Launch Details

Launch Date: 27 April 2011 (Freedom Day)
From: Vida e Caffe, Camps Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
Time: From 8am

Vida e Caffe will be hosting my launch!!! Yay!!! :D

And what's more is that they are sponsoring Quattro Muffins!!! Double Yay! ;))

So, come join me and have a coffee:

And a free muffin:

And enjoy a bit of drumming!
Drumming?
Yes, drumming!! :D

Drumming friends are coming from all over to give me my ultimate send off!
So if you happen to have a drum....bring it with! And if you have drummer friends in Cape Town...bring them with as well! ;)

At around 10am/ 11am, I will then set off towards Malmesbury via the N7.

Seeing as it's 'Freedom Day'...dress code =

:)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :)) :))

KIDDING!!!!!!!


Looking forward to seeing you all there! :)

If you have any queries...just drop me a mail. ;)




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My Drums

From the moment I conceptualized my dream of wanting to be the first woman to circumnavigate the African continent on a bicycle, music (especially drums) played an integral part.

I consider music to be a tool.
One you can use to - cheer yourself up, express emotions, express creativity, connect with others.
Music has great power. We all know that.
And it is with this in mind that I take my two new Djembe drums with me on my trip around the Mother Continent.

The idea is to use these drums as a means to connecting with the people I come across on my journey. There will be times where I will not be able to understand a language in a certain area I find myself in. With the drums, it just makes it a little easier.
It's also meant to show people that "I come in peace". ;) "I want to connect with you, share with you, learn from you".

Drumming has always been something I am very passionate about. It's something buried deep within my being. I can't really explain it. All I know is: When I hear the call of the drums, I follow.

Thanks to Gavin Bezuidenhout, from The Drum Zone, I now have my djembe's that I will be carrying with me.
They're small (Gavin gave me the choice of any size drum), but in all reality it just wouldn't be practical for me to take even slightly bigger drums. With all the gear I will be carrying, size and weight really starts becoming an issue.

I have no doubt, however, that I will take on more instruments as I go along. Maybe even swapping out with people I meet along the way. Who knows. :)

So now I still need to think of names for my companions.
As most of you know by now, my bike's name is 'Luna'.
Any suggestions welcome! ;)

Also - should you happen to find yourself in the Cape Town (Camps Bay to be more specific) are around the 27th April (Freedom Day), come say goodbye as I launch from Vida e Caffe! Join us for a coffee. And if you have a drum, bring it with. There will be drummers from all over joining in, in wishing me 'bon voyage'. :D I couldn't not wish for a better send-off. It is going to be absolutely fantastic! (more info to come)

So I just really want to say THANK YOU, to Gavin Bezuidenhout, for sponsoring my drums! You have no idea what an important role they are going to play on this journey!
Thank you so much!







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Stuck On The Bike - Almost there!!

This time next week I will have spent a little over 29 hours on a stationary bike at Tyger Valley Shopping Center in Cape Town!!

The initial idea was that I would get on to a stationary bike and not stop pedaling until I had reached my target. BUT... a few difficulties surrounded that idea.

1. I might just still be on that bike this time next year!!! LoL
2. I couldn't secure a willing venue sponsor without having a set time period.

So, after a long discussion and some convincing from Hanret...I settled for 48 hours.

I was afraid that it wouldn't have the desired impact. That it wouldn't have that same WOW factor. I have since decided that I should have my head read! LoL
I guess it is because I always have to push the boundaries.
"Go big or go home" - that's how I feel.

I have worked hard at getting this together and have had a great deal of tremendous help from my amazing friends...old and new.
Friends having to go over my proposals, my press releases. Friends calling in favors to help me. Friend helping get banners designed, printed, flyers printed, paper sponsored, painting walls to raise awareness. Friends helping spread the word. Friends supporting me and encouraging me when I'm freaking out at the amount of stuff that needs to be done and thought of.

Friends - My friends...the best in the world!!!!

What needed to be done, has been done. And now...I hope. I hope people will support me and take part in helping me realize my dream. In helping Verity and her band record their future album. In helping to raise some money for charity.

In helping to make a difference.

I've been getting a particular question more often in the last week or so. At least once a day someone will ask me: "So? You excited yet?"...
I am very excited about the Africa trip. I have no doubt whatsoever that it is going to be an absolutely amazing journey and that I will achieve the goal I have set for myself.

For 'Stuck On The Bike' - I think I will start getting excited on Thursday evening/ Friday morning. Until then I am still focussed on spreading the word, making sure everything is in place, making sure I've thought of everything needed. The last few days before any big event is when I slip into 'silent mode'. I get very quiet and might even seem uninterested in everything around me. That is only because I slip into intense focus mode. Going over to do lists in my mind, thinking about the event ahead, dissecting all aspects of it.
It's like the night before you leave on holiday. You're busy packing and making sure you've made the necessary bookings, packed what you will need, filled the car's tank, checked the tyres, confirmed your accommodation etc.
Then when you get there you get to just enjoy it.

When I get there, when I'm on that bike...then I'll get to just enjoy it. :)

Clinton Poson, who sponsored me with a Camelbak, roped in his brother's help to get some banners printed for the event. He dropped them off earlier this evening and they are STUNNING!!! A huge thank you to them both!

Flyers are being printed in Cape Town. Friend got a friend to get a paper merchant to sponsor some paper and a printer to sponsor the printing. So we're having 1200 flyers printed.

The venue is sorted. The bike is sorted.
Media a bit slow on the uptake still...so I will still try and get a few people on board to help spread the word until Friday.

All is just about sorted. :) Happy days!

