Dear reader and supporter,
I am planning to engage a new adventure before reaching Cape Town to work in a backpacker hostel. I undertook a 1000 kms/30-day walk in Mallorca Island and I might need more time to arrive in Cape Town from Durban biking the coast (2000 kilometres), 2 months should be enough. My best friend will support and accompany me on this adventure, also interested to contribute. This is not the first stone we cast! We already circumnavigated Jersey by foot in 10 days and Belle-Île-en-Mer in 3 days. There are multiple reasons for undertaking these adventures: earth preoccupation, to encourage an environmental consciousness through more down-to-earth travels and environmental awareness. I opened a blog (http://fredaupoint.blogspot.com) and we would like to find a media coverage, then we will be ready to interview as many individuals and professionals as possible about what ideas they have concerning social and environmental issues, and living in harmony with the planet. We will, in any case, provide them a sensitisation list on how they can contribute. It will also be an opportunity to emphasise this idea of alternative accommodation by using CouchSurfing, a tent, a hammock but mostly backpacker hostels and interviewing managers. South Africa abounds with such accommodation, holding one of the most popular networks in the world. Through the people we will meet, we will also be able to promote our country, France, and our hometown, Angers, where everybody has a place to live, this is not possible in every city! I like its history and environment. We will prepare a conference tour across the country and share our experience. We are also in contact with directors to create a documentary and compete in European film festivals.
This adventure will start at the beginning of September and we are looking for media coverage and any financial (money per kilometre) and material (2 mountain bikes and a camera) support. Any help in completing a questionnaire would be much appreciated as well. A new adventure might await me across the Mozambique coast by 4*4 in February 2010 (3500 kilometres).
But how this idea comes from? Well, it is a quite long process!
My travelling associated with my professional activities has not met a crisis. Everything happened very quickly, beginning with leaving my hometown and parents last March, 2007 to stand on my own two feet and discover a little more about my country. Working in Spain last October, 2007, I was not too far away, in order to stay around my family ties. However, once I started travelling, the urge to discover more of the world took over. My first project was to circumnavigate Mallorca Island by foot, sleeping in a hammock and picking up rubbish on my way. Having searched for the answers to questions all we ask ourselves about the planet (organised wars and bomb attacks, Genetically Modified Organisms, deforestation, huge amounts of waste in the sea, human pollution, companies controlling governments, etc...), this "into the wild" adventure allowed me to experience the plight of our planet first-hand. I finally came up with the hammock idea! This inspiration came from an American guy I met in Barcelona who had travelled this way in New Zealand. It was his best travel experience so far and was soon to mine!
I felt like going away Europe to get closer to nature and leave from materialistic Western culture behind. I was given the opportunity to pursue my studies in Reunion Island (40% of this island is a national park). I enjoyed my time during these 8 months, organising hiking trips every weekend, the last week was an expedition with 4 buddies from different countries through the 3 amphitheatres and Piton des Neiges, the highest peak in Reunion Island. With the help of an important number of travellers, mostly Metropolitan French people, a common interest in discovering the island had united us and inspired me to initiate some hiking meetings through CouchSurfing. This is the most important online hospitality network where more than 1 million people has registered and I have been using extensively its services for the last 2 years and has became involved as a Nomadic Ambassador promoting the website. You can check-out my profile: http://www.couchsurfing.com/people/fredaupoint. Tremendously increasing numbers of people joined the Reunion group and together we developed a passion for nature. I passed my bachelor of ecotourism with a more than respectable mark. I am already keen to experience new adventures in an English-speaking country, in order to further improve my foreign languages. I eventually chose South Africa, considered as the 6th most diversified country of the world according to the mega diverse ranking.
