If you’ve read our “About Us” page, you might have seen that we have been travelling the world for quite some time. Ulli: “Since I have been travelling from the early 70’s, when all those modern gadgets were not yet invented, travelling overland through remote and unexplored regions of the black continent was a privilege for only a hand full of people. Today a lot of regions that I explored by 4×4 truck with the simple method of a compass and map, are no longer accessible, at least not without an unease feeling. Back then, with Nisa in tow, the little white girl opened doors to the grimmest police officer just with her smile.”
I would now like to show you a couple of photos of these Africa-adventures. I think it’s really fascinating to see the difference to our travels today…even though we’re still as adventurous & crazy.
Travelling through the Congo was a real adventure (Baby Nisa in tow).Fishermen pulling in the catch near Lome in Togo.An approaching sand storm in the Sahara desert, Niger.Pygmees in the Ituri Forest in the Congo.Working conditions at Apapa harbour in Laos, Nigeria.A bunch of kids in Rwanda.Little Nisa & and an African boy in the Sudan.Black & white kids kissing in the Sudan – this is our most viewed picture by the way…This crowd in Morocco wanted to be photographed really badly :)That’s what I call “being stuck in the mud” at Lake Magadi in Kenya.Camping in the middle of the Sahara desert in the Sudan (again with baby Nisa in the picture).Our companion while travelling through Africa was an Unimog truck.Wild animals in Kenya, Africa.Masai boys posing for us in Kenya, Africa.On our first journey through Africa, we went with an old Graef & Stift truck.Travelling through the Serengeti in Africa.The Unimog was a great car for travelling Africa back in the days. Here we are in the Kalahari desert.
wow.. i think both of you are the luckiest people on earth who can travel whenever you want. As I begin to love photography, I discover that I love traveling. I always want to go here and there and take shots. I love your photos with the African boy. Cute!
Nisa •
Thanks you two for your lovely words ;)
@Jane: Well, unfortunately we can’t travel whenever we want cause we still have to work but we’re managing well ;) Keep on travelling ;)
kathryn •
wow -simply amazing photojournalism of just-real life. bravo. Must have been a real stellar experience of a trip with your little child!
26 yr old caucasian woman fell in love with and is marrying a 27 year old african -jamaican man
this world shall overcome inequality, with pioneers like ourselves.
These photos are amazing. I so wish that I had gone there then, when I dreamed about it. It seemed dangerous, but clearly they were much simpler times, and not so dangerous as now, though perhaps in a different way. Thinking of what was to come in some of those countries is devastating, but that said, the seeds were already planted, long before, it was the calm before the storm I guess. Thank you for sharing them.
How wonderful to have parents who implanted the wanderlust though – my own were full of the natural caution most folk have, and it took my years to shake it off!
By far, during those times, I am still a baby, born in 1976 and this photos you took and shared showed to me how beautiful Africa was and is still today. I haven’t been there myself but surely, Africa as those places you have captured in your photos are constantly evolving to show to the world how life must, at all cost, be well-lived in the confines of its mundane situations yet we learn more of it because we saw it, feel it and embrace it.
How i wish I can be in Africa too, one day. I really, loved the way you captured your photos and most importantly, the prose you wrote on this post.
Cheers from the Philippines!
Nisa •
Thanks you guys for your lovely comments!
Linda, it’s really great that the travel bug bit you as well – better late, than never ;)
Journeys and Travels – you live in one of the most amazing countries anyway and there is enough to see for one single lifetime ;)
Of course nowadays it doesn’t seem so easy to travel through Africa like back in the days. But it’s still on our to-do list, to do it all over again some day…Remember the words: “you can get it if you really want” ;) Africa is still not easy to travel: you need more time, patience and probably more money than when travelling through other parts of the world…
Surley the situation becomes easier if you’re surrounded by people who like to take this kind of risks, rather then spending a “safe” vacation on a cruise ship (haha)…
Jeetan •
I am so gald I stumbled across this page while browsing during my lunch at work.
