The following is an article that has been on my computer since a few weeks after the Kalahari madness. During that episode and in the weeks after I found myself wondering why I’d pushed myself so hard, foolishly refusing to give up. After the heat of the battle so to speak it is obvious that […]
READ MORE »Posts in category South Africa
Kalahari pt 2
I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom. General George S. Patton The clock is ticking After a wonderful couple of days at the Kgalagadi Lodge in Van Zylsrus and despite the continuing pain in my arm and bruised ribs it was time […]
READ MORE »Kalahari pt 1
“The people you meet during a long trip will stay in your memories longer and deeper than any sunset, sunrise or landscape.” Jan After a couple of tough days pushing myself through to Kimberley in 40+ degrees I was a little relieved when the lady wouldn’t let me camp but instead had to take a […]
READ MORE »To the edge
“Wilderness appealed to those bored or disgusted with man and his works.” Roderick Nash So I´ve had my easy week and I´m feeling strong. My body and mind have been toughened by the last 2 months on the road, I know my bike and gear better than ever and my routine is as good […]
READ MORE »A quiet week
“Our problem is not that we desire too much, but that we desire too little.” C.S. Lewis This week has been refreshingly quiet and uneventful compared to the last months. Possibly the easiest border crossing in Africa from Lesotho to SA, breakfast in Fouriesburg then a 50-60km dash to Ficksburg (20km slipstreaming a combine harvester). […]
READ MORE »The journey starts
“Happiness is only true when shared” Christopher McCandless The change With the arrival of 2012 I have to admit that I’ve been losing that “holiday feeling” the last couple of weeks and started to accept this as a way of life with its ups, downs, daily chores and challenges. I’m pleased to say that […]
READ MORE »Thanks
This was the year of changes for us, with periods of stress, doubt, panic and joy. But slowly we’ve found our rhythm in our new way of life as nomads. Thanks everyone for your continuing support and interest in our Adventure through Africa. We hope you’ll continue to show an interest in our trip into 2012 […]
READ MORE »A change of pace 2
“Never miss a good opportunity to shut up….. and listen.” Hiking the Giants Cup Trail in the Drakensberg The Giants cup trail is a 60km trail through the Drakensberg mountains and has been on my wish list since the early days of planning the “change of pace” moments in this trip. Most people do it […]
READ MORE »Change of pace 1
Don’t take life so serious, no one gets out alive anyway”. I’ve pretty much recovered from that little incident last week, so I’ve started my “change of pace” weeks. But, through an unexpected turn of events instead of hiking up a mountain this weekend, I got asked to help move some horses up […]
READ MORE »Amateur antics
Warning: this post also includes yet another schoolboy blunder, if you’ve already had enough of reading about these now is a good time to press ALT+F4, unfollow or unlike 🙂 “All men die, few men ever really live.” William Wallace The truth of telling the truth Before this trip I told many people that I […]
READ MORE »A week of challenges
A week in review For those not up to date these are the minor setbacks I’ve faced this week. Was not allowed to cycle through Baviaanskloof, (got a lift after 3 hour wait) Visa extention in Port Elizabeth(PE) failed due to non-sense beaurocracy. A day of cycling on busy roads, closed roads and a motorway […]
READ MORE »Boiled brains will make you stupid and blind!
I wake up in my tent with somebody shaking me, telling me to wake up and get out of my tent, I’m half asleep and very drowsy so it takes me a while to get out, too long and I make the person outside angry because I’m taking so long. Eventually I climb out of […]
READ MORE »Ode to the automobile
Ode to the automobile: I hate that you make us all so fat and lazy. That you zoom past in a cloud of dust and smog and make my view so hazy. The scream of your exhaust and horn leave a ring in my ears. But you’ve brought me petrol stations with airco and ice […]
READ MORE »The road less travelled
I leave Montegu with 4 days of food in my panniers and within minutes the road turns to gravel. It’s a beautiful sunny day already 30 degrees, summer has finally arrived in South Africa. I release some pressure from my tires to make the ride softer, this ritual also summons the beast. Mr Hyde once […]
READ MORE »How to learn Afrikaans
So, with my wonderful knowledge of the Dutch language I thought understanding Afrikaans (apparently the main language in South Africa is not english…) would be easy. As usual I was so wrong, and the further I get away from the cities the less people speak English. Maybe I should of read this book before the […]
READ MORE »Welcome to Cape Town
For the first time in years I wasn’t stressed at the airport, got there nice and early checked in and done 3 hours before departure, the joys of a booked ticket instead of standby. An idiot Dutchman allowed my bag(which included all my elctronics) to fall 2m out of the overhead luggage bin onto the […]
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