World Run II / Reports

The map shows the position of which the pictures for the day are taken (if any). The start and finish markers are placed at the first and last valid registered position. This is not nessesary the actual start and finish position, if GSM or GPS signals was not available.

Goto: 2009-12-19 2009-12-25 Africa

2009-12-20:

23
Distance today: 29.0 km (Accumulated: 19182.8 km)
Elapsed time: 03:05:00
Country: Africa

Start 12:00 at white citysign \"Goba Fronteira\", 100m. from the border to Swaziland. 25c, allmost overcast and light wind. Finish 17:03pm. at entrence to \"Siteki Hotel\" in Siteki city, Swaziland. 31c and same.

[Nb: gprs/dataconnection via mobilephone is not avaliable in Swaziland and thus the gps-coordinates and pictures from last part of todays run has not been uploaded live via LifePilot. Its however stored in the phone and will be uploaded in approx. 10days when reaching South African border. Watch time is on this stage is =/-5min.].

Christmas running calender, day 20:

One of the Joys of long distance running is the sense of Unity or oneness - not only with the body, the nature or your fellow runners - as described in previous \"joy of running\" calender entries.. But also with the world wich is our \\'playing ground\\' as runners :-)

Not a closed hall or a small track, but the entire nature, urban enviroment and all what open itself to us as runners - a limetless world for us to enjoy using our body and determination to run beyond any border; inside or outside ourself.

- That is perhaps Running when its best: not only beeing one runner on his or her path, but also feeling a deep belonging to our enviroment, our fellow runners and the world we call \\'ours\\' as well as the terrain wich is \\'new\\' to us.

Today I enjoyed entering a new contry by running. Swaziland ! And somehow I instantly fealt \"like home\" here. The highlands, the gentle hills, the bright green grass, the grazing cattle, the friendly people ready with a polite greeting each time I passed by. So Long since I have fealt at home :-)

I am spending Christmas here in Siteki City, a small town about 30km into Swaziland from the Mozambique border. Its situated at around 700m altitude on green hills and farmlands so it gives a cool relief from the hot humid wetlands of Mozambique. Thoug I have to say that also Mozambique was a very friendly experience. A long contry to run through - approximately 3000km from North to South - but with such friendly support. I think back with a broad Smile of thankfullness and friendship to my good helpers in Mozambique: Chaia who silent & patiently drove my supplies while I was running through the North part of Mozambique (one of the most remote areas I have experiensed except ofcourse the Sahara and Sinai Desert in Africa and beautifull Midddle and Eastern Siberia during world run one), Louiz who with great encouragement and spirit kept me supplied and safe while running through Mid. and South Mozambique, Reino from Finland who flew in from far-away Scandinavia to run with me through 1400 very difficult kilometers where I might have given up due to infections and tiredness had it not been for his determined effort to keep me running on - and not least Antonious Klaus from denmark with brazilian background, living in Maputo, who helped me with anything from logistics, finding good support, advice on the road and route through Mozambique, media contacts, visa-matters; even inviting me to stay 4 lovely calm days in his house while running the stages near Maputo; yet most of all his relaxed patience with my slow progress always being ready with a smile and an advice - it made a bigger difference than I think he realize :-))
THANK YOU / \"OBLIGADO\" to ALL I met in Mozambique !!!

...But now its time to celebrate Christmas :-) I take 4 days off from running and continue the run on the 25.December running towards KaShoba, Big Bend (26.), Nsoko (27.) and on the 28. down to Lavumisa border. From 29. December its into South Africa and onwards toward Durban in approximately 3 weeks of running and hopefully in around 2 months: Cape Town and the Tip of Africa, 1 year and 8 months since I started running a bright July-day from Nordkapp at the Tip of Europe !

Allready now I have recieved great help here in Swaziland where I as mentioned somehow feel instantly at home - perhaps because part of my family has worked here many decades ago (\"aunt Birgit and uncle Peter\", helping founding the statistical department of Swaziland as part of an UN-assignment in the 1960-70ties) - and most certainly due to the help from Darron who has bycycled around Swaziland and set me up with many good contacts here in his contry, for example Keving and Jackie who has invied Sarah and I for a barbeque on the 23.December when they take an evening off their sugercane packing business in Siteki :-)

Yet now its time to log off\\', rest the running shoes and the communication-lines and find joy in that there is not mobile internet here or sms-connection to abroad. So I\\'ll rest also the fingers and wish all Friends, Family, Runners and Sponsors around the globe a Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year !! I hope to contact you all when I again have connection sometime into the new year - Untill then I ENJOY Swaziland together with Sarah from Australia who once again has joined the run to make it more enjoyable together :-))

MERRY CHRISTMAS to ALL and THANKS for the kind help in the year that has passed !!!

jesper/ world run 2.