Join two intrepid women, one a hair's breadth from 60, and the other comfortably over 60, on an epic adventure to circumnavigate Southern Africa. In August and September 2027, we'll drive through six countries to raise vital awareness for wildlife conservation organizations and education charities. Discover our mission, follow our preparations, and learn how you can support this impactful journey.
Every year on September 22, the global conservation community comes together to celebrate World Rhino Day [rhinos.org]. It is a day dedicated to honoring five remarkable species that have walked our planet for millions of years. But beyond the striking imagery of these armored giants, World Rhino Day serves as a critical annual wake-up call.
As I have the potential itinerary worked out, now is the time to work out a budget and do some costings. Because I'm starting the planning and preparations a year in advance, that gives me some time to spread out the initial pre-trip expenses. I also have to work out how much money for the actual trip. Work out costs like fuel, accommodation, food, park entrances, border crossings, etc. That is quite a daunting prospect, but it needs to be done.
For his 91st birthday, Nelson Mandela suggested that people commemorate his birthday by doing something to make a difference for 67 minutes every year on or around the 18th July. The 67 minutes is one minute for every year that he worked for social change.
Although the big trip is just over a year away, there's a lot of planning that has to go into a trip this size. I've been trying to come up with a list of things we'll need for the trip. This list is not exhaustive, but I think it is a start.
Basically it's travel that lessens the negative impacts and maximises the positive ones. It's all about the impact.
There are so many great organisations and charities out there doing amazing work. Some are well known, and others you've probably never heard of. We're wanting to raise awareness of at least 7 different organisations over the course of the Ubuntu across Southern Africa Expedition.
I was thinking about the trip and asking myself why. Why would 2 sixty year old women undertake a trip like this? I wanted to showcase Africa, show people this amazing continent that many would never get to visit. But that wasn't enough. Yes Luise and I both had the spirit of adventure and were always keen to take on a challenge, but that wasn't it. There had to be a purpose, otherwise why do it. I asked myself, how could a trip like this make a difference. How could we use this trip to give back?
Once we decided on doing a road trip, the next step was to work out a route. That's when I got the idea to circumnavigate Southern Africa. If we were going to do a trip, we had to make it a big trip. I did a lot of research. Checking out other trips people had taken, where they had stopped and amazing sights they had seen, I quickly discovered that most had just done parts of the route I intended to take. Not many if any had done the circumnavigation of Southern Africa, and definitely not 60 year old women!
Cindy is a retired South African teacher, who has just completed restoring an old abandoned farm in Portugal and is returning to her home city of Cape Town. Cindy was involved in education for 40 years and has lived in 13 different countries during her teaching career. In 2010 Cindy drove from Kilimanjaro to Cape Town and back again in an old Pajero with her then 15 year old daughter - a total of 11 000 km! Cindy is committed to making a difference in the world and raising awareness of charities and organisations that do good.
I had a dream to buy an abandoned farm in Portugal and restore it into a working farm. I bought the farm in June 2020, and because of Covid, could only move there in June 2021. After 5 years of living on the farm and investing all my money into it, Portuguese immigration authority finally declined my residency and gave me 20 days to leave the country. They had taken almost 4 years to process my application!
"Ubuntu Across Southern Africa" is more than just a trip; it's a mission to make a tangible difference. We are two 60-year-old women embarking on a monumental journey through six Southern African countries to highlight and support crucial wildlife conservation efforts and education initiatives. Our aim is to bring attention to these vital causes, attract sponsorships, and provide regular updates on our preparations and adventures. Your support helps us amplify the voices of those working tirelessly on the ground.
