Gadling http://www.gadling.com Gadling http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/%SiteURL%/media/feedlogo.gif Gadling http://www.gadling.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The world's top ten most desolate countries]]>http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/http://www.gadling.com/2011/08/12/the-worlds-top-ten-most-desolate-countries/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

most desolate

According to a Harvard study, the earth's population will hit seven billion humans in a few months. Earlier this summer, Gadling labs profiled the effects of increasing populations on finite land resources by showcasing the world's most crowded islands. The earth is, in its own way, an island, and 21st century humanity will be presented with the challenge of adapting to rising population levels and static resources.

While countries like India have wrestled with the conundrum of feeding and housing booming population levels in Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai, the countries on this list bear no similarities to the billion strong Indian subcontinent. These countries are the ones with open space - lots of it. Countries like Greenland and Mongolia may someday be utilized for their vast expanses of open terrain, but today they are simply great places to go when you have tired of other human beings.

So while this extraordinarily hot summer may have included elbowing your way through thronged midtown Manhattan in 100 degree heat or hesitantly inhaling the stink rising off the sweaty crowd at Bonnaroo, this list is intended to take you way away from the crowds. From riding a horse through the empty steppes of Mongolia to exploring the glacial highlands of Iceland, each of these countries offers exercises in sweet sweet solitude. None of these countries have more than ten people per square mile.

Gallery: The world's ten most uninhabited countries

Number 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - MauritaniaNumber 10 - Mauritania

Continue reading The world's top ten most desolate countries

The world's top ten most desolate countries originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 12 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>australiadesolatedesolationFalkland IslandsFalklandIslandsFrench GuianaFrenchGuianagreenlandIcelandleast populatedLeastPopulatedmauritaniaMongoliamost desolateMostDesolatenamibiapopulation densityPopulationDensitySurinamewestern saharaWesternSaharaFri, 12 Aug 2011 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Al-Qaeda suspected of kidnapping aid workers in Mauritania]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/01/al-qaeda-suspected-of-kidnapping-aid-workers-in-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/01/al-qaeda-suspected-of-kidnapping-aid-workers-in-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2009/12/01/al-qaeda-suspected-of-kidnapping-aid-workers-in-mauritania/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Spanish government fears that three Spanish aid workers kidnapped this week in Mauritania were taken by Al-Qaeda's North African group.

The three were taken by masked gunmen from their vehicle as it was driving in a caravan to deliver aid for the group Barcelona-Acciò Solidaria en Mauritania. They were riding in the last vehicle and were apparently stopped when the gunmen fired some shots. There is no information about whether anyone was injured. The caravan was driving on a road between the capital Nouakchott to the city of Nouadhibou, shown here.

While no group has claimed responsibility, the Spanish government suspects Al-Qaeda in the Land of the Islamic Maghreb, which recently kidnapped a French aid worker in Mali. In Mauritania they claimed responsibility for killing an American teacher in June. The spate of attacks and kidnappings are making travel in several Saharan nations increasingly dangerous.

Al-Qaeda suspected of kidnapping aid workers in Mauritania originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>al qaedaal qaidaal queda terroristsAlQaedaAlQaidaAlQuedaTerroristsngossaharasahara desertSaharaDesertTue, 01 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/http://www.gadling.com/2009/11/25/the-ultimate-road-trip-12-500-miles-across-africa-on-a-motorcyc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thomas Tomczyk is serious about motorcycles. He's done three motorcycle trips across India, from the steamy southern tip all the way up to the frozen highlands of Ladakh. Now he's starting his childhood dream--an epic trip 12,500 miles (20,000 km) across Africa.

His zigzag tour will take in 22 African nations including South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, the Saharawi Republic, and Morocco. . .

. . .before he ends up skinny, exhausted, and happy at my house in Spain, where my wife will fatten him up with her excellent paella.

Full disclosure: Thomas is a friend of mine. We covered the massive Hindu pilgrimage of Kumbh Mela together in 2001 and barely managed not to get trampled to death by hordes of naked holy men. But even if I didn't know him, this trip is so thoroughly cool I would have reported on it anyway.

Thomas isn't just going on vacation; he'll be visiting innovative grassroots projects that are making life better for the average African. Through his website Africa Heart Beat he'll be telling us about ordinary people doing extraordinary things, such as creating a job center for landmine victims in Mozambique, an AIDS theater group in Botswana, and a Muslim-Christian vocational center in Mali that's bringing the two communities together.

