The EXPEDITION Project

Time for something truly inspiring

theexpeditionproject — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 20:42:00 GMT

THE OPPORTUNITY

You’re Invited!

Join The EXPEDITION Project and experience the incredible diversity of South Africa while helping to create a window on sustainable development in the nation.

We need young, adventurous media volunteers to document a journey that will reveal the challenges and celebrate the successes of sustainable development in South Africa. Besides capturing the expedition with video, photography and stories, we also need our volunteers to help with surveys and interviews in the communities we will be visiting.

What to Expect

You will be travelling by road with the team leader and two other volunteers. We have tried to keep the daily drive time to under two hours on average, but even on exceptional cases we will aim not be on the road for more than four hours on any given day. The course that we have plotted is off the beaten track, but there is no serious bush-whacking involved. The areas we travel through are safe and malaria-free.

Some of our research activities will include interviewing livestock farmers for CapeNature about predator control and doing surveys for a Maternal Health project in collaboration with local and international research groups. We will also be visiting community projects that we identified on our 2012 expedition, so you can look forward to encountering many different cultures. Of course, we will also take time out to enjoy nature and explore attractions like prehistoric rock paintings and animal sanctuaries. Our mission is a serious one, but we believe that fun makes work worthwhile.

We have a clear creative concept for the media we’d like to produce, but it is flexible enough for individual expression and your own fresh ideas.

Have a look at our itinerary on pages 4 to 6 for a good idea of the incredible adventure that awaits you.

THE DETAILS

What it will Cost

ZAR 350 per day covers comfortable shared accommodation (B&B’s, guest houses, hotels, lodge, tented camps and camping), a minimum of one local restaurant meal daily, project transport, airport transfers* and project co-ordination. Certain activities and reserve entrances will also be covered.

The fee excludes insurance cover and flight tickets. We recommend that you bring an additional ZAR 50 - 75 per day as spending money.

Both legs of the 2013 expedition will run for 60 days, but it is up to you to decide how many days you would like to join us for.

Space is limited, so we can only accommodate one 15kg bag per volunteer. If possible, please bring laptops and cameras to use as part of the project.

Note: No malaria tablets are needed!

* At pick-up and drop-off points on the specified dates.

THE EXPEDITION PROJECT

What is The EXPEDITION Project?

The EXPEDITION Project aims to identify significant social and environmental challenges in South Africa in order to find the best solutions to overcome those challenges. Practically, this means determining the root causes of the issues through hands-on assessments and face-to-face interviews. It also involves noting the successes that communities have achieved, which may be replicated elsewhere or used to inspire and encourage other groups. The EXPEDITION Project connects community projects and enterprises with each other and promotes them through its own media channels. All of these goals are achieved through a series of sustainable annual journeys that are publicised in the media and supported by government and private enterprise.

In its foundation year (2012), The EXPEDITION Project’s main aim was to identify the most pressing issues and the areas of greatest need. It also served as a road test of the project itself, bringing to light the practical and logistical challenges it would need to overcome in order to be effective and sustainable. The 2012 journey ran along the periphery of South Africa – staying off the beaten track allowed it to visit remote communities that are easily neglected and cut off from the resources available in bigger centres.

While it will mostly stay off the beaten track in 2013, The EXPEDITION Project will expand its scope by including communities in South Africa’s interior, as well as a few more well known areas and towns in order to gather a varied annual assessment. It will also increase its effectiveness by implementing the lessons learnt in 2012. For example, a bigger team will allow The EXPEDITION Project to drill down into the practical needs it encounters, make an inventory of the resources required and engage suppliers or sponsors to meet those needs.

Learn more about The EXPEDITION Project here:

www.theexpeditionproject.com

And look out for us on your favourite social media platform, chances are we have a presence there!

Feel free to ask for more details or advice.

We can't wait to have you on board!

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 7

theexpeditionproject — Tue, 8 Jan 2013 10:20:00 GMT

The Road Ahead

“If all difficulties were known at the outset of a long journey, most of us would never start out at all.”

Dan Rather

A month later, after collating and processing all the information gathered in 2012, I find myself in a position similar to the one I faced a year ago - uncertain of what the New Year will bring. It is a position that is so common to causes, initiatives, NPOs and NGOs the world over. Even as I resolutely continue planning for 2013, I can’t help but feel slightly panicky at the thought that this “annual expedition” might only last one year.

The EXPEDITION Project was always going to be treated like a business, or more like ‘a business with a heart’. Sustainability was always one of its most important core values. Every decision I made on this journey was aimed at that goal. If my future decisions need to be more commercial, I just hope that the ethos of the project isn’t lost along the way. One way to ensure sustainability is to increase the filming presence, but this requires commissioning or funding. The second route is to further explore the tourism avenues of business.

The EXPEDITION Project may have to be put on hold temporarily. In other words, the 2013 expedition may not launch in January, but rather in March or even later in the year. I will have to wait until the project is sustainable or well funded. 2012 was executed on a shoestring and while it yielded fantastic data and solid experience for future journeys, it also left sponsors and supporters feeling confused and disappointed. I simply did not have the resources to keep everyone happy and still do the groundwork that is the reason for this project’s very existence.

My whole mission is to find the good & the bad, the happy & the sad in SA... to cheer the feel-good stories and find meaningful solutions to the tragic ones. That has not changed. And the only way to find the real stories is by hitting the road. Again and again and again.

“The only way to really find the real stories is by hitting the road and hitting the road. Again and again and again.”

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 6

theexpeditionproject — Sun, 6 Jan 2013 04:10:00 GMT

The Off-Ramp

“Most journeys have a clear beginning, but on some the ending is less well-defined. The question is, at what point do you bite your lip and head for home?”

Tahir Shah, In Search of King Solomon's Mines

Full speed ahead to August 2012. The situation I was dreading in January had materialised. No more financial sponsorship had surfaced and my petrol money was running out fast. I was only seven months into the project and it looked like I might make it for a few more weeks if I spend money only on fuel. This would only bring me to September; four months shy of the 365-day target and a few towns short of the 200-mark.

