Sometimes it's good to be cautious--and other times it's better to go with your gut.

People told us not to visit Madagascar, that political conflict made the country unsafe for tourists.

But we decided to go anyway because if we had listened to those voices, we'd never have gone to Nairobi, Kampala, or Kigali.

We are cautious when we travel, but aware that our best and most eye-opening experiences are places well off the beaten path.

Danielle Nierenberg is blogging everyday from across Africa for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet blog. She is also writing with her partner Bernard Pollack at her personal blog: BorderJumpers.

Danielle Nierenberg is blogging everyday from across Africa for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet blog. She is also writing with her partner Bernard Pollack at her personal blog: BorderJumpers.

Danielle Nierenberg is blogging everyday from across Africa for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet blog. She is also writing with her partner Bernard Pollack at her personal blog: BorderJumpers.

Danielle Nierenberg is blogging everyday from across Africa for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet blog. She is also writing with her partner Bernard Pollack at her personal blog: BorderJumpers.

Bugs. When I think of Zambia, I think of bugs.

Danielle Nierenberg is blogging everyday from across Africa for the Worldwatch Institute’s Nourishing the Planet blog. She is also writing with her partner Bernard Pollack at her personal blog: BorderJumpers.

By Borderjumpers.org, a blog by Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack

We’ve taken some long bus rides in Africa. We spent eight bumpy hours on a bus from Nairobi to Arusha and another eight from Arusha to Dar Es Salaam. The longest so far, though, has been from Kampala, Uganda to Kigali, Rwanda.

Once we finally arrived, we quickly realized, that we've never traveled anywhere quite like Rwanda.

Fifteen years ago one of the largest modern genocides occurred here.

We, Danielle Nierenberg and Bernard Pollack (aka BorderJumpers), are traveling across the continent of Africa looking at innovations around alleviating hunger and poverty. We are writing a weekly diary whereby we share (in less than 500 words) observations from every country we visit.

People here are very laid back and the feeling is contagious! We managed to go three days without a cup of coffee didn’t seem to mind.

You hear the words "Hakuna Matata" everywhere. Literally.

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Kigoma, Tanzania.
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