Ray Chaplin solo walk from Cape Town to Beit Bridge

Posted on 29 January 2010

Despite having been eaten alive my mosquitos during the night (seriously, I’m surprised I still have blood in me), I had a fairly good night and woke fresh and ready to go. I ate a great breakfast (yoghurt on my muesli is always a treat on the road), packed up and then got chatting to the owners of the guesthouse. Grrr… I want to go… and I did, slipping away at 7:30 am – not too bad.

I swung passed the shop on the way out to pickup my celebratory drink, as I would soon be crossing the 1000 km mark and needed something to celebrate.

Initial distance came easily, as I was fresh and in high spirits – and then it came, 8.91 km for the day meant 1000 km for the journey. Yeehaaaaaa! Stopped, sms’es sent, photos taken and the Red Bull savoured as my celebratory drink. I then opened a MuleBar as my celebratory snack.

I set off again and was doing well, singing and dancing down the road when a farmer pulled up and chatted about what I was doing. She said she’d pass me later again, as she had to go to Hopetown again later in the day.

Still I was loving it, and the 1000 km certainly was a booster for me. I didn’t look at my watch once to see how far I’d gone or what time it was. I just kept going and going, and then called Alison from Getaway to have a quick chat. But got voicemail, and then my phone rang shortly thereafter and it was her. We chatted a bit but reception out on the road is terrible so we got cut off, but a few minutes later Big Steve from Salomon called so we chatted a bit. Good to hear some friendly voices of people I miss.

I’d made coffee at the guest house and popped it in the freezer, so enjoyed that during my first break. Not quite the Vido Gelado I’d have liked, but it was pretty good considering where I was. No Quattro muffin either, so brown bread had to do the job.

A little further the farmed passed me again, stopped, climbed out and handed over 2 kg of ice, a homemade bread and 500 ml milk. How awesome? I thank her and she continued to Hopetown, me walking slowly in the same direction.

I walked on, taking in everything but also not taking in anything – I was in a completely different space and suddenly I was on 30 km – yay! I pulled over in rest area where a car was parked, and met Andre, a helluva nice guy. We chatted, exchanged numbers and he set off back to Kimberley. I decided to enjoy some muesli, seeing as I had milk and I couldn’t keep it for too long out here.

I walked on, planning on doing no more than 42 km for the day, and then pitching on a farm I’d been told about before the final stretch into Hopetown on Friday morning. Alas, the farm gate wasn’t where people said it was, so I kept walking. Fading and losing strength as I went, I tucked into the bread and monitored my hydration, keeping an eye open now for a safe spot to pitch alongside the road.

Sadly none of these presented themselves either, as I rapidly approached Hopetown – and then, the 10km sign! Oh no, this was not looking promising for a ‘gentle’ day…

At 5 km to town I gave up my search for a spot and decided to hit town, as it was now pointless! I called the lodge Andre had called me about earlier and asked if it was still ok for me to arrive later – thinking around 8pm. No problem they said, and tried to direct me. By this point I was well out of it, simply putting one foot in front of the other to make progress.

By now the bread was gone and I was hungry, but I saw lights so shiifted up a gear. I called again for directions, and they seemed to make sense. But, after a day as long as I’d had and in the pitch dark in a strange town, things can go horribly wrong. I just wish people would use landmarks and roadsides to help direct, especially when language is an issue. DAMN!

I got through town but not seeing where I needed to be I called again, and the gentleman didn’t quite know left from right, and the more I asked for specifics in terms of street names, etc the more he used general ”passed the garage road off up hill” directions. DUDE! DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH TO GET HERE?

Well, after a few more attempts I gave up because I could not find the gravel road he was talking about nor the tractors nor the lights on the wall, so I headed for the noise I thought may help me. School athletics! Yip, I knew Charl and Sunel would be there so I’d be able to get some assistance!

I found them and they chatted with a local and he arranged for the people from Radnor Lodge to send their son to direct me. But again, no specifics just general directions, to which I replied “Is that the road with the sign for the camp ground?” and the reply “From here, take the left turn ahead, down a few hundred metres.” DAMN!

Eventually we got it out of him that I was to follow the direction signs of the campsite. How difficult was that? Considering I called from the intersection more than an hour earlier, I was not in a good mental place now… considering just missing town and heading for Kimberley immediately. My blisters were massive already, another few kilometres wouldn’t hurt.

Finally I arrived, dropped my stuff and climbed into a bath to soak my aching body. They’d kept some food for me so that went down quickly and into bed for me.

Now, after 5 hrs sleep my body does not want to move and my feet are in a bad way. Need to do some TLC on them, urgently! And, to make things worse, I realised when I arrived here that my sunglasses were missing! The best pair I’ve ever worn, gone!! Damn! Five days until Kimberley and I’m without sunnies… brilliant!

Here’s hoping the next 120 km go a little smoother…

Today I’ll be taking in the touristy stuff in Hopetown then heading north.






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