HI I SAW YOUR ADD ON TV ABOUT
WINNING A MAKE OVER
I REALLY THINK I NEED A MAKE OVER
EVERY TIME I MENTION IT TO MY HUSBAND
HE SAYS I DON'T NEED IT BUT WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR I THINK I DO

Hmmm, yes. What, when, why, how?

Anyway. Today I leave behind 36 Andrew Reed House and fly Gatwick to Gibraltar, from where I cross over into Spain. Here I'll be spending the next week in Tarifa (kitesurfing mecca), on the south coast - minutes away from Costa del Sol - "Coast of the Sun". You can view this "interactive" map of the region - I think the designer was tripping out when he did it. Click on the "Gibraltar" blob.

I've written briefly about my itinerary before, in case you missed it. So this is really an update to that entry...

I've been on stand-by as a second for Steven Klugman's English Channel double swim, but unfortunately the weather hasn't been behaving (no suprises there) so I'll miss out on that. Bummer...it would have been awesome. But, I have Gill's swim and three months of backpacking through Western Europe to look forward to.

I'll be updating this blog-turned-travelog when I can, and will be uploading raw and unedited *gasp* photos to my travel photoset at flickr.com. You'll notice on my blog pages that the most recent photos appear down the left-hand side and link to high-res versions. Leave a comment on a photo sometime, that would be nice.

Also I'm reachable via any of the regular methods, at some point or another. Pick one.

Now I'd better finish my ironing and check that everything fits in my backpack. I'm taking less than I did for 3 weeks in Scotland two months ago...should be interesting. Travel light, they say. Eat your veggies, they say. Blend in with the locals, they say. Don't talk to strangers? Easily debatable.

life is an open road - it's the best story never told

Adiós amigos!

I fly from Gatwick airport on 18 September, where I'll meet up with Gillette and the rest of the swimmers who are attempting the 15km crossing of the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects Europe to Africa. From Gatwick we fly to Gibraltar, and then cross into the south of Spain (into a small town called Tarifa) where we'll spend a week. From there, I plan to backpack around the rest of Western Europe for the next three months until mid-December.

As if that's not enough, I've also been in contact with Steven Klugman, another Capetonian open-water long distance swimmer, who's coming to England in a couple of days. In February this year he became the first South African and the first male to swim across False Bay. Last year he won a swimming marathon around Manhattan Island. If all goes according to plan, I'll be seconding on his attempt at the English Channel double. i.e., to France...and back, in one day. To date there have been only 17 successful double crossings.

The "seconds" escort the swimmer from a boat and assist with providing refreshments, taking photos (ah-ha), etc. Basically helping out. That should be an experience! Read more about both swims in this Sunday Times article.

UPDATE [30 Aug]:'Strait across' by Sue Seger, published in The Witness today.
Also, George Brunstad - a retired pilot - became the oldest person to swim the English Channel today, at the age of 70.

UPDATE [03 Sept]: Follow the progress of Steven Klugman's "Double Trouble" attempt over at Open Water Swimming South Africa.

Scotland - the land of untamed highlands, windswept islands, spectacular locks, glens and intriguing cities. Useless fact: Edinburgh has more bars per square mile than any other European city. Also the birthplace of Alexander Graham Bell, Tony Blair and Sean Connery. Should be grand!

On Wednesday I join a jump-on jump-off bus tour which, at my own pace, will take around two weeks until I reach Glasgow, where I'll stay with my aunt Moira for a few days. Then back to London on Friday. The 13th. Useless fact: Paraskevidekatriaphobia - Fear of Friday the 13th. When you can pronounce the word you are cured.

Don't expect any updates for a while, although I will be checking e-mail when I get a chance so feel free to drop a note. I should go pack - see ye later!

The way I see it, my backpacking plans through first Scotland and then Western Europe (Portugal/France/Spain/Italy) can be approached in two ways. The first approach would be to pack my bag, get only the necessary requirements and then head off into the unknown leaving the rest up to fate. My second option is to plan ahead with a full itinerary of dates, places and the costs involved. No points for guessing which approach I'm taking. I'm not nervous to travel alone; I think as soon as I'm out of London I'll realise just what I'm in for. So again (and stop asking now...), no plans yet - I'll post them here when I know myself. Until then I hope to do loads of research to build up knowledge of what to expect, although I'm open-minded and realise my plans will only serve as a rough guideline. If you have any first-hand travel tips or reasonable advice please forward my way.

I've booked my place for the Monopoly Pub Crawl V on the 22 May - 12 hours (sounds like an average game) on foot visiting the majority of the famous landmarks featured on the Monopoly Board as well as a few other important bonus spots. And of course consuming an alcoholic Drink (or soft drink) at each location. Oh. My. AAHHHH!!!! I hope to have a point & click pocketable digicam by then, since my choice of a dSLR has swayed once again.

Finish band The Rasmus have a good thing going. Dead Letters is suprisingly awesome.

A dead letter is a letter than has never been delivered because the person to whom it was written cannot be found, and it also cannot be returned to the person who wrote it

Nine new photo albums are up at digicam.coza. I'll simply link to my 2004 album rather than listing them all as I've customably done in the past. Alternatively view all the new images (172) spanning 15 pages. More to come soon!

UPDATE: I uploaded some of my own photos to the World66 Cape Town page, and activated one of them to be the current picture. :) - FYI they are the CBD from Signal Hill, Adderley Street at night & the 12 Apostles. I think you have to register for your name to be saved too. Bleh. The copy needs some serious updating too.