Travels through Bolivia

Bolivia is one special country! I loved the authenticity, the people and it's untamed beauty. This video shows our adventures while travelling from Copacabana (Cocobanana) and Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca, through La Paz to hot and humid Rurrenabaque where we did a jungle survival tour and spent a few days swimming with pink dolphins, caimans and piranhas in the Pampas. We then went south to the old silver mines of Potosi and Tupiza, allegedly the final resting place of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. From there, we did a tour through the Eduardo Avaroa National Park and southern Bolivia, famous for its coloured lagoons, abundance of flamingos, geysers, the driest desert in the world and the massive salt flats of Uyuni.

I love it when you talk foreign - travels through Bolivia from Megan Nowell on Vimeo.

Berlin, Germany

Not too long ago, the governing mayor of Berlin described his city as 'poor, but sexy.' As it turns out, it is also cheap, but stylish, high-tec, but crummy and classy, but dirty. The split-personality is always evident. I love how the people here have embraced the paradoxical city and created their own unique laid-back, arty identity.  

Chellah, Morocco

I often wonder what it is that makes sultan after emperor after king build their towns on the very same spot. I pondered this thought while walking through the remnant layers of Chellah, once a Phonecian village, a Roman town, an Almohad necropolis, Merinid complex and now... tourist garden. This is one of those magical sites that keep drawing people back. It's location (once upon a time) on the banks of the Bou Regreg river would certainly have been a plus, but there is no view to write home about and the slope couldn't have been easy to build on. And yet, as you walk among the ruins, topped by the nests of the new rulers of Chellah (the storks), there is some powerful energy that captivates the soul.

Otranto, Italy

Otranto marks the very tip of the heel of the Italian boot. The Adriatic and Ionian seas meet against the salty walls of the town giving it the feel of one of those places where the natural elements (location included) have given it more of a history than the residents past. We followed the procession of Christ through the dark streets (it was Easter weekend) as eerie shadows of saints and sinners morphed along the ancient castle walls. My favourite part of the town was the impressive and unconventional mosaiced floor of the church depicting the tree of life and all its weird and wonderful life forms.

Organyá, Spain

I never imagined that I could follow an eagle in mid-flight, high above the olive groves, gliding across the breath-takingly beautiful Organyá valley. This is one of the most popular paragliding spots in Spain and as the wind became less fierce and irrational, so the sky filled with coloured paragliders and feather friends. The cowboys of the air vied for a little room to resume their state of bliss high above the mountains, performing crazy tricks with remarkable agility as the sun settled slowly into the Pyrenees.  

Málaga, Spain

Málaga is a delightfully underrated city. Being one of the oldest cities in the world, she has somehow mastered the art of simultaneously falling apart and keeping up with the times. Ancient ruins spy on strobe-lit clubs from their lofty viewpoint, while renaissance cathedrals are the backdrop for many a modern cafe. The warm, colourful, laid-back Andalusian culture somehow gels it all together, giving the city a relaxed and quietly awesome vibe.

And as for the tapas, find yourself a local knight to guide you to Bodega Bar El Pimpi for some of the best in town.  

The Mongol Derby

Today I have the pride, the privilege...nay, the pleasure of interviewing a woman more courageous than any knight. Barbara Seele is a true intrepid adventurer with a spirit stronger than a thousand wild Mongolian horses. And Mongolian horses she will be riding on an epic adventure following Genghis Khan's legendary postal system.

Barbs, you’re setting off to do the Mongol Derby this August. That’s the longest, toughest horse race in the world! I mean, you’ll be riding 1000km on horseback as fast as you can with no marked route! What the heck were you thinking?

Simple intrigue. Call of the wild. And for once, just a sense of clarity and peace: I'm going to enter. Full stop, or rather: exclamation mark!

(How does one respond to such an extraordinary undertaking?) What sorts of preparations are required to get ready for 10 days of galloping across the Mongolian steppe?

Initially I just thought: ride ride ride. Now I realize it's a whole lot more. Can one ever be truly prepared? One of the wisest things a past-derbyist said to me is: "practise making your own luck. And just be sensible and practical." I think there are three parts to 'preparing': 1) physical prep: for me this involves riding (as much trotting bareback as possible - it's a toughie), running in the mountains (keeps me sane), following my gym program, and doing as much fun stuff as possible: surfing, climbing and slacking. 2) Mental: getting used to being in lonely, seemingly forlorn situations, and not losing hope - breathing, and 3) spiritual (without sounding too esoteric) - creating an open space with no expectations to allow the horses, the people, the land to teach  and guide me.

And then of course, this vegetarian of 17 years will begin to eat meat on the 7th June to prepare myself for the Mongolian cuisine of mutton & goat.

What essential supplies will you need to carry with you?

So we're only allowed to carry 5kg of supplies (ha ha, this I only found out after entering). Time to de-clutter my life and figure out what I really need. Back to basics. This will include a sleeping bag, first aid kit, headlamp, emergency blanket, futurelife, spare socks, waterproofs, a spare pair of contact lenses (essential), tack repair kit, thank you gifts for the Mongolian families, GoPro, Polaroid camera (hopefully), Flicka, and a few photos of loved ones. Have I thought of everything?

You’ll be riding to support two charities, namely the S.A. Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA) and Cool Earth. Could you give us a little more information of what they do?

SARDA is an organisation that supports disabled children by offering horse riding lessons (therapy in motion) free of charge. I will specifically be supporting the Durban branch. Being in contact with horses has changed these children's lives. Many learn to walk, and utter their first word when on the back of a horse. I have met the horses and teachers at SARDA and was deeply moved by their work. Equines are sensitive and wise beyond comprehension. There's something about the company of a horse that makes the soul of a (wo)man feel good. SARDA relies on funding and sponsorship, and it is an honour for me to be participating in the Mongol Derby to support this charity.

Cool Earth is literally one of the coolest charities I know. They just get it right. Cool Earth is the official charity of the Mongol Derby organizers (The Adventurists). This amazing charity works with local communities to protect the rainforest. It's how they do it that counts - communities are involved in every step of the process, and only a tiny amount of the donations goes to administrative purposes. This is one community based conservation project that works - and they need our support for it to keep working and to prevent the rainforest from being destroyed. Having grown up on a beautiful farm in the Natal Midlands, and having studied Biodiversity & Ecology, supporting Cool Earth comes as naturally as breathing in (deeply) the cool, dark, moist air when running through a forest.

Again, an honour to be raising funds and awareness for these two charities.

I have a million and one things I would love to ask you, but I’ll limit it to just one last question: what are you most looking forward to?

To being on the back of a Mongolian horse, closing my eyes, feeling the wind in my hair, opening my eyes and seeing (and feeling) the vast Mongolian steppe.

 

May you have a safe and incredible ride! You can find more information about Barbs and how to donate to SARDA and Cool Earth on http://www.barbsinmongolia.com/

A big thanks to Shaun Irwin for the stunning photos!