The Power of Enduring in our lives: Sabie Bicycle Experience

 In a culture set up for for rewarding results over effort, lets be the people to make the change. 

A quick example. A student studies 4 months, day and night for his matric final maths exam, he takes extra lessons, misses some parties and just digs into the work. He has struggled the whole of high school, scraping through with 45 - 50%. Student B is coasting through the work, usually a straight A 90% student. 

Exam day comes and goes, both wait anxiously for the results. Student A lands a 58% passes and is able to now attend a course he wanted to take after school. Student B 83%, passed with flying colors, A! 7 Percent left than he usually gets, with little to no effort. At prize giving, student B stands on the stage, student A gets nothing, is never rewarded for his effort. We can debate for ages on who actually wins in 10 years time, but that is not the point. 

This weekend I attended a 3 day bicycle race through the toughest routes South Africa has to offer. The town of Sabie, in Mpumalanga South Africa.  360km on tar, over passes with over 7000m of climbing. I was out of my depth! Seeing cyclists rock up on the start line with their skin tight clothing and hundreds of thousands rands worth of bike, you could see these ladies and gents had invested a lot of time and effort into this sport. I was about to be destroyed. 

I had entered this to test myself again to practice my patience, endurance, my efforts in the physical and mental side of sport yes, but also life. I was so nervous. I hadn't done a bicycle multi day event in years and the training build up had not been ideal. 

"This is a Tour, not a race." that was the motto of this event. Comforting but still scary. 

Me and my bike, best friends...sometimes.

I coach many clients whose goals vary from looking good to completing Ironman. Some have 50 years of exercise left in them some 20. Some young, some old. Some perform at a high level and some simply want to be healthy and prosper, but a common theme for all of them is consistency and endurance. When results are extrinsic (getting 80% and being called on stage, seeing a 6 pack in the mirror, or your friends noticing your weight loss) many fall off the bus, become unmotivated, even become despondent with training. But for those who grasp the result and make it intrinsic (how you feel about yourself, being able to do something you couldn't before, comparing yourself to yourself) these clients have no end! They go on consistently for years, chipping away at the "Tour". Its not a race, its a tour people. 

A tour of your life, to forge the best human being possible, in mind, in body and spirit. How do you want your life to look, what do you see yourself doing? Its important to ask those questions because the road to ill health and diseases is paved with no intentions. Its important to be intentional about our exercise and eating because it is the fuel that will lead us to live these large lives where we are able to function with full energy at a high level in what ever we chose. 

You results of your previous years of exercise count for nothing if you are going to ride on the back of your results. Yesterday doesn't count. Today does. If we can start rewarding effort and intention over results perhaps we will be less judgmental on ourselves over our results and more consistent in our efforts. 

Day 1 was the pits. I finished my 105km day with cramps, pain and suffering. I was straight to the physio for a rub down and into a cold pool wondering if I had bitten of to much. I had spent the day trying to keep up with people, pushing up the hills until eventually I cracked and was extremely spent by the end. During race briefing for the next day I remember thinking, "If tomorrow is 150km, Im not going to finish," and thats not really what I came to do. I had to stop racing. 

Day 2 begun and my goal was to go slow, be persistent and finish the day. Everybody left me behind, I was by far the slowest. In the heat, I dragged myself over 2000km at 90km and was about to begin the final climb, the mammoth Long Tom pass. I cannot explain how slowly I went, pacing myself slowly but surely getting to the top. When the top came I was ecstatic, I had done what I had come to do. I rolled into the finish after a long descent, hours after everybody had eaten their lunches and had their naps. It was 4pm about, only the race organizer waiting for me, possibly worried one rider hadn't come back. The joy in me was one that I had everyday while cycling across Africa, moment I had long forgotten. I had these feelings flooding back to me, relishing in the hard moments and knowing that on the other side it always built a little bit of self belief. 

Day two: 3000m of climbing and a tough day out, 38 Degrees. 

Day 3. Rain. Mist. Cold. Scary downhills and shivering bodies. A whole new challenge had arrived. The cold. Get in a car, get comfy, crank up the heat and coast to the end. Along with that option comes no reward in my mind. I was freezing, my hands cramped up on the brakes down every turn trying to hand onto the handle bars while also trying to avoid skidding round the slippery corners. Was it worth it? In my mind of course it was. To feel the cold is to feel alive, to realize how fragile we are but also to discover how resilient we are. The more we seek out discomfort the more we are able to adapt to difficult situations. 

After all the time on the bike. I eventually crossed the line with some friends I had made on the trip. A great feeling, conquering what you had set out to do. I came home last again, slowest but extremely happy that I had learnt a lot more about myself. 

