After action satisfaction with Cecil Reed and sponsor Kelly Givens (notice an exhausted Nic)

Arrival at the Vera School

Surprise visitors

Gannets, pomegranates

Nic the sailor

Nic the cyclist

Pixie Pieter freezing his butt off

Cyclists in the mist

Nic entertaining himself with a bubblegumpie

Team Murphy

Nic and Shaun reunited in Pofadder

Epilogue

The tour has been a wonderful experience with some incredible contacts being made, many requests for further help, awareness being created around autism and disability and of course the cyclists have achieved something that will indelible in their memories forever.

It has been an achievement of note for autism and The Key School. A summary of the tour follows:

·         Meeting wonderful people along the way who supported us with accommodation, food, friendliness and laughter.

·         A support team that changed over time with Roland being with us for a week, Mark for another few days, before Leigh and Nic flew in, and finally Rene for the last few days.

·         The cyclists who would not give up despite a sore knee, exhausted bodies, and flu.

·         Workshops that might have been small at times but which were varied ie they took place in schools, a church, a community hall, municipal offices, the boardroom of a mining company and one at a Department of Education district in Springbok.

·         We had too much food but this will distributed once we are back in Jhb. We ate well and enjoyed quite a few braais.

·         We were stopped by the police 3 times – once in the Northern Cape by a cop who told us that if he did not give us a donation his wife would donder him, and twice by Cape Town police who wanted us off the highways!

·         No one got really sick. We had no punctures and we had no bicycle problems at all.

·         The weather was good to us but we will not forget the aggressive mosquitoes in some places.

·         The vehicles were more than adequate – we would not have been able to do the tour without them.

·         The guys averaged 100 kms a day and we travelled at an average speed of 25 kph. We woke up at 05h00 most mornings, and were on the road by 07h00.

·         The supplements the cyclists took dwindled with time to the extent that they were hardly taking in anything by the end of the trip.

·         The team got on well to the extent that there was agreement about most things (by the end of the day we were tired to care maybe!)

·         We saw breathtaking sunsets and sunrises.

·         We only had one major pass to navigate, the Piekernierskloof pass near Citrusdal.

·         We could give our big city a neuroses a break in the Northern Cape where people leave their doors unlocked!

·         We distributed hundreds of booklets on autism and thousands of booklets on disability. We were in two radio stations along the way.

Finally a huge thanks to all the people who made this tour possible. It would not have happened if it were not for you!

Day Twenty Five: Malmesbury to the Vera School, Cape Town (70 kms)

We woke up early for the last time at 05h00, downed some breakfast (a familiar routine) and set off for the outskirts of Malmesbury. The guys mounted their bikes and departed at 07h15. Half way through the journey we spotted Table Mountain in the distance and now nothing would stop the guys! The road was pretty level but again the few hills that were there were easily mastered by the practiced cyclists.

Disaster was soon to strike however!! We did not think we would be stopped by the traffic police at this stage and be told that we could not continue on the N7 without a letter of consent. By now we did not care about our pride and pleaded and soebatted that we be allowed to continue the last 40 kms of the trip. Eventually the cop gave up, got into his car and drove off. So did we! Very thankfully of course.

Nearer Cape Town we met up with three Think Bike guys who expertly navigated us through the city traffic until we reached Rondebosch East. I had been in contact with Cecil Reed the principal at the Vera School who had to keep reorganising the entire school for children with autism (which believe me is not easy) to time the arrival correctly. ETA was originally going to be 12h30 but we in fact arrived just after 11h00.

On arrival, the school had their marimba band playing for us at the gate and staff and children were there to meet us with applause, cheers, handshakes, hugs and phone calls of congratulations. We had done it! What an achievement it has been. Cape Town welcomed us with a thunderstorm which started just after our arrival – unusual for them, but welcoming for us. We were at home!

Day Twenty Four: Piketberg to Malmesbury (66 kms)

We again got up later than usual again today to set off from Piketberg to Malmsbury. The excitement is building around our arrival in Cape Town tomorrow.

We had a thunderstorm in Piketberg while we were braaing and with the extensive view we had it was spectacular. Nic loved the open space of the farm and almost ran in circles with the delight of not being confined to the back seat of the car. On the whole Nic has been ultra patient and good as a passenger and do we care if he stands on his head from time to time!

We hit rain for the first time but it did not last long. We have been very fortunate with the weather – virtually no rain, only two days of wind and very little debilitating heat. The road was a little hilly but for two now very fit cyclists, it hardly made a dent in their speed.

We phoned ahead to accommodation but it seemed as if it was not common knowledge that we would be staying the night. We eventually found it in Malmesbury but it looked dicey so we politely told them we had alternative accommodation. We decided to take a ride through to Darling and while doing so Leigh used her iPad to scour guest houses. We found one on a nature reserve that was affordable but closer to Yzerfontein than Darling. We have arrived at the last stop of the tour!

Day Twenty Three: Clanwilliam to Piketberg (101 kms)

This morning we woke up late for a change and then the guys set of Clanwilliam in the van while the three girls and Nic visited the Cape gannet colony near the harbour and bought some more meds for the sickies on the tour. When teaching Nic to say Gannet he said "Gannet, pomegranate!". He also said "Birds flying, making a noise!".

