Teresie Hommersand grew up near Stavanger, a city known as the oil capital of Norway. She remembers eating supper every evening off plates with the logo of the national oil and gas company on them. Somehow she became the "green sheep" of the family. She has lived in Uganda, Oregon, and Australia. She currently resides in South Africa. We did not sponsor her the Soma Saga DC she is riding, but will be donating to the charities she is trying to bring awareness to.Learn more about her 13,700 km ride going from South Africa to Norway and her charity crowdfunding campaign on her Facebook page and Instagram. We will be posting some of her experiences here on the blog. She is already in Malawi at the time of this post.
I'm Teresie, a 31 year old Norwegian girl, and I'm cycling solo from South Africa to Norway! From the most southern point on the African continent to the most northern point in Europe!! All on my Soma Saga.
I
love people's reactions when they see me. There's no limit to hooting,
waving and thumbs up from passing cars and trucks. I've had people clap,
blow me kisses, ask for my autograph and even say gravely that I'm
going to die. While some propose, others become speechless. But above
all, EVERYONE is so interested, excited and enthusiastic! Cycling
becomes a dream with all of this support!
Your
mode of transport really influences what you experience along the way,
who you meet and how you interact. For instance, one late afternoon as
the sun was about to set, I found myself on a dirt road in the Klein
Karoo in South Africa. A dry farm country with hills and mountains and
great distances between farms. I was getting a bit uneasy. I didn't feel
like camping out in minus degrees. I had become an expert at being
invited in to random people's homes after a whole day of cycling.
However, there were no signs of human activity except for the corrugated
and rocky road I was on. I raced the setting sun.
After
climbing an uphill, I finally saw a farm gate! It looked decent. Well
maintained. Let me try! I cycled down this road, looking for houses.
Nothing. I was in the middle of nowhere. Then I saw something that
looked like really big cows. I cycled a bit closer. They turned out to
be buffalos! Luckily there was a fence between us. I cycled on. A house!
Hurray! There were absolutely no one there. I started to mentally
prepare myself for a cold night. Then I heard voices. It came from the
farmworkers' quarters further ahead. Ok! At least I'll have company! As I
cycled towards them I became aware of a group of trees. There was
something amongst those threes. A building? Is that a road? Are those
cars? I suddenly found myself in the farmer's driveway! A green oasis in
the otherwise dry and dusty yet stunning landscape. There was even a
braai (barbecue) area and a swimming pool! And there was the farmer,
wondering who on earth had pulled up infront of his house on a heavily
loaded bicycle. When I asked if I could pitch my tent in their garden,
he said 'Are you mad? Come in!'.
As
I was shown to my own room, I was informed that all the farmers in the
area was also about to arrive for their monthly catch-up! Not only did I
get to meet everyone in the whole area, but had I knocked on the door
of any other farmer that evening, no one would have been home! I was so
welcomed, so included and so full of the heartiest 'afrikaaner delights'
that evening.
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| The Cape of Africa: Start of the journey |
The
next morning, as I was fastening my panniers to my bicycle, Wessel (the
farmer) asked me 'Don't you wanna go for a private game drive on the
farm?' I was already in cycling mode and had to take five minutes to
reboot before saying YES! How often do I have this opportunity? We spent
the whole day out together, in the best outdoor classroom, getting up
close with and learning about the Impalas, Sable Antelopes, Rooi
Hartebeests, Oryx, Ostriches, Elands, Water Buffalos and many more.
Wessel knew all about the areas flora and fauna. It's geology. How the
drought is affecting the area and the farmers. He and his son Izak even
challenged me to a round of bokdrol. A poo spitting competition!
Apparently, dry Impala dung is the poo of choice for this game. We only
had Kudu poo. I lost.
I
was made to feel so at home by the whole family that when they invited
me to stay a third day, I almost did. For two months I cycled through
South Africa. I only camped twice, and that was my own choice. The rest
of the time I was invited into the homes of everyone I asked if I could
pitch my tent in their garden. I am sure that a lot of this happened
just because I rocked up on a bicycle❤️
Follow the journey on Instagram: teresiehommersand and Facebook: Cape to Kapp
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| When I asked if I could pitch my tent in their garden, he said 'Are you mad? Come in!'. |
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