Bradt is the only publisher to devote an entire guide to Nigeria, one of the world’s least understood countries and they are well known for giving their authors relative freedom to write as they see fit, especially in destinations that are difficult to travel in, such as Nigeria. When I wrote the first edition in 2003, Nigeria had only recently emerged from 16 years of military dictatorship and I was told by one Nigerian tourism official that during that period, the secretive military discouraged tourism so foreigners wouldn’t see what was going on in the country. What surprised and delighted me working on the second edition in 2008 was to see what an impact the existence of a guidebook on Nigeria has had on encouraging people to visit the country. I’ve had an overwhelming response from readers, who have shared their experiences in Nigeria with me, and these haven’t just been hardy expats and adventurous backpackers, who, admittedly, were the only people I had expected to buy the book. They have been people who spent their childhood in Nigeria when it was still under colonial rule, a group of ex-Peace Corps volunteers that served in Nigeria in the 1960s and wanted to revisit their old haunting grounds, a 19-year-old Slovenian girl who wanted to visit her Nigerian boyfriend and whose father would only let her go after he read the book, parents of people who have married Nigerians visiting their grandchildren for the first time, and one poor chap who had succumbed to 419 fraud and went to Nigeria to try and recover his stolen money. Totally unexpectedly many Nigerians bought the book too. After reading it, some have returned to Nigeria for a visit after living overseas for decades. One reader, who is half Nigerian and half British, and hasn’t been to Nigeria since he was a small child in the 1980s, has made five visits in the last three years and has now moved to Lagos permanently. He has paid me the greatest compliment by saying. ‘You showed me a side of Nigeria I had almost forgotten about. Thank you.’
By contrast the Bradt city guide to Johannesburg was easy and a pleasure to write given how jacked up tourism in South Africa is. Johannesburg is a modern international city that a decade ago had a negative reputation for high crime and safety. Today, thanks to rejuvenation and investment, it’s one of the most fast-paced cities in the world that’s expanding rapidly and many safety issues have been addressed. It now offers a wealth of attractions to visitors and there’s no better place to learn about South Africa’s turbulent history than in its cutting-edge museums. There are also a number of places to get close to wildlife within a short distance from the city, plus awesome shopping in the mega-shopping malls and a great restaurant and nightlife scene. I would encourage anyone to make time for a couple of days in Johannesburg before or after a longer safari to South Africa. They’ll be pleasantly surprised about how much this vibrant city has to offer.
