My partner & I have travelled throughout Southern Africa without problems at all. (That includes Uganda where hanging was being proposed as punishment.) We just say we are friends.

But I do see how having children with you could start conversations that might become uncomfortable. Africans are mad about kids and will want to know whose they are etc. I support TravelinWilly's idea of getting advice from the GLBT board. Many people with first-hand experience may not monitor this board.

As an aside: Perhaps the most awkward conversation I ever had was with our makoro poler in Botswana. We had stopped for sundowners and the 3 of us were standing around shooting the breeze when he asked what our relationship was. We said we are friends. But then it also cropped up that we live together. He said that was very nice and then started telling us about a male friend that he had lived with for some time and how close they had been an so on. I have no idea if he was trying to tell us something more - but I was quite relieved when the topic changed as there seemed to be plenty of scope for misunderstandings!