I am currently a trainee on a 4-5 month placement in Wildebees Ecolodge (www.wildebeesecolodge.com) and managed the place for more than 3 weeks on my own. My projects are progressing very well and my travels too! Discovering African communities, unforgettable Swaziland, the highlands of Lesotho, the astounding Drakensberg mountain range, Blyde River Canyon, and of course the game and marine reserves, surrounding me. Here, the big five are everywhere and we are just next to the oldest African game reserve, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve, known to have saved the white rhino. I nearly and only swear by natural spaces' protection, hence my special interest for the ones listed with UNESCO like UKhahlamba - Drakensberg Park and the close by iSimangaliso Wetlands Park, KwaZulu-Natal, Zulu Kingdom. Our main aim is to practice responsible tourism through Ecolabel Projects (www.ecolabel.org.za). We are contributing to the local community with, for example, the management of an orphanage and the organisation of a community tour within the Zulu community: visiting a Zulu settlement and a sangoma, traditional healing, in a mud hut, dances and songs, arts and crafts... I have recently placed a friend from Reunion Island to the orphanage for the purpose of improving management skills and I am currently monitoring her progress from the lodge. I am also creating activities related to the World Cup and posting articles on the website.
I would thank you for forwarding this to any contact that might be interested in either project. Hoping for your support, I send you my greetings from the African bush.
Frédéric Pointeau and Romain Hodé
Aims in a nutshell:
- To experience a wonderful adventure and improving our knowledge of alternative ways of life.
- To meet as many people as possible on the road and interview them.
- To convey sensitisation of social and environmental issues.
- To invite media coverage, sponsorship and fundraising.
- To share my experience with our country by conferences and competing in film festivals.
Similar project beginning next September in USA: www.climateride.org.
Similar project by people from the same province in France: www.saperliplanete.org.
sábado, 4 de julio de 2009
domingo, 28 de junio de 2009
Drakensberg Park, experiencing a 250.000ha. african mountain range
Thursday 11th and Friday 12th June 2009,
I started my 12-day nomadic trip from Hluhluwe to Durban as it was impossible to get directly West like Nongoma town with minibuses, the local unsafe and cheapest public transportation in South Africa ; and Durban to Ladysmith where a couchsurfer invited me to stay 2 nights. I would say 500 kms in one day which means you must not be afraid by distances, what I am not anymore! We spent a good time together with her mother.
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June 2009,
The three of us went to Amphitheatre Backpackers with her pick-up, seated down behind, admirating the refreshing morning' natural wonders during 50 kms. We did a 2-hour training hike through a river and rapids within Royal Natal Park called Tiger Falls with girls from Netherlands and Belgium. The day after, some Amphi Backpackers' guests did a community tour organised by the lodge in Lesotho while I hiked Thukela Gorge (Royal Natal Park) with another French met in the lodge the day before, the best buddy ever, full of hiking stories and knowledge for "into-the-wild" matters. We were hiking through potholes, huge concrete rocks, valleys surrounded by nature monsters: 1000 meters' dramatic cliffs above our heads! We did 2 braais during these 2 evenings and went every evening with the Brazilian in the jaccuzi with other friendly people, music and ambiance always there.
Monday 15th June 2009,
My Brazilian host went back to home whereas I went one day trying to discover Golden Gate Highlands National Park and its 1000m dramatic cliffs from the top: Amphitheatre. I eventually visited Free State, incredibly different than KwaZulu-Natal, I was astounded! I went on my way by hitchiking and met extremely nice people, a black guy stayed 30 min. with me to get another lift, I would say that the patience of black people is the main distinction between white people!!! Phuthaditjhaba is surrounded by mountains everywhere, Sterkfontein dam (the third largest in South Africa) is a must-to-see, half salty, half sweet water. I spent time in the city and the library where I was the only white person among more than 10.000 people!! I didn't see any other white in Free State actually except in their cars maybe ahah... I even learnt Sesotho with locals during more than 1 hour in a minibus and then I had 15 zulu handshakes to give when I dropped off from the minibus!!! "Yebo Gogo!" It was the last night in Amphitheatre Backpackers and I got along very well with the lodge managers, talking extremely prolificly with them!!! Everybody should go to this place, the managers are idealists and created the place of their dreams, the team comes from Cape Town and behind the crazy cap, they are so full of knowledges! An amazing place, I am already wondering if Bulungula, the most famous backpacker hostel in Southern Africa, can compete! In anycase, backpacker hostels in Southern Africa just rock!
