JO RUST BMW ADVENTURE AROUND AFRICA

As some of you may be aware my "hubby" has a BMW 1200 GS Adventure motorbike, which he adores and just loves the wonderful riding that Kzn and in fact most of South Africa has to offer any lovers of this two wheeled mode of transport....you will also know that I much prefer having four wheels firmly on the ground!

I do accompany him on some of the organised Sunday morning rides, but its the promise of a good breakfast that gets me on the back and not the great riding...I am a reluctant pillion and I sit on the back of the bike resembling a Michelin man, all trussed up like a Christmas turkey! I know the clothing is very important for safety but OMG it is so hot in the Durban heat...on the positive side though,it's like having my own personal sauna. Forget wearing make-up and the helmet does a better job of flattening your hair than a Ghd hair straightener, so all things considered you may have realised its not really my scene.

This past Sundays ride however was slightly different, as we were escorting Jolandie Rust (the first female to ride solo around Africa on a motorbike) on the next stage of her trip around Africa, which will be coming to an end in the next few days after being on the road for the past 20 months, travelling through 27 countries and clocking up over 40,000 kilometres.
More than 35 BMW motorbikes escorted her and her faithful machine a
BMW F800GS DAKAR
from Pinetown down to Hibberdene and I am sure after many lonely sections
of riding through Africa on her own she was happy to have some company.

Her story is quite interesting and not without some very scary moments, but one thing that strikes you when you chat to her,is that she is more than capable of taking care of herself
and is a very determined free spirit. I asked the question
"which countries will she remember the most and for what reasons"?
She didn't hesitate to mention Tunisia, Morocco and Gabon for being the most hospitable
and Libya being the country where she had the most concerns for her safety.
 She has documented her adventures on her website, so if you would like to learn more about what drove this 29 year old to embark on such a journey, 

then visit
 www.jorust.com

Once this adventure ends she is then onto the next, which is competing in the 

Paris-Dakar Rally in 2014.

 Writing a beauty blog I was dying to know what, if any, beauty essentials or must haves could be found in her panniers. I obviously didn't expect her to reel off a whole beauty regime, but I honestly expected her response to be at least a sunscreen for protection against the sun and windburn.... and a lip balm.

She looked at me rather bemused when I asked her the question and then she proceeded to dig deep into one of her many jacket pockets and bring out a tin of Nivea Lip Butter 

that she bought in Kenya!

Despite her non existent beauty routine her skin looked incredibly good...I would have been happier is she had a good moisturising sunscreen hidden in the depths of another pocket,
but alas it was not to be!