In Fifty Shades of Wanderlust for an African Soul, Ethiopian traveler and author Abduselam Ademnur shares his remarkable journey across more than 50 countries and three continents, celebrating travel from an African perspective. The book reflects his passion for exploration and challenges stereotypes surrounding African travelers.
Inspired by his late father, a fearless truck driver who believed travel could conquer fear, Abduselam inherited old passports and travel records that motivated him to see the world for himself. Despite traveling with what he describes as a “weak” Ethiopian passport, he has now visited over 85 countries.
His journey began in 2011 while studying architecture, traveling across Ethiopia to cities such as Hawassa, Gondar, and Harar. Later, his adventures expanded internationally, from exhibiting Ethiopian cultural photography in India to riding the iron ore train in Mauritania and snowmobiling across glaciers in Iceland.
Today, Abduselam also serves as Honorary Consul of Iceland in Ethiopia. Through his writing, he hopes to redefine the image of African travelers and proudly declares:
“I am from Africa and I am a tourist.”