★★★★★

By Sam Manicom

Amazon.com

Publisher: Self

ISBN: 0955657318

World travel via motorcycle is no longer a novelty, and with the plethora of travel books already on the shelves, why choose Sam Manicom’s Into Africa?

Into Africa is a breath of fresh air. Although not an account of the trials and tribulations of ego-stroking motorcycle accomplishments, there’s no shortage of dangers and excitement. Sam delivers an almost understated perspective of a new motorcyclist and unseasoned traveler—one who believes more in luck and guardian angels than his own bravado.

The book begins with a hair-raising excerpt of an international motorcyclist’s worst nightmare, then returns the reader to the beginning of the trip several months earlier. The author endures time in a Tanzanian jail and subsequent court proceedings, survives a serious bout of malaria, and spends four days in three different hospitals, unconscious after a tumble on an extremely remote and dangerous piece of road in Namibia. Told from the perspective of a new rider, these hair-raising scenarios beg the reader to ask, “How did he get through that?!”

Sam’s gentle nature and open mind allow him access into the lives of many African citizens, and his slow southward journey provides the opportunity to experience daily life in a remote Tanzanian village which had likely never been seen before by Westerners. He finds short-term work, makes lifelong friends, and delves into local cultures like few have the opportunity or ability to do. He does his best to assimilate into the different cultures and mindsets he comes across, in order to fully learn about the people who live there.



Having met Sam, his affable personality and calm demeanor bring credit to the international motorcycle community. Sam’s writing style is fun to read and guaranteed to increase your familiarity with British slang with words such as “kip” and “niggling,” both of which made me consult my dusty dictionary. His storytelling has a casual feel that makes the book difficult to put down, and the specific details of each encounter make me feel as if I’m taking the trip with him.

Overall, I recommend Sam’s book to anyone interested in international motorcycle travel or simply to learn more about Africa. A one-year trip catapulted him into spending eight years in 55 countries, resulting in several other books on his journeys through Asia, Australia, and the Americas, all of which I look forward to reading. Into Africa will pique the interest of people who find pleasure in living vicariously through the life of an adventure motorcyclist without leaving the comforts of home, but will also be fascinating to those who intend to travel through Africa themselves. It is as much a guidebook and source of valuable information as it is an engaging story to get lost in.