Up to the challenge.

I have a good friend who organises a bike trip every so often. Whenever he mentions a trip to me, I know it will be no ordinary bike ride. It'll be nothing short of an African adventure. That is of course why I say "count me in" with very little consideration regarding the challenge it'll be every time. It's all about rising to the challenge, it's about conquering the aprehension I feel immediately when presented with the opportunity. Recently (less recently than I would have liked), eight of us, (a two year old daughter of the friend included), headed off for the inhospitable "salt lands" of the Magadigadi Salt Pans in Botswana and as usual, when it comes to adventure, it didn't fail to dissapoint.
It was a challenge for man and machine, possibly more the man than the machine.
The adventure was accompanied by a couple of firsts for me, the most significant being my first "big" fall off a motorbike. Only a few kilometres into Botswana on a gravel road, and a wrong decision to follow two other bikes on a not so good line, I hit a rock, the bike spun around 180 degrees and next thing I knew my left leg was being scorched by a hot exhaust under the bike, it's amazing the strength a man can find when he smells his own flesh roasting. All that said, all I really suffered was a bruised ego. The challenges continued, from deep sand to flooded salt pans and metre deep water. There were more thrills and spills from all bikes involved but we came, we saw and we conquered, it was magnificent!!
The isolation and desolation of the Magadigadi Salt Pans is breathtaking, the closest I would imagine this world comes to a moonscape. At times, distinguishing real water from mirage was impossible and all we could do was chase mirages to determine absolute verses illusion.
Even more intriguing is possibly the fact that living organisms, plants, insects and birds have adapted to live in this hostile environment. They represent a lonely yet a unique strength and witness what few people will ever have the privelage of seeing. It's a land of contrast and texture that will always be imrinted in my mind. Thanks to Ilan for helping us rise to the challenge. Thanks to Elaine for being our guardian back-up driver. Thanks to Divan, Lindi, Theo & Bernie for new friends made and for putting up with this "soutie" for 2000km, lets not forget little Caylie for being the most tolerant two year old I've ever known and finally, all thanks and praise to our Father above for creating beautiful, unique wilderness places and with His help, may we contribute to their continuing existence for generations to come.