"The idea of crossing Africa came to me when I was 10," Thomas says.

Continue reading The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle

The ultimate road trip: 12,500 miles across Africa on a motorcycle originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelblogbloggersbloggingblogscharitiescharitydevelopmentmotorcyclemotorcyclesngosroad triproadtripsustainable developmentSustainableDevelopmentWed, 25 Nov 2009 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Listen to Africa expedition wants us to do just that]]>http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/04/listen-to-africa-expedition/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/04/listen-to-africa-expedition/http://www.gadling.com/2009/08/04/listen-to-africa-expedition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Back in March, two Brits, Huw WIlliams and Rebecca Sumner, set off on a proposed two year, 15,000 mile journey, across Africa by bicycle. Their intention is to explore the cultures and landscapes of more than a dozen countries, all the while making audio recordings of the things they hear along the way.

The pair have dubbed their adventure the Listen to Africa Expedition, and their goal is to record samplings not only the natural sounds of the continent, such as the abundant wildlife, but also the oral histories and music of the people that live there. They hope to share these wide variety of sounds with the rest of the world to bring a better understanding of the continent and the people that live there.

The expedition actually began in the U.K. with Huw and Rebecca catching the ferry to France before riding across that country to catch another boat to Africa. They arrived in Tangier, Morocco and began making their way down Africa's western coast. As of this writing, they are currently in Mauritania, but with no set route, it is hard to tell where they will be going next.

The expedition's official website offers more information about their plans and includes a blog in which they post regular updates on the team's progress. But most interesting of all are the audio clips they have already uploaded, which includes the sound of the wind in the Sahara, a variety of birds, music from Morocco, and much more. Listening to these clips while reading their blog entries makes for a vary interesting experience, and it really underscores the goals of the project.

Be sure to check back on the Listen to Africa website for regular updates. This seems like an interesting project to follow and should be fun to keep up with.

Listen to Africa expedition wants us to do just that originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure traveladventure-travelAdventureTravelafrican musicAfricanMusicaudioaudio recorderaudio recordingAudioRecorderAudioRecordingbicyclebicyclingcyclingcyclingtoursoral historyOralHistoryTue, 04 Aug 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Camel cheese - coming soon to a grocery near you]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/04/02/camel-cheese-coming-soon-to-a-grocery-near-you/http://www.gadling.com/2008/04/02/camel-cheese-coming-soon-to-a-grocery-near-you/http://www.gadling.com/2008/04/02/camel-cheese-coming-soon-to-a-grocery-near-you/#commentsFiled under: , ,

As any proper Bedouin will tell you, camels are an essential part of a nomadic desert existence. They provide a convenient method of transportation, require little water and can stand up to great extremes of temperature. We now also know that they provide the perfect compliment to your next cheese and cracker platter. I'm talking more specifically about camel cheese, the latest delicacy to make its way to grocery stores here in the U.S.

The camel cheese trend started in the African nation of Mauritania, site of the world's first and, to the best of my knowledge, only camel dairy farm. Mauritanians consume camel milk as part of their everyday diet, but it was a local expat named Nancy Abeiderrahmane who first got the idea to turn the milk into cheese to preserve its shelf life. The idea was a hit, and Nancy has been producing camel cheese ever since.

The cheese made its debut in the New York City area this past month. Connoisseurs compare it favorably to goat cheese, citing its subtle "barnyard flavors" and the ability to spread it easily on bread or crackers. When it comes to food, nothing wins me over quicker than when I hear phrases like "barnyard flavors." Pick up some now for your Final Four party this weekend!

[Via Buzzfeed]

Camel cheese - coming soon to a grocery near you originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 02 Apr 2008 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bedouincamelcamel cheeseCamelCheesecamelscheesecheese and crackersCheeseAndCrackerscruditedairydelicacydeserteatinggoat cheeseGoatCheesegourmetmauritaniamilknew york cityNewYorkCitysnacksWed, 02 Apr 2008 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Immigrants' perspectives on life in the U.S.]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/18/immigrants-perspective-on-life-in-the-u-s/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/18/immigrants-perspective-on-life-in-the-u-s/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/18/immigrants-perspective-on-life-in-the-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

One question I like to ask people who have come to live in the U.S. is in regards to what surprised them the most about living here. Something they did not expect to find-- or something they didn't think about before moving here. The surprises could be sensory based, as in, what sights did you not expect? Sounds? I leave the question open just to see the variety of responses.

