With 100 days behind us and just 6 days to go we have reached Ai-Ais Richtersveld, our 7th Transfrontier Conservation Area on a journey to link 2 Oceans, 9 Countries, 7 Transfrontier Conservation Areas, more than 30 Nature Reserves and Game Parks and, more importantly, the Communities adjacent to and within these areas.
Backed by the governments of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa, this world first expedition will map (Garmap) a Boundless Southern Africa adventure route that other 4×4 enthusiasts can follow. As in all Kingsley Holgate-led expeditions there is a link between nature, culture and community. These projects include One Net One Life malaria prevention, Rite to Sight spectacles, Box Libraries as part of a literacy campaign with writing materials to remote schools – this time round there’s also LifeStraws for purified water, the Boundless Art Competition for conservation and the Boundless Soccer Challenge – a rural world cup for conservation leading up to 2010.
Via the Evosat we receive a message from Leonore Beukes at the South African Department of Environment and Tourism “Congratulations” she says – the interest in the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition has been such that at least 2 Presidents and all 7 Ministers of Environment and Tourism together with media will be arriving on Wednesday the 19th at Oranjemund in Namibia to celebrate the end and recognise the completion of this world first journey to link Nature Culture and Community across Africa “Please don’t be late!”
We shovel sand over last night’s fire, load up, one Landy behind the other in the dust. Ahead of us is a community day with the Nama people at Koebus then a dash across Sendelingsdrift to loop through the Sperrgebiet (the forbidden coast) and on to the mouth of the Orange where we will empty the Calabash into the Atlantic and hand over the symbolic stones gathered from the Transfrontier Conservation Areas across Africa to become a monument that will mark the Boundless Southern Africa Expedition Route.
On the side of the Landies printed underneath the flags of the 7 countries that make up this journey are printed the words “Beyond Borders, we are free to connect. Beyond Barriers, we are open to collaborate. Beyond Limitations, the possibilities are endless.”
Land Rover we salute you and thank you for your involvement in this epic journey, it would not have been possible without you. There will be a book, a documentary and a fascinating Boundless Southern Africa Expedition Route.
We’ll keep you posted.
Best wishes and thanks again for all the support for Mama Africa.
Siyabonga and best wishes
Kingsley and the Land Rover Expedition Team