We caught up the guys knowing that today was going to be really tough with a mountain pass between us and Piketberg. We also knew that Shaun was not feeling well and we worried about him. What’s more, there were major road works on the road which in the end were a blessing in disguise as they offered respite for the cyclists from the macho (big daddy)  trucks rumbling past at frightening speeds. The cyclists could go ahead at the stop/go signs and have a peaceful ride without traffic bothering them.

The pass proved to be a challenge and a half and yet the guys got through it. The other side was a cinch and the bikes hummed all the way down to the bottom. We arrived in Piketberg at about 17h30 and then had to travel 22 kms to our accommodation on the Kliprivier Farm where we had the use of two newly renovated farm cottages with views to die for. We even had a thunderstorm to entertain us with lightening lighting up the sky in a spectacular fashion. Nic loved the open spaces and ran around to his heart’s content while we got a fire going to have a braai.

The end is in sight and the anticlimax is setting in!

Thank you today to Marianna for giving us the use of her fabulous farm cottages for the night on the outskirts of Piketberg.

Day Twenty Two: Vanrynsdorp to Clanwilliam (81 kms)

This morning the guys got up at 04h15 to set off in the van back to Vanrynsdorp. Zane took major strain today because he swore that he had been woken up at 03h00. Leigh, Nic and I left Calvinia at 07h00 to catch up with the guys later on. We had breakfast and yes, filled up with petrol. It was a really cold and windy day and the guys struggled in the wind. At one time, the wind picked Pieter and his bike up and deposited them on the opposite side of the road. We were all very thankful that there was no oncoming traffic at the time.

Before we caught up with the guys, we stopped and bought everyone toasted sandwiches, slap chips and coffee. Soon after we left the garage shop we caught up with them and dished out warm snacks. The wind was bad!

We then stayed with the guys for a while and could almost not bear to watch them struggling in the wind and on the hills that were now more numerous than ever. The sea air was making itself apparent.

Leigh, Nic and I then left to go ahead to Lambert’s Bay (our sponsored accommodation for the night) where I dropped them off in a flat 23 metres from the sea. I then returned on my own to find the guys near Clanwilliam. Pieter then took the Honda to Cape Town to fetch his fiancé Rene. Zane, Shaun and I drove back to Lambert’s Bay where we spent some hours on the beach. Shaun and I had a very quick swim in the freezing surf while waiting for Pieter and Rene. They had not returned by the time we set off for Muisbosskerm where we had a 10 course meal of mealies and bokkoms, snoek, angel fish, yellow tail, hake, galjoen, paella, bredie, tripe (not me!), freshly made bread and jams and moer coffee. Half way through the meal the engaged couple arrived and enjoyed the meal with us.

We all went to bed with extremely full tummies!

Thank you today to Theresa de Jong who arranged our accommodation with her friend Elize at Malkopbaai Flats for the evening. It was stunning being next to the sea.

Day Twenty One: Garies to Vanrynsdorp/Calvinia (147 kms)

Today was a loooong struggle for the guys. They cycled for 7½ hours and they were exhausted at the end of the day. It was once again a very hilly road and the wind started making itself felt to the extent that the guys had to pedal on the down hills and only manage 14 kph! We knew we were in the Western Cape for the first time.

We stayed with the guys until 13h15 and then split from them to go on to Calvinia where we had a workshop planned. Nic had been kept busy with a pomegranate (Leigh thought she was a genius!) but we were both thankful for the leather seats in the Honda! When the pomegranate no longer worked, he was allowed to chew a small piece of gum (a bubblegumpie) which once again kept him entertained as he blew one tiny bubble after the next.

Once we left the road to Vanrynsdorp, we climbed a monster of a pass before approaching Niewoudtville where we heard the ominous beep of a car warning sound. We were on zero petrol with 5 kms to go. But no worries we easily made it to Niewoudtville where we thankfully found a petrol station. Alas it was deserted and we had 72 kms to go to Calvinia. It was Sunday afternoon after all. It was 14h30 and the workshop was due to start at 15h00. We were not sure what to do so decided to look for another petrol station or find someone who could tell us where we could find one. Well we could not find anyone. The streets were deserted and our petrol tank was empty.

I phoned ahead to warn the organisers we would be late but there was no answer so I sent an sms. We continued riding around the ghost town of Niewoudtville. As we were cruising past the huge NG Kerk, both Leigh and I had the same thought. The dominee langsaan die kerk would surely help us. We stopped outside what we were thought was the manse and found a young couple who were moving in to house. They were sympathetic to our story and were quite ready to siphon petrol from their car and decant it into ours. In the meantime though, the young husband found a 10 litre jerry can of petrol and poured that into our tank. He did not want payment for it so we were soon on our way again. However before we reached Calvinia we again hit the zero mark. This time we continued driving as if nothing was wrong, found the community hall and held a small workshop with 8 people who waited for us.

We then found the Steenkamp Guest House and waited for the guys to join us. It was unanimously decided to walk across the road to a pizzeria for supper.

The Steenkamp Gastehuis was unforgettable with its plaster of Paris mermaid on the wall and a host who had a badly tattooed heart with angels on his shin (a new one on me!).

