July 26th, 2006
In a small matter of two months, I will be back there – doing exactly as I am in the photo. For two and a half thousand kilometres, the first leg of the next stretch runs from just south of Boujdor, where I left off, down to Atar in Mauritania and then a dramatic run through a contraband route to Neima; and finally across into Timbuktou. Every time I think about being back, I get the excited shivers; especially when I consider that it may be possible to walk some of it without a guide. Truly alone in the desert! If all goes to plan, I shall definitely be doing at least some of it completely solo.
But right now I have taken another scenic detour, and one hell of a long flight, and found myself back in my home country for the first time in quite a while. Melbourne in the middle of winter is something of a stark contrast to the heatwave in London I left behind; somewhat ironic, I dare think, that I should have left the hot weather in a country definitely not known for it. Nonetheless, weather beside, it is heaven to be back with my Mum again. She has been terribly sick this year, and right now is rather in need of a bit of care, and I am very grateful I am able to be here and with her. Although I am not so sure that sitting up all night talking her head off is necessarily the best cure, it certainly feels good to me!
Being back here gives me a chance to speak to the various Australian partners involved in the walk – the National Breast Cancer Foundation, who have been marvellously supportive of both the walk and my Mum during her illness; Dove, with whom I hope to partner my walk from here on; and the Australian media in general, who are infinitely more approachable than their British counterparts.
Dove has been my choice of corporate partner from the beginning, as even deep into the desert, I could still manage to find their stuff in shops. Can’t begin to explain how much a good moisturiser starts to mean when your face is dry and tight after a few months in the sun, even when you are a feral walker like my good self. Just for reference, I actually haven’t got anything from the company yet, so this is not a paid plug! (Thought it couldn’t hurt, though, eh?)
I speak to friends back in Morocco and shiver in horror at the thought of the summer heat, currently topping some 50 degrees; but at the same time, I just can’t wait to be back there. A thousand thankyous to all the people who have donated to the site and have subsequently been entered in the raffle; I didn’t expect such a great response, and with every entry, I am one step closer to going, sponsor or no sponsor. Quite frankly, nothing but a tram would stop me anyway – I prefer to look at funding as a minor rather than major obstacle. I have not walked 7,500km to stop now – not when I have the best part of the desert in front of me, and the chance to walk with the salt route caravans, through some of the most dramatic country in the world. Oh, okay, I know I will get back and start moaning about sandstorms, grumpy camels, and severe alcohol shortages, but at the moment I cannot think of anything more wonderful than waking up and just walking again. I get so frustrated sitting down all day on the computer that I have taken to having long and brisk walks nearly every day; it is kind of fun doing it back here in Melbourne, as around every corner it seems, there is yet another fabulous coffee shop. I had forgotten what a gourmet paradise this city is – and cheap to enjoy, too. I have been indulging in truly magnificent coffee rather too often, which may explain the frenetic walking. Permanent caffeine buzz. I can’t help it – I left my desert tea set back in London, and I have to drink something to replace my addiction.
Well, this is just a quick one to keep you all posted, and to say thanks again for those of you who have donated to the raffle. Just in case you missed the last post, a box of aloe vera products has been donated to the walk, and is subsequently being auctioned off on this site – see the post below for details. I shall write again soon and let you know when I am setting off. (I just keep on using the "when" word, rather than the "if").
Big smile to you all from coffee heaven…
July 10th, 2006
A very fabulous little company called Forever Living produces some of the best Aloe Vera stuff on the market. I tell you this not because I have turned into a mad marketing queen or horrendous pyramid seller (I can’t believe those things still exist) but because out of the kindness of their little hearts, this company donated a shed load of their stuff to me in support of my walk. So I had a little idea. Since I am never going to use a year’s supply of sunscreen, moisturiser, lip balm, shampoo and drinking aloe – no matter how great I may think it is – I am instead going to hold a little raffle on this site. The extremely fortunate (Oh, come on, I have to pump it up) individual who wins this box will also receive a signed advance copy of my book, “Slow Journey South”; and (whether or not you have ANY interest in this, I don’t know) a melekhva that I brought back from the desert. Basically, this is simple. Every person who donates £5 or over is automatically entered in the draw, and the results will be announced HERE on the 25th of August, just before I return to the desert, and the winner contacted by email.
Half of the proceeds will go to paying for the walk, and the other half will be donated to Breakthrough and the NBCF. If I manage to get full sponsorship before then, all proceeds will be to charity – but at this stage I am still struggling to get the money together to walk, so I hope that this will help me to continue. At the risk of now sounding like the very pyramid sellers I have just taken the mickey out of above, if all of you told a friend who told a friend….well, you get the picture. You can donate using the button on this page to the left. It is actually pretty good stuff (ok, I exempt my book from that, which you have every right to think utter crap should you choose) and given that any one of the products cost ten quid or over in a shop, it is actually a pretty good deal. I will send it to you wherever you are – Transylvania, Oregon or, God forbid, Milton Keynes. Since I get an awful lot of emails from people who are obviously reading this blog on a boring Monday at work in order to relieve the tedium and get a laugh out of someone doing something rather insane, you can feel free to con your boss into donating a whole lot more than a fiver. Especially if you work for Richard Branson. Actually, if you do work for him, give him my number, would you? The same goes for Bill Gates…Prince Charles… (okay that is scraping the barrel a bit) or any other suitably solvent individual who fancies sponsoring a lone woman about to walk five thousand kilometres across the Sahara. I can dream, huh?
I have been having a pretty interesting time of it really. I got all of the maps last week, and began to trace my route through – the next part by all accounts is absolutely beautiful, cutting down into the top of Mauritania and across into Mali. I was originally going to walk all the way down to Nouakchott, but have since been told of yet another contraband route that apparantly is quite glorious, with good wells and grazing. After I reach Timbuctou in Mali, I can begin walking with the salt trade caravans, which has been a long held dream. I shall have to pick up my pace a bit, since those guys walk huge distances daily. After Mali I am heading into Niger and Chad, following the Niger river for a long distance, then up into Libya and into Egypt. I have always wanted to go to Libya – the archeological sights there are amongst some of the most staggering in the world, I believe, and it is also going through such an extraordinary process of change, opening up to tourism and trade, that it seems a fascinating place to be. Although I wanted to walk my original route, the situation in Sudan is just too precarious at the moment; which gives me a great excuse to see both Libya and Egypt!
I have had a lot of help and support in planning the next leg, and even though I am still to raise the funds I need, I am heading back in September as planned. It may mean walking with just three camels and one guide, something that poses a few logistical problems; but however it happens, I will be there. I need to be – all this good living is not doing my waistline any favours, not to mention my liver. Another six months here and I’d have trouble walking to the supermarket. As if there is a conspiracy out there to keep me in the manner to which I have been unaccustomed, my friends Cat and Terry, who run On Trade media (and who have been long supporters of the walk and site) have contracted me to do some pub reviews and other alcohol related articles for this year’s publication. I can think of few jobs to which I am better suited than being obliged to visit a variety of pubs and sample their Real Ale. It has been a ture hardship, let me tell you.
So I had better go and actually write them; or maybe meet Terry up at the pub to just talk them over a bit more….
Please do enter my little competition. The box (it’s a BIG box) has to go to someone. And all the girls are eyeing it off covetously, so I need to get it out of the house before they get their grubby little paws on it. And you don’t actually HAVE to take the book as well!
Just an added aside to Avid Reader – please feel free to email me directly with your questions, and a name to go with them. Whilst I have no objection to responding to you, I prefer to do so in private, as I am sure you can understand. Gary is also contactable via gary@constanttrek if you should like to contact him.
Cheers!