For those looking for things to be easy I encourage you to seek out discomforts and put yourself in situations that are hard. To slowly turn up the difficulty to teach yourself to be more resilient. Walk 5kms, the next month do 10, build it up but try always to challenge yourself. If we can do this in the physical it will teach us to do this in the mental and emotional. The challenges we face in our daily lives are perhaps and extension of this. 

Get out there. Challenge yourself. Endure! 

"Through endurance we conquer." Ernst Shakelton

COVID/CORONA and rising from the ash

Harry Potter...anybody else read them? Some of you are saying "Hell Yeah" Im sure, some of you have just thought about not reading further. Well just hang on and Hear me out.  Im reading The Chamber of Secrets now and Harry is sitting in Dumbledore's office and see's the Phoenix, which is mythical bird, turn into flames, die and fall into a heap of ashes. Are we there yet? In some countries I feel so.

The Covid Virus or more commonly the Corona Virus is sweeping the world by storm. Everyday we are hearing thousands of cases being reported and the death toll rising tremendously. We are in uncharted territories where shops and public areas are being shutdown and many are struggling for basic supplies. The world Market is falling into a depressive state and people are losing their jobs. Closed, banned, prohibited, social distancing are all terms that are becoming common lingo for us earthlings. The bird has been burnt, its in flames, we are falling into that pile of ash.

I own a gym, yesterday we decided to spring clean and disinfect our whole gym. This left us an opportunity to exercise outside on the fields we have available. We don't do this very often, and the members love it. We trudged some kettlebells and dumbbells outside and hit a 38min workout in the great outdoors.
While Im watching people to make sure they are doing the movements right, I look around...
People have stayed after class and are chatting. Families are playing with their children. Some people are kicking a ball around. My friend Steve (yes that is his real name, I know most people make up names to hide identities haha) has pulled his car round to the field and is playing some music in the background.
And all the while the most picture perfect painting is being put together all around us. The most amazing g reds and yellow beam through the dark blue sky. Theres parts of the clouds that are dark and the light is becoming golden. Every colour is on its best, the reds are darker, the blues are deeper and the darks are highlighting everything.
This is what its all about, people, the people around us making life better in everything. I believe people can be the greatest problem but they can also be the greatest solution. Here we are, I close my eyes and take a mental screenshot of whats transpiring around me. It inspires me.

Suddenly everything that was worrying me fades away, the stresses and uncertainties fade away. I feel a whisper into the deepest darkest chambers of my entire been "Its gonna be okay."
I fight it, how can it be okay, what is okay, the virus, people dying, the economy collapsing. How is this okay.
I realize, the comforts we have know to love and live by are only okay because they are usual. The unusual scares the shit out of me! But it is okay.

Its okay to be burnt, fall into a heap of ashes...to have everything fall apart! Because its out of those ashes that we are cleansed. That we start to discover what is the most important things in our lives. People, family, friends, relationships. Community, love, kindness, solving a problem together. Being a support...having support. Seeing the sun, smelling the grass, hearing nature. We are in a strange time.
We need to embrace the fall with an attitude of arising! Through the ash comes a new creature. A new opportunity a new chance to change the way we can live. In these times we need to show empathy, put our hands up and support each other. May pride in this time be washed away, may no color or race or income group be superior, because quite frankly, the virus is leveling us.
By leveling us, many have realized that their identity lies in things that can fall away instantly, even a job is not your identity.

Your morals and who you are will be tested in these times. Time to discover what humanity really is.

Stay safe out there everyone
Peace
Kunjani

7 days in Swaziland with R70

Two years back, I set out on a mission with a friend to try and explore as much of Swaziland as possible in 7 days with only R70, or R10 a day which is less than one US Dollar per day. WTF were we thinking?

Just take a look at the map so you can follow the journey with me as I write it:

It started on a Monday morning while everyone was rushing off to work, myself and Zakkie Odendaal were catching a lift to the Border Gate closest to Mbabane. We had one night planed out which was the first night. We would be staying at Legends Backpackers, kindly organized by our good friend and owner of Swazi Adventures. 

Although our means of transport worked out pretty well, we had by no means organized it. Besides our lack of form, holding our thumb to the sky directing the gestures at pretty much any vehicle we could find, the friendly drivers of Swaziland seemed more than willing to pick us up. The first time you catch a lift hitch hiking your short life flashes through your mind. Will my mom miss me, will my family find my body and have I lived a good life? The second time you are a little more comfortable and by the tenth or eleventh time the driver is probably a bit more nervous about picking you up than you are to be picked up. From all the places we had travelled we could have probably spoken a hole in most drivers ears by then. 

But lets rewind. We got to the border and hitched our first ride into the capital. From the lifts we caught on the first day to the back packers, I was most impressed with the young Swazi's  men ambition to make money, do business and change the world. Quite embarrassing actually as I was now for a week, choosing to go into poverty to see life from a different perspective. It was very difficult for them to understand how I would choose something like this. 