Tuesday 16th June 2009,
We decided with the French guy to continue the adventure with his tent, camping through Northern and Central Drakensberg with the help of an OS map (IGN equivalent) available for R50 or so in most of Drakensberg camps. The entire uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park lies in 242.813 hectares (the size of Luxembourg or Reunion island, this last one count 10.000 kms of footpaths within 40% of the island) and counts more than 25 peaks above 3000 meters high! This is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. We started to hitchike from the hostel and payed out the drivers who let us jump on and we arrived quickly in Bergville as I learnt the hitchiking zulu signs, then Emmaus and we asked to a Pakistanese retailer to drop us off at Didima Camp in exchange of money 'cause middle of nowhere and no more kombis (other name for a minibus taxi). The landscape was lookliking Lesotho if you wonder what kind of surroundings: yellow grass and soft hills, poneys, horses, goats, cows, people wearing blankets... We arrived at the lodge after about 100 kms and decided to start hiking. We did an overnight on the way to Cathedral Peak hike, completely alone in the wilderness, between hills and peaks.
Wednesday 17th June 2009,
We saw the snow everywhere at the top of the peaks in front of us when we got up! We climbed Cathedral peak but it was clearly impossible without any guide or knowing the way (we tried several climbings without any success, despite our iron-will). This is the lesson we had been learning during all our expedition, that you can be lost very easily!! We fortunately encountered a guide who indicated us the last path and he blowed his whistle when we were wrong 'cause he was with other hikers who couldn´t go further from tiredness. We found a ladder but sometimes the ladder was not there and it would be extremely helpful as the void was, yes yes, just behind us, we don´t use to get the vertigo but this time, I can tell you, it was difficult not to catch it!!! Well, we could´t believe it after our hiking records... It happenned to be both one of our most dangerous hike ever and we both hiked very very much in the past!!! The view was stunning from this dramatic rock, above the small clouds and the weather was nice. We could see very far away. We after had the time to go back and rest a little at Didima bar, then take back the road by a lift to Winterton then Thokozisa Hotel and several other lifts by night till the Monk's Cowl closed gate's camp. Another 90 kms I would say. By night, most of the time, locals stop and this time it was white people, what is really strange... black during the day, white during the night... you see, really strange!!! The place was sleepy, we had the toilet facilities and the outdoor kitchen for us where we managed to move a few chairs and tables to create our peaceful dinner under the stars.
Thursday 18th June 2009,
After paying, we left the camp for a 2 or 3-day overcamping in Central Drakensberg. The aim was to reach one peak (either Cathkin Peak, Champagne Castle or Mafadi Peak) and to go to Injasuthi camp afterwards. We enjoyed a lot the hike, completely out of our usual element, we met a few travellers who gave us advices and the last person we met was a fire manager (the management of the park voluntary burn herbs to prevent involuntary bushfires) and he recommended us about overcamping for Cathkin Peak the day after. We were relieved but definitely not out of the woods yet... We didn´t really know what we were expecting for! We arrived in a succession of forested valleys and gorges (4, 5 or even 6... we didn´t count from the beginning as we tought it would have been useless... big mistake!!!) and we happenned to put down the tent surprised by the darkness.
