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Ciku Kimeria is a Kenyan author "Of goats and poisoned oranges" - (https://www.amazon.com/goats-poisoned-oranges-Ciku-Kimeria-ebook/dp/B00HBBWPI6), development consultant, adventurer and travel blogger (www.thekenyanexplorer.com). She writes both fiction and non-fiction focusing on African stories that need telling. She has worked on diverse pieces for various international and local publications including Quartz, Ozy, The East African etc. She has travelled to 45 countries – 16 of them in Africa. 153 countries to go and 63 territories!
"Of goats and poisoned oranges" has been extremely well received in Kenya and beyond. It tells the story of a Kenyan middle aged power couple and their complicated marriage. The novel explores issues of greed, revenge, betrayal and murder. It runs from the 1960s to 2013. It has been described as “Wicked, funny, poignant, wacky, human, a big ball of fun and danger”, “A unique and captivating book”, “Fun and intriguing”, “Impossible to put down once you start reading.”
She recently moved to Dakar, Senegal from Kenya to work on her second novel. She also works at as the Africa Communication Manager at a leading global strategy consulting firm.
She holds a B.S. in Management Science from MIT with minors in Urban Planning and International development studies.
The Story Of The First Black Woman's Quest To Visit All 193 Countries
I've been to 50 countries (18 of them in Africa) which is no small feat given I only have a Kenyan passport. I have written about the difficulties of traveling in Africa with an African passport (North Americans have easier travel access to the continent than Africans themselves) and the difficulties of traveling anywhere with an African passport. These challenges, though, will not deter me from my ultimate goal—that of traveling to all 193 UN-recognized countries in my life. Most times when I tell people about this dream, they think I must be crazy. It was therefore so refreshing to hear about Jessica Nabongo, a Ugandan-American travelblogger who's just over halfway to becoming the first black woman to visit all 193 countries.
Nabongo will be the first to admit that her timeline is insane: She's trying to complete her travel marathon before her 35th birthday, just 13 months away. So before perpetual jet lag gets the best of her—she recently flew from Bali to L.A. to Detroit to Amsterdam to Dakar in a week—we asked how she's choosing her path, how to enjoy a country instead of just counting it, and why anyone would put themselves through this much travel in such a short period of time. The most important question: What's on your bucket list when you've checked off every country?
Jessica's trip reminds me of one time when I planned a backpacking trip through Europe for me and my Kenyan girlfriends. We went to 14 cities in 12 countries in 6 weeks. That was the last time I planned such an ambitious trip. Every traveler is different, but I realized I really value slow travel (and sleep.) My next trip was a two-months solo trip through Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.
Jessica's travel plans inspire me very much, because it means a lot for Africans, blacks and/or women who want to travel. Knowing that a black woman has gone to every single country will be such an inspiration for all the people who never see themselves represented in the profile of the typical traveler or tourist.
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