Tahoua - Sokoto or Agadez - Zinder - Kano.
>As a white man with a Swiss passport, you should be able to pass through conflict zones without a problem
He is more than likely to get abducted by criminals gangs and sold off to one of the various rebel groups who will in turn chop him up gradually and sell his body parts to witch doctors for muti.