Friday 19th June 2009,
The day after, we made a plan (what you always do in South Africa ahah!!!) for Cathkin Peak but it went totally wrong. We tried by a hill who seemed to be the easiest way and it was deadly risky, we achieved to climb extremely steep hills but nature was, like it used to be, better than us and we couldn´t find our way to continue so we gave up the peak since the views were in anycase incredible! We went back to the tent by the more simply way which was one more time completely steep as well and we decided to go straight to Injasuthi camp, and here again, nature called back and it was impossible to find a way to pass over the forested valley, we were blocked... We know that in these moments, we have to decide something immediately. We decided to take the other way that is to say, come back to 1 or 2 valleys/gorges to follow our road to Injasuthi. It happenned to be 4 or 5 valleys/gorges instead of 1-2 'cause this park is really bigger than you think... We walked about 4 hours in these valleys, 5km/h, 25kg with us... The path was easier afterward but really long and no indication to our biggest happiness... We could see the lights of the lodge by night after having passed by an extremely steep primary forested gorge. The path on the left was going nowhere after 20min, the path on the right? the same after the same time... and the last detail: it was already completely dark, again... but hopefully we had headlamps. We encountered in the total darkness a very thin closed footpath. It was funny and not funny at the same time!! They do have indication when you mustn´t take a footpath!! We had to choose whether to take it or not... it was the last chance or trying to find a place to sleep closeby... Hum... We are really crazy you know ahah!!! We bet for it, it was very long, very green, very steep, very dark, full of leaves, and white people like us are impatient, it would have been the "too-much-thing" if this path would have happenned to be really closed ahah!!! but but but... we eventually arrived on a wooden thing next to a river, a large footbridge crossing the river and reaching straight to the camp where a night-watchman was waiting quietly for us during the last 2 hours ahahah!!! Keeping his head, yes, so easy!!! What an adventure! Deliverance! We were alleviated! So alleviated that we took a long shower like we use to while arriving to the camps and our only choice was to make dinner with the help of different bunchs found in the girl and boy toilets, and it was quite hot inside after the showers, we were happy about our expedition! We eventually were a little tired after these 2 days, no, are you sure??? I could say easily 100km in 2 days but the story wasn´t finnished when baboons took our only food bag during the night. The night-watchman catapult didn't suffice... They only took apples that we found a little bit further.
Saturday 20th June 2009,
The next morning, I wanted to have a go with the camp's manager about the unacceptability to have directions in this so beautiful park such as the Drakensberg escarpment... but we were seized with time as a taxi (the only vehicle in the.. I would say.. 50km around..) brought a group of travellers to the camp and the driver was going back like now now now to Pietermaritzburg and of course the tent was still standing... We didn´t really think too much and after a blink we were already gone. The driver didn´t want any money and we did ~200km for free!! We had a deserved lunch, walked a little in the KwaZulu-Natal capital city, the only city I saw so far, that really caught a British influence by its brick-red buildings. It was time to follow each other paths. After an adventure such as this one, this is quite a farewell!!! My buddy went to Tsitsikamma and Hermanus for the famous white shark cage and I went to Richmond/Byrne to have a resting weekend at a couchsurfing host in the countryside Midlands as justly predicted. The host turned out to be an inventor-alchimst and we got along quite well about the world issues. I couldn´t go to one of a Confederation Cup football match but I eventually watched pieces of matchs in Amphi Backpackers and the entire Brazil-Italy that my first host attended in Pretoria with her mother. If I tell you that when I came back to run the lodge, the starter and the gearbox of the only car available broke, what would you say? Nothing, you are far away from my bushlands and I'm still in the shit but I like it like this and it's another way to improve English or any skill, I promess!
I started my 12-day nomadic trip from Hluhluwe to Durban as it was impossible to get directly West like Nongoma town with minibuses, the local unsafe and cheapest public transportation in South Africa ; and Durban to Ladysmith where a couchsurfer invited me to stay 2 nights. I would say 500 kms in one day which means you must not be afraid by distances, what I am not anymore! We spent a good time together with her mother.
Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th June 2009,
The three of us went to Amphitheatre Backpackers with her pick-up, seated down behind, admirating the refreshing morning' natural wonders during 50 kms. We did a 2-hour training hike through a river and rapids within Royal Natal Park called Tiger Falls with girls from Netherlands and Belgium. The day after, some Amphi Backpackers' guests did a community tour organised by the lodge in Lesotho while I hiked Thukela Gorge (Royal Natal Park) with another French met in the lodge the day before, the best buddy ever, full of hiking stories and knowledge for "into-the-wild" matters. We were hiking through potholes, huge concrete rocks, valleys surrounded by nature monsters: 1000 meters' dramatic cliffs above our heads! We did 2 braais during these 2 evenings and went every evening with the Brazilian in the jaccuzi with other friendly people, music and ambiance always there.
