Walk of life.

So, i have just had an awesome last month. To have had something to work towards and to have some hope once again for the future is such a great feeling. The cherry on the top is i get to do what i love. Which is be in Nature and tourism. Surprisingly i am not a natural hiker. My body is more designed for the front row of a rugby scrum. Walking is something i do while i go back to my happy place. Mother nature! My walks have taken some long times and really has just depended on where my head is at the time.

For example.

Walk 1 2010. 665km – 65 days.

Walk 2. 2014 1178km – 105 days.

Walk 3. 2016 335km – 44 days.

Walk 4 2017 487 km – 37 days.

Walk 5 2018 300km – 22 days.

Walk 6 2019 100km – 6 days. Etc….

I have no interest in trying to break records or to set any endurance feats. I tried a few times to raise money for conservation, but it is difficult. So, in future i will just give some support to a charity by creating awareness or help however i can. This period of walks is in aid of Mental health. Time for people to realize we all have a place on this earth and anyone who tells you any different send them my way. The one thing i do know about myself is from 14 years old when my dear Mom passed i have been drawn to nature. I fell in to tourism by chance but it fitted my life exactly. I just wanted to be out there. All i wanted was the peace that it brings.

However, life is not all just about walking in nature, and I dealt with my grief and anger as a child with substance abuse. Just like every other addict my time eventually came, and my body gave in. I cannot explain to anyone the dark place you go to when you are told you have pushed the envelope a little too far and the terrible reality hits that it is the end. I sat through weeks in ICU waiting to die. The thoughts that go through your head would terrify you. For me, the end has not come yet. I am a fighter and i will fight until i do not. So simply put, do not put yourself through what i did. Be nice to yourself. It is going to be ok. Some material things have been taken from us and perhaps some loved ones but unless you are simply stupid and do not take any of the precautions, we will have this behind us in no time. Nature has a natural way of cleansing the gene pool, unfortunately not for stupidity. The conspiracy theorists will still be around but do not let them con you. They know bugger all. So, we need to be strong just to survive.  I am asking you simply to go for a walk in nature. Surround yourself with something or someone positive.

 Yet sometimes we still cannot get away. So, use what you have. Everyday has a sunrise and sunset. When last did you watch it without looking at your phone? Try learning 1 star a week? Or a tree a week? However, if it is not for you and your happy place is on the couch making Macrame out of your chest hair. Spend more time doing it!

I understand that today one does not have time to walk for months. However as i have proven many times in my life! If you want it, you will find a way. It is SOOO easy to just stay in your comfort zone though. Do you want to feel better? You decide. Nobody else should be in control of your life. If you want it? Go find it! What else are you going to do. Sit on the couch sweating bullets on how you will pay the rent???? As you increase your fitness you will start to see more around you and can think about other things besides your lungs burning. The answers to your questions start to appear. Your body goes back to when it all began. You need nutrition and no other extras. No need for excess. Your thoughts are more at peace and before long you will try to be a better version of yourself.

Athletes have discovered that with science they can push themselves many times further and faster than they previously could. My main man Lewis Pugh is doing a sterling job as ambassador to the Oceans and is almost sole handedly saving them. I remember being a youngster and seeing a picture of him in the Sunday times having completed the Channel crossing. With Doctor Otto Thanning, i think. He was still covered in grease for the cold and looked exhausted. What an incredible feat. Now he swims under glaciers in his tighty whitetys. Wow.

Yesterday i heard that Sarah Ferguson is going to swim from Cape Town to Durban…….let that sink in………Durban to Cape Town……….OMG it is unbelievable.

She is in peak shape and with the help of the science of nutrition she will do it. However, it is her mind that will carry her through this. Imagine how strong she must be mentally to swim 2000km give or take 😉

The Walk of life is a long event for most. Most of us do not have a race plan or a food nutritionist to give us max energy to carry on day after day. We wrestle with our spirituality and keep band aiding our problems. Until we eventually explode over something small. We deal with strange people and how their decisions effect our lives, we have pandemics thrown at us and then must deal with the flood of false news spread by people that are so full of themselves that they believe the crap they speak. The average stress level is concerning.

So, you need to take care of yourself, loose the small shit and conserve your energy for things that count. Just like an endurance athlete. Relationships, family, spirituality, friends and most importantly yourself! You need to take time out of your day for yourself.

I saw a Covid positive person in a local coffee shop a few days ago. Someone from a sports club i belong to.

Unfortunately, the reality is that this person does not care one bit if i live or die. I need to take precautions for myself. If you are in a war. Weather you believe in fighting or not. If you do not shoot first, you will be shot first. You or them.

Choose life!!!!!!!!!!!

I was down in the dumps recently so got out some pics of our recent Damaraland Camino to cheer up. What an incredible experience. Two quite different groups but 1 thing in common. They all were positive and were open to healing in their way. We all loved it and felt a lot more at peace after. The comradery of completing a 50km hike through the Namib desert was special and i will remember it forever.

 I initially walked for myself to sort out my mental health. During my walk of life i discovered i was an addict. I dealt with the problem and the long journey back. Now i have been sober for 7 years. I am proud of myself, and it gets easier every day. People ask me if t is hard to stay sober and it really is not. I have seen the reaper and life. I choose life.  Nevertheless, here are a few of the thousands of pics i took along my walks. What an amazing journey Chadmanwalking has already been.

So, i also have some news. Chadmanwalking will do a last Damaraland Camino at the beginning of September. Then we will be relocating to the coast for summer. In true Chadmanwalking style we will be walking there. So, we will do the Damara Camino then add on some days towards the messum crater and on to Cape cross. I will then be doing The Skeleton coast Camino for the summer months.

Whatch this space!!!!!

 However on that note I am getting out of WHK for a while. This Covid 3rd wave is frightening. I am stressed and am finding it hard to cope with all this negativity. So i am going home. Namib desert here i come. My mail will be checked from time to time so please feel free to mail me. I will be back in time for the July walks. I look forward to meeting you all.

Chat soon and stay safe.

Ps, We have a last 2 or 3 spaces left on the 2 Caminos in July.

Camino Dates.

7-11 July

21-25 July

4-8 August

18-22 August

25-29 August

15-19 September

20-?? September Walk to the coast.

chad@wildcherryadventures.com

Chadmanwalking out.