"Cycling for Hope": DAY 17 - Friday 26th

Dear Family & Friends

I arrived at my brother’s, Pete, place to an amazing welcome from a group of youngsters with balloons and shouting. On the way I stopped off at Pinelands at my Aunt, Ernie, and Mike’s old home and had a quick prayer for her and then moved off to the warm welcome. The weather was shocking and it rained all morning but it certainly did not damper the incredible feeling of finishing this journey. Champagne flowed and it was very special to see my relations and friends.

This trip has been an experience that I am finding very difficult to put down in writing. There are so many positive things that have happened along the way and I have met so many kind and loving people. I have received messages of encouragement and advice that have humbled me and as I have said before really allowed me to feel great about the kindness I see in human beings. Before I left a number of people told me that South Africa was not the type of place to be taking on a journey like this because of the danger factor. I would like to state proudly that not once did I feel threatened in anyway whatsoever. In fact I was overwhelmed by how safe I felt whether out camping on the side of a road, stuck out in a reserve or in the many towns I stayed in. Everywhere I went people seemed to make an effort to help whether in the form of a meal, a message or simply a friendly chat. People have made this a special memory for me. The scenery of course has been breathtaking but it is the messages and smiles on people’s faces that have made the difference.

There is a feeling of loss now that the Cycle for Hope is over and I am finding it a little hard to adjust right now. I have been incredibly privileged to spend time on my own like this and have had time to get to know myself again. The fact that my life slowed down considerably over this period had an amazing effect on me. I was able to appreciate the so called little things in life and really listen and see things properly and clearly. Everyone I met seemed to have something important to say and I think it is just because I had the time to listen and feel the emotion more acutely.

Dumela’s education has taken on new meaning for me and I feel even more committed now to seeing that he gets a fair break. I know he is just one young lad but for me it is a symbol and I couldn’t continue to moan and complain about our uneducated youth, crime statistics, Aids and basic degradation of our South African society without actually getting off my now thinner behind and doing something about it, however small it has been. To this date I do not know how much money has been contributed to the fund but am confident that Dumela will get a real chance in life. I am not good at talking about money but I do feel comfortable in asking now for your help however small. I have received a donation of R10 from an elderly lady and I can assure you that it will be put to good use. So please no matter how small it might seem rather just do it –the bank details are below this blog but if you would prefer to donate in another way that’s fine as well. I have already received sound financial advice from a banker on how to set up an educational trust and that has been very generous in itself. Once I know details of the financial situation I will report it on the blog. Enough of this talk now- I am starting to feel uncomfortable again.

I would just like to say that I have felt very blessed along the way. I felt almost cloaked in protection and I know that your prayers and thoughts had an impact. The journey was too uncomplicated for a novice like me to come through it unscathed and have the positive experience I did. It quite simply just went too well and I know I have a higher power to thank for that.

Guys I am going to miss chatting to you through this blog – I really am. It has been a way for me to get my thought in order and to get memories down. I know I am going to feel the void for a while but I am looking forward to getting home, seeing my boys and spending quality time with Kelly. I hope this journey has knocked some of the irritating traits I have off or at least got me to realize them more clearly. I also hope that not all I have learnt and the positive feeling about South Africa wanes too quickly as I rejoin the hustle and bustle of life. One thing that I do know however is that it is unlikely I will ever get this opportunity again. There is a quote on my sister in law’s wall of her aftercare school and it says “To see what is in front of one’s nose requires a constant struggle”. I think that in these last sixteen days I was fortunate enough, because of the circumstances, to see things in front of my nose a little more clearly and to really feel -- I have thawed.

Thanks so much for being on this journey with me.