Last feedback!

Louis and I have been back for a week now after an unforgettable trip!  Its good to see our families again and I guess another trip which is as long as this one is out of the question in the near future. 

We do consider ourselves extremely privileged to have had such an amazing experience. At times the lake's large waves and hippos humbled us, but thing never turned bad.   We covered 770km and did an estimated 800,000 paddle strokes between the two of us - so no wonder the one paddle broke!  I wanted to send this email out bit earlier, but waited until I have had time to upload some photos to the website.  Go to http://madventure.weebly.com/tanganyika-photos.html to have a look at these. 

Thank you to all of your comments on the blog, the emails and SMSs that you sent and your support.  It was good to receive the encouraging messages during the trip.

Also thanks to our sponsors.  You guys really helped to make this trip a reality from a financial and enjoyment perspective.  All of your contributions helped to make this a trip a reality.  They say its dangerous to thank people in public (in case you leave someone out), but since we are risk takers we will take our chances and we specifically want to say thanks to the following people:

- Marilise and Corlia, our dear wives for their unwavering support and assistance in making our dream a reality affording us the time to do this expedition and helping with the arrangements.
- My father, Barend, for send out the daily emails and doing the blog updates after we provided him with feedback via the satellite phone.  Also thank you to my mother Mariana for checking the reports with a red pen before distribution.
- Andre Naude from Bushtec for providing us with tents, sleeping bags and back packs – with out this we would have shared a two man tent which might have led to serious cabin fever (yes - this is possible even if you are on a kayak!)  The tents’ mesh also kept those nasty mosquitoes away.
- Werner Smit from Troisport for the 1st Endurance EFS energy drinks, Ultragen recovery drinks, Optygen VO2 tablets and the Zoot paddling shirts.  These sports supplements were amazing and without it energy levels would have been to low and cramps probably would have prevented us from doing the long paddling distance which we covered a few times.
- Michael de Jongh from Rudy Project for the amazing “Technically Cool Eyeware” that they provided.  The adjustable Syluro sunglass are so well designed that after wearing them every day for four weeks they did not hurt me once.  And they never fogged up once!
- Towani Clarke for the logistical arrangements in Lusaka prior to our departure.
- Elfi from Tytan Solar and LED Warehouse for the solar panel.  I cannot imagne how much heavier the kayak would have been with batteries if we were not able to plug into the sun.
- Christina De Carvalho, Averil and Dave Lipton from Global Satellite Com for the Satellite phone.  This made the daily progress reports and radio interviews possible and assisted to make the expedition much safer.
- Morné Strydom from First Ascent for providing us with mosquito nets which we were able to distribute to mother with babies and toddlers in Mpulungu Bay in Zambia .  This is to help with the prevention of malaria in an area that can use all the help they can get to help fight the disease.
- Dear friends Bill Geach and Robyn Light for supporting us with much of our logistics in Tanzania and Burundi, driving us from Bujumbura to Mwanza after the trip, putting us up in Mwanza, all the meals, the fishing and treating us to a great braai at Waghill Lodge next to Lake Victoria.  The list is too long to mention it all!
- Bill and Robyn for sponsoring the mosquito nets on behalf of Waghill Fishing Lodge – these nets were distributed to mother with babies in Kigoma in Tanzania.  This will also help with the prevention of malaria in the region.
- Johan Loots from PaddleYak Sea Kayak Store for sponsoring us with the amazing PaddleYak Swift Hybrid kayak.  She served us well during the trip is really an amazingly appropriate craft for such an expedition.  “Kiboko” has remained in Tanzania and can be seen during visits to Bill’s fishing lodge.
- Sylvie Armitage – thanks for assisting us to find sponsors – its help tremendously while we had a thousand things on our plate.
- Josh Glenny from Dare to Dream for the support and all the best with the great work that you guys are doing with kids.
- Chris & Louise Horsfall, Jo and Vans for the hospitality in Kipili – your hospitality after our first stage was well received and much appreciated.  Thanks for the diving as well!
- Hannah Strand and Zac Peterson for inviting us for dinner and drinks while at Mahale – those steaks were as good as they looked and it was a welcome variation to the fish and rice diet.
- Jan Venter from Cameraland in Sandton City for arranging the video equipment at very low cost.
- Nic Good from Fresh Air Crew for all your guidance on video camera work. Louis is currently experiencing withdrawal symptoms from not being videoed.  Hold thumbs that we get a doci out!
- Fabio Costa and Jesse Kamstra in Bujumbura to assisting with visa letters, inviting us to watch the rugby with you and taking us out on your boats.  Bujumbura is not such a scary place after all!
- Sakis from Moody Blue for sending the Kayak up to Lusaka on one of your trucks.
- Ant Grendon for letting us stay over at your place the night in Lusaka and other logistical arrangements….
- Evan Torrance for the Cape Union Mart discounts.
- Bryn Clarke and Mike for accepting our invitation to ourselves to watch the test match in their hotel room after we introduced ourselves over the telephone!  The South African tribe is a great tribe!
- Our employers - Bavaria Breweries and Nedbank - for allowing us the time away from our desks!
- All those that made financial contributions to the expedition – we could not have done this without your support.
-Thanks to everyone who made donations to Dare to Dream - the funds will go towards a very good cause.  Both Louis and I are looking at getting more involved with Josh and the rest of the bunch.

And last but not least, Brent, thanks for joining us on the last leg of the trip.  Your company was much welcomed and enjoyed!


Please see whether you can make a donation to Dare to Dream if you have not done so already.  Even small amounts will make a difference.  They are really doing great work with kids who suffer from life threatening diseases and provide such kids with the opportunity of experience the outdoors and some life coaching during camps.  For more info you can visit www.daretodream.co.za .  Their bank details for donations are under the “Donations” link.  Please place Tanganyika somewhere in the reference line.
 

Best regards!
Morné and Louis