"A horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight."
This morning could have gone better. Ive had this nagging thought in the back of my mind for a few days now "Check Your Tent" a thought that just wouldnt go away, but in the rush to get everything else done i just kept ignoring this thought. It's now come back to bite me!
I know this might seem like an obvious one but generally I keep my gear in top notch condition and always check it as I pack it away. This means that I can rest assured in the knowledge that its ready to go the next time I need it.
There is an exception though, I wasn't the last person to use my tent, I didn't pack it away and I had forgotten about this! A little while ago I lent it to my buddy, I'm always happy to lend gear because i believe that my friends are good enough to take care of my gear in the same way that I would and if they don't Ill just never lend it again. Turns out this was a mistake, my buddy is an inexperienced camper and didnt know how to assemble the tent properly so what did he do?? He cut the elastic cord that holds the poles together and mixed and matched until he came up with enough poles of the right length to hold the thing together. This as you can imagine has upset me somewhat! Anyway, I'm not going to harp on about it, ill just have to run down to Cape Union Mart and get a new set, it's annoying because I dont want to spend the money but thats life. Glad I checked the tent this morning and didnt discover the problem out in the bush where we wouldnt be able to fix it so easily.
I know this might seem like an obvious one but generally I keep my gear in top notch condition and always check it as I pack it away. This means that I can rest assured in the knowledge that its ready to go the next time I need it.
There is an exception though, I wasn't the last person to use my tent, I didn't pack it away and I had forgotten about this! A little while ago I lent it to my buddy, I'm always happy to lend gear because i believe that my friends are good enough to take care of my gear in the same way that I would and if they don't Ill just never lend it again. Turns out this was a mistake, my buddy is an inexperienced camper and didnt know how to assemble the tent properly so what did he do?? He cut the elastic cord that holds the poles together and mixed and matched until he came up with enough poles of the right length to hold the thing together. This as you can imagine has upset me somewhat! Anyway, I'm not going to harp on about it, ill just have to run down to Cape Union Mart and get a new set, it's annoying because I dont want to spend the money but thats life. Glad I checked the tent this morning and didnt discover the problem out in the bush where we wouldnt be able to fix it so easily.
Putting that to the back of my mind I started to think about all the people that have sent us messages of support on our social media platforms. I started to think about the messages from people saying "you are so lucky" and "I wish I could do something like this". Im conscious of the fact that to some people what we are doing might seem like a dream. Well it does to us too. I also know that to some of the people following our adventure online doing something like this themselves feels impossible. | 
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To those people I want to say the following. 'I know how you feel and its not true'. Ive been where you are, Ive been at points in my life desperate for adventure, dreaming of incredible journeys and far off places and never really believing id get the chance to do it. Thoughts like this can send me into a deep and dark depression. A few years ago I would have found it hard to believe that Id be doing what I am now. A few years ago i had a job that I hated, lived in a city I couldnt really stand and had about as much self esteem as a decaying walrus corpse. The only thing that kept me going at times like that was reading the stories of other people. Guys like Ranulph Finnes, Bear Grylls, Edmund Hilary, etc, etc etc. Reading those stories gave me hope that one day I might get to emulate them.
I not making the claim that the Random Acts of Kindness tour is on the scale of what those guys have done but it is in the same spirit and it still feels incredibly special to me and the other guys going.
Just this morning I've been reading about the most recent adventure of Richard Parks the former Wales international rugby player who was forced to retire because of Injury. He suffered incredible depression after being forced to retire and had little hope for his future. This changed when he became inspired by reading the stories of others and by hearing the above quote at his Grandfathers funeral. I like this story. Because as I was reading about what he's achieved my stomach turned, I literally felt sick with envy and I started to have thoughts that I wish I could do that. I started to think that he is so lucky and that I'll never be able to do that stuff. I quickly caught myself because thinking like that is quite simply bullshit. Some how and I dont really fully understand how, I have managed to do things beyond my wildest dreams and I keep getting those opportunities. It's all about the way you think because anything can happen while you believe its possible. The moment you believe that something is impossible is the moment it becomes impossible.
I not making the claim that the Random Acts of Kindness tour is on the scale of what those guys have done but it is in the same spirit and it still feels incredibly special to me and the other guys going.
Just this morning I've been reading about the most recent adventure of Richard Parks the former Wales international rugby player who was forced to retire because of Injury. He suffered incredible depression after being forced to retire and had little hope for his future. This changed when he became inspired by reading the stories of others and by hearing the above quote at his Grandfathers funeral. I like this story. Because as I was reading about what he's achieved my stomach turned, I literally felt sick with envy and I started to have thoughts that I wish I could do that. I started to think that he is so lucky and that I'll never be able to do that stuff. I quickly caught myself because thinking like that is quite simply bullshit. Some how and I dont really fully understand how, I have managed to do things beyond my wildest dreams and I keep getting those opportunities. It's all about the way you think because anything can happen while you believe its possible. The moment you believe that something is impossible is the moment it becomes impossible.
This trip started off as nothing more than a half hearted conversation between myself and an American student I'd just met. We were having a braai and a beer or ten at the Afrique du Sud backpackers, He wanted to book a trip with an over-landing company and asked if I had any recommendations . I told him not to waste his time and money and that if he had some guts he could do it on his own. He liked the idea and asked me if I wanted to come. I jokingly said that I'd bet him I could put something together for the same cost as his over-landing trip. I never really expected him to take me up but was very enthusiastic about the idea. Turns out he was serious and it turns out that my other buddy was gonna be off work for a while and had just acquired a very cool old van. It didnt take much for us to connect the dots and here we are a few hour from leaving. As you guessed that American student is Matt and we've become good mates over the last few months. You could say that we got Lucky with Ezan being off and having the van but to dismiss it like that would be wrong because we would have found away. We were even considering using the local trains, mini bus taxis and just about any other means of travel we could find. If any of you know anything about South African public transport you'll know that the idea of using it to cross a third of the continent was pretty adventurous. The mini bus taxis in particular get a bad rap but I dont think they are half as bad as people make out.
I'm gonna stop there before I go on to much. My point is this, believe in your dreams, they can come true. I'm living mine!!!
Here's a link to the Richard Parks Story
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/extreme-sports-richard-parks-finds-a-whole-new-world-at-ends-of-the-earth-8612537.html
I've included a couple of pics from previous trips I've done. They prove that anything is possible, I even once guided a mountain bike tour with a broken arm in a cast! Pic to prove it!! HAHAHAHA
Cheers everyone, next post of our climbing in the Cederberg!
I'm gonna stop there before I go on to much. My point is this, believe in your dreams, they can come true. I'm living mine!!!
Here's a link to the Richard Parks Story
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/others/extreme-sports-richard-parks-finds-a-whole-new-world-at-ends-of-the-earth-8612537.html
I've included a couple of pics from previous trips I've done. They prove that anything is possible, I even once guided a mountain bike tour with a broken arm in a cast! Pic to prove it!! HAHAHAHA
Cheers everyone, next post of our climbing in the Cederberg!
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