I love this continent and I have been lucky enough to truly see it, through my work and my life, I have had the opportunity to explore the continent. Africa is one of those places what you travel and you are constantly surprised, each city looks different. You cannot confuse Johannesburg for Lagos, or Freetown for Nairobi. Traveling to more than 30 countries in Africa, I know these 11 things to be true.

You will always need physical cash
I dream of a cashless society and in parts of Africa that dream has some legs but you will always need cash. In Africa cash is king and unless you are rolling with locals in places it is best to have enough cash handy to pay the bills. Some places might accept card payments, but only local currency cards which often leaves travellers stranded. Sometimes they can’t connect to the point of sale network. So get some cash, airport ATMs are good, and some hotels will also have them.

Hotels really are best, especially for first timers
When traveling alone, I always like to explore look for new places to stay and that often isn’t hotels. Airbnb is my jam. However in some African cities for first timers who might be nervous, hotels are the best, especially if they are part of a chain. That’s a safe bet, but also you can use platforms like booking.com or hotels.com to see how people have rated places, only 8 user ratings and above.

Airports will overwhelm you, but it is not an indictment on the country
When you arrive in most African airports you can get very overwhelming. Some airports don’t allow people in to meet passengers, some require a boat to get to the airport, some are an environment of such chaos that it can feel that the whole country is a mess. It is not the case. Lagos and Addis have this effect but the cities are some of the most amazing experiences I have had in Africa. Treat an airport like a visit to the doctor, you must go through but it ends quickish.

Trusted taxis are best, always
I am a huge fan of convenience. I see no reason to try and hustle my way around a city if the public transportation systems do not work. Make use of taxi companies that are trusted by hotels or have designated sections at the airport. If you can find information about them online you can use them. Not all African cities have Uber, and Uber services are not always the same across the continent. That being said there are some regular and reliable public transport systems on the continent, Cape Town’s Myciti bus is a good example.

Know your spice level
Africans love spicy food, especially West Africa. When you try local cuisine, and you must when traveling the continent, it’s gonna be spicy. Make sure you tell the restaurant how much spice you like, and sometimes food might not be what you expect but African food is good, give it a chance! Jollof is life, Injera and Doro Wot is a way of life and Rfissa will change your life.

Make friends with hotel staff
In traveling Africa I found that hotel staff are a wealth of information. You will see this anywhere in the world, but there is a sense of familial kinship that African hotel staff give. What do you like? Well then you should do this, and use this person because they are much cheaper than the official recommended people. They want to make sure you have a good time, and if you like parties, hotel bar person will have the hookup for sure!

Use Google Maps’s offline feature
It’s always good to know where you are going. The best way to get lost is not knowing where you are going. That’s not a bad thing. However when traveling in a city that wifi isn’t freely available use Google Maps offline feature to download the map of the city you are in that way can easily find your way around the city.

Be prepared to be culture shocked
Africa has a diverse array of cultures some that will wow and other will baffle you. Moving from city to city in a country you can experience many cultures that don’t even seem to belong in the same place. It is beautiful. In Nigeria, even though people are having a polite conversation it can seem like everyone is fighting. In Ethiopia conversations are much more subdued, this is true for a few East Africa countries. The way food is prepared, the way citizens move around, the things they consider important will shock even their dress sense.

Plan ahead, but leave room for discovery
Making plans is important, because this means you get to experience a city. In Africa is so much more true. Fly by the seat of one’s pants information is not widely available, yes hotel staff are very helpful, but it is always good to have at least one or two days of your trip fully planned. Tripadisvor has some great activities in many African cities. Bunce Island in the Sierra Leone River, is not a wake up in the morning and decide thing, you gotta plan that. Learning about the coffee ceremony (bunna ceremony) in Ethiopia will take making plans.

African markets are a vibe
An African market is a whole vibe. The burst culture and colour, will visually arrest you. It is a scene of joy, commerce and people who are building futures in the world’s next frontier. You can get anything in an African market. You will discover the story of city, a tribe a country through the things they sell. Food, shoes, cultural attire and “Nike”.

Move light, not with all the designer shit
Africa is not the place to be roaming the streets all your things. Move light. This is not an indictment on safety on the continent. Sometimes you can find yourself in a crowded area and trying to navigate that with a big handbag isn’t ideal. You might also be one of the brave souls wanting to hop in bike or use public transport, moving light will help you manage that.