We stayed one night in Mbabane and then hitched a ride South through Manzini and then towards Big  Bend where we found a friend of a friend (thats how it goes when you are meeting so many people catching lifts) who offered us a place to stay with him and his wife. They stayed next to a game reserve where Tal (the husband) was a manager on a private reserve. It was a lovely little place, peaceful and full of hospitality. We even got to experience a Sugar Cane Fire Harvest, this was spectacular. Watching the fire lit from all sides of the field and then seeing the flames roar into action creating a thermal spiral sucking air into its core and feeding the beast was simply breathtaking. 

The next day we were in search of a road North to where we heard about a place where we could sit on top of a mountain and have our one foot in Swaziland, or other leg in Mozambique and our back in South Africa. Everywhere we looked online couldn't tell us if this place existed, even locals thought we were crazy and had never heard of it. So we went in search of it ourselves, which is something we hardly do anymore in this online internet driven world. We hitched possibly 4 rides before eventually heading off the main road, tracking our gps up the closest mountain we could see that hinted at these border points. We climbed and carved new tracks up the rocky hills and tall grass until we eventually got to the top...and there it was. We were now looking into all three of these countries. Something I will never forget. 

Back home at Tal's place we sat around a fire having dinner while sharing stories of a truly amazing day. Then, we were off the next day in search of the Northern farm lands, waterfalls and luxury resorts. Of course we couldn't really visit any of these with our R10 a day. Budget check so far, we had spent hardly anything over the first three days and had R60 still left, the help and support of strangers was seeing us through 

On My Bicycle: Cairo to Cape Town in a Podcast

I cannot believe how freaking long it has taken to get all this posted but finally the full audio series/podcast is out on sound cloud and iTunes.

So why has it taken so long? Well that could take a book in itself to explain. I think after cycling the 10 526kms across Africa I was on this high. I was going from radio interview to radio interview, speaking engagement to the next and being the scenes my life was kind of falling apart. Everything around me was changing. When the dust finally settled I felt so unsure of myself, so beat down by life that I felt like complete shit. I suddenly wasn't proud of anything in my life.

Find your way again, it will be the greatest thing you ever decide

And then you grow up. Time does that and Im grateful that I had it, many peoples lives end long before they find any clarity or meaning. I was fortunate enough to have that time to wrestle with ideas I had harbored for way to long.

Some Advise: If this is you, if you are in the biggest hole you of your life perhaps try some of the following

1) Cut off the dead branches: 
Don't get me wrong, you are not cutting people out of your life because you think you are better than them or because you don't need them. You are doing it for other reason. You need to hear your own voice again. Dive deep into your thoughts, your passions and who you are. So slowly withdraw from the people you need to

2) Find Help: 
Do not find a spiritual leader for help when you need help with psychological things, it will only confuse you more. Go to a professional who can guide you in the right direction.

3) Time: 
Don't make to many decisions all at once. Take your time, grow in stature in your new role in life. Learn to trust the person you are becoming, I understand that is hard, but if you have taken a step back and decided to start making conscious decision to improve life and the things around you then its time to trust the new you.

Just some tips and thoughts on that, theres many different ways to skin a cat, perhaps find something that helps for you.

So here it is, the podcast finally! Go enjoy it and let me know what you think. If you want any questions answered email them to me, will be happy to address them in the next podcast keeganlongueira@yahoo.com

Listen to the Podcast here: Cairo to Cape Town  (sound cloud) or follow the "Podcast Link" on apple

This is what the podcast will look like on Sound cloud

Standing on your own two feet

I have flirted with a line of people pleasing and following my own dreams for most of my life. Last year was an incredibly difficult year in terms of business decisions, social decisions and career path decisions. In rough detail I would like to explain things that happened, perhaps it can save you a lot of pain in your own life.

I used to have this idea, as many people do, that contacts and people determine your altitude in life. This meant I needed to keep everyone happy, share everything with everyone and create meaningful relationships to possibly get "opportunities" handed down to me. The problem was, it worked, it led to most of my opportunities in life so far, especially in terms of my adventure. Until it all comes crashing down...

If it wasn't for my unfiltered time alone I would have never learnt how to enjoy myself, my thoughts and who I was. We have the power to be who we want to be. 

I was for the first time in my life shunned for the decisions I made for myself and not for others. When this happened it led to a whirlwind of backstabbing, gossiping and some disgraceful emails, messages and comments that I hope I will never come out for the sake of the people that sent them.

If you struggle with something like this I would suggest:

- Deleting all your social media platforms: 
Find out who your real friends are and who will stick with you when times are tough, it may take some months to eradicate the weeds from your life but eventually you will have a handful of good people in your life. Never forget how those people stood by you when times are tough, but also never let them manipulate you into doing things that aren't right for you just because they were there for you.

