Sedbergh Festival of Books & Drama 2009

Fran Sandham

“The idea of crossing Africa on foot seemed already firmly established in many people’s minds as some exceptionally difficult feat. And yet how many people had actually done it? I decided to walk every step of the way from one coast of Africa to the other, completely alone: no backup, no support team, no one to make arrangements for me, no one to carry my gear, no sponsors, no funding, no film crew, no journalists, no fuss, no cheering crowds, and no strings attached. Above all, it had to be on a one–way ticket: no safety nets, no get–out clauses and nothing to fall back on ...” – Fran Sandham.

Critically acclaimed author and public speaker Fran Sandham walked from Namibia’s Skeleton Coast to the Indian Ocean near Zanzibar, a 3,000–mile trek taking nearly a year. Traversa is the engaging account of this remarkable journey.

“High above the vast pile of African–adventure travelogues” – New York Times

Fran Sandham was an editor at Rough Guides for several years, and worked in bookselling and in the voluntary sector before that. He has travelled in over forty countries. He now lives in London, and divides his time between freelance writing, editing and public speaking.