Rim of Africa

Rim of Africa… Extremely hard to explain what it means and what it really is. You can see it just as a very long hike, a spiritual journey or anything in-between the spectrum. I do not know which is true and it differs from person to person but this change in perception comes directly from the changing landscapes you slowly wonder through. The amount of time you have to think about the daily scramble that is life, slowly fades and your perceptions changes just as the mountains.

Driving out of Cape Town, slowly cruising over the landscape heading into the distance mountains. All the way a long peak covered mountain rolls passed you. You know you will be standing on top of that mountain in days to come and for weeks to continue. You have an uncertain feeling the type of feeling you get a lot in the Cape Mountains, one of fear and anticipation. All sort of factors play around in your mind, terrain, distance, dangers and the possibility of failure. It could be hard for someone to accept what they will be giving their time for when doing a long distance trail. You accept drastic change one away from comforts and easy glamorous holidays on beachfronts and hotels, to being away in the wild for a long extent of time. But it will change your perception if you just open yourself to it.

You start at the gargoyle covered Cederberg, slowly finding your rhythm. Filling your longs with fresh air while deafening your ears with dead creeping silence, no cars, no phones, nothing. Its bliss on a whole new level. I have gotten use to the silence on previous endeavors but its still something special and it is a reminder on how much noise the civilized world brings to ones life. It feels like a big weight are lifted of your shoulders and the only thing that matters is today. When is tea, where will I sleep and the common one, how will I get up or down this? No long term no thinking of what I have to do in a week or month or year. And if you are thinking of the long term its much more objective. No reason not to be. What’s best for me? This is. End of story no worrying what the world thinks are right. Just an objective end. You do still wonder how your going to make it to the end. Its a long way of!

Days pass rather slowly in the beginning but then you exit the Cederberg Mountains and you start with a new section and mountain range. Days starts to merge, your memory seems to fail you when thinking back on the days past. Slowly routine will set in and thus your life will be simplified to a walking pace.

All this can be experienced in different ways like I mentioned in the beginning, this could also just feel like a long extended hike where nothing changes in your perspective. This way you most likely concentrates on the pain your body is experiencing. Even this physical way of looking at the hike is interesting; discovery of your own physical potential is one of the great self-discoveries one can make. From personal experience it’s a discovery that also changes the way you think of an everyday task. Sore feet, back, knees it all happens, it’s hard, it’s tough; and of course it could be painful, its almost two months outside your cubicle.

Over a month out there, you are not sure where you are but does it matter? Suddenly the end feels in reach. The long awaited end! But do you want it to end? Are you comfortable looking at a roof once more or is the stars a better roof? Have you really become comfortable in thickets of fynbos? Your not sure but you do enjoy the time on your own with a daily sunrise and sunset to look forward to. You discover you’re happy without your car, Tv, bed and the constant reminders on Facebook that other people is trying to live. You’re out there, living the dream for a handful of people, and that is enough for you.

You are slowly but surely getting somewhere. Its slow, tedious and hard but it seems all worth it. The beginning of the trek feels so far away that you don't remember where you were or what you did in the last month only you knew that you where in peaceful surroundings...

Crossing through the Langeberge into the Outeniqua mountains where the constant change from dry northern karoo to the lush south eastern side of the mountain give you never a dull moment. Physically and mentally you feel strong, maybe your body is a bit sore but it does not deter you from the daily life of hiking.

You are reaching the end in the next couple of days. You can wait to have your shower and a pizza but you can't stop having a nagging feeling that you really just want to continue. But the overpowering feeling of going back to family and friends is overwhelming in those last days, pushing yourself to to get to the end faster than necessary.

You end... You end and the sensation is indescribable, what now... What's first, pizza or a coke? You don't know but you are finished with this thing that is much more than just an slog. You do feel sad when ending but happy to head back home. Not realizing it is hard getting used to the complicated life behind the white picket fences.

All in all you look back onto the experience as a life changing experience, with days that pushed you to a new level, you feel refreshed and happy about life. For most people in the 21st century this is the experience most people need in there life's but not willing to commit for.(Sadly)

Rim of Africa is an amazing traverse, witch gives a different perspective about your relationship with yourself, physically and mentally. I will advice anyone to attempt it. Even if its just bit by bit.

http://www.rimofafrica.org/

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