- Remove yourself: 
This would mean from social circles and the things you usually do. Are you doing these things for you or has it just become habit. You will find out sooner or later. Spend time with yourself. Read and explore your mind and hobbies again and try with everything in you to learn how to love yourself

- Learn how to say "no": 
If you were like me it was incredibly difficult to say no because I always thought this would come around to bite me and I would miss out on crucial opportunities. Newsflash, you are doing it for the wrong reasons anyway.

I used the best part of a year to retreat and concentrate on my book about Africa and cycling through it to break the Guinness World Record. It was something that I was incredibly proud of but last year had come to doubt myself and what I really was. The year of introspection lead me on a new path.

Remember that people don't rule you, never let people emotionally black male you or manipulate you to get what they want or to hold you back. When last did you say "Fuck off" to somebody who didn't fit into your life and had no right to voice an opinion over your life? Be careful of people who try get to close to you for ulterior reasons. "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer" is one of the most genius manners of controlling people.

I had a friend who had been dating his girlfriend for about 3 years. When he broke up with her his best friend and christian m
entor consoled him and gave him advise on how to move forward through his life. He had been with him from the beginning to the end. One day it came out that it was his best friend who had been sleeping with his girlfriend all along. I can't imagine that, but I find it even more fascinating how naive we as humans can be.

 It may be mean to think The truth is I was so scared to ever say that because of the way I was brought up. I used to think it was my morals that stopped me from saying that, but actually its the fear of what people might think of you, because we all know, we think that at some stage in our life. People need to earn their trust, as do you, so always be honest, even if that means having people turn against you or judge you for your decisions.

Have courage to make bold decisions, scary decision regardless of what anybody say or thinks about it. You have this one life and I truly believe it is a gift to create in it something meaningful that you would like to do.

Everyday I get the opportunity to point people in a good direction in terms of health and making a positive difference in their life. I see people losing 30 kilograms in two months, putting on muscle, doing hand stand walks and hand stand push ups and the biggest message I always try put through it that you can be the conductor to the positive change you want to make in your life and you have the freedom to chose that. Regardless of race to religion, you are not at the will of the waves of life, you have an opportunity to do something and make a difference.

Day 4 and 5: Gasping for Air, Altitude Sickness

Sitting at home on a brisk Highveld morning I thick back to these days on the mountain. How fear and panic had gripped me that night...how I couldn't breathe...I thought it was the end of my climb. It was one of the scariest places I had been in my life. 

Arriving at Mawenzi Hut 

Freezing Cold, tough night

And now again, looking back, it seems impossible that on this massive earth, you can find places where you feel completely and utterly on another planet. Our minds are truly our worst enemies. 

Day 4 was a lovely flat walk to Kikewela Camp at 3600m above sea level. Only rising, 150m vertically that day, my dad and I both knew this would be the last easy day. Like the Navy Seal quote, "the only easy day was yesterday," I felt quite distressed about the next day. 

At camp the temperature had dropped dramatically and we were well below zero most of the afternoon. There wasn't much place to do an altitude hike in the afternoon to acclimatize without exerting oneself to much over big boulders and our guides agreed that we would only hike up a couple meters to a nearby waterfall to take some pictures. "Its good to get your mind of the days, you need to try relax," clearly seeing me get a lot less talkative and reserved during our usual conversations. After our hike we went straight to the tent for dinner. 

My dad and I chatted, he seemed to be suffering from a headache. I knew he wasn't sleeping much, every morning he spoke about how little sleep he had so I assumed this headache may have been caused by the lack of sleep. However, I was still worried about him. Then things started happening to me...

When I was a child I suffered from Asthma. Having an attacking gasping for air feeling as if there is nothing entering your lungs is the most helpless I have felt in my life. Through careful monitoring, exercise and testing I seemed to get better as I got older. But on this day...my breathing was really shallow, I needed to concentrate all the time. I prayed I wasn't getting any type of Asthma Attack. I was terrified to sleep. To my surprise, the night went well, I woke up, not sleeping much, but getting enough rest to tackle our biggest day yet, a hike up to Mawenzi tarn hut at 4315m Above Sea Level. 

My dad had a headache all day, my breathing was shallow. The camp was in a crater it seemed. A huge hike up and over a rock ridge and down towards a small natural lake left us surrounded by huge rock faces. It was exquisitely beautiful but my "claustrophobic" self ran through all possible scenarios about what could go wrong. We hiked up one of the ridges after settling into camp and dropping our gear off in an attempt to get used to the altitude but my dad and I both seemed to be struggling. Some spectacular views of Kibo and Uhuru peak in the distance took my mind of things for the majority of the night and afternoon. 