The question comes from my own quick impressions from my experiences living overseas. Often, as been my impression when one passes though a country quickly, certain nuances are missed, or we have one or two experiences that are hard to make a definite comment about--unless one is paying close attention as Neil did with his series on North Korea. Because Matthew is living in Japan, there are things that he picks up on that many folks in Japan for just a week, as I was when I traveled there, would not find out about as easily.

The results of my question are as diverse as the people who gave the answers. Although this is about the U.S., the question "What has surprised you the most?" can work in whatever country you happen to be living in. Let's call it a conversation starter.

Continue reading Immigrants' perspectives on life in the U.S.

Immigrants' perspectives on life in the U.S. originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>English as a Second LanguageEnglishAsASecondLanguageimmigrant perspectives of the U.S.ImmigrantPerspectivesOfTheU.s.life in the U.S.LifeInTheU.s.Fri, 18 Jan 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Dakar Rally, another victim of terrorism]]>http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/09/dakar-rally-another-victim-of-terrorism/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/09/dakar-rally-another-victim-of-terrorism/http://www.gadling.com/2008/01/09/dakar-rally-another-victim-of-terrorism/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

On our way from Portugal to Madrid last week, we saw a lot of trucks on their way to Lisbon for the annual Dakar Rally (previously Paris-Dakar). Unfortunately, the next day, they got the sad news that the Dakar Rally was canceled for the first time ever, because of terrorism.

Four French tourists were murdered in Mauritania on December 24 and nine of the Dakar Rally stages happen to go through Mauritania. The organizers feared they couldn't provide sufficient security.

As an alternative, Dakar Rally organizers are considering a race through central Europe this spring. Czechs are big fans of the rally so I am sure they would be psyched, but replacing a race through the Sahara desert with a race through some "bad roads of Europe" is kind of a stretch, isn't it?

Dakar Rally, another victim of terrorism originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 09 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dakar rallyDakarRallylisbonmauritaniaWed, 09 Jan 2008 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Independence days and elephants]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/11/30/independence-days-and-elephants/http://www.gadling.com/2007/11/30/independence-days-and-elephants/http://www.gadling.com/2007/11/30/independence-days-and-elephants/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I've whipped out my International Calendar to see what might be left to tell about November before it slips away from Eastern Standard Time in a few hours. What I see is a whole lot of independence days and a slew of other politically geared occasions.

  • Nov. 1--Antigua-Barbuda gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1980.
  • Nov. 3--Dominica gained independence from the UK in 1978. Panama gained Independence from Colombia in 1903 and Micronesia gained independence from the U.S. in 1980.
  • Nov. 9--Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953.
  • Nov. 11--Poland gained independence in 1918; Angola gained independence from Portugal in 1975.
  • Nov. 18--Latvia gained independence from Russia in 1918; Morocco from France in 1956.
  • Nov. 25--Suriname gained independence
  • Nov. 28--Mauritania gained Independence from France in 1968 and Albania gained Independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912, Panama gained independence from Spain in 1821 and East Timor gained independence from Portugal in 1975.
  • Nov. 30-Barbados gained independence from the U.K. in 1966

Other than these, Tonga has had Constitution Day (Nov. 4); Russia, Revolution Day (Nov. 7); Brazil, Republic Day (Nov. 15); and Vanuatu has had National Unity Day, (Nov. 29)

My favorite happening of the bunch of events that occurred this month, though, is the Surin Elephant Round-Up in Thailand.

Independence days and elephants originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 30 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Running the Sahara]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/15/running-the-sahara/http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/15/running-the-sahara/http://www.gadling.com/2007/04/15/running-the-sahara/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,



How's this for ballsy (I filed this one under "hiking", tho that seems to be an understatement). A couple of guys decide to do their part to help the world, in this case to bring better water conditions to Africa and Africans, and look for what would seem an impossible goal. One that would capture the attention of the world, or at least of the good folks at National Geographic, who can then help them get noticed.

Well, Kevin Lin, Ray Zahab, and Charlie Engle set out late last year to run...that's right to RUN across the entire expanse, west to east, of the Sahara Desert. Never mind that they had a big film crew with them and gobs of support, that is still a massive and jaw-dropping undertaking.

Charlie, Ray and Kevin touched the Red Sea, back in February, bringing the epic trip to an end. It lasted 111 days and took them through 6 countries: Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya, and Egypt. By their own GPS log, they covered over 4,300 miles. Yow.

