Travelling by trains from Cape Town to Cairo.
South African journalist and filmmaker Neil Shaw travels the length of Africa by himself, from Cape Town to Cairo, using trains as much as possible. As presenter, he shares his personal impressions and challenges faced along the 12,500 kilometre route. And there are interviews with fellow passengers on the eleven trains he takes. Examples of these conversations on trains include discussing Chinese involvement in Africa on a Chinese built train with Chinese exchange students, discussing cross border trade with Zimbabwean women entrepreneurs, a philosophical conversation on the last Egyptian train to Cairo, and discussing the history of the Cape to Cairo route with a railway museum curator. These conversations are an opportunity to meet people and get to know them on a personal level -- but also to touch on bigger issues. Some of the natural and cultural wonders are also visited en route. Safety and security are sometimes a worry, and Neil misses out coup d'etats by a matter of months in two countries along the route, in 2018. But the scenery, and friendliness of locals, compensates on this epic solo trip. It is a journey undertaken alone with minimalistic equipent, and it is a film shot and edited by Neil Shaw. The travel documentary screened at the Adventure and Travel Film Festival in Scotland in 2019, is available on the French Harmattan site, and is available on youtube. To find the documentary on youtube search for Cape Town To Cairo By Trains, and leave a comment if you enjoy it.