Altitude Hike took us up to these views

That night the rain started, then the sleet and snow. The tent was leaking, it was freezing cold, and I felt trapped, but after reading some pages of my book decided to get some sleep. About to fall asleep, I tried to breathe...it felt like nothing in my lungs. "Oh shit, oh shit, relax...its not an attack.." I tried to convince myself. I breathed again, even more shallow, and then again more shallow. The rain, the fact that there was no medics up there and that I couldn't really get down the mountain that quickly played over and over in my head. At one point I thought I was going to stop breathing, and there was nowhere to go...Full panic set it. I jumped out of my sleeping bag, feeling the side of the tent..."I need air, I need air..." I said to my dad trying to stay as calm as possible. "You can't go anywhere, the rain!" he said still clearly wide awake. 

I felt emotions rising to the top of my lungs. I said over and over to myself, "relax, relax, calm down." I ripped open the tent and immediately the cold hit my lungs like a ton of bricks making it even scarier, realizing I really couldn't go anywhere. 

"Dad, talk to me, something, just talk..." He knew what I meant, I just needed to be distracted. 

He spoke, until, God spoke...

The whisper on my heart was so vivid..."Get out your book and pen. Write." 

I moved slowly still breathing very shallow. 

"Who made this place?" I felt God saying to me..."You Lord," 

"And who controls it?" I felt again..."You God." 

"...Why do you fear being out of control, can you trust me." I felt, humbled as If God had crumpled me up into a ball in his hands and was holding me tight. It felt as if God breathed into my lungs, I started to slow down my berthing as my mind was consumed by his truth. 

I started to cry. Gently tears rolled down my eyes on that mountain. A wave of revelation hit me as I stood on the shore of Gods heart. And it hit me wave after wave after wave. 

He was the creator not only of the mountain, but the earth and universe to and all the galaxies...and here I was thinking I was in control of my situation. Surrender. I needed to surrender. Like the many days in my life I had tried to be the king of the story, God needed back the crown! 

"I love you Keegan," my heart rested at the Savior's words. These were words I heard over and over on my Africa trip. 

"You will get to the top of this beautiful place. You will go many more places. You are not in control of this story, would you trust me." Just minuted before I was thinking abut getting off the mountain as soon as morning broke and now God was telling me in two days I would be even higher on the mountain and I would be fine. Who was I to object...he had literally saved me many times before. 

I wrote and wrote and wrote. I felt one with the mountain and the cold and snow as if it had to obey the creator and the creator had spoken. I felt as if I was in a trance...

"You okay...you okay," My dads words drowned into my consciousness and surfaced. 

"Yes dad, thank you...I think...I don't know what it was. Asthma, maybe panic, but...im okay now." 

He seemed so confused but thankful that I was okay. I tried to relax and as I lay back down in the dark my head on my pillow I felt so thankful to be alive. I was in awe of the power of God once again. 

Day 3: Hitting the highest altitude

When I travelled by bicycle across Africa, I reached a magical place in the highlands of Ethiopia that was 3111m above sea level. It marked the highest altitude I had ever reached, its quite a profound experience going higher than you have ever been.

Second Cave Camp, mountain hidden by the clouds

My delight quickly turned to panic. Because I was traveling so fast, working so hard and not monitoring what my body was doing I quickly stated to feel sick as I got off my bicycle trying to appreciate the views. I had a headache that was pounding in my ears and I felt as if I was going to see my breakfast again. The feeling was terrible and at the time I had no idea it had to do with altitude.

Fast forward two years and Im waking up in the rain on the slopes of the highest mountain in Africa. The heavenly peaks cast shadows on our camp which lay at 2800m above sea level. Its cold and today I need to wander out into that daunting altitude having no idea what to expect. All around me the views just stole away my fear as God showed off his trees and rocks and cliffs. The birds just wouldn't stop chirping and in the green trees I could hear the monkeys playing.

Our first breakfast in the tent was awesome. Nico whipped up some oats and fruits, filled our water bottles and sent us back to our tent to pack and prepare for the day. Michael headed out in front of us, followed by my dad, then me and then Deo. We walked so slowly it was so frustrating but so important!

I spent my day being still, appreciating the views as I walked. Not much disturbed us up there. I wandered about this ancient place and all the people that had hiked out in front of us for many years. I said a couple prayers for the great men and women that had lost their lives on these peaks. I had a sudden realization of just how small I was on this planet we call home. Thinking of the mountain and the seas, the stars and the galaxies, the eternities of space created by a God so big we couldn't even begin to fathom...
And the beginning of it, and the end of it...It started from, nothing. The thought always played fiddle on my thoughts strung across my mind. God was the beginning and the end, the Alpha and the Omega, it must have driven scientists crazy trying to figure out how all this started from nothing? For an absolute nothingness, my mind is to small to comprehend.
I felt so grateful God had created me and given me a gift to walk on this earth and enjoy his creation and I sure was going to make the most of.

