THE ADDRESS Magazine Summer 2014 | Page 363

AFRICAN ODYSSEY By Anisha Shah How to describe my favourite part of the world? East Africa is in the blood. Having grown up on a diet of vivid African tales of my father’s youth in Uganda and neighbouring countries, to a backdrop of African beats, language of Anglo-Swahili, eating East African homemade foods and poring over photographs of the land, I inevitably had a huge appetite for this region. Before ever stepping foot in this emerging corner of the globe, I knew I’d find instant connection. Over the past decade I’ve returned countless times. In the past 2 years, East Africa has become a second home. www.theaddressmagazine.com What I wasn’t expecting was the wild contrasts of each country; which contradict yet compliment each other and provide travellers with a surreal set of unparalleled experiences. From safaris to suit every style to beaches so remote they’ve long been cut-off from civilisation, to major cities that rival and even surpass the great modern metropolises. Cultures are deeply embedded, with Africa credited as the cradle of civilisation and birthplace of mankind. The emergence of East Africa’s countries varies fiercely. Kenya has long been the leader, 363