Hobo tourism/Third creative trip of Viktor Pinchuk to Africa

Russian traveller Viktor Pinchuk in Khartum, Sudan

The third creative trip to Africa — a project of the Russian traveler Viktor Pinchuk. The three-month route, included six African countries, not without adventure...

General information

• Duration: 3 months.
• Period: 3.12. 2010 — 7. 03. 2011
• Idea: Viktor Pinchuk.
• Number of participants: 1 (one).
• Starting point: Cairo
• Transit through: Moscow.
• Number of countries visited: 6 (six).
• Way to get: plane.
• Ways to move: air transport, land transport, water transport, pedestrian routes.
• Nature of the journey: creative trip.
• Objects of interest: ethnic tribes, ancient architecture, natural attractions.
• Purpose: collecting material about the countries and peoples of Africa, preparing a photo exhibition.
• Format: standard hobo tour.

Places visited

• Egypt: Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria.
• Sudan: Wadi Halfa, Dongola, Meroë, Atbara, Khartoum, El-Obeid.
• Zambia: Nakonde (Tanzania border), Lusaka, Mongu, Lialui, Katoya, Livingstone, Sesheke (Namibia border), Mpulungu (port).
• Burundi: Bujumbura, Muyinga.
• Namibia: Katima Mulilo (border of Zambia), Oshakati, Oshikango, Opuwo, Epupa, Windhoek, Grünau.
• Tanzania: Dar es Salaam, Tunduma (Zambia border), Arusha, Moshi, Marangu, Dodoma, Kwa Mtoro, tiny village of Barabeig people.

Мap of the route

The methods applied

In the process of moving along the route the following accommodation options were used:

• On objects under construction: in Cairo (Egypt), near ruins of Kerma and in Khartoum (Sudan).
• At the police station: Lusaka (Zambia), Windhoek (Namibia)
• In the territory of local residents: in Opuwo (Namibia), near Epupa Falls.
• Under the open sky: near Epupa Falls, on the porch of the building of the central street in Oshakati (Namibia).
• In places for the accommodation for the local poor: in all the countries listed.
• In the cabin of the bus leaving in the morning: Nakonde (border of Tanzania and Zambia), Dodoma (Tanzania).
• In a small booth (or shed), where two local guards also slept on the trash floor: Katima Mulilo (Namibia).
• In a stone building without a facade wall: at the entrance to the Fish River Canyon (Namibia).

Outcomes and results

Author’s articles published in periodicals: (in Russian):

• «Дорога в Судан» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 7. 04. 2011. — № 10 (916);
• «Сияха в Судане» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 21. 04. 2011. — № 12 (918);
• «Судан – 3: автостопом по стране» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 12. 05. 2011. — № 14 (920);
• «Судан – 4: прохладный уют пирамиды» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. —2 6. 05. 2011. — № 16 (922);
• «Судан – 5: околовизовые мытарства» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 9. 06. 2011. — № 18 (924);
• «Судан – 6: беспробудное занудство» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 17. 11. 2011. — № 22 (928);
• «Судан – 7: предвыездные мытарства» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 24. 11. 2011. — № 23 (929);
• «Третья афровылазка продолжается» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. —23. 02. 2012. — № 7 (940);
• «Вперёд, в африканские дебри!» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 25. 10. 2012. — № 33 (966);
• «Что было дальше?» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 8. 11. 2012. — № 34 (967);
• «Седьмое чудо света» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 15. 11. 2012. — № 35 (968);
• «Намибия. Первое знакомство» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 6. 12. 2012. — № 37 (970);
• «В гостях у смерти или Эпатажный фотохудожник и его Африка» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 17. 01. 2013. — № 1 (973);
• «Робинзон нелепого «круиза» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 24. 01. 2013. — № 2 (974);
• «Мой адрес — не дом и не улица…» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 31. 01. 2013. — № 3 (975);
• «В каньоне "рыбной" реки» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 7. 02. 2013. — № 4 (976);
• «Через Замбию в Бурунди» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 14. 02. 2013. — № 5 (977);
• «Две страны за двое суток» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 21. 02. 2013. — № 6 (978);
• «Снег на экваторе» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 7. 03. 2013. — № 7 (979);
• «Всё имеет свойство заканчиваться…» — Republic of Crimea: newspaper. — 14. 03. 2013. — № 8 (980).
• «Африканский водопад оставил меня без штанов и чуть не убил» — Republic: newspaper. — 22.05.2014. — № 18 (153).

In addition:

• In 2018, the book "Third African trip" was published, which describes the route of the trip and the adventures of the author.
• In September 2012, the traveler organized a personal photo exhibition "Egypt and Egyptians III" (third on the topic of Egypt); the opening took place in the exhibition hall of the Russian Cultural Center (Simferopol)
• Exhibition "Hitchhiking in the Sudan", held in July 2014, introduced visitors to the Simferopol History Museum with the author’s photographic works depicting the state of Africa rarely visited by foreigners.
• Two issues in the series of author’s TV project "Around the world with empty pockets" (with the assistance of the Crimea TV and Radio company) were dedicated to Egypt and Zambia (see section. "links").

Problems, difficult moments

• The first day of stay in Africa was marked by an injury that was received while descending the stairs of a house under construction, where the night was spent.
• Moving hitchhiking to southern Sudan, Kaduqli town, on 25 December 2010, on the eve of political events, was detained by local State security authorities and deported to the capital.
• A bag of personal belongings left in the custody of the owner of a night-shelter in Cairo disappeared upon the return of traveller. The owner of "apartments" tried to shift the blame on unknown intruders who entered the premises during the unrest in the country related to the change of power.

Gallery (fhoto & video)

• Open air flophouse, Atbara (Sudan)
• 
  Pyramids of Meroë (Sudan)
• 
  People of bush (Namibia)
• 
  Barabaig people (Tanzania)
• Epupa Falls and Kunene River (Namibia)

Materials in Wikisource project

• Viktor Pinchuk "Visiting Death"
• Viktor Pinchuk "Ridiculous "cruise" of Robinson"
• Viktor Pinchuk "In search of the Lost Tribes"

Links

TV stories in conversation format — prepared with the assistance of the Crimea TV and Radio company (in ru):

• Crimea (TV and Radio company). "Egypt without pyramids (10. 11. 2014)". youtube.com (in Russian). Retrieved April 22, 2023.
• Crimea (TV and Radio company). "Zambia (24. 11. 2014)". youtube.com (in Russian). Retrieved April 22, 2023.