Gigi

I was born in the big smoke of Johannesburg in South Africa – and now for my sins I’m a Londoner – having sworn allegiance to Queen and Country.
I’m definitely the more ‘steady as she goes’ in this duo, much as I love adventure – I have a more controlled approach – but don’t let the calm demeanour fool you, I may be cautious around risk taking, but I never back away from a challenge – a trait that has found me in one or two interesting situations along the way (including building and living on a narrow boat – but that’s another story)!

Travels
All good South Africans spend their youth travelling around their ‘homeland’ and I’m no exception, having traversed my beloved country from the sea spray of two oceans meeting at ‘Die Kaap van Goede Hoop’ to the ravines of the Blyde River Canyon in the ‘Transvaal’ – now ‘Gauteng’.  I spent many a happy time in the damp and misty mountains of Swaziland, Jet-skiing on lake Kariba in Zimbabwe, and curiously – a modelling stint in the arid beauty of Namibia – birthplace of my zany travelling companion!  My ultimate ‘Groot Trek’ was to sling backpack on and head for the cold, wet and eternally green British Isles – where I’ve been lucky enough to see everything from the beauty of the Northumbrian coast on a wild day, the beguiling depths of the Scottish Lochs, down to the rocky, winding beauty that is Cornwall– and a whole lot in between.  Naturally like most Antipodean’s, I’ve also spent a respectable amount of time traipsing around many a European destination.

But my heart belongs to Africa…
… and so my journey begins with learning how to ride a bike – again... and how to deal with Mardi-Louise, the latter being the greater challenge!

Motorcycling
The South African way involves practically living outdoors and as such doing anything and everything the great outdoors has to offer – and as a South African teenager, puberty would not be complete without spending hours hacking about the endless ‘;veld’ on a scrambler, normally with the flavour of the month in tow!
But being a sensible girl, I progressed to more sensible transport (yawn), but the feeling of freedom and fun sat brooding somewhere in the back of my consciousness – and then Mardi came along.  Not one to do things in half measures, I had decided I wanted to kick off re-entry into biking, by undertaking a trans African trip – and lo and behold – wouldn’t you know it, that’s exactly what Mardi was planning!  Mamma Africa is a shrewd thrower of dice…

I’m still not 100% sure what the ‘swing arm’ on a bike is, touching the battery in any way shape or form makes me very apprehensive, and the mere thought of changing a tyre makes me want to wail, I have a feeling Africa will take care of that… But what I don’t know about bikes off-hand, I ferret out from any available source, (god bless Clymer’s Yamaha XT600 & TT600 Service, Repair and Maintenance manual). – my enthusiasm and determination to finding out more, more, MORE …. is revving up!!!

Other Interests
I’m definitely a culture vulture, I love all things creative and cultural - the Rothko room and Jackson Pollack vie for my attention at the shrine that is the Tate Modern, I frequent Saddlers Wells (dance, dance, dance!!), and can be found rummaging through anything from the shops in Portabello market to the mouth watering food stalls at Borough Market – oh, I do love fooooooood.  I earn my crust in the twilight zone that is investment banking computer graphics.