Durban - The beauty of the Wild Coast and the unforgettable Hole In The Wall.
That was what struck Project Rhino Ambassador from Zululand, Richard Mabanga during his adventure with the Mzansi Edge Expedition led by veteran explorer, Kingsley Holgate.
The expedition team arrived in Durban on Friday morning and spent time at the NSRI base in the Point, ahead of making the final journey next week back to Kosi Bay where the adventure started in September.
The expedition, which covered 14 000 kilometres over 80 days saw the team hugging the edge of South Africa's borders and tracking the borders of Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia and then following the Orange River to its mouth on the Atlantic coast.
Ross Holgate, who admitted he would need a shower after having only one in the last 80 days, said that the team was "in the final dash" and should finish the expedition next week when they arrive at Kosi Bay.
Mabanga said that he had seen the Eastern Cape coast from a plane, but never by road.
"Definitely the highlight for me was the Eastern Cape coast, it was really magnificent and to see all these places, including the Hole in the Wall; I was in heaven. I look at the beauty of South Africa for tourism and nature is something for everyone to enjoy.
"We also assisted people with porridge along the way, which is when I pass on the message that our people have to care for nature," said Mabanga.
Kingsley Holgate highlighted that Mabanga had given out 250 000 sorghum porridge meals and also urged South Africa to take advantage of their own country in the upcoming holiday season.
"South Africans need to start supporting our own destinations. This expedition was a reminder of the beauty of our country and the incredible goodwill of the people across our country, who always come out and help even during this difficult year.
"We met some amazing characters living on the edge of our country's borders and we also collected from more than 50 water courses along the way," said Holgate, who had the team’s calabash which would be emptied into Kosi Bay at the end of the journey.
The humanitarian objectives behind the expedition included providing meals to rural families who had been impacted by the loss of tourism due to the Covid-19 lockdown. They also provided masks, sanitising soap and digital thermometers, as well as malaria prevention and the provision of reading glasses to poor-sighted, mostly elderly people in far flung areas of the country.
Independent on Saturday