Fort Jesus Mombasa: The Fortress That Changed Hands Nine Times By Steve Braker — Mombasa, Kenya I walk past Fort Jesus Mombasa most weeks. From the waterfront road it dominates the old harbour entrance the way it has always done — immense, low, and coral-coloured,...
Best Books to Read on an African Safari Recommendations from Steve Braker — thriller writer, 25-year Mombasa resident, and a man who has read most of them under a mosquito net People ask me all the time: what are the best books to read on an African safari? Usually...
Welcome to Nakuru—Kenya’s hidden gem of intrigue, revolution, and forsaken love. Nakuru City, steeped in ancient history and surrounded by wild landscapes, is a beacon of hope in Kenya’s green power revolution. As the fourth largest city in Kenya, Nakuru stands...
I’m sitting in my living room, watching the rain pour down as the heavy clouds creep in from the ocean. We have had no power in Mombasa for the last twenty-four hours, which is usually not a problem as we have a backup generator. However, on this occasion, the...
Wilbur Smith | On Leopard Rock It is now a few years since Wilbur Smith left us at the grand old age of 88. During his lengthy career, he wrote 49 books that have sold to date over 140 million copies worldwide; what would I do for that kind of legacy? Wilbur’s...
Princip, a man in despair, sits in a café, his black coffee untouched. His friends, their plan in ruins, are either dead or captured. Gripping his coffee with a white-knuckled hand, he frantically contemplates his escape from Sarajevo. Suddenly, cheering erupts...
At the beginning of January Pauline, my wife, and I had some spare time, so we decided to take a Kenya safari to a place we had always wanted to visit but had never found the time. A small Island on Lake Victoria called Mfangano Island. We landed in Kisumu...
I came across Code Red in my, “You might also like,” section on Amazon. As thrillers go it had an interesting protagonist which drew me in. Bob Simpleton is a down-and-out bum on the street, living in a cardboard box trying his best to get drunk as often as...
Colm Reid is an enthusiastic wannabe journalist working for the Irish Telegraph with dreams of being sent to dangerous locations like his hero Aileen O’Connor. A born and bred Irish man who has never left the island but yearns for that one story that will change...
This story is full of intrigue and deceit, finalizing in foul play and one-upmanship with a dash of murder-suicide thrown in for good measure! I can only be talking about two extremely different explorers thrust together by the Royal Geographical Society to find...
As a lifelong traveler and very keen on scuba diving, I was so happy to have the opportunity to visit Zanzibar, one of the famous spice islands. In particular, a tiny village on the eastern side called Paje. The occasion was brought on by cheap flights from Europe!...
Queen Victoria described Sir Henry Morton Stanley as an “Ugly determined little man with an awful American twang!” He was indeed determined and, in my belief, a ruthless man who would not let anything get in his way. This did, however, stop him from being buried...
Big Five Africa: The Ultimate Wildlife Adventure Embarking on an African Safari is a dream for adventure seekers and nature enthusiasts. When you think of an African Safari, what comes to mind? Vast savannas, picturesque landscapes, and the incredible wildlife that...
Ten Insider Tips for a Truly Authentic African Safari ExperienceWhy read this blog: My name is Steve Braker and I have lived in East Africa since the late 1990s which nowadays is a long time! I have traveled the length and breadth of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda,...
Embrace Adventure: 10 Reasons to Experience a Walking Safari in AfricaHave you ever dreamed of embarking on a journey that would take you closer to the heart of the wild? If the idea of venturing into Africa's untamed landscapes, accompanied by expert guides and...
