Dark Star Safari - book review

[HEPZIBAH]

Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Cape Town
by Paul Theroux

[face=Comic Sans MS]I read this book some years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it as I was familiar with some of the locations and those I wasn't I could clearly imagine some of the places and events. One chapter in particular stuck in my mind - Up and Down the Nile - and picking the book up yesterday I decided to revisit that chapter and was not disappointed.

Those of us who know Luxor will probably identify with ....[/face]

'We came to Luxor, Thebes, the Valley of the Kings, the dream of Egyptologists and fidgety tourists, for even if you know nothing you can still gape at the beauties and listen to recited facts, that the sun is born in the morning as a beetle - the scarab; becomes the god Re at noon, and reigns until night falls, becoming the god Atun.'


[face=Comic Sans MS]A very good read for those who enjoy reading of others travels or have an interest in Africa.[/face]

Product Description courtesy of Amazon
Paul Theroux sets off for Cape Town from Cairo -- the hard way. Travelling across bush and desert, down rivers and across lakes, and through country after country, Theroux visits some of the most beautiful landscapes on earth, and some of the most dangerous. It is a journey of discovery and of rediscovery -- of the unknown and the unexpected, but also of people and places he knew as a young and optimistic teacher forty years before. Safari in Swahili simply means "journey", and this is the ultimate safari. It is Theroux in his element -- a trip where chance encounter is everything, where departure and arrival times are an irrelevance, and where contentment can be found balancing on the top of a truck in the middle of nowhere.

About the Author
Paul Theroux is the author of many bestselling books, both fiction and non-fiction. His travel books include THE GREAT RAILWAY BAZAAR, THE PILLARS OF HERCULES and FRESH-AIR FIEND. His latest book, THE STRANGER AT THE PALAZZO D'ORO, is published byHamish Hamilton in June 2003. He divides his time between Cape Cod and Hawaii.

[Winged Isis]

I also read this a few years ago, after a couple of visits to Egypt, and also particularly enjoyed the parts about there. Brought back lovely memories.