Tomorrow will be an early start because Pieter’s liefie is flying to Cape Town to join up with us.

Day Twenty: Springbok to Garies (117 kms)

Shaun started the day feeling less well than yesterday but did he listen to advice? Basically no! The road today was very hilly with monster ascents and easy enjoyable descents. The vegetation started changing to Karoo scrub, the ochre sand to the duller yellows of a semi desert. It is an area with intriguing names: Handjieskraal, Spoegrivier, Soebatsfontein, Kys, Mesklip, No Heep, Aanloop en so aan.

Leigh and I chatted up a storm about everything under the sun (and played the windmill game) and Nic was a star on the back seat. I am getting to know autism first hand now. I see how the meds (chewies) help Nic to relax and entertain himself. I see the affects of the meds wearing off just in time for the next stop. I see the autistic behaviour (super polite requests in all circumstances). I see a little boy beginning to get upset if he cannot see his Dad. I hear his semi correct language ie “Dad is following to us” when we are in fact following him and Pieter. My heart beats faster when he opens the car door with ease as soon as we draw to a stop on the side of the road. I see him having fun and making happy noises. I see him responding to commands. I hear him telling us when he needs to wee, when he is hungry/thirsty. I see a beautiful little boy struggling to wake up early in the morning and taking a while to warm up to the day. This is an experience I am loving more and more.

We trundled into Garies and easily found the very pink Sophia Guest House in the main street of a town that smacks of the Karoo.

Because Shaun was not feeling great they decided to go the Garies hospital to get some antibiotics. It was apparently a surreal experience. The hospital was new but devoid of personnel. They had to walk through several passages before they found two sisters on duty who then gave some generic meds. Leigh was checking with her medical doctor brother-in-law that the pills were okay. On their way home they stopped at the garage shop to buy some tomatoes and a cucumber. We had mince and pasta (made by Chef Pieter) with a fresh salad. It was delicious.

I found out that Garies is a type of grass (couch grass) as I was curious about the name. In springbok we saw information signs to Cape Town for the first time. Just as we left Springbok the mileage to Cape Town was 555kms. The end is beginning to edge into sight!

Day Nineteen: Aggenys to Springbok (112 kms)

Today was a mad day! Firstly, we were all bombarded by mosquitoes during the night in Pofadder. Peaceful Sleep was an invitation to mozzies to party. When you walk into a room and find Peaceful Sleep AND Doom next to the bed, then you need to know that things are going to get ugly. It was also extremely hot, the clock on the wall ticked too loudly and had to be taken down and immobilised, the air conditioner was too strong even on the lowest setting, and a nearby refrigeration system that kept thermostatically starting up and shutting itself down finally shattered the last hope of peace.

Secondly, we celebrated Zane’s 30^th birthday with a chocolate and caramel cake with 30 candles, a present and muesli.

We set off for Aggenys by car and then the guys got on their bikes once again. Shaun was feeling a little fluey but cycled nevertheless. Close to noon Leigh and I left the cyclists to visit a primary school in the dorp who had collected a donation for us and which was handed over by the principal Mr Johan Sadie. We were photographed by the local journalist who was barefoot – he told us his plakkies had just broken and apologised for not wearing shoes. I spoke to the children at the school briefly telling them what we were doing and why we there. I think they were suitably impressed by what the cyclists were doing. We then travelled back to the ‘Welcome to Springbok’ sign with Wouter Jordaan a DA Councillor, where we met up with Shaun and Pieter as well as Brunhild Strauss, the disabled station manager of Radio NFM on his adapted bicycle. The three cyclists were then escorted into Springbok by the police!

We were then just in time to run a very successful workshop at the Department of Education. What was remarkable was that 25 officials attended the workshop on a Friday afternoon which is definitely almost always unheard of! They listened attentively and we had a good discussion afterwards. One guy even said that in Springbok they may need to have a ‘new beginning’ as far as providing services to people with disabilities are concerned. We once again heard the refrain that was now becoming familiar – the plea for more help and training.

We then drove to Radio Namaqua FM where we were interviewed on the radio for 20 minutes by Earl and Ritchie. It was a light-hearted interview to suit the rush hour traffic (where I ask!). While we were waiting to be interviewed we chatted to two event organisers who invited us to talk about autism at the annual talent show in Port Nolloth on the 8-9 June.

We bought Wimpy take aways for everyone. Nic entertained us (and himself at the table) and then it was bed time.

Thank you today to:

·         Wouter Jordaan for organising the presentation at the Springbok Primary School, the escort into town, the radio interview and the free accommodation.

·         Brunhild Strauss for cycling with our two guys on his adapted bicycle

·         The Springbok police for clearing the roads to lead us into the town down the main street

·         The primary school for their donation of R800

·         Radio NFM for interviewing us

·         Philip Bence the barefoot journalist who will write an article for the local newspaper, Die Plattelander

PS Leigh said that Pofadder (which was named after a local chief Klaas Pofadder) should be renamed Muskiet!

Day Seventeen onwards (poor signals on the west coast!)

