Passport Bureaucracy, Modern Book Shops and Culture Shocks

Exams are over and my sanity level is slowly returning to a normal state. I now have the whole time to devote to adventure planning. I have currently been researching into the cheapest ways to travel to various parts of eastern/ southern Africa and have been currently trying to figure out my budget.

I was on the bus with a mate of mine the other day and we got discussing safari and prices. Safaris are pretty pricey, usually around $400 if you are not from an African country. If you are from an African country it will cost you about $15. After hearing this I got thinking about the perfect passport combination.

I currently hold a British passport and a Canadian passport. I am extremely thankful for both of these because it means that I can work and live in the EU and Canada, but also it is extremely easy for me to get to everyones favourite country, the USA.  The British one also makes it very easy to travel through much of Africa as visas can be obtained at the border or are not required ( yippee!!). I concluded other brilliant passport combinations would be, South African and an EU citizen, if you have a keen interest in Africa then it makes you life considerably easier to have a passport of an African country. Also, Brazilian and Australian because it makes it very easy to travel through Andean countries as well as travelling through Europe and North America.

I went to a book shop today to pick up a Swahili phrase book, and I was amazed how for a book shop Chapters actually sells very few books. It looked more like the front cover of good house keeping than a book shop with all the pillows, home decor teddy bears and CD's.

I find it quite funny that when you go into a CD shop now days its mostly video games, movies, posters t shirts and books and when you go into a Book shop its mostly Cd's and home decor. Is this a new marketing tactic? If so doesn't seem particularly logical if you ask me.

Anyways, two weeks till i'm about to experience the biggest culture shock of my life..... and I cannot wait for it. I know that there is absolutely no way I can prepare myself for whats going to happen two weeks from now and i'm completely ok with it.There is something so wonderfully frightening, thrilling and exhilarating about culture shocks that sticks with you and changes you as a person each time you experience one.

Now time to pack up my house and get back to the Swahili learning!