Lawyer's Visa-Free Road Trip From Kenya to South Africa Elicits Reactions

A photo collage of Aisha Taib Bajaber during her vacation (left) and the route used for the 3-month adventure (right).
A photo collage of Aisha Taib Bajaber during her vacation (left) and the route used for the 3-month adventure (right).
Twitter
Aisha Taib Bajaber

Aisha Taib Bajaber, an advocate of the High Court, elicited debate on Saturday, March 25, after she narrated her visa-free road trip from Kenya to Cape Town in South Africa.

The journey - which she took alongside others in a private vehicle - took 3 months as they made several stopovers to experience the adventure across six countries.

Some of the countries she traversed were Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, and Botswana before settling in her destination.

"We travelled across six countries and had the most incredible time. An unforgettable trip! Hopefully, this inspires you to make the trip and explore our beautiful continent, Africa because it is an incredible place," Aisha detailed.

A file image of a visa.
A file image of a visa.
File

The lawyer revealed that she was required to have nine key documents and car equipment for the journey. which included a passport, a yellow vaccination book, covid -19 vaccination certificate, among others.

A car log book, an international driving licence, COMESA & Medical Insurance, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher and a triangle warning sign were also required.

During the trip, Aisha visited national parks and cities to experience the different cultures.

Following the tweet, Kenyans debated over the trip even as a number of people asked questions regarding the trip as some did not know that one could travel visa-free.

Kenyans also queried how they could get an international driving licence  - usually acquired with the help of the Automobile Association of Kenya (AA Kenya).

"This is beautiful. Did you need dollars or exchange to the local currency prior to departure from Nairobi?" Fouzia Abass wondered. 

"We had dollars in cash but mostly used travel cards to pay and withdraw at ATMs, we didn't deal with forex at all," the lawyer responded.

Other debates ranged on traffic rules across the continent.  Aisha narrated that the journey in Tanzania was challenging, given the 50 kilometres per hour speed limit.

Notably, the thread also went viral internationally, with a number of foreigners suggesting cheaper options other than the road.

Abdullah Bajaber, on his part, opined that using the Rovos Rail from Dar es Salaam to South Africa was cheaper.

A photo of a room in one of the trains for Ravos Rail.
A photo of a room in one of the trains for Ravos Rail.
Twitter
Ravos Rail
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