What I've learnt: Kingsley Holgate

The adventurer on hugging armed rebels, being offered lots of wives and following in the footsteps of Stanley

known as "the grey beard of African Adventure", Kingsley Holgate is an explorer, humanitarian, author and possibly the most travelled man in Africa.

Fire the imagination of small children. As a small boy, I would sit on my father's knee listening to stories about explorers Henry Morton Stanley and David Livingstone. He'd tell me the story of Livingstone's faithful servants, Chuma and Susi, who, on his death, carried his body, minus his heart, which they insisted must stay in Africa, for more than 1600km. Who knew then that I would not only walk in these great men's footsteps but experience even more?

There's always another, more exciting adventure waiting. At the end of our last trip, we travelled 600km down the Nile to Juba in Southern Sudan just in time to join 300000 people celebrating their independence. Some people, however, might find staring down the sawn-off shotgun of rebels in Sahel, Central African Republic, a little disconcerting - but hey, I did what I know best, just gave him a big friendly hug and he gave us a letter of safe passage through 15 more rebel road blocks.

Women are the heart of Africa. Sadly, women's roles in Africa have changed little over the years. In countries such as Mali, you see women working while the men sit drinking coffee. With all this, I've noticed that the mamas of Africa are the force of the nation and the hope of the continent. I met mothers in Saharawi refugee camps in southern Algeria who, when they were 16 years old, ran for their lives from Morocco without even a blanket. They ran through the desert from the bombs and rockets to these camps which are run by women - strong, amazing women.

If you're born here you have a right to be African. But you also have a role to play. I don't want to be anywhere else.

Going on a jaunt doesn't make you an adventurer. It's the unknown, the risk factor.

Keep a record of your life and leave a legacy. For 35 years I've scribbled notes, drawn maps, bullet points and got others to write in my old leather-bound journals.

One wife is all I need. Even though I've been offered other wives, I explain that Mashozi (she who wears shorts) has been my only wife for more than 40 wonderful years. Apart from being the bursar, cook and mama of the expeditions, she has her own project, Right to Sight, and on our trips you'll find her sitting under a marula tree with her eye chart and glasses giving sight - something we take for granted.

It's no longer the dark continent. While the West is asking how to bail Africa out, the Chinese, Indians and others are saying, where's the opportunity? I see incredible growth and opportunities coming from the people themselves. Whether they're working under trees, fixing motor bikes or trading, something is happening. What they are crying out for is caring good governance. Technology plays a large role - these days you still see a Masai standing on one foot covered in red ochre, but he is talking on his cellphone.

Don't put off your own adventure. When I hear people say 'I'll do ... when I retire, when I sell my house, my car', I put seven pebbles in front of them, which I call the pebbles of life, with each pebble representing a decade. Depending on their age, I throw those pebbles away. Eventually they're left with one pebble which I tell them to put in their pocket so they can feel it irritating them - reminding them of their dream.

• To find out more about Kingsley Holgate's next Great Rift Valley Adventure, go to: www.kingsleyholgate.net