As much as we as South Africans have our problems such as load shedding and unemployment, there are things to be thankful for. And there is nothing like a TikToker’s journey to Gabon to make South Africans feel more love for their country.
Now before anyone says “Are you insulting other African countries?’, absolutely not. Countries in Africa are beautiful and diverse. No one is talking smack on it, but no one can say that a road trip to a different country is exactly everyone’s cup of tea.
The TikToker in question is none other than Popi Sibiya.
Sibiya’s latest TikTok captioned “Would you survive a two-day journey to Gabon” shows her starting in Brazzaville, where she took a bus that arrived an hour late.
@popi_sibiya Would you survive a 2-day journey to Gabon 🇬![CDATA[]]>🇦 🚌? #thepopishow #roadtriptoghanafromsouthafrica #southafricantiktok #xhosacomedy #southafricancomedy #gabon #libreville_gabon🇬![CDATA[]]>🇦 #gabontiktok ♬ original sound - The Popi Show 📺 🌍
In her usual cheeky and informative way, she said the bus had “busted up air conditioning, seats that don’t even recline, the works.”
Sibiya showed the refreshment station which in this case, was basically people handing fruit and vegetables to commuters.
If you want to relieve yourself, there is a whole side of the road to do your business.
She shows her hotel room, which she humorously called a dungeon and showed the bathroom. Influencer-style, she panned over the scenery showing a pool and relaxing with a drink.
Sibiya then describes getting into a "hearse“ (which was just a truck that drove recklessly, but same thing I guess?) and going to her destination.
In a scary turn of events, the brakes and the clutch failed. After “hours” of trying to repair it, Sibiya and others ended up in a “stranger’s house about how they will only receive a partial refund”.
She did not leave this lying down and “managed to squeeze more pennies out of him”.
One TikTok user Neo Mole-Nkomo said: “The Popi show makes me love South Africa every single show cause no I wouldn’t survive.” Several others shared that sentiment, saying that we South Africans are spoilt.
TikTokers hailed her bravery, while others urged her to “come back home”.
Sibiya started her journey from South Africa in June 2023. Sibiya explored Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo and her recent TikTok shows she was at Gabon.
After Gabon, she intends to go to Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and ultimately reach Ghana.
The aims of her trek is to seek new experiences and inspire others to embrace their own courage.
IOL