29 Sept 07: Going home, leaving home?
by Pete
Well,
it had to happen. After nearly nine months of sweat, blood, tears, sadness,
and joy, I’m finally going back home to a life of relative drudgery
and work. I can’t yet begin to comprehend the complex memories and emotions
I have felt on this fantastic journey as we have travelled more than half
a continent from Nairobi to Cape town, and then looping through South Africa,
truly one of the worlds best climbing venues. Along the way we have explored,
climbed, and bush bashed our way through eleven countries ascending places
that could be world famous if in more developed nations whilst sampling the
varied local cultures including more than twenty brands of beer, (if I had
my way the truck would have been sponsored by Tusker). Just before I left
I had taken part in a climbing competition, climbing alongside novices and
elite alike at ‘The restaurant at the end of the universe’ in
South Africa, and watched the very best of SA climbers battle for supremacy
on a route called Jabberwocky (f8b+)! We have experienced epics including
stranded climbers on Mt Kenya, new routing in Mozambique 
on
granite spires so devoid of water I had drank from a puddle of water with
a dead frog within, and endured savage storms in the Cedarberg where whipping
rain and sleet blinded rescue parties and forced lost climbers to stuff their
clothes and line shallow caves with straw before huddling together to survive.
We have new routed and bolted lines in northern Uganda, drove through refugee
camps in Rwanda, experienced the majesty of the Serengeti, the magic of Zanzibar,
and the power of tropical storms in Tanzania, and climbed Mt Mulange in Malawi,
(a 1700m route still awaits anyone brave enough for the challenge). In Zimbabwe
we experienced a country in turmoil whose people remain the most friendly
we have encountered with climbing of such quality it puts the inflation of
the economy to shame, just mention Dema to anyone who has been there and brace
yourself. We have stood on top of the mighty Spitskoppe in Namibia, the desert
spread out to infinity, and played on its magnificent flanks seared by the
heat, returning to camp to guzzle water and trade tales of run out routes
both sport and traditional. It hasn’t all been immaculate there have
been incredible hardships to endure where the travelling has been anything
but easy but through it all have been the friendships formed by the rigours
we have shared and i would like to say a huge thanks to the near sixty people
I have shared these experiences with for carrying me through the tough times.
And finally for me South Africa where the Big Red Truck is now known throughout
the climbing scene as we spent three months visiting world class climbing
destinations such as Table Mountain, Rocklands, and The Restaurant just to
name three, whilst only scratching the surface of what this incredible nation
has to offer. And at the end waving goodbye to BiRT, wishing I was still there,
revisiting all the places I have been for real not just in my mind, but reliving
the bustle of Nairobi and then onwards to places only seen on maps and in
my imagination. Oh well, anyone for the Turkey Loop? 
