Edition 48: Autumn 2009

My first footstep in Africa... Arriving in Alexandria by ferry from Greece. All I could think of was that song by Toto – “I bless the rains down in Africa”. Very cheesy on reflection, but it was a real thrill when I was 18, many years ago…

My favourite footstep in Africa... The drive from Kigali to Lake Kivu in Rwanda. It is the most beautiful country I’ve visited in Africa so far.

My fab five... I actually prefer the history, cultures and peoples of Africa. But for animals, at a stretch I’d say warthog, colobus monkey, mountain gorilla, mandrill and rhinoceros.

I'm still hoping to see... Cheetah.

... is at the top of my African travel wishlist... Equatorial Guinea. Difficult to get to, more or less unknown to Britons, ‘interesting’ history and a lot more…

My best cultural experience in Africa... Living in Libya for two years, at a time of immense political developments as the country started to emerge from pariah state status towards a new relationship with the world.

My favourite activity in Africa... Living there and experiencing normal daily life away from the tourist hotspots.