Getting into Adventure Green

By the fifth round of chocolate
stout and lager cocktails, the whole
sorry tale had come out, and Louis
and Trevor were doing a good job
of slapping some sense into me.
They lived nearby and invited me
to stay for a few days. I met their
wives, Martha and Mariana, who
were just as welcoming. The four
of them spoiled me rotten with
extravagant home cooked feasts,
interesting day trips and enough
whiskey to drown a giraffe. It was
like a family Christmas. Exactly the
boost I needed, and not a moment
too soon.
“LET EVENTS
UNFOLD, TRUST
YOURSELF AND
THE WORLD”
At the end of my stay, Trevor rode
me out of the bay, and onto the most
stunning mountain road I’ve ridden.
From there he pointed me to the
one that trumped it - The Swartberg
Pass - A narrow dirt road that carves
its way through hilly, green, coastal
bushland, before unexpectedly
straddling the jagged crest of a rain
shadow casting mountain ridge, to
reveal a desolate and rocky, Marslike
landscape.
I had a very long, very satisfying
cigarette, then whooped like kid on a
roller-coaster as I descended into the
deep red gorge below. Gob-smacked
by this drastic and truly enormous
scenery, and emotionally revitalised
by the kindness I’d received, I
knew it had begun. I fell into the
adventure, ready and excited for
whatever it would throw up next.
From then on in, the trip was about
connecting with people from around
the world, learning from local
cultures, and filling my memory
bank with beauty – not about my
mileage, or keeping up a blog, or
riding home to someone who may
or may not have moved on.
By taking it one step at a time,
opening up to people around me,
and making a conscious effort
to be in the moment, I was able
to continue wiggling up through
Southern and Eastern Africa for
nine months; hopping from one
merry band to another, before my
bank balance finally dragged me
home from Nairobi.
They were the most exciting and
eye-opening nine months I’ve
had, of which memories, both
good and bad, are now life lessons
and conduits to a humbling shift
in perspective. I’d encourage
anyone considering a big overland
adventure to make it happen.
Let events unfold, trust yourself
and the world, and explore your
unknown. It’s easier than you think.
Just go.
PLANNING YOUR OWN AFRICAN
ADVENTURE
Africa is a big place. It would take a lifetime to explore properly. A solid
option is to start in the south and explore the southern regions. Plenty of
guided and self guided tours cater for this (such as Kaapstad Tours and Jo
Rust), with bike rental readily available in Cape Town/Johannesburg.
For Rob’s trip he needed a Carnet de Passage for his bike as he was
freighting it in from England. The Carnet cost £1550, £800 of which is
returned when he and the bike returned to the UK. Flying the bike was
£1200 from London to Cape Town with James Cargo, and the same cost
from Nairobi to London. You can save yourself time and money by buying
a bike in South Africa, which you wouldn’t then need a Carnet for (a
Carnet is for when temporarily importing a foreign registered vehicle into
a country that requests one on entry - see www.overlandingassociation.
org for more information).
That website is also a great source of information on visa requirements,
with some countries possible to get at land borders, whilst others have to
be applied for ahead. In terms of safety and ease of passage, the eastern
route through Africa is more palatable than the west, though both are
possible. Horizons Unlimited is the website you need for all trip planning.
www.horizonsunlimited. com
The Swartberg Pass