pieces of the puzzle:people:the new zealander

".. I was a student in London back then and I wasn't really too sure what to do after I finished my undergraduate studies. I had this friend with whom we worked in the car repair shop and he knew I was quite handy with cars. He was in the 'travel across Africa by truck' business back then and one day he offered me to join him for the next trip from Morocco to Cape Town. I couldn't say no of course.. everything is packed in the truck and it is our home for the next 6 months, accomodation, food, showers, kitchen.. a group of 10 people on a truck for such a long time can teach you a lot about group psychology... and navigating thru the African buerocracy, border crossing requirements, civil wars and dictators gone crazy, picking the right spot to camp for the night ( no lions nearby, no crocodile-infested rivers), these kind of things to take care of can really give you an exciting life... in some months time we were in S. Africa, then we went back to England... when my friend offered me to join the next trip across the continent I naturally joined him again, this time I was really working for him.. after a couple of years in the business I got my own truck and I started organizing trips myself, eventually I ended up staying in Africa.. that was back in the early 80's.. and no I neveer went back to New Zealand.. I lived in Zimbabwe for quite a while, doing trips with tourists there, exloring the country etc.. since a few years ago I am here in Maputo, trying to start the same businesss in Mozambique..." These are some of the things the crazy Kiwi told me over the couple of days we spent with him during our trip to Swaziland. I could only imagine what things he must have seen and experiences during these 20 years of tavelling up and down across Africa and dream I would see at least a tiny little fraction of what he has.. I wonder if there is a moment after which the amazement of discovering new things and being in a new place in a new corner of the world disappears and becomes habitual.. should have asked him..


the New Zealander and the rhinos