Travellers should be aware that the country has significant Third World problems, so it's a good idea to spend time within local communities contributing to some of the not-for-profit activities available to selfless travellers. These programs include reading and art clubs; community farming; school building and relief teaching — which will send you back to your comfortable life with not only a tan, but a sense of accomplishment as well.

In stark contrast to the lithe figures cut by the Swazi athletes, visit some of their more rotund population — the hippopotamuses. In parts of the Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctuary, several hippos have become so used to being fed in the afternoon that they plod out of the dam to chomp, dribble and munch in front of the Hippo Haunt Restaurant. So close are they, that your entire camera frame will be filled with their wide toothy mouth and glistening nostrils.

Australian travellers flock to Uganda to witness the magnificent mountain gorilla in its natural habitat. The mountain gorillas are a threatened species in Africa due to habitat destruction, disease and poaching, but they can be viewed up close in two places in Uganda — Mgahinga National Park and the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

It's also impossible to not mention wildlife. We're talking the search for the "big five" — lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros. And, like children with Pokemon cards, it's not uncommon to see seasoned travellers collect photos and tell the stories for years to come.