Day Seventeen: Kakamas to Pofadder 131 kms (Plus 5 assessments at Bavumeleni Educentre)

The day started with me going to Radio Riverside for a 15 minute interview with Rene and Clive. Radio Riverside is situated in the fire station (?) and it has 80 000 listeners. The questions reflected a real interest in autism and I was sorry that we did not have more time to chat. I then shot through to fetch Thara from the guest house who made me a sarmi for breakfast (missed out on the filter coffee though!).

We got lost on our to way to find the school which we eventually did by asking every second person along the way. Like all the other educentres we have visited, this one was equally bleak with not a blade of grass in sight. 70 – 90 children attend the school depending on the weather! Thara assessed 3 and 4 year olds. While she was busy I had the use the loo which did not have a door although it was behind a wall. I of course felt a bit vulnerable but knew it was that, or struggle through the morning! I did enjoy sitting in the sun though! As I was finishing up, my Blackberry popped out of my pocket and straight into the loo. It sank unceremoniously to the bottom and I knew I had to get it out quickly. Thank goodness I had already flushed! I immediately took the phone apart, dried it as best I could, disinfected it (and myself) with hand sanitiser, and lay the pieces in the sun to dry.

While the bits were drying out, I received confirmation via Thara's phone that there would be a workshop in Pofadder that afternoon and that I would need to drive 200 kms through to the municipal offices there to help the boys with the workshop. It was becoming an unexpectedly full day. Thara finished her assessments just in time for me to return her to the guest house and to then take off to get to Pofadder by 15h00. The workshop had erroneously been planned for 11h00 even though we had stipulated 15h00, and the venue changed at the last moment. By the time we left the educentre , the Blackberry had dried out enough in the hot Kalahari sun to thankfully work once it was assembled! Whew!

The drive to Pofadder through Keimoes and Kakamas was both beautiful and easy in the Honda although I was concerned that Leigh and Nic would be arriving in Upington later in the day and that I would not be there to meet them. Twelve people attended the workshop including parents, a social worker, HIV workers and an ECD teacher. How they all attended despite the change of time and venue must be testimony to how a small town works (population of Pofadder is 3 900). It turned out that some attendees preferred the talk to be delivered in Afrikaans and since my Afrikaans is somewhat vrot, Pieter had to do most of the talking. I could have stayed in Upington and fetched Leigh and Nic from the airport after all.

The talk went well and again there was much interest and pleas for more training. I drove back to Upington in the late afternoon and it was magnificent driving through curtains of orange showers from a passing cloud that reflected the carroty colours of the setting sun. It was thrilling just enjoying the openness of the landscape and of an environment I do not often get to see. I was also looking forward to seeing Leigh and Nic back at the guest house.

Back in Upington the four of us went to the La Must restaurant which had a fabulous menu. We ate to our heart’s content and quaffed red wine too. Nic fell asleep in front of his food and Leigh eventually made him a bed of 3 chairs and a folded up jacket for a pillow. After a very satisfying meal we returned to the guest house where we chatted until far too late!

Thank you today to Honda Westrand for loaning us the hunky Honda that travels like a dream!

Day Eighteen: Pofadder to Aggenys 59 kms (Feedback reports to parents)

After breakfast Thara and I set off to give feedback to parents at the 3 schools we visited for the assessments. Leigh and Nic set off in a hired car to see the Augrabies Falls.

Where parents did not arrive for the feedback reports we gave feedback to the teachers – some parents lived far away or could not afford the transport, some it seems were not really interested which is unfortunately sometimes par for the course in some schools. Parents who did arrive, and teachers, were specially interested in what we had to say. We were again requested to please come back and do training. We then had a very poorly attended workshop at the Rosendal School (not even the principal welcomed us). We had 14 teachers attend although 3 left after half an hour as they had another appointment.

I usually do two PowerPoint presentations – one on disability in general (there are a lot of myths surrounding disability out there!) and then one specifically on autism.

After the workshop I dropped Thara off at the airport and picked up Leigh and Nic who had dropped their hired car off. Nic was very disappointed that the flight he had so looked forward to was over and wanted to go back on the aeroplane at the aeroport.  When on the plane flying to Upington he had apparently looked out of the window and said “Fly like a bird!” How cute is that?

The three of us then set for Pofadder (again). When we arrived there the guys had a braai going (lucky for us!) and Nic was in his element at seeing his Dad (Leigh too btw).  The stars in the sky were breathtakingly clear and countless. I was looking forward to a quiet night in sleepy Pofadder!


Day Nineteen: Aggenys to Springbok – 112 kms

Today was a mad day! Firstly, we were all bombarded by mosquitoes during the night in Pofadder. Peaceful Sleep was an invitation to mozzies to party. When you walk into a room and find Peaceful Sleep AND Doom next to the bed, then you need to know that things are going to get ugly. It was also extremely hot, the clock on the wall ticked too loudly and had to be taken down and immobilised, the air conditioner was too strong even on the lowest setting, and a nearby refrigeration system that kept thermostatically starting up and shutting itself down finally shattered the last hope of peace.

Secondly, we celebrated Zane’s 30^th birthday with a chocolate and caramel cake with 30 candles, a present and muesli before we whisked the cyclists off to the next starting point.

