Visit to the local school

Today was our rest day but we did not rest.

First job of the day was doing the dobie (laundry to you landlubbers).

Next up was a visit to the Gojella Junior School were we deliver and installed blackboards and solar panels and provided taxi rides to the kids on our bikes.


The school choir sang for us which was fantastic.



Gold Team were very prominent in all the activities and it would remiss of me if I did not single out Alex and Max plus Gary from Blue Team for their work in actually installing the solar panels.

I took on a supervisory role: risk assessment; demarcations; tea breaks and dispute resolution.

We also serviced the bikes and made adjustments and repairs.

All in all a very busy day.

Tomorrow we we have another demanding day ahead of us although rumour has it there will be a race arranged on the local airstrip and a wheelie school.


More people from Enduro Africa 2008 team.

The Irish contingent......Mickey and Kevin.



Constandinos from Cyprus.


Everyone calls him Costa because they can't pronounce his name and he met up with other participants in the Costa coffee bar at Heathrow!

Very Wet Day!

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Leaving the Morgan Bay for a new adventure!

First obstacle of the day!


The ferry crossing at Kei Mouth.

We have crossed the Kei River into the Transkei.

Now the pace slows up because of the roads and the terrain.

We have been warned there are lots of animals and children on the roads so we need to be careful.

The Transkei was an independent state under the Apartheid Regime and fell behind in development terms.

So now it is about 40 years behind the rest of South Africa.

It is also notably hotter and very humid.

We keep being told to hydrate. It is a challenge in itself to carry enough water.









River crossing in the Transkei.








Look at this Transkei panorama view!


Just climbed out of the valley bottom successfully I might add to see this amazing view.


River crossing no. 4 today.



I made this one and one other but I have had two dunkings.
I am wet and tired.

Today was just the toughest part so far.

What started with a ferry crossing into the Transkei ended with us riding in total darkness in all mighty thunder storm.

The lightening was streaking through the sky all around us and rain drops so large they stung your face.

But that's a fraction of the pain we went through.

The descent and ascent into and out of the Qora Gorge was unbelievable.
Words fail me.



Gold Team all made it through but Red Team lost a guy through dehydration.
That's all the news I have so far.

Green, Blue and Orange Teams were still coming out the gorge when the storm struck and I don't envy them their ride to the Kob Inn Hotel in Quigney (www.kobinn.co.za).

We have earned our rest day!

The only guys who won't be taking it easy are the mechanics who must now repair our distinctly secondhand looking bikes!


By the way,

I'd like to introduce some people in my team.

Max and his dad Alex from Edinburgh.


Grandad Pat who was awarded the "Spirit Award" yesterday.


He is 68 and still going strong!

Sisters sledge!


They are sisters Cora and Stephanie.