KNYSNA NEWS - A retired couple from Knysna have reached the final stretch of an epic journey that started on bicycle in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, all the way through Europe and across Africa, and now their "finish line" Cape Town is finally in sight – 18 months later.
Peter and Colleen McNulty, who have been residents of Knysna since 2001, speak boldly of experiences they say they will never forget, and of people who have left them with a lifetime of memories.
“We've met some incredible and hospitable people, the scenery has been amazing and the food really interesting. I've waited 29 years to do a cycle trip from Amsterdam to Cape Town and it's culminated in the journey of a lifetime, although we're not quite finished yet,” said Peter during their visit to the Knysna-Plett Herald offices this week. “Africa is safer than people think,” he said, adding that food and accommodation were never a problem.
'Warmly welcomed everywhere'
“In most African countries we were warmly welcomed, we were given a place to sleep at no cost, and people opened their homes and hearts to us. It's been really special,” reiterates his wife Colleen.
Peter said he initially planned to do the trip with his brother, who ended up getting married and moved to Australia.
“I asked my wife to join me… She laughed and told me to send her postcards,” he chuckled, admitting that it took some convincing before Colleen eventually drew inspiration from a younger couple who were also cycling enthusiasts.
“I was told that I might do it slower than them though I would easily manage, but more importantly, enjoy it. So I said yes, let's do this.”
Peter had just retired and three weeks later, during May 2017, he and his wife flew to Amsterdam to start their great trek south.
'I didn't plan much into this'
“I didn't plan much into this," he said. "We selected the countries we would be visiting, took the necessary injections, prepped the bikes and off we went.”
They only had a three-month visa for Europe but managed to ride through the Netherlands, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece and Turkey. They stopped along the way to meet old friends and make new ones, took detours to see monuments and historical buildings, and even contemplated abandoning the trip during the Knysna fires last year.
“Our home is in Paradise. We received calls from friends telling us that our neighbour's guesthouse had burnt down. At one point we even calculated our losses because we were convinced it was all gone. But a few days later we got the news that our home was fine and that our two cats were also safe. We decided to continue.”
Peter and Colleen McNulty at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, at the end of the first leg of their journey. Photo: Supplied
The European leg of the trip ended at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque known as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, where they were advised to "take a breather" and rest for a couple of months as it was a really hot time of the year to continue into Egypt and they wouldn't be able to bear the weather.
One last breather
The couple returned to Knysna, where they touched base, took a bit of a rest and gathered themselves for the next chapter – Africa.
"We returned to Knysna on 1 September 2017 for 10 weeks to wait for the weather to cool down in Egypt, and to assess the fire damage in Knysna, then flew to Cairo on 19 November 2017 and continued,” they said.
This leg continued through Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania (including Zanzibar), Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Lesotho – 20 countries in total.
“The number 20 is now special to us,” said Colleen. “We spent our 20th anniversary in Zanzibar, we visited 20 countries, and on the day we reached Knysna, we clocked 20 000km.”
The route followed by the McNulty couple.
Stories for a lifetime
The couple have fantastic stories about how unused underground tunnels in Italy have been converted to cycle paths where sensors trigger fairy lights to guide the way through the darkness; the special history of the Abu Simbel Temples in Southern Egypt; their security escort in a volatile place in Egypt; cycling through national parks between elephants and game; and having picnics on the road and encounters with strangers who became family.
“It's been fantastic and I never want to stop doing this. We're planning more cycle trips to cover more of Europe, Asia and just about as much as we can do,” said Peter enthusiastically.
“I was told by someone just before we started the journey that I'm going to have the time of my life. Right now that seems like an understatement. It's so much more than that,” said Colleen.
The McNulty couple will continue their journey on 26 November when they cycle from Knysna to Cape Town, and are expected to reach the V&A Waterfront on 9 December.
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