Final Thoughts

On 9 June 2010, I reached Cairo, just a few hours before sunset. My quest had lasted 14 weeks and taken me through 10 countries and kingdoms: South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt. By my daily GPS record, I have traveled over 14,000 kilometers. I fought through rain, hail, thunderstorms, sandstorms, extreme heat and fatigue to be able to finally say that I have conquered this continent.

The last few days of the trip were emblematic of the entire expedition, with highs and lows, solitude and joy, and encounters with both the natural wonders and teeming societies of the ancient and modern day African life. Over my quest, I learned that it was necessary for me to avoid fighting against the elements that make Africa what it is, but instead to embrace them, because the immeasurable power of the continent and its people will always win. Thus, I was able to save my energy to enjoy this truly humbling experience.

Whether it was encounters with the Kikuyu people of Kenya or strolling through the wondrous Pyramids of Giza, the experiences endure. The lands I have visited mixed natural beauty with the harshest living conditions that Africans, through the centuries, have managed to endure. If they can endure this, they can endure anything. I have experienced the beauty of the Mozambican coastline, the mouth-dropping setting of Lake Malawi, the open plains of the Serengeti, the majestic Kilimanjaro, the abundant Kenyan wildlife, the thunderous source of the Nile, the solitude of the 'Road to Hell', the dramatic Ethiopian highlands, the unrelenting heat of the Sahara, the life-giving Nile Valley and the overwhelming chaos of Cairo. Every location along the way provided its own challenges and held a unique reward that is embedded forever in my heart.

This has not only been a journey through Africa but it has also been a journey deep into my soul. I left expecting to only discover Africa, but have returned having also discovered myself. I have become my own best friend.

And now the trip has concluded.

Success? Bloody oath.

Life-changing? Definitely

Incredible? Maybe

Possible? Yes

More than ever, I am committed to the African land and its people that I have come to know and love. The international community, ever embarrassed about Africa, has turned its eye away from this wonderful continent. Hopefully my story will help in some small way to prove that Africa and its people will succeed. We dont need help, we just need time …

Thanks again for the support. Until next time.

Lots of love,
Gareth ‘ Bok’ Davey

Thank You!!

To all family, friends and colleagues.

After travelling for 14 weeks, I have eventually made it to my destination – Cairo, Egypt.

To date I have travelled over 14,000km’s, across 10 different countries and have had some unforgettable adventures along the way. This has been an absolutely life-changing experience and I encourage everyone to take some time off from your busy schedules and set into practice a memorable holiday/experience of your own! You will come out of it a better and happier person. I have had some great times, seen some spectacular sights, met some of the most amazing people and have made some great friends along the way. Most importantly I have learnt a lot about myself and my abilities and limits.

A special thank you for all the phone calls, emails, facebook messages and comments left on my blogsite. Your ongoing support has managed to keep me going through some tough times.

To date we have managed to raise £GBP 1130.00 – excluding AMEC’s contribution. Thank you to all of you who have contributed to this great cause. It is very much appreciated! To those of you who still intend to donate, you can either click on the “Sponsor me” button, or alternatively visit the website www.justgiving.com/gareth-davey. A very special thank you must go to Kathy Bam from the AMEC office in Johannesburg for her endless efforts towards this charity drive. I cannot thank Kathy enough for her ongoing support for this cause.

I have been extremely impressed with the motorbike, a KTM 990 Adventure (Big Ken). It has proven to be the ultimate tool in tackling the African continent. Not once has the motorcycle let me down. I have taken the motorbike down some really harsh roads and have spent hours on the saddle through some of the hottest and harshest areas that Africa has to offer. To be honest, I have not even had a puncture for the whole trip which is probably more of a testament to my lack of riding skills :-) I have serviced the motorcycle twice along the way and have changed the back tyre once. I have met up with many other motorcyclists along the way that were riding different motorcycle brands – they all had their share of problems with their motorbikes. On my KTM, I am proud to say that I had none! I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team from Causeway KTM in Perth, and especially Ram Wartheim, for his support. You are selling a great product and this is proof!! I am a dedicated fan.

Some statistics about the trip:

Total Distance Travelled: 14,112 km
Average speed: 50.1 km/h
Total Cost of the trip: (+/-) $AUD 16,000.00 (including motorcycle shipping)
Motorcycle services: 2
Breakdowns along the way: 0
Money raised for RFH charity: £GBP 1130.00 (to date) – excluding AMEC’s contribution
Visits to my blogsite: 15 261 (to date)


Thanks again and looking forward to catching up with you.

Regards,

Gareth 'Bok' Davey