We set off for Aggenys by car and then the guys got on their bikes once again. Shaun was feeling a little fluey but cycled nevertheless. Close to noon Leigh and I left the cyclists to visit a primary school in the dorp who had collected a donation for us and which was handed over by the principal Mr Johan Sadie. We were photographed by the local journalist who was barefoot – he told us his plakkies had just broken and apologised for not wearing anything on his feet. We would not have expected anything else from a journalist in a dorpie! I spoke to the children at the school briefly telling them what we were doing and why we there. I think they were suitably impressed by what the cyclists were doing. We then travelled back to the ‘Welcome to Springbok’ sign with Wouter Jordaan a DA Councillor, where we met up with Shaun and Pieter as well as Brunhild Strauss, the disabled station manager of Radio NFM on his adapted bicycle. The three cyclists were then escorted into Springbok by the police!

We were then just in time to run a very successful workshop at the Department of Education. What was remarkable was that 25 officials attended the workshop on a Friday afternoon which is definitely almost always unheard of! They listened attentively and we had a good discussion afterwards. One guy even said that in Springbok they may need to have a ‘new beginning’ as far as providing services to people with disabilities are concerned. We once again heard the refrain that was now becoming familiar – the plea for more help and training.

We then drove to Radio Namaqua FM where we were interviewed on the radio for 20 minutes by Earl and Ritchie. It was a light-hearted interview to suit the rush hour traffic (where I ask!). While we were waiting to be interviewed we chatted to two event organisers who invited us to talk about autism at the annual talent show in Port Nolloth on the 8-9 June.

We bought Wimpy take aways for everyone. Nic entertained us (and himself at the table) and then it was bed time.

Thank you today to:

·         Wouter Jordaan for organising the presentation at the Springbok Primary School, the escort into town, the radio interview and the free accommodation.

·         Brunhild Strauss for cycling with our two guys on his adapted bicycle

·         The Springbok police for clearing the roads to lead us into the town down the main street

·         The primary school for their donation of R800

·         Radio NFM for interviewing us

·         Philip Bence the barefoot journalist who will write an article for the local newspaper, Die Plattelander

PS Leigh said that Pofadder (which was named after a local chief Klaas Pofadder) should be renamed Muskiet!

Day Twenty: Springbok to Garies 117 kms

Shaun started the day feeling less well than yesterday but did he listen to advice? Basically no! The road today was very hilly with monster ascents and easy enjoyable descents. The vegetation started changing to Karoo scrub, the ochre sand to the duller yellows of a semi desert. It is an area with intriguing names: Handjieskraal, Spoegrivier, Soebatsfontein, Kys, Mesklip, No Heep, Aanloop en so aan.

Leigh and I chatted up a storm about everything under the sun (and played the windmill game) and Nic was a star on the back seat. I am getting to know autism first hand now. I see how the meds (chewies) help Nic to relax and entertain himself. I see the affects of the meds wearing off just in time for the next stop. I see the autistic behaviour (super polite requests in all circumstances). I see a little boy beginning to get upset if he cannot see his Dad. I hear his semi correct language ie “Dad is following to us” when we are in fact following him and Pieter. My heart beats faster when he opens the car door with ease as soon as we draw to a stop on the side of the road. I see him having fun and making happy noises. I see him responding to commands. I hear him telling us when he needs to wee, when he is hungry/thirsty. I see a beautiful little boy struggling to wake up early in the morning and taking a while to warm up to the day. This is an experience I am loving more and more.

We trundled into Garies and easily found the very pink Sophia Guest House in the main street of a town that smacks of the Karoo with its sounds of farm animals all over town.

Because Shaun was not feeling great he and Leigh decided to go the Garies hospital to get some antibiotics. It was apparently a surreal experience. The hospital was new but devoid of personnel. They had to walk through several passages and rooms before they found two sisters on duty who then gave some generic meds. Leigh had to check with her medical doctor brother-in-law that the pills were okay. On their way home they stopped at the garage shop to buy some tomatoes and a cucumber. We had mince and pasta (made by Chef Pieter) with a fresh salad. It was delicious.

I found out that Garies is a type of grass (couch grass) as I was curious about the name.

In Springbok we had seen information signs to Cape Town for the first time. Just as we left Springbok the mileage to Cape Town was 555 kms. The end is beginning to edge into sight!

Day Sixteen: Upington to Kakamas (plus 5 assessments at the Rosendaal School)

Thara and I saw the boys off early this morning. They were in high spirits when they left despite a bottle of Tabasco sauce shattering all over the food in the box it was in. It was another good day with no rain in sight and it seemed to be another fast day for the bikers. The road was pretty for them today and they reached Kakamas safely before noon.

Thara and I did 5 more assessments at the Rosendaal Primary School this morning. Five assessments in one day is exhausting because once they have been done Thara has to then write up the reports on the same day. We saw Grade R children today and it is interesting to see how a lack of stimulation at home affects the development of children. Children in privileged communities can write their names at 3 years of age these days, whereas the 5/6 year olds we tested today cannot write the first letter of their names. Many children also have Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) features which of course could also be the reason for their developmental delays. One little girl we tested was also HIV positive – it really makes one stop in one’s tracks when you realise that little scraps like her will have to deal with a lifetime of illness, pain and genuine suffering. It also makes one very thankful for one’s own health and for the knowledge of how to prevent the possibility of developing HIV/AIDS. There is just no luxury of choice for children born with it.

