9 - 14 May
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
Monday: 133km From Feliz Unite to Springbok
Tuesday: 117 km to Garies
Wednesday: 162km to Strandfontein
Thursday: 74 km to Elandsbay on dirt
Friday: 146 km to Yzerfontein
Saturday: 91 km to Cape Town!!! THE BIG RIDE IN
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika! (meaning God bless Africa and the title of our National Anthem)
So as we cross over the border to South Africa, I cannot help but feel real proud and so damn happy to be in my home country!
For almost four months Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika has gotten me through the most difficult days on tour. Honestly, not really the meaning, because I do not know it, but it is one of a few songs of which I know the words of. Singing it also reminded of home and it sounds so exotic! It also was the reason for me cycling on my own often - well they say I am no Nightingale..
After completing more than 11,000km and surviving it all, we almost died of the cold in Springbok. It was one of the coldest mornings EVER! There were little bits of frost on my fingers as we cycled out of town. (well it looked like frost to me and I am not used to cold) There was even frost on our eyebrows! After about 20km there was an opening in the clouds were the sun shone through and Sally and I stopped for a while to warm up. It was actually warmer of than on the bicycle! I jumped up and down, while Sally smoked a cigarette while walking circles around me.
Then after a few hours it luckily was warmer and we could defrost.
Some say that it was on purpose, but it was really an accident.
20km from Garies, I thought that maybe I have left my tent in the campsite in Garies. As Sharita passed me in the landrover, I stopped her and asked if they saw it maybe. After she called both the trucks and no one knew anything about it, she turned around and went back to the camp to look for the tent. Her words were of course: " Sure Marelie, I will gladly go and check for you" hehehe... Just the opposite with a few other friendly words
After so much cycling the 162km of the day did not sound like a big deal to me. But in the afternoon I was cycling in a very strong head wind and the time was ticking by. After loads of stops and partying along the way - I only reached the camp after 17:00.
What a beautiful site - Strandfontein is just amazing
Carrie joined me for a dip in the COLD atlantic ocean and as the sun set - we ran in like crazy people. Just before our little adventure, Sharita pushed her cell phone in my ear - telling me someone wants to talk to me. I thought it was our local paper and joked around. It turned out to be someone from Cape Talk.. hope there was not a lot of listeners that afternoon - at least not ones that know me.
Oh yes and the tent : well after my swim and an ice cold shower, Ram, my hero, had picked up the tent in Garies and put it in a spare locker for me. I was very grateful! Even if I had to pitch the damn thing in the dark AGAIN..
Our second last day was loads of fun. Alice and Carrie came with me to visit my aunt in Dwarskersbos, which was on route, just after Elandsbay. She made us tea in proper cups and served Chocolate Cake, Apple pie and Milk tart!
My friend Leon tells the story better from here: http://occasionaladventuresinalcohol.blogspot.com/2011/05/inadequate.html
The last day I felt very excited, but also a bit sad. To end of such an amazing journey and say good buy to all these amazing people I shared so much with.
We were joined by local riders from Cape Town at Kreft Bay after which we cycled on the new bicycle lanes into the city. At the civic centre we were joined by more riders, skateboarders etc! It was chaotic and loads of fun taking over the city.
The final ceremony was at the Ecopark next to the Green point Stadium.
-- the End --
And now? That is a question I do not know the answer of yet myself.
As an, ex-lab tech for nine years, now housewife-with-2-degrees for two years, this was the most exciting thing I have done - EVER.
Looking at adventurists who cycle through Africa on their own every year and now Yolandi Rust (yolandi-rust.blogspot.com) who will be the first women to circumnavigate Africa on her bicycle, our supported tour of four months is probable not that hard core... but for me it was a great experience and accomplishment! I pushed myself to the limit and saw what I can achieve on my own.
What I do have - is definitely the best husband in the world and I am very thankful for him making this incredible journey possible for me!
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN!
Monday: 133km From Feliz Unite to Springbok
Tuesday: 117 km to Garies
Wednesday: 162km to Strandfontein
Thursday: 74 km to Elandsbay on dirt
Friday: 146 km to Yzerfontein
Saturday: 91 km to Cape Town!!! THE BIG RIDE IN
Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika! (meaning God bless Africa and the title of our National Anthem)
So as we cross over the border to South Africa, I cannot help but feel real proud and so damn happy to be in my home country!