I was born in Uganda and in 1971 we were deposed as asians to leave. I yearn to go back, and will do so soon. Your pictures have enlightended my quest to return ever so much.
It is little wonder your phont of the black and white kids is the most viewed, just what people need to see in this day and age and learn.
Thank you.
Nisa •
Thanks so much Jeetan!
The black & white photo really is how children see the world and other human beings. As one of them. Period. I hope you get the change to travel back to Uganda. I would love to do so as well.
Take care!
Best, Nisa
The Unimog was an amazing vehicle. If I remember correctly, it had 64 gears, and each wheel could turn independently of the others. It could literally crawl its way over and through rough terrain, one wheel at a time. Loved my years in Africa. Thanks for sharing your photos.
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“Travelling Through Africa In The Early 70’s.”
I really like those retro photos, because they’re so vivid and genuine! Awesome!
wow.. i think both of you are the luckiest people on earth who can travel whenever you want. As I begin to love photography, I discover that I love traveling. I always want to go here and there and take shots. I love your photos with the African boy. Cute!
Thanks you two for your lovely words ;)
@Jane: Well, unfortunately we can’t travel whenever we want cause we still have to work but we’re managing well ;) Keep on travelling ;)
wow -simply amazing photojournalism of just-real life. bravo. Must have been a real stellar experience of a trip with your little child!
26 yr old caucasian woman fell in love with and is marrying a 27 year old african -jamaican man
this world shall overcome inequality, with pioneers like ourselves.
These photos are amazing. I so wish that I had gone there then, when I dreamed about it. It seemed dangerous, but clearly they were much simpler times, and not so dangerous as now, though perhaps in a different way. Thinking of what was to come in some of those countries is devastating, but that said, the seeds were already planted, long before, it was the calm before the storm I guess. Thank you for sharing them.
How wonderful to have parents who implanted the wanderlust though – my own were full of the natural caution most folk have, and it took my years to shake it off!
By far, during those times, I am still a baby, born in 1976 and this photos you took and shared showed to me how beautiful Africa was and is still today. I haven’t been there myself but surely, Africa as those places you have captured in your photos are constantly evolving to show to the world how life must, at all cost, be well-lived in the confines of its mundane situations yet we learn more of it because we saw it, feel it and embrace it.
How i wish I can be in Africa too, one day. I really, loved the way you captured your photos and most importantly, the prose you wrote on this post.
Cheers from the Philippines!
Thanks you guys for your lovely comments!
Linda, it’s really great that the travel bug bit you as well – better late, than never ;)
Journeys and Travels – you live in one of the most amazing countries anyway and there is enough to see for one single lifetime ;)
Of course nowadays it doesn’t seem so easy to travel through Africa like back in the days. But it’s still on our to-do list, to do it all over again some day…Remember the words: “you can get it if you really want” ;) Africa is still not easy to travel: you need more time, patience and probably more money than when travelling through other parts of the world…
Surley the situation becomes easier if you’re surrounded by people who like to take this kind of risks, rather then spending a “safe” vacation on a cruise ship (haha)…
I am so gald I stumbled across this page while browsing during my lunch at work.
I was born in Uganda and in 1971 we were deposed as asians to leave. I yearn to go back, and will do so soon. Your pictures have enlightended my quest to return ever so much.
It is little wonder your phont of the black and white kids is the most viewed, just what people need to see in this day and age and learn.
Thank you.
Thanks so much Jeetan!
The black & white photo really is how children see the world and other human beings. As one of them. Period. I hope you get the change to travel back to Uganda. I would love to do so as well.
Take care!
Best, Nisa
The Unimog was an amazing vehicle. If I remember correctly, it had 64 gears, and each wheel could turn independently of the others. It could literally crawl its way over and through rough terrain, one wheel at a time. Loved my years in Africa. Thanks for sharing your photos.