Afternoon acclimatization walk

We rested up high above the clouds and creeped towards camp on day two. 3000...3100...32000, as the air got less and less, we got higher and higher. Each day was a record for myself and my dad, heights we had never reached since then...it was a symbolic feeling.

The camps was a lot busier than night one. It was called Cave 2 and was at 3450m above sea level about. It was very misty by afternoon and we couldn't really sea the mountain peak in all its glory until afternoon. We hiked up steep rocky hills to get onto a plateau and as we did, the clouds majestically rolled away, like a table cloth being pulled away from over food to reveal a massive feast. Every white slope and rock up there shone in the afternoon sun, feeling as if it was so close, almost in reaching distance. It would be another 3 days before we would be anywhere close to it and that again reminded me how big it was.

Kilimanjaro Day 2: Pole Pole

The transfer from Kenya back into Tanzania via the Loitoktok border rose to be quite a challenge again without our yellow fever cards. However getting into a heated debate about South Africa, politics, Jacob Zuma, Marikana and the general future of our land with a border official distracted him past the point of realizing none of us had our yellow vaccination books.

Almost immediately after leaving the border our driver took a sharp right and acceded a hill for about and hour before collecting our guide along the way. Deo had a hug 85L back pack with him and it was my first realization of how tough this climb might actually be. He seemed fresh and ready for an adventure with the two Longueira's. While acceding via 4x4 for another half hour my dad and I ran through a checklist out loud and realized we had managed to leave sunblock behind (my fault) as well as all my t shirts, again obviously my fault. I could punch myself. Our late night celebration the night before leaving was now creeping up to haunt me.

Deo was on it though and managed to organize a motorbike to run down the mountain along the western route and then pick up a tub for a small price and bring it to us at our first campsite on the mountain.

When we finally arrived at the Rongai Gate that stood dwarfishly small under the shadows of the highest mountain in Africa, the 11 porters, cooks and team made light work of the tons of luggage that needed to be heaved up the slopes. There was tents, stoves, pots, pans, clothing, gear, water buckets that were all shuffled and re packed and distributed evenly amongst the 11. Each porters bag, as in line with mountain regulation, had their bag weighed to see if it exceeded any limits. All seemed well and before looking again the brave young men and one women had headed into the forrest and the footpaths heading into the hills and were soon out of site in the clouds.

We were now at 1800m Above Sea Level. Dr Lombards words two days before were returning to me as my heart rate increased, "You will be fine Manuel, its him I am worried about, the young guys usually suffer on the mountain..." he looked at me with genuine concern.

My dad and I geared up, prepared our water, signed the registration book which felt like signing away any last chances to flee from this challenge, and waited patiently as Deo arranged the last of the needed certification that needed to be produced to the park authorities.

My Dad and I starting on our great father and son adventure up Africa's highest mountain

And we were off..."Pole Pole" (pronounced Pauly Pauly) Deo said as we left which meant, slowly slowly...it became our mountain mantra, our concentration, our everything as we chugged towards that icy peak. Before long we were in the clouds and in a beautiful rain forrest on the lower slopes. We stopped and waited at a wooden picnic table in the trees and received a hot cooked meal of spagetti and vegetable sauce about 3kms into the trail. The meal was done by our cook, Nico, who became quite a legend in the days to come. 3 kms took us about 3 hours, going at a really slow rate as to not dance with the little devil know as AMS or acute mountain sickness. We knew all the symptoms by then, headache, confusion, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, shallow breathing and were told to make sure we told our guide as soon as we felt changes in our body. Again I thought back to that fateful day Gugu Zulu passed away.

Another 3kms in we were at camp 1, Simba camp situation 6 km steeply uphill from where we had started just before lunch. It was the only camp we would have on the mountain with green grass and beautiful sunshine for the entire afternoon. The camp lay at 2600m above sea level and just out of the natural forrest. My dad and I shared a little two man tent which was already set up by the crew when we arrived. We went for a short acclimatization hike up the trails for the next day to fulfill the popular belief of hiking high and sleeping low (or lower)

That afternoon resting in the tent just before dinner we got the first clear glimpses of the mountain so majestic and covered in snow. It was truly the biggest natural specimen I had ever seen. They say a photo can't do mountains justice, but no matter how far away you were from this, it still looked absolutely massive on a photo.

Our eating tent, my dad enjoying some soup on day 1

The eating hall was also the same tent most of the crew would sleep in. It was the place we would eat and chat to the crew and proved to be some of the best memories from the trip. After dinner our other guide Michael appeared with the sunblock which really made me feel better about the days to come, because now, the tree cover would be a thing of the past.

