Deste site:
http://www.thetimelessride.com/US/Blog.html O Hubert decidiu embarcar a mota do Ghana para a Namíbia, por razões de segurança.
O Jean Louis preferiu continuar e passar pelo Togo, Benin, Camarões, Gabão e Angola.
Achei precioso o esclarecimento que deu para apoiar a sua opção e acalmar as preocupações de todos os que se habituaram a acompanhá-los em conjunto.
Wednesday3/7/2012
Message from Jean-Louis:
Did you take a risk today?
We all do -on our own way- but if the path I chose to follow may certainly be at time paved with uncertainties, it won't be because I didn't know of, but rather because I am too passionate for Africa. Traveling that continent isn't about courage nor proving anything, it is about passion and I feel as passionate for Africa as Hubert is for Mongolia -ironically the only place on earth where he got assaulted-. I know that he understands me, even if he had to scare my mom to death with the explanation of his decision...
I can't get enough of Africa. Long before I could print my feet in the sand of the Sahara desert, taste the water of the Okawango Delta or smell the Ylang-Ylang flowers in Madagascar... I had been irresistibly attracted by this continent. May be I owe it to some writers and adventurers tales, to the pioneers of the Citroen "Croisiere Noire", or simply my father who hasn't been there but kept in his drawers very curious, if not scary, artifacts brought back long ago by his dad while in the Colonial Infantry.
Africa isn't only about extraordinary landscapes, baobabs trees or elephants, it is first and foremost about its people, with their enduring ability to survive the toughest climates, crisis, difficulties, their feet deeply rooted in a soil they had to fight hard for to get it back -and still don't possess. It is particularly about their welcoming smile, their waving hands, their strong handshakes, their words of encouragements - although they appear to be the ones who need it most-, it is about their dreams and hopes. It is what I see, what I feel, it is not the usual "news" brought to you. It is just coming from my eyes, my heart. And it does really exist.
But I do know well that Africa is also about borders, crisis, and while they are just lines or areas on our maps, they unfortunately do not encompass the myriad of languages spoken, ethnics differences, religious beliefs, economic hardships, mingling all together like in a bee hive. Crossing theses lines, I may feel the sting one day, but it gives to my life a dimension no one can understand. As Nicolas Bouvier did write once "if one does not accord the journey the right to destroy us a little bit, one might as well stay home".
Along the one year ride with Hubert I have been very happy to share with him and you many of my pictures and a few stories. That he choses to move forward to Namibia by boat doesn't change anything to our friendship. It isn't the first time we got apart, six months in the Andes, one year in West/North Africa, who knows where in the world our path may cross again?
Even if way ahead of me now, I will keep the image of Hubert riding in my right mirror, the one who doesn't shake so much when the terrain will get tough. Farewell my friend! And see you soon, somewhere!
Take care to all of you following Hubert, you are in my heart like all Africans. Please don't write more comments on my decision, my mother is watching! ;-) - Jean-Louis
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