17 January 2008 - SA Times
Cape to Cape adventure shatters women's ‘limitations' Written by Caroline Munro
Five vehicles, 28 countries, eight months, and 10 women. Cape Town travel company Africa Adventure Travel takes ordinary women to the extreme to realise their full potential.
A Cape Town travel company is giving 10 women the chance to go beyond their own, and others expectations as they participate in an expedition through Africa and Europe. The Mitsubishi Africa Adventure Cape to Cape Expedition will take participants through 28 countries as they trek through Africa to Europe, and back again.
The expedition sets off on International Women's Day in March 2009, and Africa Adventure Travel's Enya Fehler is still looking for women who will stand up to the challenge.
The all-women team will set off in five vehicles, sponsored by Mitsubishi, to cover about 40 000km in eight months.
SA Times spoke to Fehler as to why she decided to organise this women-only adventure. Her answer got straight to point: “Why not?”
“Do we really need men to travel with,” she said. “Our objective is to promote tourism in Africa and we believe that we can generate lots more interest from everyone – it's the difference between ordinary and extraordinary.”
The expedition will undoubtedly be a tough one, but Fehler believes that the only limitations women have in participating in extreme adventure activities is the limitations they place on themselves.
“The women who have already committed are extraordinary women because they are following their dream,” she says.
“Some of them are housewives, some are close to retiring, and others are pilots. Not one of them is an adventure-seeking adrenaline junky.”
In response to people's concerns about security when travelling through Africa, Fehler believes that while you cannot go with rose-tinted glasses, on the flipside fear prevents us from following our dreams.
“Fears are made up in our minds and stop us from following our dreams,” she says. “Security though, is a real issue, but this is why we want to do this – to experience the different countries, its people and cultures. After that we will be able to tell others what to watch out for, where to travel, and what to do and not to do.
“We will not go with rose-tinted lenses, but rather be prepared and open-minded.” Much emphasis has been placed on the trip's information-gathering function, and Fehler said a lot of research has been done in the last year.
“Research is the key to success,” she said. She hopes that their questions can be answered by travelling through the countries, and interacting with the people, by eating with them and spending time together.
The trip also has a promotional side – the reason behind the Europe leg of the trip is to promote Africa as a travel destination.
This will be accomplished with road shows at some of the major cities they pass through, and through help from the media.
The team's experiences will also be detailed online via a travel blog, followed by a comprehensive travel report.
“And on our return we will combine everything into a book,” said Fehler. The trip will also benefit charity, and the profits of this publication will be donated to child welfare organisations throughout the African countries visited.
Each participant will pay an entry amount of R25 000, which, if there are no emergencies, will go to Child Welfare of Africa charity.
After the trip, the sponsored equipment they use will be auctioned, and that too will go to Child Welfare.
“We believe that children are the ones most in need of help,” said Fehler. “Tourism can be, and in fact in many countries is the number one income generator. If we want to have a peaceful Africa we need to start to give back. And we must not forget the children, they are the real asset and future of Africa.”
For more information, visit www.africa-adventure.travel
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