No Guts No Glory

There are many ways in which to construct a website, but ours is a story, and there's only one thing to do with a story, you tell it. This is how it started:

It was one night, at a get together, surrounded by friends and family, when the reality of the moment struck. What was usually fun and games, turned stale, suddenly! Stuck in the proverbial rut! The moment was too big to ignore, so, the obvious question was, where to go from here? So as if by design, we set off to St Lucia, to new horizons, self discoveries, and a tremendous awakening.

The 'challenge' was met once we rode into Cape Town, 3 months later, after some close calls and never felt before, intense moments, we knew that this was not the end by a long shot. So, it is here, where our journey truly begins. Everyday just suddenly had a reason, and every moment counted. It was difficult, the obstacles seemed impossible, but with this came the discovery of kindness, trust, love, humbleness and courage, and the loyalty and trust of animals and nature alike.

We became aware of a whole new world, one that was so endless in it's possibilities and oppertunities, we almost couldn't believe it! Threatning this world however, is ignorance and the lack of fearless leaders, ones who inspire individuals to understand and pursue their innermost truth, instead we are misguided and made to believe that war and terror is our only choice. In the midst of all this violence and outrage, is some truly amazing individuals, who have made it their life's work, to reach out to those who have lost hope, dispite efforts to promote confusion, rage, fear, distrust, the way of the world as it is told through mighty mediums, such as the media,

Since we've left St Lucia, our lives have changed dramatically. We saw that through what we were doing, and by challenging our own fears, we were starting to capture the imagination of many and soon realized that our story needs to be told. It is one worth telling, for it could very well be everybody's discovery.

Through weird coincidences, we have joined various organizations in their efforts to heal the wounded, preserve mother nature, etc.. We realize though, that what we experience first hand, could be an effective enough medium, to relay the truth about the state of our country and it's people. It's not as 'bad' as everyone fears, in fact, it's an amazing adventure.

THE BEGINNING: a new understanding

2 Girls and 2 Jack Russel puppies left St Lucia on the 23rd of October 2004, en-route to Cape Town. No backup vehicle, support team or anyone who could make life a little easier or who could sort out any problems which may arise. I suppose the challenge lay in making something work that originated from a last minute decision with no time to prepare and with no previous training or experience. Not knowing was part of the excitement!

We didn’t do much research on the route we took, bought a map and committed ourselves to the road nearest to the beaches or riding on the beaches itself. If we knew any better at the time, we could’ve saved ourselves a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but then, ignorance is bliss, right?

The first 2 months had been hell, but once we reached optimum fitness or rather stamina, traveling became easier. Once we reached Cape Town, and with the help of the media, we continued our trip to Upington, along the coastline in aide of Animal welfare and child abuse. From there we went as far as Potchefstroom, a total of 5 700kms.

Was it dangerous? Yes, definitely, especially through areas like the Wild Coast, where there were days when we had to survive without water or food. No road, wilderness, up mountains, along rock faces, basically undesirable heights, and all the while, the knowledge that if anything happens, we’d be vulnerable without any cell phone signal or an idea where to find people for the next 100kms.

To break away from the monotony of cycling, we dared to go on the Orange river with a canoe, once again uninformed of the dangers, without guide or communication devices, we happily went along. It was absolutely stunning, but we eventually got sucked in by a rapid which was certainly not meant to cross. We were left on the Namibian side of the border without canoe or anything, not even shoes, for a couple of days.

There are so many stories to tell, of amazing people, magical sights, and of the road less traveled. If anything, this trip brought to us the knowledge that absolutely anything is possible! South Africa maintains a wealth of things most of us have already forgotten and it has become our mission to share as accurately as possible this diversity with especially those who might never dare to explore.

It is so important to see things completely and to understand that each and every one of us has a share in the way things look and are today. It’s time to make a noise and be heard! Know what is going on around you!


How are we going to do it ?

DIE BEGIN: 'n splinter nuwe begrip

2 Dames & 2 Jack Russel hondjies het op 23 Oktober 2004 uit St Lucia weggetrek, oppad na Kaapstad. Geen ondersteunings voertuig, geen reddings span of enigiemand om die lewe makliker te maak of om probleme uit te sorteer nie. ‘n Harwar besluit met geen tyd om voor te berei en geen vorige ondervinding was seker dan juis die uitdaging wat ons nodig gehad het. Die onsekerheid was opwindend.

Omdat ons nie rerig vreeslike beplanning of navorsing gedoen het oor ons roete nie, maar onsself eerder toegespits het tot die pad naaste aan die strand of op die strande self, het ons minwetend vir onsself ‘n lat gepluk. Nietemin het ons met ons aankoms in Kaapstad en met die hulp van die media, met ons toer voortgegaan en strand langs tot in Upington gery. Vandaar weer tot in Potchefstroom.

Met baie moeite, frustrasie en fisiese uitputting het ons voortgebeur, en metter tyd optimum fiksheid of eerder stamina gehandhaaf, wat dinge makliker begin maak het.
Daar was gevare, die lysie is elle lank, veral deur die welombekende Wilde Kus, waar ons vir dae sonder water of kos moes oorleef. Berge op, kranse langs, die hoogtes in, met die wete, dat as iets moes gebeur, ons hulpeloos sou wees, met geen selfoon sein of enige hulpmiddels, anders as hardloop na die naaste dorpie, wat wie weet hoe ver is.

Om die eentonigheid van fietsry te breek, het ons met ‘n kanoe op die Oranje rivier gaan roei, weereens oningelig oor die gevare, sonder gids of kommunikasie middels wat werk. Hoewel asemrowend pragtig, het ons ons vasgeloop teen ‘n ontoeganklike “rapid” wat ons ingesluk en uitgespoel het aan die Namibiese kant, vir dae sonder niks, nie eens skoene aan ons voete nie.

Daar is soveel stories oor die mense langs die pad, die natuur, hoewel sprokiesagtig, ook soms ongenaakbaar en ons ontberinge. Hierdie toer wat ons aangepak het, het ons definitief oopgemaak vir so baie dinge wat voorheen onmoontlik of ontoegangklik was. Daar is ‘n rykdom aan dinge wat meeste van ons al van vergeet het, in Suid-Afrika, en nou wil ons graag die dinge so akkuraat moontlik, deel met die wat dalk nooit sal waag nie. Dit is belangrik om die dinge nie mis te kyk nie, en te weet dat elkeen van ons deel het aan die stand van sake in ons land. Dis tyd dat almal se stemme tel en dat ‘n mens weet wat aangaan.

Hoe gaan ons dit doen?

WIE NIE WAAG NIE…