I decided to speed things up while still driving slowly (to save fuel) and covered two provinces and approximately fifty towns in one month. Once I was within shooting distance of Cape Town, I reasoned, I could cover the more condensed Western Cape until my petrol tank ran dry.

That day arrived, a little ironically, on the 24^th of September: Heritage Day. The EXPEDITION Project for 2012 covered 192 towns and all that remained was to process photographs and start planning for 2013.

Not long after that, the Isuzu Trooper that served me so well gave up the ghost. The 1991 import was old, but it looked the part and it did the job. And it still was my backup plan for 2013. But the repairs would have cost half the vehicle’s value, so I had no choice but to sell it for a pittance. The driver has become the hitchhiker.

“The driver has become the hitch-hiker.”

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 5

theexpeditionproject — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 01:20:00 GMT

Hitchhikers and Pit Stops

"Travel, its very motion, ought to suggest hope. Despair is the armchair; it is indifference and glazed, incurious eyes"

Paul Theroux, Fresh Air Fiend

I would not trade my 2012 experiences for anything. The journey re-ignited my passion for South Africa in so many ways. It also highlighted just how much work needs to be done and how widespread that work is. Many people thought The EXPEDITION Project was too diverse. They saw a diffuse, unfocused attempt instead of a holistic approach. A Department of Health representative recently summed it up perfectly:

“It is about a whole person and for this reason you can’t restrict yourself to one aspect.”

South Africa is at a crossroads. One path leads to a bright future and the other lies in the shadow of a dark cloud of animosity that refuses to let go of the past. The aim of The EXPEDITION Project is to find out exactly what we need to do as a nation to move into the sunlight of a promising future. Where are the necessary pit stops that will make that journey possible? How can we build and support them? What do they need? This project is not after cosmetic changes and warm, fuzzy feelings that disappear the moment that a taxi cuts you off on the highway. It is about making a real and lasting impact. This is why it needs to continue connecting with the people of South Africa and find out what they feel, think and want.

Our nation is filled with so many positive stories and yet the negative ones make much better news. Communities of all sizes are making inspirational efforts to remain above the poverty line. Even the smallest communities have some sort of community centre, orphanage or NGO crèche – created by the community itself, to answer an overwhelming need.

Tired of poor service delivery, Graskop in Mpumalanga became the first town in the region to vote for the opposition party and see its municipality re-structured. Piet Retief, closer to KZN, was the centre of the first uprising in 2007 when the government and local municipalities weren’t keeping their promises. Of the towns surveyed this year, 78% don’t care who is running the country as long as the people’s best interests are looked after.

Hard-pressed and fed-up South Africans are coming up with ingenious survival tactics and enduring so much more than the average westerner could manage or even imagine. Best of all, they do this with a smile on their face – a truly African smile from ear to ear. This creativity and tenacity make South Africa the small business blueprint for the world.

But of course, it is not all moonshine and roses. The EXPEDITION Project aimed for an accurate assessment and noted the negatives too. The Department of Social Development spent R3.8 million on a community development project in Hondeklipbaai, Northern Cape, only for it to be vandalised and abandoned. The thought was there but the follow-through failed. The Department of Health set up a LoveLife Centre (HIV awareness) in Bray in the North West, only for the staff to sit around with minimal facilities to execute their assignments.

The majority still see big families as a security blanket for the future rather than a burden in the present. Condoms are still generally rejected in favour of a religious philosophy that “If God wants you to have kids you will have kids” – 67% of South Africans surveyed agreed with this statement.

82% of the small towns we visited believe that substance abuse (drugs and alcohol) is the number one problem within their community. That is followed by education, health service and job creation. But as one interviewee in Jozini said, “There are plenty of jobs out there people just like saying there are no jobs. People think the jobs will come looking for them but they need to look for the jobs.”

In every instance, the force for positive change from within the communities far outweighs any negatives. Positive people are helping their own communities and in the process, they are transforming this country. That is what The EXPEDITION Project wants to publicise and replicate.

“There are plenty of jobs out there people just like saying there are no jobs. People think the jobs will come looking for them but they need to look for the jobs.”

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 4

theexpeditionproject — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:36:00 GMT

Travel Log

"Most travel, and certainly the rewarding kind, involves depending on the kindness of strangers, putting yourself into the hands of people you don't know and trusting them with your life."

Paul Theroux, Ghost Train to the Eastern Star

After getting underway with the project in January 2012, I soon realised the critical importance of tourism. The EXPEDITION Project was not well funded by any stretch of the imagination. We had the support of some big names, a few respectful pats on the backs and even a last minute injection of financial support from two well-meaning corporate businesses. But when I left Stellenbosch on New Year’s Day, the figures still didn’t add up. I had set myself an impossible task. It was too late to cancel or postpone. I had to just go for it and hope that ‘something’ would happen along the way. If I could just get going for a few months, I thought, it would all work out… somehow.

In all fairness, tourism was that “something”. It solved the crises of food and accommodation, both traded for marketing exposure and the longer-term benefit of being part of the network for future expeditions. But it also added to the daily workload. For the most part, Internet access was even more fleeting than the brief overnight stops. As a result, blog posts and social media updates soon focused almost exclusively on promoting the project’s hospitality partners. The upside was that this encouraged more people to feed me and put me up for the night. The downside was that our audience got the impression that The EXPEDITION Project had degenerated into a holiday road trip. It meant I could keep going, but not keep everyone happy.

The fact that Maddy and I had become romantically involved along the way only fuelled this fire. Making our relationship public was deliberate. We envisioned it giving the expedition’s story more soul and more realism. This sub plot was a breath of fresh air and became integral to the unfolding of the journey and the way we recorded it. Unfortunately – despite our consistent professionalism – our audience then began to interpret The EXPEDITION Project as a honeymoon road trip.

