A big THANK YOU from Diary of a Muzungu & the East Africa Travel Podcast!
As we “hang up our boots” for the holidays, here’s a:
💚 Thank you to everyone who reads Diary of a Muzungu. In 2024, the blog has focused on practical travel advice, with my creative energy channelled into 🎧 the East Africa Travel Podcast. Season 1 (20 episodes so far) has been a labour of love – and a lot of fun too!
🎁 Thank you to everyone who has been part of the podcast: my fascinating guests* and my listeners. I’ve loved all your feedback 💚 please keep it coming!
🎁 To everyone I trained with this year: what a great learning experience! (I now train tour operators in sustainable tourism, in addition to digital marketing).
🎁 A special shout-out to my friend, Prof. Wolfgang Thome, for sharing my podcasts and stories on his website and to my support team: my awesome sound recordist Bryan Kisembo and trusted web developer of many years, Sam Risbond.
In festive newsletter tradition, highlights of 2024 included:
🐘 Proofreading the latest edition of Andrew Roberts’ fantastic Uganda Safari book. I devoured every page of hand-written maps, historical photos – and his irrepressible humour!
🧾 I was delighted when the Uganda Tourism Board invited me to join the judging panel at Uganda’s Sustainable Tourism Awards at the Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo. Thank you Lilly Ajarova! Here’s my story about the winners.
🔥 World Tourism Day celebrations in Kasese were HOT HOT HOT 🔥 The midday sun shone on the shiny new Equator Monument at Kikorongo, Queen Elizabeth National Park.
🗻 My work year ended at the foot of Mount Elgon – training staff from tourism projects from all corners of north / eastern Uganda.
🌊 Mombasa and Diani are two of the Kenyan destinations we’ll be featuring in Season 2 of the East Africa Travel Podcast, loading in 2025: turtle conservation along Diani’s beaches, and an epic journey from Kampala to Nairobi and Mombasa (think: bus, SGR train, ferry and a tuk tuk ride through Old Town Mombasa!)
🎙A feature in the Sunday Monitor was a great boost for my podcast: What people are saying about the East Africa Travel Podcast. (Thank you Tony Musho!)
🌍 Looking ahead, 2025 kicks off with a research trip for Fodor’s Complete Guide to the African Safari, a guide I’m updating for the third time. 🦁
NEW TO DIARY OF A MUZUNGU? … Start your journey < here > with travel inspiration, useful resources (travel health, tourist visas, National Park entry fees, Travel Directory and more, all regularly updated).
🎄 🎁 Thank you for being part of my 2024. Wishing you an adventurous New Year!
As always, feel free to contact the Muzungu.
Just love your enthusiasm, and in awe of all the wonderful, useful work you do.
Have a well deserved break and a brilliant festive season, Charlotte, and all your colleagues.
Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, Ingrid
How lovely to read your feedback. Enjoy the hols!