Peter Pinney did not wander alone, he met many people on his wandering ways. His African journey starts in Tunesia, he arrives with a young Dutch lady who travels with him on his first leg of the journey. They met in Greece and via Italy they reached North Africa.

In Tunesia they are in the midst of political upheaval ( an early Arab Spring?). In the redlight-district of the capital city they see many European girls.  Anna, the Dutch girl, wants to travel ahead to the Jewish settelment of Djerba, according to the writer dating back to Davidian times.

They go to Algeria, where Anna decides to follow her own route together with an Egyptian rally-driver on his way to Cape Town. After a long hassle Peter gets a visum to enter Belgian Congo. He travels right through the Sahara, part on foot, part by car, part by lorry. He does not avoid the rough ways. In the French parts his presence is seen as suspicious. The military keep an eye on him.

He gets to Nigeria where he meets an Ibo nationalist, but Peter is of the opinion that independence is way out for Nigeria. Via Fort Lamy (now = Ndjamena) he arrives in the Belgian Congo. Also in this country he walks and wanders, people follow him in the hope of securing a job once he reaches Stanleyville.

Together with a Polish aquaintance he heads for the Ruwenzori. Via Rwanda he gets to Kampala. He crosses the border with Kenya on foot. He gets a ride from an Asian who is of the opinion that Kenya should be a colony of India.

He wanders through the area where the Mau Mau is present and people think that the whites (= commies) are behind the Mau Mau. The last stretch on his journey to Nairobi he is footing again. Near Delamare Avenue in the capital city he knocks at a door and gets shelter from a couple. Peter does not have the proper documents to stay in the country so he travels to Tanganyika and in the end Zanzibar. On this island he takes a good rest, sleeping on the beach and in a derelict house near the beach. In the end there is a longing to wander on.

Amazing to read how he manages to cope in difficult circumstances. He wanders alone, and in company. He knows what he wants, but still is able to linger on when he meets interesting people and situations.

Many of the places he visits are multi-cultural places, people from all over the globe seem to have wandered to Africa and settled somewhere and somehow. These days people from Africa wander to other continents.

Do you like to have more information on Peter Pinney and the elusive Dutch woman Anna? Just wander to the website on life and work. 

Peter Pinney – Who wanders alone – 1954