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 3

theexpeditionproject — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 02:14:00 GMT

What are you driving at?

“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.”

John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

Human nature tries to understand new things by categorising them with something that is known. This has led to a stock of standard interpretations of what exactly The EXPEDITION Project is. To some, it was a documentary film project. To others, it was a holiday in disguise. For some, it conjured images of Kingsley Holgate’s overland journey from the Cape to Cairo. Others were only perplexed by the question of profitability.

Perhaps the name was always going to obstruct vision or obscure explanation. Not many modern expeditions are true to the dictionary definition of the word:

A journey by a team on a mission of purpose.

I added “project” to it, which is defined as:

A project in business and science is typically defined as a collaborative enterprise, frequently involving research that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim.

I did not want to create the association with “terra incognita”. The borders of South Africa, my homeland, would confine the EXPEDITION Project. I was not heading into unknown physical terrain. I wanted to create a template that could be replicated in any other country… by locals, not benevolent and idealistic foreigners.

I underestimated the cost and structural requirements of filming. I also did not realise how important it would be to the project’s future. What started as a grand dream of a sweeping documentary has now been whittled down to hyper-realistic snippet inserts. Think Twitter for TV and you won’t be far off the mark.

This is where we are with that concept:

The world is moving faster

We are moving faster to keep up

We don’t have time for all the fuss

So let’s cut to the chase

The heart of the matter

The heart of the people

And the heart of our country

In 36 five-minute episodes, we will condense our country into bite size chunks

Each will be a story within a story

It will show our successes

Our fears

Our failures

Our culture

Our lives

Sometimes funny

Sometimes sad

Always informative

And definitely entertaining

Join our very own soap opera - reality show - documentary

It is everything you always knew and never spoke about

And many things you didn’t know and wanted to learn

Join ‘The EXPEDITION Project’

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 2

theexpeditionproject — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 01:59:00 GMT

Is there anyone in your back seat?

"Being mistaken is the essence of the traveller's tale."

Paul Theroux, Riding the Iron Rooster

From the word go, “we” were creating this project. “Our” journey would take us to 200 towns in one year. Without discounting all the indispensable media backing and practical help, the truth is that The EXPEDITION Project has been a one-man undertaking all along. The strands of the support network have all been intermittent, temporary, or simply external. The only person who has been 100% invested is me.

In speaking of this project as a collective endeavour, I tried to make it sound more established, more remarkable. I used a well-known and cheap marketing trick. I promised to be honest with my supporters and followers, but fell short before I even hit the road. I was so anxious to get the support I needed, that I lost sight of the essential struggle I was going through. This journey was always personal. It was always going to be hard. In hindsight, I needed to be confidently upfront about it.

“This journey was always personal. It was always going to be hard. In hindsight, I needed to be confidently upfront about it.”

To be continued...

The Essence of the Traveller's Tale - Part 1

theexpeditionproject — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 01:28:00 GMT

The Evolution of The EXPEDITION Project

"But to look back from the stony plain along the road which led one to that place is not at all the same thing as walking along the road; the perspective, to say the least, changes only with the journey; only when the road has, all abruptly and treacherously, and with the absoluteness that permits no argument, turned or dropped or risen is one able to see all that one could not have seen from any other place."

James Baldwin, Go Tell it on the Mountains

The Long Road Ahead

“Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey.”

Alex Noble

They say hindsight is 20:20 vision. What they forget to mention is that you earn that vision by having the courage to go somewhere. As I packed my 4x4 on the 31^st December 2011, I had no idea what the next several months would entail. As with any journey, there were uncertainties. That was a given. Understood. Accepted. The only thing you can bank on as a traveller is that the journey will find you. But only if you hit the road.

The road to your destination is littered with intersections, potholes and hitchhikers. Sometimes you wonder if you will ever get there and you suddenly remember why, as a child, you always asked “Are we there yet?!” Is this detour just a scenic delay or a risky departure? It might even end up being a path of least resistance with surprises along the way. Sometimes you find yourself on a lonely road less travelled and sometimes on a highway swarming with the journeys of others. Some follow their GPS; some follow their instincts; and some just drive, not knowing where they might end up.

“Some follow their GPS; some follow their instincts; and others just drive, not knowing where they might end up.”

Before our departure on New Years Day 2012, I had met as many anxious cynics as enthusiastic supporters. But no one could have known the fierce battle those two extremes were waging inside of me. To succeed with The EXPEDITION Project, I had to succeed as a person.

Eleven months later, it is time to evaluate The EXPEDITION Project 2012 in the cold light of dawn. Illusions and misconceptions must be cleared out. It is time to consider what has changed and what has remained the same. What was achieved and what was not. Who The EXPEDITION Project is, who I am, and where I am headed.

To be continued...

The EXPEDITION Project from a volunteer's eyes

theexpeditionproject — Sat, 2 Jun 2012 19:20:00 GMT

For the past 6 months, I have been on the road with The EXPEDITION Project, an NGO that has embarked on a 365 day journey 'in search of a nation's stories, dreams and heartbeat'. 200 towns in 365 days. Now that is a mean feat. While the goals of this project are endless, the primary focuses are:

To encourage tourism into the smaller towns of South Africa
To inspire sustainable change
To highlight some of the social and environmental initiatives and projects that are currently active in South Africa

Each day with TEP is different. Each day is new and exciting. One day we may be visiting a local school, orphanage or drop-in centre and the following day we will be joining rangers on a game drive and being educated on sustainable tourism and game park management. What is so special about TEP is that it is not a once-off, 'feel good' campaign -this year is the first of a series of expeditions to go around the country and with each year that passes, progress will be made.

Roger Wynne-Dyke (founder of TEP) is one of the most driven and dedicated individuals I have ever met; he is extremely proud of his country and is devoting his life to better it in any way he can. With minimal financial support behind him, he is doing this out of the goodness of his own heart and is determined to complete this year even if it means ending up broke.