Of course, all these guys are hard core mega-endurance types. Engle himself, the team leader is said to be one of the best ultra distance marathon runners in the world today, And as you might expect (and as I mentioned above) there will be a film on the effort (Narrated by Matt Damon), and the Web site had got gobs of lovely info including pictures, bios and an overview of the effort. What would Lawrence of Arabia have said?

Running the Sahara originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Sun, 15 Apr 2007 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[Mega, as in the Biggest Ever, African Adventure Trip]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/28/mega-as-in-the-biggest-ever-african-adventure-trip/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/28/mega-as-in-the-biggest-ever-african-adventure-trip/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/28/mega-as-in-the-biggest-ever-african-adventure-trip/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Suppose you have time-lots of it. Let's say you have 44 weeks. Perhaps you'd like to go overland from Morocco to South Africa by way of Egypt. Here's a travel adventure that will take you through 10 game parks, various cultural and historical landmarks, and enough thrills like rafting and tandem sky diving that you'll have stories to tell for years. Countries not typical as tourist hot spots are included in the mix. Angola, for example, has only allowed tourists in since 2004.

In Angola you'll see Portuguese influenced architecture and gorgeous beaches besides the 3rd largest statue of Jesus in the world. The other countries in this multi-stop, pack-in-variety approach are: Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, DRCongo Zaire, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Egypt.

The highlights of this tour calledTrans Africa. Europe--CapeTown-Nairobi-Istanbul read like a cross between an outdoor wilderness experience, a cultural bonanza and a journey through an African history book. Read the itinerary and you might find yourself chomping to take this trip on. I sure am. R&R opportunities and the chance to luxuriate are built in. Africa Travel Center also offers shorter version African adventures where only parts of this trip are included.

* photo taken in Benguela, Angola by zokete.

Mega, as in the Biggest Ever, African Adventure Trip originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 28 Feb 2007 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>adventure travelAdventureTravelAfrican Travel centerAfricanTravelCenterlong tripsLongTripsWed, 28 Feb 2007 00:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Photo of the Day (2/24/07)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/24/photo-of-the-day-2-24-07/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/24/photo-of-the-day-2-24-07/http://www.gadling.com/2007/02/24/photo-of-the-day-2-24-07/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Cooking Camel LiverHaving had several types of cooked liver in the past I have come to decide that it is probably the least tasty part of any animal. Yet, seeing this photo of a young man cooking up what must be considered a very yummy snack (camel liver) in Mauritania almost makes me want to try some first-hand. Then again in the end I probably wouldn't. There is something about liver that tastes the same among all animals. Am I alone on this one? Regardless, we can all thank cfarivar for providing a glimpse of what life and dining in Mauritania is like on a daily basis.

Photo of the Day (2/24/07) originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 24 Feb 2007 11:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camel liverCamelLiverfoodSat, 24 Feb 2007 11:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Take a Ride on the World's Longest Train]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/take-a-ride-on-worlds-longest-train/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/take-a-ride-on-worlds-longest-train/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/25/take-a-ride-on-worlds-longest-train/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Next time you're in Mauritania, Africa, don't forget to take a ride on what is probably the world's longest train, measuring in somewhere around 3km long (1.8 miles), depending on cargo load. The train ride was mentioned on Gadling last summer in a post from Adrienne, but I ran across some more information and even a video (YouTube, what don't you have?), so I figured an update was due.

For around $5, you can travel from Nouadhibu to Zouerate (about 700km, 434 miles) which takes about 12 hours, according to this site. Apparently they've just recently installed passenger cabins on the train, so you don't have to ride on top anymore. That's a plus.

If you don't plan on visiting Mauritania any time soon, but still want to see a world's longest train, head to Hamburg Germany's Miniatur Wunderland where the world's longest model train rests. You should refrain from attempting to ride this one, though.

Check out a video of the Mauritania train passing by (this sucker is LONG!), after the jump:

Continue reading Take a Ride on the World's Longest Train

Take a Ride on the World's Longest Train originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:32:00 EST<![CDATA[Lisboa-Dakar Rally 2007]]>http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/01/lisboa-dakar-rally-2007/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/01/lisboa-dakar-rally-2007/http://www.gadling.com/2007/01/01/lisboa-dakar-rally-2007/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

DakarDanger - it is your middle name. You're the type that likes big vehicles, fast motorcycles and gnarly tricked out cars sliding the thru desert sand in the race of a lifetime across two continents. Are you going to be there? The Lisboa-Dakar Rally kicks off this year on January 6, 2007-January 21, 2007. For the second time in history the race will start off in Portugal and run through Spain, Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and Senegal.