Monday 15th June 2009,
My Brazilian host went back to home whereas I went one day trying to discover Golden Gate Highlands National Park and its 1000m dramatic cliffs from the top: Amphitheatre. I eventually visited Free State, incredibly different than KwaZulu-Natal, I was astounded! I went on my way by hitchiking and met extremely nice people, a black guy stayed 30 min. with me to get another lift, I would say that the patience of black people is the main distinction between white people!!! Phuthaditjhaba is surrounded by mountains everywhere, Sterkfontein dam (the third largest in South Africa) is a must-to-see, half salty, half sweet water. I spent time in the city and the library where I was the only white person among more than 10.000 people!! I didn't see any other white in Free State actually except in their cars maybe ahah... I even learnt Sesotho with locals during more than 1 hour in a minibus and then I had 15 zulu handshakes to give when I dropped off from the minibus!!! "Yebo Gogo!" It was the last night in Amphitheatre Backpackers and I got along very well with the lodge managers, talking extremely prolificly with them!!! Everybody should go to this place, the managers are idealists and created the place of their dreams, the team comes from Cape Town and behind the crazy cap, they are so full of knowledges! An amazing place, I am already wondering if Bulungula, the most famous backpacker hostel in Southern Africa, can compete! In anycase, backpacker hostels in Southern Africa just rock!
Tuesday 16th June 2009,
We decided with the French guy to continue the adventure with his tent, camping through Northern and Central Drakensberg with the help of an OS map (IGN equivalent) available for R50 or so in most of Drakensberg camps. The entire uKhahlamba Drakensberg Park lies in 242.813 hectares (the size of Luxembourg or Reunion island, this last one count 10.000 kms of footpaths within 40% of the island) and counts more than 25 peaks above 3000 meters high! This is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. We started to hitchike from the hostel and payed out the drivers who let us jump on and we arrived quickly in Bergville as I learnt the hitchiking zulu signs, then Emmaus and we asked to a Pakistanese retailer to drop us off at Didima Camp in exchange of money 'cause middle of nowhere and no more kombis (other name for a minibus taxi). The landscape was lookliking Lesotho if you wonder what kind of surroundings: yellow grass and soft hills, poneys, horses, goats, cows, people wearing blankets... We arrived at the lodge after about 100 kms and decided to start hiking. We did an overnight on the way to Cathedral Peak hike, completely alone in the wilderness, between hills and peaks.
Wednesday 17th June 2009,
We saw the snow everywhere at the top of the peaks in front of us when we got up! We climbed Cathedral peak but it was clearly impossible without any guide or knowing the way (we tried several climbings without any success, despite our iron-will). This is the lesson we had been learning during all our expedition, that you can be lost very easily!! We fortunately encountered a guide who indicated us the last path and he blowed his whistle when we were wrong 'cause he was with other hikers who couldn´t go further from tiredness. We found a ladder but sometimes the ladder was not there and it would be extremely helpful as the void was, yes yes, just behind us, we don´t use to get the vertigo but this time, I can tell you, it was difficult not to catch it!!! Well, we could´t believe it after our hiking records... It happenned to be both one of our most dangerous hike ever and we both hiked very very much in the past!!! The view was stunning from this dramatic rock, above the small clouds and the weather was nice. We could see very far away. We after had the time to go back and rest a little at Didima bar, then take back the road by a lift to Winterton then Thokozisa Hotel and several other lifts by night till the Monk's Cowl closed gate's camp. Another 90 kms I would say. By night, most of the time, locals stop and this time it was white people, what is really strange... black during the day, white during the night... you see, really strange!!! The place was sleepy, we had the toilet facilities and the outdoor kitchen for us where we managed to move a few chairs and tables to create our peaceful dinner under the stars.
Thursday 18th June 2009,
After paying, we left the camp for a 2 or 3-day overcamping in Central Drakensberg. The aim was to reach one peak (either Cathkin Peak, Champagne Castle or Mafadi Peak) and to go to Injasuthi camp afterwards. We enjoyed a lot the hike, completely out of our usual element, we met a few travellers who gave us advices and the last person we met was a fire manager (the management of the park voluntary burn herbs to prevent involuntary bushfires) and he recommended us about overcamping for Cathkin Peak the day after. We were relieved but definitely not out of the woods yet... We didn´t really know what we were expecting for! We arrived in a succession of forested valleys and gorges (4, 5 or even 6... we didn´t count from the beginning as we tought it would have been useless... big mistake!!!) and we happenned to put down the tent surprised by the darkness.