I feel incredibly lucky to have been selected to join him on this inspiring journey and am relishing in every opportunity that arises. I don't take a moment for granted and have learnt so much in this relatively short period of time. I know The EXPEDITION Project is going to be successful because with so much 'drive' and commitment behind a project, I mean...how can it not succeed in the end?

For more details check out http://www.theexpeditionproject.com/

Maddy Savitt: The EXPEDITION Project Volunteer 2012

Wow! 6 months down and 6 to go!

theexpeditionproject — Fri, 1 Jun 2012 19:16:00 GMT

100 towns, 6 months, 6 provinces, 10000km – only Half Way…of part 1!

One year ago the concept of The EXPEDITION Project was formulated and from there six months of planning followed. Now six months into the 2012 foundation year and the 2011 idea is very much a 2012 reality. The team is exhausted and 100 towns have been visited so far covering six different South African provinces.

It has taken this long to travel, what on paper looks like, two thirds of the country’s boundaries leaving the second half of 2012 for the east coast of South Africa. Having now reached Durban, the projects half way point, it is time to look back at what has been done and how successful this undertaking is in practical terms.

Practically, The EXPEDITION Project concept has worked extremely well, far better than ever imagined. These first six months have shown that not only is South Africa ready to support such a project, but that there is so much more scope for it that initially realised. Financially however, The EXPEDITON Project is currently running at a daily petrol spend of R86.06 per day, R108.55 for food and overall R371.07 on average each day. This means that excluding filming, marketing, insurance, communications, and any head office costs, the project can run at an ‘on the road cost’ of R135K per year. Not a lot by any means and especially considering our budget for 2012 was half that! So what are we to do for the next six months of 2012? Well, for one we need to drop the overall daily spend down to R100 per day. Because up to now petrol has cost us R86.06 per day, that leaves R13.94 for food, with no leeway for maintenance costs or other emergency expenses. And of course this implies that accommodation will remain 100% sponsored, which it will have to.

In terms of sustainability, revenue streams are possible at every angle, however within the first two years it would be vital get the majority of the income via sponsorship and if possible from media and merchandise sales. If needed, The TOURISM Project – a sub section of the overall concept – could be implemented as early as 2013 to encourage travellers and volunteers to join the vehicles at a fee of R300 – R400 per day. A daily rate like that is minimal in the eyes of both travellers and volunteers when you take into context that volunteer organisations and tour groups charge twice that for starters. Then add the fact of what The EXPEDITION Project will be doing and is doing with that money, it proves well worth it for any adventurer, explorer, intern or volunteer. The project may have NPO principles, but it is still a CC operating NGO for the very reason of remaining sustainable, creating its own revenue for longevity and delivery of its numerous promises already made to all stakeholders. Basically, it is a business with a heart, and by doing so encouraging other businesses to become more community and world conscious.

2012 was never going to be easy, but it will be completed, and not just completed but completed successfully. We now have a knowledgeable base from which to work from in future years, and with the hardest part now behind us, each day will be easier and more intently understood. The template for the years to come is now 50% complete.

Partners and Sponsors nationwide, be it accommodation or food sponsors, corporate investment and other similar organisations, NGO’s and NPO’s, have already warmed to the project’s ideals and equally so to the future promises and growth potential. For this reason The EXPEDITION Project needs to forge on as planned in its three to five year business plan. Some of the promises include – a television presence by the end of 2013, The EXPEDITION Project specific print media and a scheduled 2013 physical follow up to the 2012 foundation year. Nothing has changed. Well, actually what has changed is that we want to do more and we see the potential of doing more as more reachable. The hardest part is slowing down and taking each year at a time, let alone each day.

Seriousness aside, as you can image with the project of this size, we have come across some weird places, people and situations. The EXPEDITION Project may not be venturing across the entire African continent, but 2012 has shown that there is so much going on within the borders of South Africa than even we thought. It is easy to say that South Africa is too young a country to have any culture in comparison to Europe or Asia, but it is quickly forgotten the Africa, and South Africa in particular, is actually the cradle of human kind. From the oldest and the original, to the first and the newest, it is all within South Africa. And this isn’t even getting started on the current inhabitants.

So in our 10000km so far we often get asked what our best and worst moments have been, but before we tell you some funny stories let me say that at the end of each year/each expedition we will not only be producing and releasing footage and information for the trips but we will also be advertising our ‘Annual TEP Awards’ showcasing some of our tourism favourites for each year. But The EXPEDITION Project is not just about tourism, it is about the people, the lives of South Africans and the success stories from each corner as told by the individuals that created those successes.

Back to the humorous parts - from having minimal funds, forcing us to cook soup in a kettle (and of course breaking it!), to Chris (our 4x4) breaking down umpteen times, to hilarious posters and signage along our road trip, the past 6 months have definitely not failed to deliver on the hilarity side. We’ve stayed in everything from a cave to a high standard hotel, experienced both the blazing heat and freezing cold and have had to endure some of South Africa’s largest and smallest animals. Chris getting stuck in the sand in Donkieskraal was a funny highlight, with insult added to injury when Rog stuck his head out of the car to get a look at the tracks, only to be smacked in the face by a mound of harsh sand spraying up from the tyres.

Ok, so what is really different from the Western Cape to the Northern Cape and the North West to Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Kwa-Zulu Natal and finally the Eastern Cape? Well we can’t tell you too much about the latter provinces just yet but from the first six months on the road we can tell you that coast to Kalahari, bushveld to tropical, there is more than meets the eye than just how the landscape looks. South Africa is said to be the land of diversity and that isn’t just how the country looks but how the country smells, sounds and acts. It truly is a land rich with cultural diversity and changing opinions and attitudes.

