Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives #2

Emma Vånemo: on walking and cycling solo across continents

Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives (OWEL) is a series that celebrates the unusual paths that women take – whether it’s a short diversion in their life’s journey, or a new route entirely. It’s about women who are sometimes brave, sometimes bold, often vulnerable, and usually curious… and their quest to create a life that reflects who they truly are.

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Emma Vånemo in Rwanda. Photo © Emma Vånemo

Dear NE-One

A few months back, when Mark was on assignment in Tanzania and I was – I don’t remember where – he sent me a message: I’ve just met someone who crossed paths last year with a Swedish woman walking solo across Africa. Of course, this captured my imagination and I dived deep into the Internet. Mad Google searches provided – nothing. Later I received another message from Mark, who had a name for me: Emma Vånemo. Cue more Googling and a jump over to Instagram, and that’s where I found her. “2012-2013 solo cycled from Sweden to Cape Town. 2022 solo walked across Africa from east to west.” In Emma’s timeline there are only eight photographs of what turned out to be a 6,500km walk from Zanzibar through to Namibia’s wild Atlantic coastline.