Friday 19th June 2009,
The day after, we made a plan (what you always do in South Africa ahah!!!) for Cathkin Peak but it went totally wrong. We tried by a hill who seemed to be the easiest way and it was deadly risky, we achieved to climb extremely steep hills but nature was, like it used to be, better than us and we couldn´t find our way to continue so we gave up the peak since the views were in anycase incredible! We went back to the tent by the more simply way which was one more time completely steep as well and we decided to go straight to Injasuthi camp, and here again, nature called back and it was impossible to find a way to pass over the forested valley, we were blocked... We know that in these moments, we have to decide something immediately. We decided to take the other way that is to say, come back to 1 or 2 valleys/gorges to follow our road to Injasuthi. It happenned to be 4 or 5 valleys/gorges instead of 1-2 'cause this park is really bigger than you think... We walked about 4 hours in these valleys, 5km/h, 25kg with us... The path was easier afterward but really long and no indication to our biggest happiness... We could see the lights of the lodge by night after having passed by an extremely steep primary forested gorge. The path on the left was going nowhere after 20min, the path on the right? the same after the same time... and the last detail: it was already completely dark, again... but hopefully we had headlamps. We encountered in the total darkness a very thin closed footpath. It was funny and not funny at the same time!! They do have indication when you mustn´t take a footpath!! We had to choose whether to take it or not... it was the last chance or trying to find a place to sleep closeby... Hum... We are really crazy you know ahah!!! We bet for it, it was very long, very green, very steep, very dark, full of leaves, and white people like us are impatient, it would have been the "too-much-thing" if this path would have happenned to be really closed ahah!!! but but but... we eventually arrived on a wooden thing next to a river, a large footbridge crossing the river and reaching straight to the camp where a night-watchman was waiting quietly for us during the last 2 hours ahahah!!! Keeping his head, yes, so easy!!! What an adventure! Deliverance! We were alleviated! So alleviated that we took a long shower like we use to while arriving to the camps and our only choice was to make dinner with the help of different bunchs found in the girl and boy toilets, and it was quite hot inside after the showers, we were happy about our expedition! We eventually were a little tired after these 2 days, no, are you sure??? I could say easily 100km in 2 days but the story wasn´t finnished when baboons took our only food bag during the night. The night-watchman catapult didn't suffice... They only took apples that we found a little bit further.
Saturday 20th June 2009,
The next morning, I wanted to have a go with the camp's manager about the unacceptability to have directions in this so beautiful park such as the Drakensberg escarpment... but we were seized with time as a taxi (the only vehicle in the.. I would say.. 50km around..) brought a group of travellers to the camp and the driver was going back like now now now to Pietermaritzburg and of course the tent was still standing... We didn´t really think too much and after a blink we were already gone. The driver didn´t want any money and we did ~200km for free!! We had a deserved lunch, walked a little in the KwaZulu-Natal capital city, the only city I saw so far, that really caught a British influence by its brick-red buildings. It was time to follow each other paths. After an adventure such as this one, this is quite a farewell!!! My buddy went to Tsitsikamma and Hermanus for the famous white shark cage and I went to Richmond/Byrne to have a resting weekend at a couchsurfing host in the countryside Midlands as justly predicted. The host turned out to be an inventor-alchimst and we got along quite well about the world issues. I couldn´t go to one of a Confederation Cup football match but I eventually watched pieces of matchs in Amphi Backpackers and the entire Brazil-Italy that my first host attended in Pretoria with her mother. If I tell you that when I came back to run the lodge, the starter and the gearbox of the only car available broke, what would you say? Nothing, you are far away from my bushlands and I'm still in the shit but I like it like this and it's another way to improve English or any skill, I promess!
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