Freedom is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. I had toured sections before and knew some what to expect but the reality of 3 weeks is a completely immersive experience.
The first week was about my body settling into the routine and my mind staying focused. Emotionally it was sad to see poverty and sick animals. An emaciated dog with a starving puppy, and watching local boys beat their donkey had me in tears. The relentless climbing and somehow dragging my sore body out of bed every morning.
I started with a partner, who had two blankets. He pulled out at rhodes due to injury. I never expected to be alone and had a very sobering evening in Rhodes knowing I had to figure this out. I teamed up with another freedom virgin like myself. We figured it out until Rouxpos where at 3 in the afternoon I could not do more and he went on to Anysberg. So my second week was about dealing with all my abandonment issues. From my childhood, my divorce and now being alone on the trail I had nothing but time day after day on my bike to get real with myself. You cannot be distracted by social media and daily things. You are alone in the beauty of nature and have nothing but hours to talk to yourself in your head. Somehow you get around the bulldust you have been telling yourself your entire life and get really honest. While pushing your body on and on. The beauty and the remoteness of the trail is humbling.
The last week I found confidence riding, now being on my own. I spent a day in Anysberg and it was the most liberating experience. I found the endangered conophytums, and figured my way to Trouthaven eventually after doing many detours and getting lost. The dot watchers must have had a field day. I finished with friends on the last day and somewhere out there are some very unglamorous photographs of me, dragging my bike out of the Setyns Valley.
I was exhausted. I had lost 8kg , my lips were broken, I had nightmares of being lost for weeks after I got home. I had survived a violent thunderstorm in a spaceblanket on a mountain, puffadders and scorpions in the Osseberg and a mince meat fandangle that required double bibs for the last week. But I got my blanket, nogal a pink one!
I came away knowing who I am, how strong I really am and that there is nothing in life I cannot achieve or do. I saw tortoises mating, wild animals galore, and experienced such wonderful hospitality from the hosts. There is no price for that. Freedom is worth every penny
