February 2012
10 posts
5 tags
Silly games in angry waters.
We passed through a town called Hermanus right on the coast. It’s one of those coastal towns where lots of South Africans come to vacation, but enough out of the way that fewer foreigners end up, unless on extended holiday. When we first got into town I had dreams of an internet café. When my plan C failed, and no internet was to be found, I was tired and frustrated. A silly frustration really,...
6 tags
Epic camping
I feel like I always know when it’s about time for Marty to pick us up; the sun will hit our backs in that “perfect” spot, and the tiredness starts to set in. This day, Marty excitedly announced that he had found the awesomest camping spot of all as we hopped in the car. He drives about 5 minutes down the road and pulls off on a random dirt road. We got back into this what used to be pine forest...
8 tags
Baboons!
This morning I was determined to get up and “wash” in the ocean. But the sun was still behind the mountain and it was cold! As I got down to the beach I saw Aaron, who had been out of the water for at least 15 minutes, but his teeth were chattering and he did NOT look dry. So instead of fully going in the water, I dunked my head in and gently ran water over my arms and legs. I couldn’t fully...
9 tags
Beauty in dirt
The other day, Aaron and I were walking and needed a break. We found a cave! It was just at a point before a turn in the road, and a perfect hiding place, just above the trucks and cars passing by on the road. We sat and shaded ourselves from the sun while doodling in the dirt with sticks. Sometimes it’s the simple things in life. Aaron showed me his “mark” that he has created to represent...
9 tags
Morning of animals!
Aaron says I’ll get used to waking up early within a month, AND start to like it! I am not a morning person, and I don’t want to believe him but he might be right. Going to bed early helps. The other morning I woke up, and Aaron made us our version of oatmeal, which is oats soaked in water with sugar. Basically oatmeal, just cold. It’s quite good in the morning though. He went down to the water to...
8 tags
"buy a donkey"
Many times people shout out to us from the side of the road. This was a particularly hot afternoon, and on a weekend I think, so many people were taking rest in the shade. We were walking by another settlement, and there was a younger couple (about our age) and an older woman sitting out on a blanket under a tree. The younger man was wearing nothing but his underwear. But as we were walking, he...
12 tags
Siestas: Mitchell, Nancy, and cows
Today I had no water to start the day. Makes a person exhausted, no water. And this was only not having it for a few hours. Imagine longer. Eventually we come to a place with water near the beach. There was a park ranger who helped us out immensely. In general, the park people and cops are actually nicer here than in the states, which is great, although I’ll admit, unexpected. Then we met a man...
8 tags
Joe Fisher
Today we were walking, and I was really needing a shade break. We were kind of near some settlements (during apartheid the SA government removed colored people from their homes and ‘resettled’ them elsewhere. This is where people still live today. Now just known as “the settlements”), but there was one small little tree, barely enough shade to actually be worth it, and some would call this a...
Bicycle Theology and Apartheid in South Africa
A man has a bike. It gets him to and from work, allowing him to get to work quickly, spend time with his family, and not spend money on other transportation. Then one day, it is stolen. The man ends up losing his job because he can’t get to work, his family suffers, he has to relocate to a bad neighborhood, and everything in his life starts to fall apart, piece by piece. Then one day he comes home...
12 tags
Day one of walking!
We literally felt like we were carrying the ring into Mordor.
Day stared by saying, “The truly wise man allows himself 5 minutes of foolishness every day, just for the hell of it - but in this case we’ll make a whole day of it”. And that might have stayed true. It was an adventure; visibility was 100ft, 50 mph winds, slick rocks, cliffs, and only barbed wire or deep...
January 2012
9 posts
Land Rover and Language!
After three nights at the hostel, we located a guy who would house us for free. Yeah couch surfing!!! So far, we have everything ready except the vehicle. Two days of car-shopping, and we think we know which one we want. A giant pine-green tank. Well, not exactly, but it looks like it would hold up just about as well. It’s a 1975 Land Rover Defender… with ALL the extras. Brush guard,...
9 tags
Careful out there, all you travellers!
I just had some money lifted from my bag. Not a devastating amount, but enough to hurt. Live and learn, I guess. I’ll keep a closer eye on our stuff from now on.
10 tags
Right side or Left side???
Learning how to drive on the left side of the road can be challenging to say the least. It’s one thing just learning how to drive on the left side and completely another to do it while driving a stick shift in a foreign country with people walking in and out of traffic. Your heart can jump a few times going around a corner and seeing a car coming right at you in the right lane (or at least your...
5 tags
Cape Town at last!
