Aussies will recognise these words from a well-known Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody song; a song that describes the strength of an Aboriginal civil rights movement in our country’s history.  I’ve had these words bouncing around in my head for some time, as I keep feeling we are celebrating big things at the moment that all started as little things…

Dale’s retirement – Dale has always had quite a personal ToDoList of interests and projects, and he explains “I just haven’t got time to die”.  First cab off the rank is to traverse Africa from south to north on a motorcycle.  After 47 years of work, we are celebrating a very successful career and that we have actually now made it to Africa!

Projects – The Guzzi has been a labour of love.  Dale has re-modelled, re-made, and re-invented so many things on her that she really is looking like the Mad Max Fury Road Interceptor!  She’s chaffing at the bit to get going and is already drawing a lot of curious looks and comments.

Friendships, old and new – Captonians have simply made our stay in their country that much…more!  We connected with Judy, a cousin of a good friend, and Judy’s husband Richard.  They have been so welcoming, interesting and simply “just always there” during our stay.  Richard was our Captain for the Route 62 adventure.  Whilst waiting to be seated at Carla’s Mozambique Prawn restaurant, we met Dianne and Chris, owners of Papermoon Bookshop right next door and became instant friends.  Anthony is the temperature taker at the local tidal swimming pool.  We have shared many “good mornings” with Anthony and his wife Denise, but when we eventually shared a proper conversation, Denise immediately invited us over for a hearty and embracing, family dinner.  Turns out Anthony was a South African motorcycle racing champion back in the 80’s.  We only met Christopher the once as he was heading back to Joburg for work, but he gave us the keys to his garage and said to keep the Guzzi in there as long as we needed.  Our old buddies, Kirstin and Dave have just been as wonderful as ever.  And then there are all our other mates now scattered around the world who keep asking where and how we are.  We are feeling so very lucky.

My swimming – My family have always been an early morning, go for a run and swim kinda group.  Various members have continued the tradition, whilst others, well…what can I say.  We used to run and swim along Perth’s Port and Leighton beaches before school and work through summer and winter.  Water is my magnet.  When I saw a mob of early morning swimmers on our regular walks around St James and Muizenberg, I knew I had to get wet.  But it was cold!  It took a while, but in I went, then in I went again!  My previous cold water record was 17 deg C.  When we arrived, I overhead Anthony mention the figure 12.9 deg C and THAT I knew I could not do!  When I first took the plunge, it was 15 deg C.  It took about 300m before I was comfortably numb.  I’m now celebrating the fact, I can swim in 13.3 deg C water.  I know my dad, if he were still with us, would have a smile on his face and be quite proud :)

Our six week stay in Cape Town, which turned into 10 weeks, reminds us that “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles”.  Little things, can turn into Big Things.  Our African Odyssey may take a while…

HE SAID
 
The things you learn by personal experience…

A lot of people warned us of the dangers ahead:  wild animals, wild trucks, wild shopkeepers, wild stuff generally.  Not one person said “Be careful not to get breezed over at a stop sign”.  Who knew it was so windy in southern Africa at this time of year?

And following that small mishap, I learned a lesson about spare-spares.  We were carrying a spare clutch lever so that a broken lever from a minor fall would not leave us disabled.  Good planning. Now that one has been used, no more spare.  Fortunately I managed to find a spare-spare.

Carry half as much gear and twice as much money.

And the ideal bike? Next time we would choose: 2 x supercharged Suzuki DR 125s carved out of solid Titanium, weighing maybe 10kg max, fitted with a 1000 litre fuel tank, and throw-over Kevlar saddlebags big enough to hold a toothbrush in one side and a Visa card and a pair of vacuum-packed emergency undies in the other.  And solid rubber tyres…