The view of Mount Kilimanjaro at Simba Camp 

My dad and I retired early and read on our kindles before falling asleep but waking shortly after to a massive thundershower that hammered down on the sails of our tent for hours. The wet and the rain was something I knew all to well from my camping adventures in Africa and Europe...getting up in the wet and cold and preparing for a long day was probably one of the worst things mentally. I really prayed it would stop at least a couple of hours before it was time to tackle the next day on the mountain.

Kilimanjaro Day 1: Let the expedition begin

I know I had always wanted to do an adventure expedition with my dad, and many times he had spoken about doing some small things back in South Africa. We both came up with the idea to combine the most epic adventure to do in Africa, and do it together! Mount Kilimanjaro.

Flying over Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Meru just before landing for a connecting flight to Kilimanjaro International Airport

The trip planning started up relatively easily!  I connected with my old friends from Kenya who owned and adventure company. They really made the process such a pleasure by explaining all the ins and outs as well as all the major budgeting we would need to do. I booked the trip, we secured the flights picked up some of the gear essentials we would need from Cape Union Mart and Kway and only then did we start doing a little more research on the mountain.

I started to read a book about a man who had summited Uhuru Peak on Kilimanjaro several times by the name of Henry Stedman. He gave a comprehensive guide to the mountain in his book: Kilimanjaro: The trekking guide to Africa's highest mountain. The book gave me some really cool insights into the planned adventure and also, quite frankly, scared the crap out of me.
I had heard about altitude sickness before but thought it was something only for those elite climbers who tackled Everest and Dinali and massive peaks like that, but it seemed that Kilimanjaro had its fair share of challenges.

During the planning there was a terrible loss for all South Africans when Gugu Zulu died on the mountain from complications from flu and altitude sickness. This sent shivers down my spine as well as my moms apparently who became quite un nerved about what my dad and I were planning to undertake. We dug into some serious research and found out that only 44 percent of all who attempted to climb the mountain ever summited and that 4 deaths happened on average a year.

Things were getting quite serious.

We slogged through all the planning, chose our route which we decided would be the Northern Rongai 6 Day route that passed the Mawenzi peak and started to do short hikes to prepare our bodies for the trip. The day after my final CrossFit Open Workout, we flew to Tanzania!

My Dad ready for Tanzania!

The Kibo Slopes driver picked us up and transported us to what felt like forever into Kenya, up some hills and to an altitude of 1700m Above Sea Level where we would spend the night acclimatizing before we would start the hike the next day. The border posts proved quite tricky as my dad and I had both forgotten our yellow fever vaccination card at home. We had thought up all sorts of scenarios to explain our dilemma only to find out we didn't get asked for the cards once!

The Kibo Cottages where incredibly beautiful and tucked away from modern civilization, it was a special time for my dad and I to share a great meal and a local Tusker beer and catch up on many months of conversation. Both having busy lives, we would come to appreciate these moments more and more as the trip marched forward.

Packed and ready to spend the first night in the hills on the slopes of Africa's highest mountain

The next day we would start on day one of an epic club up and epic mountain.... (Check the blog for day 2)

Morocco to Norway: a tale in pictures

The plan was simple, to cycle 10 000km across Europe, from Morocco, Casablanca to Norway. I guess the full plan was to reach NoordKap in Norway but financially I just couldn't reach it...But what an incredible journey! Heres my favorite pictures from Each country and a little summary of each. I hope you enjoy it!

And off I went from Johannesburg International Airport. I caught two flights, one took me to Cairo where I had a stop over and met an amazing young South African on his way to Germany from Cape Town. A month after I got home, I realized that my new friend Dylan, had tragically passed away, taking his own life...the news shocked me. The second flight took me from Cairo to the beautiful city of Casablanca. 

I met some incredible people in Morocco, here I am with a group of students and young men. We sang songs, played guitar and ate a traditional dish served with fresh bread. These guys had so little to share, but their love and hospitality was heart warming. I met them that day, travelled around town with them, slept over at their house and left the next day...they will remain friends for life and we are still in contact. 

I soon realized that the scenery in Morocco was nothing like I had ever seen in Africa. It is a beautifully diverse country with a strong European influence. Its clean, everything works well and the people are super kind, except for one group of teenagers who tried to rob me. After a short fist fight I managed to get away, all in a days adventure. 

When I saw these camels on a beach close to Tangier, I knew I couldnt waste the opportunity to get closer. I parked my bike in a nearby bush and ran down to the beach. I found an old bearded shepherd there who happened to speak English. I chatted to him and he offered me a ride on one of them. Riding a camel on the beach in Morocco, what an incredible thing to experience! 

Hola Amigo! After a week or so I had ridden all the way to Tangier, hopped on a Ferry and left Africa to enter Spain. The beaches were simply wonderful, the sunsets golden and the people exotic and romantically dedicated to their lives. Sleep, great food and family were things valued very highly in Spain. 