For almost four months Nkosi Sikelel'iAfrika has gotten me through the most difficult days on tour. Honestly, not really the meaning, because I do not know it, but it is one of a few songs of which I know the words of. Singing it also reminded of home and it sounds so exotic! It also was the reason for me cycling on my own often - well they say I am no Nightingale..
After completing more than 11,000km and surviving it all, we almost died of the cold in Springbok. It was one of the coldest mornings EVER! There were little bits of frost on my fingers as we cycled out of town. (well it looked like frost to me and I am not used to cold) There was even frost on our eyebrows! After about 20km there was an opening in the clouds were the sun shone through and Sally and I stopped for a while to warm up. It was actually warmer of than on the bicycle! I jumped up and down, while Sally smoked a cigarette while walking circles around me.
Then after a few hours it luckily was warmer and we could defrost.
Some say that it was on purpose, but it was really an accident.
20km from Garies, I thought that maybe I have left my tent in the campsite in Garies. As Sharita passed me in the landrover, I stopped her and asked if they saw it maybe. After she called both the trucks and no one knew anything about it, she turned around and went back to the camp to look for the tent. Her words were of course: " Sure Marelie, I will gladly go and check for you" hehehe... Just the opposite with a few other friendly words
After so much cycling the 162km of the day did not sound like a big deal to me. But in the afternoon I was cycling in a very strong head wind and the time was ticking by. After loads of stops and partying along the way - I only reached the camp after 17:00.
What a beautiful site - Strandfontein is just amazing
Carrie joined me for a dip in the COLD atlantic ocean and as the sun set - we ran in like crazy people. Just before our little adventure, Sharita pushed her cell phone in my ear - telling me someone wants to talk to me. I thought it was our local paper and joked around. It turned out to be someone from Cape Talk.. hope there was not a lot of listeners that afternoon - at least not ones that know me.
Oh yes and the tent : well after my swim and an ice cold shower, Ram, my hero, had picked up the tent in Garies and put it in a spare locker for me. I was very grateful! Even if I had to pitch the damn thing in the dark AGAIN..
Our second last day was loads of fun. Alice and Carrie came with me to visit my aunt in Dwarskersbos, which was on route, just after Elandsbay. She made us tea in proper cups and served Chocolate Cake, Apple pie and Milk tart!
My friend Leon tells the story better from here: http://occasionaladventuresinalcohol.blogspot.com/2011/05/inadequate.html
The last day I felt very excited, but also a bit sad. To end of such an amazing journey and say good buy to all these amazing people I shared so much with.
We were joined by local riders from Cape Town at Kreft Bay after which we cycled on the new bicycle lanes into the city. At the civic centre we were joined by more riders, skateboarders etc! It was chaotic and loads of fun taking over the city.
The final ceremony was at the Ecopark next to the Green point Stadium.
-- the End --
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| The South Africans are home! |
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| Fun along the way. We were shooting stones with Carrie's slingshot (no - I do not know why she had one) |
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| Into the cold we ride from Springbok |
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| Last dirt road |
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| Carrie and me after our swim at Strandfontein |
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| Pajero - our Lunch truck driver |
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| All the riders infront of the Civic Centre in Cape Town. Here we met up with the second group of local riders |
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| My family made me a banner! |
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| The girls on tour |
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| Beautiful Strandfontein |
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| Me, Alice and Liam on our detour to Langebaan, my home town |
And now? That is a question I do not know the answer of yet myself.
As an, ex-lab tech for nine years, now housewife-with-2-degrees for two years, this was the most exciting thing I have done - EVER.
Looking at adventurists who cycle through Africa on their own every year and now Yolandi Rust (yolandi-rust.blogspot.com) who will be the first women to circumnavigate Africa on her bicycle, our supported tour of four months is probable not that hard core... but for me it was a great experience and accomplishment! I pushed myself to the limit and saw what I can achieve on my own.
What I do have - is definitely the best husband in the world and I am very thankful for him making this incredible journey possible for me!