Customs was a piece of cake… they glanced at our passports and away we went. We arrived at Riverlodge Backpackers hostel (which, by the way, is the most awesome hangout around) and settled in. It’s a kinda hippie-ville corner, with near daily dj, bar, fire-spinning, trampoline, etc… This would be our home for the next few days until jet lag wore off, supplies were rounded up, and a vehicle...
8 tags
Aaron's thoughts of the day
Hey guys,
We’re going to try to keep you updated as much as possible!!! We are safely in Cape Town and enjoying the weather and scenery here. Today we did an awesome hike! Tomorrow we are land rover hunting and praying for a good one! Loving the people and culture here so far.
Here are Aaron’s thoughts as he reflects on the past few days:
Pen in hand. Mind is blank. So, where to...
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WHY by Amy
People travel for all sorts of different reasons.
Some people are running away from their current reality.
Some people are running towards their dreams.
Some people are just looking for a place to belong.
Some people travel for special occasions, the happy, like weddings, and sad, like funerals.
Some people travel for work; business suits, expensive dinners, fancy wines.
Some people travel to...
December 2011
3 posts
8 tags
8 tags
November 2011
5 posts
“I dream of an Africa which is in peace with itself.”
– Nelson Mandela, anti-apartheid activist and former President of South Africa. (via friendlyneighborhoodlatino)
5 tags
“Investing as little as 0.16 percent of the world’s gross domestic product...”
– Drinking Water Access Urged in Report
“The situation greatly changes as soon as your perspective does.”
Sudan: You can't eat democracy or freedom →
“It’s a familiar refrain after a year of protests and revolutions across Africa and the Middle East. For all the grandiose talk of democratic change and people’s hunger for freedom, the truth is that most of the seismic changes in the region this year were primarily a result of economic rather than political frustrations.”
October 2011
4 posts
11 tags
“Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or...”
– Robert Kennedy
September 2011
4 posts
7 tags
Trash Land Life →
Check out these incredibly powerful photos from the capital city of Mozambique.
4 tags
We're recruiting! →
There are a few openings on our AFRICA team, and we wanted to open it to you! What are you doing for the next two years? Why not walk across a continent?!?
Be part of our team; the first US Citizens to complete a trek of this length in Africa.
Know someone who would be perfect for this? Please pass it on.
Space is limited - email us at info@walking4water.org for more info.
5 tags
The water situation in Libya
Much of Tripoli’s water comes to the capital through a 1,700-kilometer pipeline from an aquifer deep in the Sahara desert, an area that is apparently still under the control of pro-Gadhafi forces. Basically, they have sabotaged the flow. The massive holding tanks to the south of Tripoli are said to be virtually empty and 60% of the city’s residents are without mains water. Many have...
W4W's Amy Russell was chosen as Activist of the... →
August 2011
3 posts
7 tags
Walking4Water on Facebook →
July 2011
8 posts
5 tags
Leadership Lessons from Nelson Mandela →
Click to read some of the Leadership Lessons from one of the “Giants” of our time, Nelson Mandela. He will never be forgotten.
His particular style of leadership was fuelled by an innate inner strength, a deep sense of self-confidence and years of patience honed in an apartheid jail. The characteristics that define Mandela, who was the right leader at the right time, provide clues...
Walk4Water in MSNBC!!!! →
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WatchHooray for South Sudan! Your day has come.
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Check out this article for Amy's CT walk! →
Executive Director of Walk4Water, Amy Russell will be walking across her hometown state of CT as a warm-up walk from July 16-22nd!
Click the link to see an article written about this adventure!
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WatchVery interesting perspective on the South Sudan split. Tomorrow is the day!
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“You may not know it, but water-related diseases are the biggest killer of...”
– Water Aid
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Africa's newest country; South Sudan! →
We covered the news for you when Sudan was having their referendum this past January, and now the results of that vote is coming into action with the creation of South Sudan, which will be its own country as of Saturday.
7 tags
Compelling video about the reality of the world... →
This video will stop you in your tracks.
June 2011
11 posts
4 tags
Hope for Families supports Walk4Water →
Hey everyone. Check out the Hope for Families websitehttp://www.hopeforfamilies.org/. They have posted a link to our page to support our efforts of bringing clean water to the world. Since their inception, Hope for Families has made it a priority to also be involved with clean water solutions globally, recognizing the incredible affect it has on eliminating poverty. See our link...
6 tags
6 tags
Spotlight on team member on Josiah →
Check out the spotlight on Josiah, who plays an important role on our team! He’s the best! http://www.walking4water.org/team.html
5 tags
WatchCheck out this CNN Hero’s story to understand the stigma of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
Some memorable quotes: “If I died, I wasn’t dying of AIDS, I was dying of the stigma”…. ”HIV is with us. So the church must change its attitude”.
The Walk4Water team will be working with organizations tackling this issue while abroad.