Another wonderful, wonderful day …

(English and photographs below)

Kan julle onthou hoeveel probleme ek aan die begin gehad het? Die KLR wat nie gevlieg het toe dit moes gevlieg het nie. Die Soedanese visum.

En nou aan die einde is die een dag mooier en beter as die ander.

Ek is vroeg weg uit Potchefstroom Johannesburg toe. By Soweto het dik miswolke inbeweeg en het die ry skielik yskoud geword. My eerste stop was by Ray Muller by CyTech. Ray se voorbereiding van die KLR en sy benadering tot motorfietsry in Afrika was in my voorbereiding en ry oor Afrika krities belangrik. Vanoggend het Ray en sy gesin my met ‘n groot donasie aan Operation Smile verras! Julle sal by http://www.naboom2germany.co.za moet gaan kyk waar ons insamelingspoging vanaand staan, en nog meer geld is op pad!

Daarna het ‘n rustige ry Krugersdorp toe gevolg, na Hoërskool Monument toe wat so ‘n reuse donasie aan Operation Smile gemaak het.

Twaalfuur het die 1 500 leerders in die binnehof bymekaar gekom want Saterdag speel hul eerste span in die finaal van die Beeldtrofee vir Megaskole teen Hoërskool Waterkloof. Vir ‘n uur lank het die leerders gees gevang. Vir die eerste vier minute kon ek hul vir hul groothartigheid dankie sê. Vir die res van die tyd het ek gestaan en hoendervleis kry vir die jong energie wat daar losgelaat is. Dit was ‘n skitterende ervaring!

Na die byeenkoms het Marlinée Fouche my vertel hoe sy en ‘n mede-matriekleerling Maryna Goosen die leerders met behulp van ‘n Powerpoint aanbieding gemotiveer het om ‘n bydrae te maak. Die leerders kon op ‘n sekere dag geel dra en dan vir Operation Smile donasies maak. Marlinée en Maryna, baie dankie! Julle het baanbrekerswerk gedoen!

In ‘n wêreld van middelmatigheid en swak dissipline en skole wat nie funksioneer nie is Hoërskool Monument van Krugersdorp ‘n monument en tuiste vir gelukkige leerders en onderwysers. Daarom hou ek vir hulle duimvas vir Saterdag!

Vroegmiddag is ek weg uit Krugersdorp. Dit was eenvoudig net lekker om deur die wit winterveld te ry. Nou staan my tentjie hier in Bothaville opgeslaan op die grasperk van Emma, ‘n oudleerling van my, en haar man Anton. En langs die tentjie staan ‘n woonstel leeg want ek wil vir oulaas kampeer.

Ek glo ons gaan ons doelwit van R 90 000.00 binnekort verpletter.

Die sou skoolsaal wat nou die personeelkamer is / The Old School Hall that is now the staff room.

Die leerlinge op die binneplein besig met geesvang / The learners on the square busy psyching themselves up.

Marlinée Fouche by my motorfiets / Marlinée Fouche at the KLR

English

Do you still remember how many problems I’ve encountered in the beginning? That night when they called me at midnight to tell me that the KLR can’t fly. Later the problems to get a visa for Sudan …

And now the one day is more beautiful than the next one.

I left Potchefstroom quite early. The ride was pleasant until I got to Soweto. Fog moved in and suddenly it became ice cold. My first stop in Johannesburg was at Ray Muller at CyTech. The preparation done on the KLR two years ago and the advice given by Ray on travelling in Africa were crucial in the success of my up and down rides. Ray and his family surprised my with a huge donation to Operation Smile. You have to go and see my website http://www.naboom2germany.co.za to see the present standing of the donations, and more money is in the pipeline.

The ride from Johannesburg to Krugersdorp was relaxed and with less traffic than I expected. My next destination was Hoërskool Monument in Krugersdorp, the school that made that huge donation to us last weekend.

At 12 o’clock the 1 500 learners of the school gathered in front of the Old School Hall. On Saturday their first rugby team plays in the finals of the Beeld trophy for Mega Schools against Hoërskool Waterkloof. For one hour they psyched themselves up for the big match. I had four minutes in the beginning to thank them for the donation, and then they started singing and cheering. I had goosebumps while watching the young energy that got released. What an experience!

After school Marlinée Fouche told me how she and another Matric learner Maryna Goosen with the help of a Powerpoint presentation informed the learners of the school on cleft lips and palates. On a certain day the learners could wear yellow and make a donation to Operation Smile. Marlinée and Maryna, you did excellent work! Thank you!

In a world where it is normal to be average, to have bad discipline and where schools do not function properly Hoërskool Monument is a monument and home for happy learners and teachers. Therefore I will hold thumbs for them on Saturday.

I left Krugersdorp early afternoon and had a relaxed ride through the winter highveld fields. I arrived late afternoon here in Bothaville. My tent is pitched on the lawn of Emma, one of my ex-pupils, and her husband Anton. Next to my tent is an empty flat. It is empty because I prefer to camp.

Soon we are going to crash our target of R 90 000.00!