Communities large and small are inspiring in their efforts to remain above the poverty line and in doing so coming up with ingenious methods to survive and enduring so much more than the average western world inhabitant could manage or even imagine in their worst nightmare. But most fascinating is that they will come out of this with a smile on their face, a truly African smile from ear to ear. This manner of creativeness is what makes South Africa the small business blueprint for the world. It also soon became clear that most towns and communities no matter how small have some sort of community centre, orphanage or NGO crèche. Conservation projects on the other hand on first glance have seemed to be restricted to reserves and government or privately funded programmes.

One thing stands out however; Africa will be Africa – the land of short term mentality governed by corruption within and resource exploitation outside. The problem is the people know this but will they cry for change? Yes, to the first, and yes to a certain extent to the second. The very nature of ‘crying for change’ requires abandoning the daily family struggle, and although strikes and uprisings are a sign of unrest, are they really proving results to the heart of the problem? Tired of poor service delivery, Graskop in Mpumalanga is the first town in the area to out vote the current government and turn to its rival for results and in doing so re-structuring its municipality, and Piet Retief closer to KZN was the centre of the first uprising in 2007 when it became clear that promises weren’t being met by the government and local municipalities. Now we are not at all anti the current government, we do think they are trying, and there will be an element of learning and growth, mistakes and success, but do they really think the people of South Africa are so stupid that they can’t see what is really going on?

All in all *78% of town surveys conducted by The EXPEDITION Project have demonstrated that the people don’t care who is running the country as long as the people’s best interests are looked after. *9% believe that through thick or thin the current leadership freed the nation and so is what it should be for ever more, and *13% are undecided. The Department of Social Development in Hondeklipbaai, Northern Cape spent R3.8million on a community development project only for it to be vandalised and abandoned – the thought was there but the follow through is missing. The Department of Health has set up a Love Life Centre (HIV awareness) in Bray in the North West (along with many other locations), only for the staff to sit around almost daily with minimal facilities in which to undertake their assignments. *82% of the small towns we have visited believe that alcohol and drug abuse is the number one problem within their community, followed by education, health service and job creation. Big families are still seen by the majority of South Africans as a security blanket for the future rather than a burden for their present – I guess one of those times when forward planning comes into play even if it may be at the detriment of a nation. In the same light condoms are still not widely accepted to a religious philosophy that if God wants you to have kids you will have kids – this statement is agreed to by *67% of South Africans. And as quoted from one interview in Jozini and contrary to popular belief “There are plenty of jobs out there people just like saying there are no jobs. People think the jobs will come looking for them but they need to look for the jobs.”

These may seem like negatives but we are looking for the state of the country to find the way forward and through each negatives there is an equalling positive and positively acting people progressing towards change and transformation, mainly for their own communities. But through helping their own communities they are helping South Africa, and this is what we are advertising.

I think looking back at the past six months it is amazing to think that we have only paid for one night’s accommodation. This is a fantastic achievement and speaks volumes – well done South Africa! Food has been a little harder to come across but we haven’t done too badly. Most accommodation sponsorships will happily throw in a meal and a few restaurants have also been happy enough to support with plate of food.

So six months down six to go, and this is only part one – is the project a success and will we be seeing more of them? Yes and definitely yes! It won’t be easy but we will do whatever it takes! …And why? Because we believe in, not only this product we have developed, but we believe in South Africa. And if you don’t believe in South Africa then you need to follow The EXPEDITION Project a little closer –if we can’t change your mind then you have probably already relocated to Australia!

What will the next six months have in store for us? Well, we hope you will become more actively involved in The EXPEDITION Project as we find out. We need you wherever you may be – at your computer, in your office, at your home, in your town, no matter whether we meet you in person this year or the next, we need your help, we need your comments and we need your advice. Make your voice heard and join us!

*Taken from a survey of 972 interviews at an average of almost 10 per town/community.

Accommodation so far thanks to:

Devon Valley Hotel, Makarios B&B, Strandloper Guesthouse, Scorpio Guest House, Southern Anchorage , Groenveld Backpackers, Shelley Point Hotel, Spa and Country Club, Dolphin B&B, Farr Out, African Sunrise, Hillary's Guest House, Dwarkersbos Holiday Resort and Camp Site, Draaihoek Lodge, Elands Bay Guest House, Donkieskraal, Lamberts Bay Hotel, Thornbay Accommodation, Capricorn B&B, Van Eeden Accommodation, Sea Breeze B&B, The Golden Grape B&B, Oasis Country Lodge, Nama Karoo B&B, Talk of the Town B&B, Agama Tented Camp, Sophia Guest House, Kuiervreugde Guest House, Skulpieskraal Tented Lodge, The Palace Flophouse, Naries Namaqua Retreat, Elkoweru Guest House, Die Houthoop, Okiep Country Hotel, Kookfontein Rondawels, Aquacade Camp, Norotshama River Resort, Pofadder Hotel, Dundi Lodge, Panorama B&B, Vergelegen Guest House, Landa Koppieskraal Inkbospan, Loch Maree, Askam Post Office, Leeupan Guest Farm, Vanzylsrus Hotel, Kalahari Cottage, Villa Lin Zane, Ditlha Guest House, Villa Rosa, Mweba Cabins, Selous Bush Camp, Ivory Tree Game Lodge, Claypot Guest House, Deo Valente, The Place, Sandpatrys, Kokomori Birders Lodge, Mama Tau, Bateleur Safari Camp, ZaZoe Lodge, Makoppa's Nest, Mopane Bush Lodge, Madi a Thavha , Mashovhela Lodge, The Rustic House, Thula Meetse Lodge, Quilt @ Home, Die Ou Kuier Stoep, Mount Amanzi, Ama Amanzi, Legend Golf & Safari Resort, Loerie Lodge, Blue Cottages, Tanda Tula, Muraleng Lodge, Westlodge Bed & Breakfast, Ridgeway Bushcamp, Forever Resorts Mount Sheba, Pelenechi Manor, Boondocks Mountain Lodge, Royal Sheba Guesthouse, Forever Resorts Badplaas, Welgekozen Country Lodge, White Elephant Lodge, Jozini River Lodge, Jozini Tiger Lodge, Shayamoya Game Lodge, Ghost Mountain Inn, Rhino River Lodge, Kosi Moon B+B, Wendys country Lodge