Cycling along the Camino Santiago in certain areas was a profoundly beautiful spiritual journey. To think that pilgrims have walked these ancient routes for thousands of years is thought provoking. 

Although it was beautiful, it was cold! Here on top of a mountain, snowing and well below zero. I took my gloves and balaclava off for the photo. 

Posing at a beautiful cathedral next to the brass statue on the Camino Santiago the pilgrims way. I really think Spain was built on Cobble Stones! The architecture blew my mind. 

And then I got to France! The prices went up, so from the border I decided a tent would be the way to go! Which was difficult because of the cold! France was everything I imagined and more. Great foods, great coffee, beautiful towns, concertina's playing in the streets...it was simply amazing. 

I took a train from Paris to Switzerland Zurich for a well deserved break. It was the greatest decision I made. I met the Gahwiller family who impacted my life greatly! Their love for each other, service to family and kindness literally transformed my view on the world and to this day their example inspired me! I found a new family in Switzerland. 

Back on the road after a week off. Camping and cooking in Belguim 

Castles and cobbles in Belguim 

Watching the Giro d Italia in Appeldoorn Netherlands!

Camping along a river in Amsterdam

Thinking about life in the forests of Germany

Denmark and Scandanavia were the most green and lush countries I have ever travelled to.

Setting up camp close to the sea outside Copenhagen. 

Eating lunch along a quiet road in Sweden

Camping in Norway! Free and beautiful

Messing around at a CrossFit in Oslo

An emotional journey done! The time had come to return home. Overlooking the lake in front of the place I stayed in Norway. 

Keegan Longueira book available on Amazon

So excited to share this story with all of you. Picture this, 20 years old, hardly any money, dropped out of University, second hand bicycle setting off on a cold rainy morning to cycle across South Africa. If you want to see how this journey changed my life, have a read.

This is the story of humble beginnings. Told by sports scientists and cycling coaches that this journey would be impossible to breaking a guinness World Record cycling from Cairo to Cape Town 4 years later. See why I do what I do.

You can follow this link and purchase your copy on amazon now: GO BROWSE BOOK

Two Wheels and a Chain: Keegan Longueira's first book available on Amazon

Cairo to Cape Town Adventurer launches brand new "story telling" initiative

On 2 March Keegan Longueira rolled into the Waterfront in Cape Town South Africa, on his second hand bicycle, ager cycling the length of Africa, Cairo to Cape Town in just 59 Days. He beat the previous record held by dutch cyclist Robert Knol, the previous record was 71 Days.

Now the real adventure begins. "Its not about the adventure, its about the stories afterwards that make peoples hearts come alive," said Keegan about his brand new series of talks on the Cairo to Cape Town expedition.
"Usually people write books, we want to revolutionize that, we want to make the audience feel like they are there on the bike with me," he said.

Keegan has spent a good part of the month in the recording studio, re living the entire experience, day by day. The grueling process was finished just in time before he left for the DRC on a medical mission with Operation Smile. The talks will now be mastered and put into chapters which will be available soon. The audio series will be launched on iTunes, sound cloud and the Android Playstore within the next couple of months.

"This is an incredible project and we are proud to be part of it," said Mr Jean Michel Masson owner of Masson Media who committed their media team to the project.

"I really can't wait to get this out there, people can listen in their cars, on their phones, iPads and anywhere they want, I love the freedom in that!" said Keegan.

Attached are the links to the Trailer Video and Audio sound cloud link, explaining the project.

Sound Cloud link: https://soundcloud.com/keegan-longueira/cairo-to-cape-town-audio-series

Brand new start

Welcome to the new logo! We are so proud to launch this logo for future projects and plans we have going on right now. Again we can say to much but this is the start of some really exciting online programs and adventures that are going to be coming to you in a fresh new way.

The brand new website: www.keegan.co.za will be host to some incredible new and exciting content, we definitely will be doing adventure differently. Thanks to Innovative software Developments who have joined as part of our creative team. You guys have done an incredible job!

                                                                  We hope you like it!

Special Announcement: Wednesday 10AM

If you would like to know about what is happening next, log onto the site at Wednesday at 10am to view the new changes and exciting new projects to come!

We cannot wait to share more but its just something we can't release right now. We hope everyone has a fantastic day and is looking forward to the launch!

Officially a Guiness World Record Holder

Yesterday at about 2 in the afternoon the team got an email confirming that I had just become the Fastest Man across the African Continent by bicycle ever!

It was an incredible moment that left me in tears for nearly an hour afterwards. Its been a tremendous 4 years of more failures than successes but all of a sudden it all seems worth the blood sweat and tears.

I just want to thank everyone who was there for me over these past years and supported me through thick and thin. I have learnt so much from the time I have spent exploring and pushing the limits. Eternally grateful.
Keegs