The societal problems in the poorer areas appear to be massive and even insurmountable and yet the school we visited this morning gives one some kind of hope with the structure and apparent education it offers children.

The Northern Cape is extremely friendly and no matter where we go people are relaxed and helpful (specially when we get lost). We have not ever felt vulnerable (as one does in Jozi) and the worst crime here is petty. It is unusual not to stress over unlocked cars, possessions left in rooms, or even venturing into townships. We had breakfast with a couple at the guest house this morning who are on their way to camp in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Namibia, Etosha and the Okavanga Delta (they laughingly told us they needed to get away from their daughter with autism for a while). Then at the Rosendaal School this morning, the teacher who helped us with the assessment children, told us that she also had a daughter with autism, something she would not wish on her worst enemy. So many children with autism, so many families that are affected by it, so little understanding of what they go through every single relentless day. I, for the second time today, felt thankful for my own life that is not complicated by illness of by having to raise a child with autism. I take off my hat to parents out there!

Hydroponic veg at Oasis

Thara with Teacher Lizelia Raads, Principal Francina Barends and Founder Marina Johannesen

Breakfast in the tropical garden

Jacqueline and Thara

Day Fifteen: Upington - rest day for some

We had  the luxury of sleeping in this morning and eating an extravagant continental breakfast in the tropical garden of the guest house while beautiful classical music filtered through the foliage. We then went our separate ways – Thara and I to do 5 assessments at the Oasis Skills Development Centre, and the boys to see Mark off at the airport, to get new tyres for the Nissan Interstar and to do a shop at Saverite.

The Oasis Centre was a very inspiring place for children with a variety of disabilities and it was heart-warming to see them being provided with schooling along with life skills which included the growing of vegetables both organically and hydroponically, the running of a bakery, doing sewing, and the making of compost. Teachers are being paid R1 500 per month to work there but their dedication and adherence to appropriate programmes for children with special needs was evident. The oldest adult was 49 years of age and he was still being taught literacy and numeracy.

Thara tested 5 delightful young people and we enjoyed their participation and humour very much. The founder of this particular centre (there are many Oasis centres throughout the country), Mrs Marina Johannesen, paid us a visit and she was very proud to show me around her really impressive centre.

The afternoon was spent writing reports and blogs with the rumble of thunder in the distance which has resulted in a small storm. Thara will be writing her reports until late into the night while the boys psyche themselves up for the continuation of the Cycle Tour early tomorrow morning (hopefully not in the rain). Thara brought breyani with her on the plane (what else?) and we enjoyed every mouthful together before our brief separation from tomorrow until Thursday evening. Shaun is really looking forward to seeing Leigh and Nic on Thursday. They will be arriving on Wednesday, staying with us for one night and then driving through to Pofadder.

Thank you today to Mrs Johannesen and Mrs Barends the principal of Oasis for accommodating us at their centre to do our assessments.

The ostrich and the camel

Congregants exchanging contact details

Jenni talking to herself!

Sociable weavers' nest

The red Kalahari

Day Fourteen: Olifantshoek to Upington (167 kms)

So far so good. We have less than 100 kms to do and it is 10h38. The road is quiet, recently tarred and fairly flat. The boys are positive and averaging about 33 kph with speeds of up to 45 kph at times.

The overall average speed for the day was 28 kph as it was a really long road with the longest straight roads I have ever seen. The road here heads relentlessly due west or east depending on the direction in which you are travelling. The terrain changed a lot on this trip to the typical ochre colour of the Kalahari. Closer to Upington we started seeing vineyards in a climate that according to locals is far too hot for grapes. It seems though that the inexpensive “Rooi dop” wine is over popular with the locals and is probably the bread and butter of the Oranjerivier Kelders!

At most of our stops, and once I have made sure that all is okay with the cyclists, I whip out my binoculars to check out the birds. Today I saw a tiny pygmy falcon for the first time and that was a real thrill. It often nests in the huge thatch-like nests of the sociable weaver and there were plenty of those about.

Thara our OT arrived this evening to do 15 assessments in Upington. She and I will work in three schools from tomorrow until Thursday. The cyclists have a rest day tomorrow and then they continue to Kakamas, Pofadder and Aggeneys where Leigh, Nic and I will catch up with them.

We had a stunning workshop session at the NG Church in Upington North this evening. Ds Booysens arranged it and how he got 40 – 50 congregants to attend a workshop on autism on a Sunday evening will remain a mystery. Unless they thought they were coming to church only to find the service hijacked by the auSOMEtism team! We had a lot of questions afterwards and local people were seen talking to one another and exchanging contact details after the session. That alone was incredibly satisfying and we will be surprised if support groups do not emerge from the workshop. Once again it was apparent that there are too few facilities for individuals with disabilities in Upington but it is our hope that local people will start working together to serve the needs of this population that so needs able people to support them.

