LOOKING FOR LOVEDU by Ann Jones
Robinson (Constable Publishers) - July 2001
ISBN 1841193429 - Paperback
Travel / Africa

Reviewed by Rachel A Hyde, MyShelf.com
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In true Rider Haggard tradition somewhere in Africa lives a great queen who rules her land with her wisdom and magic powers that cause the rain to fall. For travel writer Ann Jones this was all the excuse she needed to mount an expedition with the tough ex-army adventurer and photographer Muggleton. What starts out as a good excuse for an journey through Africa from top to bottom ends up being Jones' personal mission to find out about the women of Africa. They make up half the population but have little or no say in their traditional lives. As they plod on through roadblocks, jungles, mud, sand and rivers in their elderly Land Rover Muggleton beings to miss his home comforts and Jones teams up with an African woman to find the rainmaking queen. Suddenly it is very much a woman's trip and more important to them than just a mere journey.

Jones is adept at describing the dangers, perils and joys of her epic journey and brings Africa to vibrant life. If you are wondering whether it is all tub-thumping feminism then don't worry as it isn't and can be enjoyed by people of either sex as a great travel book exploring a survival into the 21st century of the inspiration behind Haggard's novel She. At a deeper level though Jones does explore the lot of modern women in Africa and takes a good look at the political situations in various countries. A fine read for the armchair traveller, anybody about to visit Africa or just about anybody else.