June | 2022 | Chadmanwalking

So having spent 3 weeks in hospital with my leg finding a life of its own i realized how much stress people are under. Its no wonder there are so many strange people out there. Some of the shit i have seen in my life has no logical answers lol. No body prepared us for all this hey lol…. The fact remains though that we will never find out what someone else is going through. Medical, financial, family, work, health its endless. Honestly if you have made it this far you can give yourself a pat on the back. Cut yourself a break and be kind to yourself. It is something that i have never been able to do but i intend working on that. Life is very short . Somehow i always put others first. That has its merits but what about my life? I do feel better when i help someone but with having some health issues recently maybe i need to focus more on mysef and the lovely people in my life. In return with me being in a better space the more i will be able to help others? Nice theory, lets try it out 😉

Stress.

Yowzah. We all know about it and we all supposedly try to work towards having less.

I guess on the inside I stress a lot. I overthink things and take things too personally. At school my parents were called in and they wanted to put me on some calming tab as they said I had ADD. Not proven though 😉 So my folks told them to take a flying F%$@ at a rolling doughnut. Then later in life I was told by a shrink I had an impulse control disorder. That one I Kinda believe. I have a serious pension for excess though. When the going gets tough the Juggernaut goes big. When I drank it was a lot, when I partied it was hard and all the trimmings that go with it 😉 When I choose a goal it is always a big one. I recon most of the things I have achieved in life is just because i am so bloody minded I just do it. If someone thinks I can’t? Then I CAN!!!!! 😉

When Covid hit and the ass fell out of tourism I was stressed. As we all were. However, with me stopping all my vices I started to stress eat. In 1 year of Covid I ballooned up to 185kg. Unbelievable hey. Sjoe, I could hardly move. That is what stress does to you. My medical doctors where all in a toestand and I was now dying because of fat. First Booze and Drugs now Fat.

Jeeeez depressing. The road in front of you seems endless. How will I ever recover. I was 50 years old. Surely that is too late. There must be a way I can do this quickly and make a plan. Just like on tour. 100 % devotion to making sure the guests are safe and we get to the next destination.?????????? Who can I speak to? What diet should I follow……………?????There are pills……injections??????

Then reality hit.

How did I stop booze, Drugs, and my previous debauched life??????

I DID IT.

Yip unfortunately there is not a thing on or off this earth that can solve your problems except yourself.

As I have mentioned before I have had a few close shaves with death. Somehow my body survived but the head is the hard part. I won’t go into specifics as we all have different ways of getting to the same answer. However, when you really really really have only one choice, Booze, or Life???? Not because you should stop or someone wants you to stop. Because YOU really want to. The answer for me was easy. I choose life!!!!!!!! overeating or life. I choose life!!!!!!! Drugs or life. I choose life!!!!!!!! Stress or life??????? I choose life. I choose these things becoause they were my vices or problems. Everyone has different things. This goes for everything in your life. If its slowly killing you its your choice to let it continue or stop it?

I now weigh 123kg and have lost 62kg in 1 ½ years. I just want my life back and I am taking it back!

Which brings me to the last five weeks. Wow I must admit I was sick. I don’t really remember much about the initial hospitalization but apparently, I was a a real headache. I gashed an eye, cracked a rib and eventually they put a 24hour nurse in my room to keep me in bed. I was hellbent on going to the Kunene Camino. I then bullied my way out which was too soon and then hurt it again on the first Damaraland Camino.

I ended up back in Swakopmund hospital and then 10 days of more antibiotics and I can now eventually walk again.

We live to walk another day.

So, if I choose this way of life, I need to pace myself. I love doing these Caminos however as I have just recently learnt (for the 1000^th time in my life) If I want to give the best possible service, food, and experience to my guests on my Caminos, I need to do it myself!

A Half-hearted attempt at service and just get by VERSUS the best damn service in Namibia and to make a difference in someone’s life.????????????? I choose the best damn service in Namibia. My choice!!!!

Just like life.

I have also had a big interest in Business teams doing teambuilding and pvt groups of hikers that want to do something new. As I have a lot of walking behind me now, I know of so many incredible places to walk. We are going to walk some tough new routes and make it fun 😉, So I need time for that.

I will also be able to do over the horizon support for various sports should people require.

The Kunene and BRANDBERG Caminos were so awesome I will do an Autumn and Spring version and I will be limiting my Caminos to 16 Walkers.

At first, I was amazed at how much my colleagues were charging for their walks, but I now see why. To move people, water, food, etc…. across huge areas is not cheap. So, 2023 my prices will be more market related. Still great value for money but realistic.

Namibians and SADC residents will still receive a 20% discount when booking directly with Wild cherry adventures.

My Caminos are slackpacking wilderness trails. You carry only your day bag and we do the rest. We transport your luggage, cook, clean, put up tents etc… We include, tent, camp bed, mattress, matress cover, Sleeping bag and pillow (or bring your own), guide (however you will be able to walk at your own pace), 2 x man back up team, 3 x meals a day, bush toilet and shower with total privacy, borehole water, food made with love and positive vibes.

Not included, drinks and snacks. Please bring your own.

Camino Dates and rates 2023

Brandberg Autumn Camino 8 Days. N$11999 sharing N$13999 single tent

29-Apr 07-May 125km

Kunene Autumn Camino 11 Days. N$14999 sharing N$16999 single tent

18-May 29-May 155km

Damaraland Camino 5 days N$8999 sharing N$10999 single tent

07-Jun 12-Jun 50km

05-Jul 10-Jul 50km

19-Jul 24-Jul 50km

02-Aug 07-Aug 50km

Kunene Spring Camino 11 Days. N$14999 sharing N$16999 single tent

1 September to 11 September 155km

Brandberg Spring Camino 8 Days N$11999 sharing N$13999 single tent

23-Sep 01-Oct 125km

Skeleton Coast Camino 5 days N$8999 pp sharing N$10999 single tent

11-Oct 16-Oct 72km

25-Oct 30-Oct 72km

All rates are RACK rates and a 20% STO rate applies to all NTB registered agents.

Please note. Namibian and SADC residents booking directly with Wild cherry adventures will also receive a 20% discount. This is not applicable to agents.

I am also looking for a person to help me with emails, bookings, hopefully bookkeeping etc… I recon it’s a stay-at-home person or someone that already works from home and is looking for something extra. It’s certainly not a full-time job at this stage. If you read this and think you fit the bill. Please send me an email chad@wildcherryadventures.com

Myself and my team will be on the road doing it properly and at a pace I can sustain. Its not about money and never ever should be.It should be about way of life and what makes you happy.

Choose Life!!!!!!!

Ps The prices for 2022 remain unchanged 😉 So book now. 😉

Also the Damaraland Camino’s are full until 27 July. So book now.