Food so far thanks to:

Makarios B&B, Strandloper Guesthouse, Weskus Mall – Spur, Shelley Point Hotel, Spa and Country Club, The Swiss Bistro and Deli, Voorstrandt, Doekies, Vaatjie, Elands Bay Hotel, Lamberts Bay Hotel, Cabin Restaurant, Die Anker Guesthouse, Van Eeden Accommodation, The Golden Grape, Klawer Hotel, Nama Karoo B&B, Talk of the Town, Agama Camp, Die Rooi Spinnekop , Titbits Restaurant, Grasdak Steak Ranch, Kookfontein Rondawels, Oewerbos Camp, Pofadder Hotel, Klein Pella Guest House, Vergelegen Guest House, Loch Maree, Leeupan Guest Farm, Diamond T Coffee Shop, Kalahari Cottage, Grob Lodge, Deo Valente, Spur Thabazimbi, Keg and Kudu, Mama Tau, Bateleur Safari Camp, Aquanoir Bush Pub, Mopane Bush Lodge, Madi a Thavha, Mashovhela, The Rustic House, Thula Meetse Lodge, Tecoma Spur Bela Bela, Wimpy Modimolle, Legend Golf & Safari Resort, Westlodge Bed & Breakfast, Forever Resorts Mount Sheba, Jatinga Country Lodge, Boondocks Mountain Lodge, Royal Sheba, Forever Resorts Badplaas, Welgekozen Lodge, White Elephant Lodge, Jozini River Lodge, Jozini Tiger Lodge, Shayamoya Game Lodge

· Catch up on everything: www.theEXPEDITIONproject.com

· Find out what we are doing: www.facebook.com/theEXPEDITIONproject

· Tweet us: www.twitter.com/expedition365

· Watch our latest video: www.youtube.com/theexpeditionproject

But what would really help is...

· SMS 'ShowMe', your name & your town to 36764 to sponsor 1km of our journey (R5/SMS) or

· Donate: Nedbank | 141005 | The EXPEDITION Project | 1017131082

If you can't wait then...

· Call us: +27(0)76 2012 365

· Join us for a chat: BBM/WhatsApp Pin- 27E264CB

Made possible by:

Place in the Sun, Jam Factory Advertising, Firestarter Media, Pam Golding Properties, ShowMe South Africa, Fairtrade Label South Africa, Quiksilver SA, Open Africa, Miko Coffee, Trees 4 Schools, Motivate Cape Town, What’s Up South Africa.

A Different Sunday

theexpeditionproject — Mon, 14 May 2012 00:53:00 GMT

A different Sunday…

What comes to mind when you think of Sundays in London? Is it lazy mornings reading the paper and drinking coffee? Is it brunch and beer with friends in the pub? Maybe it’s a pyjama and movie day at home with family. In my opinion, quite frankly these all sound quite delicious.

Ask a South African what constitutes a happy Sunday and I’m sure 90% will mention the word ‘braai’. For those that don’t know what a braai is, I will explain. A braai is an all-day social gathering involving family and friends, drinking and cooking food slowly on an open fire made from wood and coal. Some of you I bet will be thinking, ‘so it’s basically a BBQ’. Well my friends, I have to say I would pretty much agree with this statement. Tell a South African that a braai is the same as a BBQ however and you will get a death stare I can guarantee you.

Having lived with a South African (male I may add) for the past 4 months, I have been introduced to and educated into the world of braai’ing. Every young guy knows how to perform this hereditary South African-ism and each is very proud of the fact they he can start his own fire. To be quite honest, get a bloke in front of any kind of fire, be it an open fire or a gas barbeque and they instantly feel a little bit more masculine.

Any other day of the week, they won’t be caught dead in the kitchen but when it comes to this very significant occasion, it is quite strictly no women allowed. Actually, let me correct my ‘no women allowed’ statement. Of course we all know that during an English BBQ or SA braai, the women are designated as the salad makers (which by the way we ultimately rock).

There is 2 ways you can make a braai. One is with wood and coal and the other is just with wood. If you are going to do the latter, your wood needs to be of good quality (this means a nice dry batch). Either way, the wood needs to turn to coal and/or the coals smouldering to a temperature where you can hold your hand over the heat for approximately 3 seconds before you are forced to remove it. At this time, you know it’s on. The meat can be added. In England, it’s quite simple –you turn the gas on and go grab a beer while it heats up. In the background, you will ultimately hear someone asking, ‘what time will the food be ready?’ This statement would not be received well at a South African braai, let me tell you. This is a whole day event people, we don’t have a time schedule - we simply enjoy the pleasure of our friends company while not worrying about intermittent rain ruining our lovely day.

As the women look out of the kitchen and see that the coals look ready, they will be putting the potato bake in the oven assuming that the meat is just about to go on. But as they turn around again after closing the oven door, they notice that one of the men has added more wood to the fire god damn it.

So what exactly does one ‘braai’? When a barbeque springs to mind, I’m sure most of you in the UK envisage burgers and sausages and if you’re lucky steak (not forgetting the delicious array of potato salad, couscous salad, greens and other beauty’s prepared by us girls). The South African equivalent is quite different. The meat may include lamb chops, pork chops, beef steaks, chicken spatchcock, chicken wings, boerewors (I’ll come to that another time). A more elaborate braai could even include various game such as kudu, springbok, gemsbok etc.

So while these meats are being marinated, spiced or quite simply taken out of their packaging, the women are slaving away to make the delicious accompaniments. I have had the pleasure of trying the following, and believe me I’m sure there are many more:

-Butternut squash (just called butternut here, oh by the way South Africans LOVE to abbreviate words) halved down the middle stuffed with spinach and feta, or simply brown onion soup granules.