I even got permission to take my 'little mascot' Hvir into the shopping center!!!! LoL
So next week Hanret, Hvir and myself will be driving down to Cape Town. Mother City...Ready or not, here we come! :D

For more information:
Stuck On The Bike
Facebook Group
Verity
Hello Africa


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Stuck On Adventure!

11 Days to go for 'Stuck On The Bike'.

And only 109 Days before Launch for Africa!!!

I am getting very excited. Yes, there's still LOADS to do before 11 February...but that's okay. I know what I am capable of and I know it's going to be absolutely fantastic!!

So remember to visit: Verity's website or Hello-Africa to donate and get 2 CD's!!! And a percentage of funds raised will go towards helping a charity close to my heart. For more info also check out:
Stuck On The Bike
Facebook Group
Facebook Event

I have some exciting news, which I can't quite share just yet. But it will take this trip to a whole new level!
I am still waiting on a whole lot of potential sponsors to give me a definite 'yay' or 'nay'. I will tackle these once I get back from Cape Town and Stuck on The Bike.

We're leaving beginning of November. We're driving down. Hanret (my rock of support and one of my very best friends),Hvir (my 'little' mascot) and yours truly. Can't wait!!!! Counting down the days. And since I now have a better idea of what the venue actually looks like...I'm even more excited. It looks absolutely amazing!!!

Today is my 'creativity' day. My creative soul is shouting at me...I haven't been painting, writing, singing, drumming...in quite a while. Just been sooo busy with everything else. But that's no reason for an excuse...I know.
So today I went off with my friend Telana Simpson, the Onematchstick girl and we got creative. Paint...spray paint...wall...can only mean one thing.
Graffiti!!!!
My graffiti was done in order to promote Stuck On The Bike.
Telana's to promote her Swarm Party.

Now I'm planning on losing myself in some drumming. Oh btw...I'm taking a drum with me around Africa!! ;)

Life is good...

"Get out of the pool of fear and take a swim in the ocean of possibility" - JR

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

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Waiting Game

No, I'm not referring to either the song or the television show... ;)

I have now reached that point where, although a whole lot is going on and happening, I have to play the waiting game.
Waiting for answers, waiting for feedback, waiting for confirmation...waiting for rain. :)

Not that it's a bad thing entirely. It is just that it can get a tad frustrating at times.

Said I was taking the weekend off...which I did. Said I was going sailing...which I did. And man...did I get more than I bargained for?!?
Saturday started out with good wind, and 'moi' getting a crash course in "Sailing for dummies". :p
I am happy to report that I do not get sea sick!! Thank goodness. Even when mother nature put my 'adventurous spirit' to the test in 30 knots wind...I was as cool as a cucumber. I must admit, however, that I never realized just what hard work sailing can be! And...am thinking I like this sailing business. Might just get myself a boat! But not now...I am CYCLING around Africa after all. :D



All this 'on the water' activity have inspired me! So I have decided I should make use of the rowing machine standing in the study...all on it's own. Poor thing. I've got as far as the kitchen!! Keep getting stuck there... LoL

So I have a big important exciting meeting tomorrow morning...and hopefully the waiting game will forfeit.

Only 23 Days to go to Stuck On The Bike! Please make sure to follow the updates and if you're in Cape Town...Please come say hello!!!! I'll have a lot of time to kill!

And if you're on Facebook, feel free to join my Facebook Group: "Jolandie Rust - Wild At Heart" for more updates and tidbits. (The group has now grown to nearly 1200 members!)

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Progress!!

Woke up this morning with this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. A feeling of contentment.

Wasn't sure as to why (not that I would rather wake up with a feeling of panic or rage or something...was just odd), until I switched on my laptop and started reading my emails.

THE mail that I have been waiting for, for the last....two weeks maybe. Something that I have really been struggling with. And there it was --->
A potential venue for 'Stuck On The Bike'!

I cannot explain to anyone just how happy I was. I mean it's not like these people gave me a definite yes. But it was just the fact that SOMEONE actually got back to me....SOMEONE out there is willing to help! For a moment there I thought all the 'potential venue sponsors' had died and gone to the mall in the sky! :p

So I have a telephone conference with these people in Cape Town tomorrow afternoon. I am projecting positive energy and manifesting all kinds of wonderful stuff. Well, I am 'projecting' what I wish to manifest. The manifestations just need to get a move on and manifest already!! LoL :D

A friend of mine used to call me 'The Magical Manifestor'. I should try regain that title.

Once the venue is secured...the rest is easy. The rest I've been through and have organised a million times before. Media, support, gear etc etc etc. With a great deal of help from my magical friends of course!

Lets see what else I can manifest this week. ;)


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Regroup

Today was 'regrouping' day.

Setting and getting clear on goals. Especially concerning 'Stuck On The Bike', my fundraising event in October.

It is clear that my biggest 'issue' around this event is securing a VENUE!!
I have decided that the event should take place in Cape Town. Yes I am from Jozi, but seeing as I will be launching and ending my journey around Africa in Cape Town, I think it links in well having the fundraising event there.

Yesterday I might have felt a tad demoralized, but only in a minute capacity.
I think most of the people that really know me, know that there is just NO way that I am EVER giving up on this. Plus, in my opinion, I have put way too much time and energy into this. So giving up would be a great waste.

After yesterday's post I have received a few mails and messages of support and motivation. The gist of these messages being that of support from my ever loyal friends and their belief in me. A big thank you to those who sent me these messages!

And a BIG thank you to my friends who forever have to proofread my proposals and press releases. For all your input and wonderful support and for kicking my ass :) THANK YOU!!!! :)

"Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else"
-- Brian Tracy


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