While trying to catch sight of death-defying feats during my travels hasn't been high on my personal list of activities I can see how others might enjoy the action and suspense. I'd love to go if only to check out the African backdrop (villages, forests, and Sahara) these crazy men and women will be torpedoing by in their efforts to be victorious.

Lisboa-Dakar Rally 2007 originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dakardakar rallyDakarRallylisboaracesMon, 01 Jan 2007 15:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Train Ride Through Mauritania]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/07/14/train-ride-through-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2006/07/14/train-ride-through-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2006/07/14/train-ride-through-mauritania/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Mauritania Train Ride Joanne Lane is a brave woman; snapping shots of Mauritania's Iron Ore Express as people jump off and on. Getting lost in the scramble of things she gets pushed up on the train by a husband helping his wife board and ends up sharing snacks with the lady and her child. Passengers ride for free on the Iron Ore Express, but they share limited space with iron ore. Moving at 31 mph the train gathers sand as it chugs along making way to the Sahara on the 419 mile single track railway line. She says it's one of the longest trains in the world and I believe her - 1.5 miles long. The ride is far from luxury, considerably rough and off-the-beaten path for many a traveler. I tried putting myself in her shoes, wandering how I would do in such conditions - in the shuffle.

If Mauritania is on your radar and you don't mind a little sand it's worth it to look at her report featured in the latest Go World Travel. Even if the African country is far from your radar I suggest giving it a glance. Just do it and take a virtual ride, man.

Train Ride Through Mauritania originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 14 Jul 2006 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>traintrain travelTrainTravelFri, 14 Jul 2006 19:21:00 EST<![CDATA[Word for the Travel Wise (03/17/06)]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/17/word-for-the-travel-wise-03-17-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/17/word-for-the-travel-wise-03-17-06/http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/17/word-for-the-travel-wise-03-17-06/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

SenegalI get pretty darn excited when I'm able to find information online on some of the world's lesser known langs or those specific to one of the many tribes or groups of people in Africa. First reason being, I've been known to drill a person for ten new vocabulary words in their native tongue upon initial meeting and secondly because now we all learn in the comfort and privacy of our own homes. This gives us plenty of time to perfect any rolling of the 'R' or nasal techniques associated with certain languages without being laughed at too much. (Notice I said "too much.") French is the official language of west African country Senegal, but there is a second mother tongue used in the area by 80 percent of the population.

Today's word is a Wolof word used in Senegal:

jërejëf - thanks/thank you

According to this Wolof Online site, most Wolof speaking people believe their language is quite difficult and even un-teachable to those passionately wanting to communicate in the lingua. The website also believes if there is a will there is a way which is why you can find primer courses on Wolof there as well. Wiki has a small list of words on their information guide. You'll notice the word used in today's lesson above there and should be able to make good use of this one during your travels in Senegal or Gambia and Mauritania where Wolof is also spoken. Scroll further down on the Wiki and the Wolof Online sites to find additional links and resources to help in your Wolof endeavors.

Word for the Travel Wise (03/17/06) originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 17 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Fri, 17 Mar 2006 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Africa Travel: Mauritania]]>http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/08/africa-travel-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/08/africa-travel-mauritania/http://www.gadling.com/2006/03/08/africa-travel-mauritania/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

MauritaniansOkay, so those who were wondering what happened to blogging about the entire whole of Africa one country at a time for Black History month last month I'm sure you excused the gaps by now and you have my promise it won't happen again. I honestly wanted to make it happen, but who knew Carnival in Trinidad & Tobago would be so crazy and hectic?

Sigh. So allow me to pick up the pieces with Mauritania, a country located in Northern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Senegal and Western Sahara. It's safe to say Mauritania is definitely off-the-beaten track due to terrorism threats and land mines that plague the sands near Western Sahara. In short make sure you check with your local embassy before departing to this one, but in the meantime take a moment to click through some of the photos found on this Alovelyworld.com site. This particular shot in Nouakchott of the two Mauritanians in front of a boat aground really captured my attention. The women in white comes off incredibly striking in this shot to me. Continue checking out more photos on Mauritania and its people by clicking here.

Africa Travel: Mauritania originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Wed, 08 Mar 2006 23:43:00 EST