The workshop encouraged all of us and we left it on a high. We were then taken to dinner by Mark Buckley who leaves us tomorrow. We then went back to the ala Fugue Guest House which is a symphony of nooks, crannies, small lapas, tables, chairs, colour, shrubbery, French flair, 13 cats and a Dalmatian. Jacqueline who runs the guest house is Swiss French, 77 years old and a musician. One would never have guessed that she is almost an octogenarian as she is very young for her age. She even suggested that the cyclists could swim in the nude if they wanted to (I cannot understand why they did take up the offer – I even had my binos polished and ready for them!) The pinkness of the bathroom along with a potpourri of ornaments, variations of crimson and cerise is quite heady. We went to bed at 10h45, the latest night we have had so far.

Lows:

·         Litter at every stop. Some roads are lined with heaps of litter.

·         The numbers of roadkill (birds of prey and small mammals) one comes across on the roads

Highs:

·         The arrival of Thara

·         The workshop in the NG church

·         The fabulous meal we had to end off a long, long day

·         Coming up with a new Afrikaans term for the Triad of Impairments in preparation ofr the talk in Afrikaans in the church ie “die Samoosa van Versteurings”

·         Seeing an ostrich lying next to a camel – I swear!! 

Thank you today to:

·         Nita Kleynhans for arranging a workshop at the Upington North NG Church and to Ds Booysen for advertising the workshop on our behalf

·         Jacqueline Castella Pujol for free accommodation for 6 people at her a la Fugue Guest House in Upington

The boys handing out booklets at the Kathu SHEQ. Show

Monster mining truck

Day Thirteen: Kathu to Olifantshoek (50 kms)

The boys took it easy today to prepare for a very long day tomorrow – Olifantshoek to Upington (167 kms). They covered 50 kms in 2 hours today at a slow pace and they then joined up with me at the SHEQ. Show back in Kathu. The Departments of Health, Safety, Environmental Management and Quality Assurance had a local show that was sponsored by Anglo American. The usual stalls one would expect to find at a show were there with a vengeance (boerewors rolls, pannekoeke, vetkoek, coke, etc along with stalls selling a variety of safety clothing, solar heating and so on along with a mini Idols competition – even the sound system crashed with one particularly badly sung song!). There was an HIV testing stall and we were there to raise awareness around autism. We handed out hundreds of booklets on autism and disability to passers by who I think were more interested in the bikes than too much else.

Kathu reminds me of Texas – everything is beeg! There are monster mining trucks with wheels taller than a man, iron ore trains that are 2 kilometres long, massive bonuses for miners (3 000 miners from the foreman down received R350 000 each at Xmas time last year). Furthermore, the boys are burning around  6000 calories per day on some days and people are hugely generous.

We once again had a memorable meal with the van Heerdens – moussaka with tsatsiki and a Greek salad, and tiramisu for dessert. Louise has been spoiling us rotten and I do not look forward to leaving tomorrow. We have had a wonderful stay and respite with much laughter and fun. It will be a sad farewell.

Willem and Louise with daughters Jana, Katinka and Fenji

Kalahari sunrise

Paella base

Handing over resources at Masakhane

Day Twelve: Kuruman to Kathu (45.2 kms)

Today was a breeze for the two okes on bikes in the Green Kalahari. Kathu is situated in the second largest thorn tree forest in the world. The boys had a late start at 09h15 because the traffic between Kuruman and Kathu is wild and there are 5 stop/goes because of road works. Despite the hazards and obstacles, the trip today only took 1.5 hours because it was a mainly downhill. The guys ended the day’s cycling feeling upbeat and encouraged and they even had an afternoon off for chilling.

Zane and I delivered resources of books mainly, some puzzles, and soccer balls to three little ECD schools in the Bakhara-Budolong township much to the delight of the children and teachers. After taking photos and fond farewells we left to catch up with the cyclists. When we did catch up with them, they were unbelievably already in Kathu.

We were all invited to the van Heerden’s for a supper of beautiful paella. It is such a pleasure being in one place for 3 nights and with such a lovely family.

Tomorrow we head for Olifantshoek and return to Kathu for our last night here. During the day tomorrow we will have a table at a local show where we will have booklets on autism, try to sell some T-shirts and hopefully create a greater awareness around autism.

Thank you today to:

·         Willem and Louise van Heerden for their warm hospitality and great food

·         Shaun and Pieter for going an extra 2 256 kms for autism

Workshop at Masakhane Educentre with parents

The team with Imelda Januarie her sister and principal at Kuruman Christian Academy

The long uphill road

Breakfast fit for a king

Mark (Scissorhand) Buckley our new volunteer driver

A daily ritual

Day Eleven: Lime Acres to Kuruman (111 Kms)

