Airdate: Slow Train Through Africa with Griff Rhys Jones

UK comedian Griff Rhys Jones appears in a new 3 part travel series, Slow Train Through Africa with Griff Rhys Jones tonight on ABC.

There is nowhere else on Earth quite like Africa. Vast forests, mighty rivers, endless savannahs, the
driest deserts – home to astonishing wildlife and a billion people. Griff Rhys Jones wants to explore it. And to meet Africa’s people and see its incredible landscapes, he’s taking to the continent’s trains.

In the first episode of this remarkable series, Griff begins a 1700 mile journey across North Africa in Morocco. In Marrakech he stocks up for his trip with items from the souk. He shares some sweet pastries with his fellow passengers, and discovers that one is a travelling salesman for Berber medicines.

In the ancient city of Fes, Griff enlists the help of possibly Morocco’s most eccentric guide to ensure he doesn’t get lost in the medieval streets before continuing his journey along the railway built by French colonialists.

The largest country in Africa boasts magnificent railway stations and hospitable, friendly people. On the train Griff meets a family heading to the capital Algiers for a holiday. After visiting Algiers he then ventures to the east of the country and the breathtaking city of Constantine, named after the Roman Emperor, before crossing into Tunisia.

From the capital Tunis Griff heads south, away from the Mediterranean and towards the edge of the Sahara Desert. For now this is the end of the line. It has been an exhilarating journey, and Griff has experienced some of the rich mix that gives North Africa its distinctive, exotic culture.

8:30pm tonight on ABC.