Home » Zimbabwe » Jane Furse to East London, South Africa (September 30th 2002)

“We are the Pilgrims, master, 
We shall go always a little farther. 
It may be beyond that last blue mountain barred with snow, 
Across that angry or that glimmering sea.” 
- James Elroy Flecker. ‘The Golden Road to Samarkand’

Jane Furse to East London, South Africa (September 30th 2002)

Roundtheworldbybike
2005-11-18 11:36:46

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION…

ˇ I now have a mobile phone! Contact me on +27 (0)84 3371659

ˇ My rough (very rough) schedule on to Cape Town is:

Oct 1: Grahamstown

Oct 6: Knysna

Oct 11: Gansbai

Oct 15: Franschoek

Oct 19: Cape Point

Sunday October 20th: arrive in Cape Town

This month’s recommended reading….

ˇ ‘My Traitor’s Heart’ – Rian Malan

ˇ ‘The Bang Bang Club’ – Joao Silva and another bloke

The Earth Summit was not really the ideal time for me to be in Jo’Burg searching for news-starved journalists willing to devote some column space to my bike ride and Hope and Homes for Children. But it was an interesting experience and a fun city; beautiful, smart, successful people making me feel self-consciously out of place and mate-less as I wandered alone around the gleaming Sandton Square in my flip-flops and tired clothes. The City of Gold was quite a contrast to my old school out in the Homeland. From Audis and Mercs to an over grazed, over populated dustbowl. Chickens, goats and idle cows in the road. Too many liquor stores, and not enough work for too many people. I looked up a few friends from my old football team- the mighty Jane Furse Highlanders- and eventually summoned up the resolve to embark on the final 2500km to Cape Town.

I rode through the Afrikaaner heartland- neat farms and small, dusty towns. I began to learn that South African whites do not necessarily have it easy. These farmers were tough guys, working extremely hard to keep themselves afloat and casting anxious glances in the direction of Zimbabwe.

I don’t know whether it is white paranoia, genuine danger or a bit of both, but I have been bombarded with earnest warnings about theft, murder, cruelty and the need for a police escort through this country. So I begin camping at farms or staying ...