Today was a mother of a day with one uphill after another. We also held two workshops, one at the Kuruman Christian Academy with 8 teachers and 2 parents and one at the Masakhane Educentre with over 50 parents.
The guys took a lot of strain today as the ascent was titanic and incessant. We quietly became more and more desperate for them because with each rise we expected to see a downhill, but no such luck. Zane and I left the cyclists at about 10h45 to travel ahead to our first workshop in Kuruman at 12h00. The Christian Academy is an interesting little school as it has a special needs class included in the mainstream school. The class has 9 children and they have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, cognitive disability and one was autistic.
The teacher of the class is untrained as a special needs teacher but her enthusiasm and passion for what she is doing makes up for her lack of formal training. She is thirsty for knowledge and when I invited her to see how we do things at The Key, and that we would not charge her for the ‘training’, she was flabbergasted as there are unfortunately many people out there who charge a fortune for any kind of specialised training. She is very keen to take up the offer at some stage. As a thank you to us for doing a workshop she gave me a very elaborate book with one laminated page of photos after another of her class, their parents, their relatives and lots of herself.
The guys arrived towards the end of the workshop exhausted but still able to speak to people individually. Shaun did a great job talking to one parent who broke down during the workshop after telling us her story of struggling as a single parent of a child with autism.
We then together headed out to Bakhara-Budolong the township just outside Kuruman where we did assessments in February. We did a workshop at the Masakhane Educentre with over 50 parents. There was a lot of interest in what we had to say and another parent who has an 8 year old child with cerebral palsy also broke down after telling us that she could not find a school for her child. It is heart breaking knowing what can be done for her child and feeling as if one’s hands are tied at the same time.

After the workshop we took the scenic route to Kathu (Pieter’s fault) via Hotazel. We finally arrived at the van Heerdens’ home (sister of Pauli Nigrini, one of our teachers) where we sat in a lapa enjoying a sundowner in Kelkiewyn Street with Willem and Louise and their daughters Jana, Katinka and Fenji . Shaun and Mark left us to stay at Shaun’s sister-in-law’s place and we sat down to a sumptuous meal of curry and rice and poached plum-coloured pears with dollops of cream.
Equally as good was an early night on a satisfied tummy. It is sometimes difficult though to unwind from an emotional day and to switch off from concerns arising from what we had heard from despairing parents. Falling asleep however is always a welcome relief and it provides the strength for the start of a new day.

Why education is important

Shaun doing his thing :)

Workshop Lime Acres

Day Ten: Kimberley to Lime Acres (165 kms)

We started the day with an early drive from Bloemfontein to Kimberley via the charming little town of Boshof. We then split in Kimberley so that one vehicle could head to the airport to pick up Mark Buckley, godfather to Nic and a volunteer driver until the 16^th.

The guys did really well again today killing 165kms by 15h30 after a late start from Kimberley. We had been warned that the road would be treacherous with lots of heavy trucks but the traffic was in fact not all that bad. Te last hill into Lime Acres was like Everest to the cyclists though.

At 14h00 Zane and I broke away from the cyclists to meet up with Charmaine Olivier who had arranged a workshop for us in Lime Acres and who provided accommodation, dinner and breakfast at a mining guest house for us.

The workshop started at 15h00 with 10 attendees, two of them being parents whose children are being refused placements at local schools. We had some lively discussions about the problems parents face in small towns. Neither of the two children are allowed to be in the local schools, one child is allowed to attend one of the schools for an hour a day with a facilitator. Departmental officials in fact told one parent to send her 7 year old to a boarding school in Kimberley or to relocate to a town where there is a special needs school. This suggestion is of course against her constitutional right to live where she pleases and it goes against White Paper 6 to refuse a child education. The problems are massive with not only a real lack of understanding of special needs and inclusive education (or is it ignorance?) but a total unwillingness on the part of principals and educational officialsto ensure that schools are inclusive. The lack of services for children with autism in a city like Johannesburg seem minor in comparison to what parents of small towns have to contend with. On the whole, not enough is being done for children with special needs in the country. The question is what to do about it.

The guys arrived at the workshop an hour after it started, exhausted but willing to say their parts. Shaun (Ballet Dancer) Murphy delivered his speech in his cycling shorts while trying to keep his legs crossed at the same time. He really had everyone’s attention though. There was more lively debate around diet, laughter about the quirkiness of autism, and a tangible hunger to learn more about autism and disability in general.

We retired to the guest house starving and tucked into burgers, steaks, customised pizzas and malva pudding. We were extremely grateful that we did not have to prepare food, that we could eat and head for bed. We have had AUSOME accommodation wherever we have been and the Finsch Mine Guest House was no exception. People everywhere have also been very friendly and caring.

Lime Acres is another lovely little town whose name does not refer to the main colour of the town (despite it being in the Green Kalahari) but because of the lime deposits that are being mined here. There is enough lime there to be mined for the next 800 years. There is also a kimberlite pipe of diamonds that has another 20 years of mining left. When this pipe is depleted there will be no more diamonds to be mined in SA. Diamonds are not forever after all!
Thank you today to:

·         Clint Cawood for the use of his Nissan Interstar which made this Cycle Tour possible. It is massive and all the equipment plus four bikes fits in easily.

·         Zane Laho for driving the Nissan and for being willing to be with us the whole way. He is missing his children in George very much and he celebrates his 30^th birthday with us on the 20^th – we have promised to spoil him on his birthday.

·         Charmaine Olivier for arranging the workshop, the accommodation and the meals in Lime Acres. Her efficiency has been a pleasure to deal with.

·         Huldah Barnard for providing the contact in Charmaine.

·         Mark Buckley who has joined the team as a volunteer driver. Without an extra driver we would not be able to go ahead and do the workshops.

·         Radio Riverside (Upington) and the radio station in Springbok who want to interview us.

·         Nita Kleynhans (Pieter’s mom) who is doing a lot of arranging in the background for workshops.