Climbing Kilimanjaro: An African Odyssey

The idea of traveling around Africa on crutches could be as daunting as the thought of climbing Kilimanjaro would be for most travelers. But that didn't stop Helen Bergan from setting off alone for an African odyssey in 1968.

In Climbing Kilimanjaro, she invites readers to travel with her and share her adventures in nine African countries. To see a non-tourist Africa, Helen traveled by local bus and visited outdoor markets throughout the continent. Despite obstacles presented by her disability, and as a woman traveling alone, she took a Dutch freighter from Kenya to South Africa and a Nigerian ship from Lagos to London.

With an adventurous spirit and her sensitivity to Africa's history, Helen describes encounters with people she met who either lamented or applauded the changes that independence brought to Africa. In each country, she sought out authentic African food and, in this book, shares some of her favorite recipes adapted for American kitchens.

Like those who climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, Helen describes the splendid view of her Africa.