-Gem squash which is a more stringy vegetable that looks a bit like a small melon with a generous dollop of butter in the middle.

-They also love to peel whole onions, wrap them in foil and bung them on the coals.

These 3 examples may not seem too out of the ordinary to the average Brit, but let me tell you, when I found out that people even braai sandwiches, even I was taken aback (this coming from someone who has eaten scorpions in China). For the lazy braai-er, SA supermarkets stock ‘braai rolls’, a ready-made sandwich if you will that you quite simply chuck on with the rest of the food. I am going to give you a recipe for my slightly more pimped up version.

Maddy’s braai roasted sandwiches

You will need:

Bread (any you choose but ciabatta works well)

Butter

Cheese (any really but my favourite is goats cheese or brie)

Tomatoes

Onions

Some sort of delicious relish or chutney

Method:

1)Spread butter inside and out of the bread

2)Fill your sandwich with the cheese, tomatoes and onions, season with black pepper and flaked sea salt and top with a layer of the chutney or relish

3)Close tightly and ceremoniously march to the fire.

4)High above the coals, carefully braai until it looks bursting at the seams with deliciousness (be warned, these bad boys cook quickly)

You can basically fill it with anything you choose but ultimately what you will have is the best toasted sandwich you’ve ever tasted. Enjoy and let me know how yours goes.

Are you up to speed so far?...

theexpeditionproject — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:55:00 GMT

The EXPEDITION Project TV Series - Part 1

The first installment of The EXPEDITION Project's warm up to the 2013 TV series of the same name.

Say it like a South African

theexpeditionproject — Sun, 13 May 2012 00:49:00 GMT

Said like a South African

Of course there are going to be certain things that are said differently from country to country. That’s a given isn’t it? But when you are in an English speaking country, isn’t it funny and somewhat fascinating to experience the variations and discover where they arise from? Well I think so anyway.

I mentioned in another entry that Saffas just love to abbreviate words, and I absolutely stand by this statement. These can extend from place names (think Durbs, J Bay & PE) to everyday things (flops & avo) and pretty soon after landing in South Africa you will begin to realise that these shortenings occur regularly.

But it’s certainly not just abbreviations that I’ve noticed; there are whole other words and expressions that we don’t use in the UK. Sure, we speak the same language, but believe me, we may as well not be at times the difference is so vast. South African English has a flavour of its own and the 11 different national languages (borrowing freely from Afrikaans) are thrown in to the mix, totally confusing a naïve international like yours truly.

OK, so let me give you a few examples, and forgive me for some of these being a bit gross. A bogey is called a snolly and a poo is called a plonky. Dumpies in fact are beer bottles, bakkies are open backed trucks and of course we all know a braai is a BBQ. A koki is a felt tip pen and tackies are trainers.

I’m sure many of you have heard the expression ‘howzit’, which in South Africa is used to greet pretty much anyone really. It doesn’t necessarily denote a question and definitely doesn’t need an answer; it is more of the general ‘hey how’s it going’ that we may use in the UK. To ‘have a jol’ means to go out and party, (maybe you go with your ‘chommie’ (friend) or ‘boet’ (mate), which after too ‘dops’ (drinks) may result in a ‘babbela’ or hangover. ‘Eina’ (ouch).

I’ve listened to Rog on the phone and noticed that amongst his ‘normal’ English vocabulary is the usage of ‘oh my hat’ instead of ‘oh my god’ and when something is shocking or interesting, he says ‘sure’ (said in an expressive way) or my personal favourite ‘yoh’, said with the same expression.

In a more formal situation, you will often be communicated to ‘go well’ once you leave an accommodation establishment or restaurant, or will be told ‘you must sleep well’ if you see someone before bedtime. The latter took a bit of getting used to as I wasn’t used to such authoritarianism and kindness in the same sentence. During a meal, you will almost always be asked by the waiter, ‘are you still fine?’ regardless of whether you have been asked if you are in fact ‘fine’ in the first place.

What to say when…

You want to express how nice something is –lekker. (This meal is lekker)

You are not exactly sure how long you’ll be –now now. (I’m coming now now)

You will be a little longer than ‘now now’ –just now. (I’ll call you just now)

You need to respond but can’t think of what to say –izit?

You want to give your statement more effect –hey? (It’s a nice day hey?)

You want to say everything is good and in order –sharp sharp (often said by petrol station staff)

You want to express surprise or disbelief –eish

Origins of a World Nomad - Part 2

theexpeditionproject — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 01:41:00 GMT

Part 2:

The epiphany I had had which resulted in ‘The EXPEDITION Project’, helped me in many ways. It helped me get back on my feet first of all, but mainly it helped me find the soul I was looking for in myself and the dreams and aspirations I had once had. Now all of a sudden I had ambition again. But not your usual kind of ambition, I didn’t even really worry at first if anything would come of the new venture – I was doing it for me and for my very being. But soon the businessman in me started finding ways to make it a dream, journey and a viable opportunity – in all senses of the words.

We are all selfish whether we like it or not, and this dream and project is no different. But in helping others I am helping myself, I am learning and giving, educating and experiencing. Is that what life is all about.

I now decided to bring all my passions into one place. Not just a few of them, but all of them. The EXPEDITION Project was to become a vehicle, pardon the pun, of my soul, my visions, my dreams, my loves and my goals. I would aim to live out all my passions and fears in one go and in doing that become a better person. And hopefully create fantastic sustainable business along the way.

So there I was starring, looking and dreaming. Hoping that it would all become clear and I would find the answer I was looking for. As I looked at the nearby mountains I began staring at a valley and I saw a direction into the sun, the light. I had chosen my path to get to where I was now, I, and only me needed to choose my path back out!

