Eva Dickson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eva Dickson
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Eva Dickson in 1933
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| Born |
Eva Lindström
8 March 1905 Sigtuna, Sweden
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| Died | March 1938 Baghdad, Iraq
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| Nationality | Swedish |
| Known for | First woman to cross the Sahara desert by car. |
| Spouse(s) |
Olof Dickson
(m. 1925; div. 1932)Bror von Blixen-Finecke
(m. 1936; died 1938) |
Eva Dickson (born Eva Lindström, 8 March 1905 – March 1938) was an amazing Swedish explorer, rally driver, pilot, and travel writer. She was the first woman to drive across the huge Sahara desert in a car! She might also have been the first female rally driver in Sweden (in 1925) and was the third Swedish woman to become a pilot (in 1923).
Contents
Her Early Life and Adventures
Eva Dickson was born in Sigtuna, Sweden. Her father, Albert Lindström, was a wealthy man who managed farms where horses were bred. Eva married Olof Dickson in 1925. He was also a rally driver. However, they divorced in 1932 because they had different ideas about travel and adventure.
Eva's travels became very famous. She even wrote several travel guides and books about her exciting experiences. She often found ways to pay for her trips by making bets with rich people in society.
Crossing the Sahara Desert
In 1932, Eva met Baron Bror von Blixen-Finecke in Kenya. He was known for being married to the famous writer Karen Blixen, who wrote the book Out of Africa.
After meeting Bror, Eva took on a big challenge. She made a bet and drove her car all the way from Nairobi, Kenya, to Stockholm, Sweden, in 1932. By doing this, she became the very first woman to cross the Sahara desert by car!
Adventures in Africa
In 1934, Eva went back to Kenya with Bror Blixen. There, she joined different scientific trips to explore the land. The next year, they both traveled to Ethiopia. Eva worked as a reporter for a Swedish newspaper called The Weekly Journal. She wrote about the important events happening in Ethiopia at that time.
After their time in Ethiopia, Eva and Bror rode on mules for a very long journey. They traveled 2,000 kilometers (about 1,240 miles) back to Kenya.
Marriage and More Travels
In 1936, Eva and Bror got married in New York City. For their honeymoon, they went sailing around Cuba and the Bahamas with their friends, the famous writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife Pauline. Their trip ended with a visit to Hemingway's home in Key West, Florida.
The Dream of the Silk Road
On June 3, 1937, Eva started an incredible car trip from Stockholm. Her goal was to drive all the way to Beijing, China, by following the ancient Silk Road. Driving the Silk Road had been her biggest dream for a long time. She wanted to do it before settling down with Bror in Kenya.
Eva traveled alone on this journey. She drove through many countries, including Germany, Poland, Romania, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. When she reached Afghanistan, she was told it was too dangerous for a woman traveling alone to continue on her planned route. She was advised to go through India instead.
A Difficult Journey Home
When Eva arrived in Calcutta, India, she became very sick and had to go to a hospital. While she was recovering, she realized she was running out of money. She also heard news about the Second Sino-Japanese war. This meant her planned route to China was now impossible, and she had to give up her dream of reaching Beijing.
Even though she was still weak from being sick, Eva decided to drive back to Europe. In March 1938, after nine months of travel, she reached Baghdad in Iraq. One evening, after having dinner at a friend's house outside Baghdad, she was driving back to her hotel. Sadly, she lost control of her car on a sharp curve and crashed. She died right away.
Her husband, Bror von Blixen, was on a safari and did not get the news of her death until July 28, 1938. By then, Eva's body had already been brought back to Stockholm, Sweden, where she was buried on April 22, 1938.
