Inspiring

Okay, agreed, this photo technically has nothing to do with the game park (although it was just outside it.) But I really liked the photo and it shows a lot of things about our life on the road. Emma running in the heat and sand. Us finding the only good tree for shade near the distance Emma wanted. Also, during lunch break, a tiny dung beetle tried to push my toe out the way as I dozed. Little feisty one.

Then we drove round the corner and discovered we are about to enter a game park in the Erongo Mountains. Its not marked on any of our maps.

The guard assures us we don’t need to worry about the rhino and elephant as they are over the other side. Emma will be fine. He says its okay for us to camp, which surprises us.

Finding somewhere to camp is tricky. We’re a little concerned about elephants coming by in the night. Elephants killed 300 people in 7 years in Kenya. African elephants are serious business. Although, humans have killed 100,000 elephants in 3 years … so, I guess, we would be more at risk if we were elephants. Still, we don’t want to be near an annoyed elephant. As a result, I move our campsite a little as it looks like its on an animal path to me. (We miss having an animal expert who would really know.)

Robert and I have decided to sleep in the car to save getting the other tent out, as we need to leave quickly in the morning. Emma, Mike and Woocash are in the roof tent. Emma’s blog post, says that all sorts of exciting things happened in the night. I slept through the lot except for the snoring.

We set off early into town, as Emma starts her first 2 hr run of the day. The bumpy roads rattle Cleo (the car) and Woocash and I argue over whether it is better to go fast and skim over the top or drive slowly and boing up and down more. I want to travel as fast as possible as I worry about Emma and Mike.

We drop off Robert and head back as soon as we can. We return to find Emma and Mike alive and zipping along. Emma’s ability is phenomenal. When they join us Mike asks if a bolt he spotted in the road is important to Cleo. Amazing eyesight and luck. Its for the rear brake calliper! Bouncing along has serious consequences. Woocash instantly gets under the car.

lying on a handy yoga mat, never got used for yoga but great for lots of other things

Two bolts have fallen out. We are still missing one and will need to sort that out as soon as possible (several hundred kilometers later).

At the end of the game park, the very friendly game park guard dances with us and joins us for a photo. Special moments that make the journey.

We encounter more friendliness that evening when we find a lay-by to park in. A man and his digger/road flattener are already there. He only speaks portuguese so we send Woocash (Polish speaker), as Emma suggests they might speak international english. Sure enough, Woocash comes back to tell us Frantz has no problem with us staying and even offered to flatten an area for us. Later, Frantz generously sends over some wood for our fire.

P1070259 — Our friendly lay-by neighbour

We have been nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award! I like this award. Who doesn’t want to be very inspiring? Although, if I got to choose a personal attribute, first choice would be very wise, or funny, or can move at the speed of light or as strong as an elephant – I realize I’m drifting into super powers. For your adventure what super power would you like to have?

(I know that Emma also writes on this blog and so ought to be accepting the award too but, to make up for it, I will ask her to do a post on inspiration when she’s back).

Anyway back to the award. I like it. I like the idea that the blog is inspiring. And I am delighted that the award is for being “very” inspiring and not, “a little bit” inspiring.

Thank you for the award, Dear Kitty. Some Blog – who writes about anything and everything. If you are into news, especially interesting news that doesn’t make it into the mainstream, but don’t have much time for sifting through it all, this is the blog for you.

Keeping with the theme of inspiration, I have here 3 quotes, 2 films, 1 story and 1 change in attitude that enable me to do the things that make me happy. Maybe you will like them too:

1. Quote

Emma is inspiring because she does it and, whatever it is, she does with determination and a brilliant sense of humour. Perhaps, that’s what Dear Kitty was thinking as well.

2. Quote

Just Fucking Do It!

(Pam Warhurst of Incredible Edible Todmorden Unlimited)

I love this statement. If you ever have a chance to go and listen to Pam Warhurst, definitely go. Funny and full of energy. But, basically, stop with the committees, thinking you need this or that and even sometimes asking permission and just do it. I’ll do as much preparation as I can, but ultimately we’re going and we’re going in August.

3. Quote

“The wonderful things in life are the things you do, not the things you have.” Reinhold Messner

(although I frequently think, a warm house in winter, is a wonderful thing.)

4. Film

It’s not just that they scaled El Capitan without all the limbs that most people have but, that they failed the first time and had to go back to do it again. It’s the sheer determination that makes me love this short film (8 minutes).

5. Film

Wide Boyz. Another climbing movie. Sorry. We’ll make a movie about Emma and in years to come I’ll use that for inspiration. This is a 2 minute clip, but its much better if you can watch the Reel Rock 10 minute version. Then you get a feel for the two years of dedicated training that Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker do before their amazing climb. It reminds me everything takes hard work. Keep going.

6. Story (sort of)

Jennifer Steinman made a film about ultra-marathon runners (Desert Runners, its fantastic). Ultra Runner Girl interviewed her. The runners taught Jennifer. Jennifer taught me:

“The biggest thing I learned out there was that the difference between who makes it and who doesn’t has nothing to do with fitness. I saw people out there who you wouldn’t think in a million years could run a 5k race actually finish a 250k race. And those were the people that always knew they would finish. They never entertained doubt. They didn’t even allow it to enter their consciousness.

I would ask them “what does it mean for you if you don’t make it?” And they would reply, “I’ll make it.” They weren’t even willing to have that conversation. They were focused on what they needed to do next and how they could move forward. That was it. It was about the kind of mental commitment and determination that didn’t leave you any option other than to finish.”

(Here’s the link to the full article: http://ultrarunnergirl.com/2013/12/18/desertrunners/)

Occasionally, people say to Emma and I,

“If you go to Africa …”

and we interrupt with

“No, we’re going. There’s no if.”

There’s no other option. We’ll find a way. It makes everything a lot simpler.

7. Change of Attitude

Lastly, I used to think, “I can’t” a lot. It was ingrained and I didn’t even know those two words where in my head. But, when I catch them, I silence them and allow the thought “I can” and see what happens. So here goes: I can organize Emma’s run across Africa and we can raise £100,000 in sponsorship for the charities – though I’ll admit that second one makes me feel slightly queasy.

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Now, I get to tag a bunch of bloggers I find inspirational (there are meant to be 7). I nominate and recommend:

Ultra Runner Girl

Under African Skies

Fungai Neni

Mozambique