Life is not a straight line, it is like a forest, and it is very easy to lose your way, to forget where you came in. I had forgotten everything and I didn’t know where I was. But the forest that was once so clear and free of mist had turned so dark, but it was showing me the way out, the way past all the obstacles, the rocks and fallen down trees, the wild animals and the voices in the wind. Now all I could see was a valley in front of me with a mountain to climb and a light to reach. My soul was free again, my heart still frail. But I was following a new compass, the direction. And this is only the beginning…

Origins of a World Nomad

theexpeditionproject — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 01:34:00 GMT

Part 1:

There I was sitting on a table grape farm in the Western Cape of South Africa, wondering what my next move would be, should be, and could be. Having contemplated giving up many times on myself, life, careers and many other things, here I found myself looking to the sky and hoping the wind would whistle the answers. The warm autumn sun helped, it helped a lot. So do good food and plenty of rest. Why is it that I found myself in this position so often? Wondering why I was so confused and lost. It always seemed as though I thought about things too much, examined everything and criticized my own choices. The very nature of critiquing my own choices doesn’t make sense, but I did it time and time again.

So there I was starring, looking and dreaming. Hoping that it would all become clear and I would find the answer I was looking for. As I looked at the nearby mountains I began staring at a valley. The sun was setting to the left of the valley and found myself lined up looking right at the ridge in the mountain. As clear as day I saw an image. I picked up my nearby diary and began to draw what I saw.

A few things occurred to me. One of them was that you can see or find pretty much anything if you look hard enough and the other thing was that I must be going crazy!

Crazy wasn’t far off it would appear as at that moment I had what I suppose you would call an epiphany.

Two months earlier I had moved from Knysna on the east coast of South Africa back to my hometown of Cape Town. This had happened after a business and personal relationship had come to an end leaving me no reason to stay in the small but beautiful South African holiday town.

Three years prior to that I had arrived in Knysna to start what had felt like the beginning of a great new life. A life I thought I had always wanted. I had returning to South Africa after 8 years overseas working towards something that had just never happened I guess. What that something was I had hoped would be clear when I found it. But by not knowing, made it rather hard to know when I found it. So when the opportunity came to return home with an offer of a beautiful woman, that seemed like all the something I needed. No arm twisting required. So I guess it was no wonder that the something turned out to be another nothing and inevitably left me back at square one. Or at least that is how I felt. I would feel like that every day until recently when things all started to make sense….in a fuzzy kinda way. Well I suppose it made sense in comparison to the nonsense I had be feeling, thinking and saying…anyway where was it?...

Right so the epiphany – well I sat there looking at the beautiful mountain, with the beautiful sun and everything was just beautiful you could say. And no, I didn’t suddenly find God, or hear a voice or get struck by an amazing idea. But what I had was an epiphany of a different kind.

Now I forgot to mention that in leaving Knysna, and my personal relationship and business two months prior I had also been paid out for my shares in the business. Now it was by no means a lot of money but definitely more money than I had ever had in one place of my very own.

So what I thought at that moment was – why don’t I buy myself a land rover and travel South Africa for a year and just see what happens, see where it takes me, see who I meet and what I learn, and maybe just maybe someone will pick up on what I am doing and why and something will come of it.

So there I was with no real goal or plan or idea – just a thought of me doing something for me, just me, with the possibility of something maybe coming of it. And if nothing did come of it then, oh well I would be back where I started three years ago. So that, my friends was the first moment of the expedition project.

As I began thinking more about it, I realized that it may be possible to build up a bit of hype over this trip and I could maybe even get some publicity or even sponsors in doing so.

Next I needed things that I would be doing. Being the person that I am, I find it very hard to just BE or to just DO, I always have to have a plan of attack. So I started making a list of possible things I could do that would last me a whole 365 traveling South Africa.

Now I needed a route! Several options came up while I started planning but I finally set my sights on a South African perimeter route – up the west coast, east parallel to the northern border and down the east coast back to Cape Town.

Piece by piece the project took shape and it started occupying my every thought. I would work all day everyday on more ideas, plans, routes, implementation and development etc.

What had started as a simple journey, turned into a company!

Finally 4 months later I sat with a prospectus, business plan, corporate identity, marketing plan, logo, website (in the making), temporary vehicle and no money left. It was August 2011 and ‘The EXPEDITION Project’, as it was now officially named and branded, was targeted for January 2012.

The story begins...it begins in Cape Town

theexpeditionproject — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:11:00 GMT

The EXPEDITION Project is a venture that seeks to re-discover South Africa via the voice of the people and the landscapes of our country.But it isn’t just a joy-ride or adventure trip – The EXPEDITION Project will be departing from Cape Town on annual 365 day journey’s around South Africa in order to gather information, highlight success stories and meet the people.

I felt that it was time to inspire this great nation of ours once again, bring hope, ignite passion and encourage visionaries. The 2012 team, departing on the 1st January 2012, will be filming their journey and compiling it into a documentary and television series. You will also be able to follow the expeditions via live web-casts, daily blogs and online journals.

There is a lot to tell you, so we think it’s best let your imagination run wild for now, and we will tell you more next time.

Life Matters

theexpeditionproject — Thu, 6 Oct 2011 05:07:00 GMT

Life matters, down to Earth we CAN create the future, we can live to work! Life is more that an journey or an adventure, life is more than a project or a feel-good campaign. We are the vehicle of OUR own transformation. It is up to us to turn practical visions into sustainable solutions. We can do more than observe. Life is all about heart.

Life IS ‘ The EXPEDITION Project’!

Preparing for a Live EXPEDITION!

theexpeditionproject — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 07:06:00 GMT

So what do you pack when you are about to begin a trip that may never end?

On the 1st January 2012 myself and two other adventurers will begin a 365 day journey around South Africa. But it wont end there. In fact this is only the beginning. The beginning of what will become a life long quest for answers, results, questions, initiatives and stories. It just so happens that i am from Cape Town and so the first of many journeys will start from there.

Right now though, making sure all the details are in place is a daunting but exciting task.

I hope you will follow us along the way. Lend us your thoughts, opinions, ideas and...well lend us anything you can.

...the beginning...