We got a chance to speak to BMW’s brand ambassador Jolandie Rust, the first woman to complete a solo motorcycle trip around the entire African continent!
We asked her some questions about her involvement in the BMW Motorrad event, as well as her travels around Africa and why she decided to go on this solo motorcycle trip!
Q: When did you start riding and how did you get involved with it?
“I only started riding at beginning of 2012. My initial plan was to cycle around the African continent on a bicycle, a project I started in late 2007. I had already cycled through Israel, through South Africa and around South Africa, before taking on the rest of Africa. For the mission around the continent I started out in Cape Town in April 2011 and headed up north through Namibia and Angola. Though upon reaching northern Angola, I was victim of an attack by four inebriated, machete-wielding young men. They stole my bicycle and all my belongings and I was left stranded in the middle of nowhere. I luckily still had my Camelbak, which had my phone and passport in it and was able to phone a friend of mine in the capital city, Luanda. Said friend then phoned the local chief of police and the governor of the Zaire province (where the attack took place). Within minutes I was picked up by a police vehicle and the governor flew in on his private plane to fetch me. Two helicopters were sent from Luanda to search for the perpetrators, though they were already long gone.”
“It was in that moment, when I was standing in the middle of the Angolan bushveld, watching as my bicycle and all my kit were about to vanish over the horizon that I decided that I want to start over on a motorcycle. I had never ridden a motorcycle before, yet I somehow knew that I had to start over on a motorcycle.”
“As some form of confirmation that I was doing the right thing – the Angolan government stepped up and became the sole sponsor of my entire trip around Africa.”
Q: Who influenced you the most, in terms of getting involved?
“In motorcycling? Those four guys in Northern Angola influenced me the most haha!”
Q: Where did the idea come from or how did you make the decision to take solo motorcycle trip around Africa?
“It’s a long story. One I tell in detail in my book that will hopefully be published sometime soon. In a nutshell : I didn’t have the easiest upbringing and lived in fear for most of my life. A day just came that I had grown tired of being scared of anything and everything. A voice inside of me said: “If you don’t like where you are at – change it”. So that’s exactly what I did. I did the biggest, scariest thing I could think of – which was to travel around Africa on my own. In the end – through all the trials and tribulations, I became the person I wanted to be. And I’m not afraid of anything anymore.”
Q: Would you recommend other woman enthusiasts to go on a similar trip?
“Definitely. I would recommend it to anyone who find themselves to be interested in similar journeys. There are a couple of sayings that I live by and one of them states: “You will always miss 100% off the shots you don’t take”. This is so very true and we, too easily, allow ourselves to become victims of our own fears. Fears that are usually instilled by society and the news we see on television everyday. There’s a whole, wide world out there and anything is possible. All you need to do is take the first step. ”
Q: What advice, particularly for women would you give?
“Believe in yourself. If you want to do something, commit and do it. Dedication and hard work is the only recipe to success. Nothing else. There is no ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme. There is no easy fix. And nobody else can make your dreams come true except yourself. Don’t wait until it’s too late and you have to live with regrets. The only time is NOW! Do what you love and what makes you happy. And finally – never allow anyone to tell you that you can’t!”
Q: Which countries or part of the continent did you enjoy the most?
“Each country has it’s own unique ‘flavour’. Though if I had to make a list of my favourites I’d say: Namibia, Angola, Gabon, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Malawi. ”
Q: Which areas would you avoid?
“I think I was extremely lucky in that I never had any serious issues in any of the countries. Though I would say that the countries I felt most nervous in were Nigeria and Tunisia. At the moment the same trip would be more of a challenge to pull off, with ebola issues in western Africa and unrest in northern Africa. But then, like I said, anything is possible. When I said I wanted to travel around Africa, a lot of people called me crazy and suicidal. ”
Q: Any upcoming adventures or future plans?
“Yes. At the moment my focus is more on finishing my book. Then, the ‘Next Big Dream’ is to be the first woman from the African continent to race in the Dakar Rally in South America. The Dakar rally is known as the ‘toughest race on earth’ and takes place annually during the month of January. It will take a great deal of preparation and fundraising to get me there though. So from next year more time and efforts will go into getting sponsors on board and raising the funding I’d need to get me to the Dakar. ”
Q: What will your involvement be at the BMW Motorrad Days Music Festival?
“I am both a brand ambassador for BMW Motorrad South Africa and a BMW accredited off-road instructor with BMW Motorrad training partner: Country TRAX. I will be involved in the enduro park that we (Country TRAX) will be running at the event, as well as giving interviews at Motorrad Days. I’ve been to Motorrad Days in Germany twice now, so I know what it’s all about and in comparison all I can say is: I cannot wait for BMW Motorrad Days South Africa as I think it’s going to be an ‘out of this world’ event.”
The quiet town of Clarens, Free State, known for its thriving cultural scene will see play host to the BMW Motorrad Days 2015! The event takes place over the weekend of the 6th to 8th of November and is South Africa’s first music and motorcycle festival!
"The objective of BMW Motorrad Days is to create a festival celebrating the BMW Motorrad brand and to showcase all the facets of the brand as well of the motorcycle lifestyle.
While this is a BMW Motorrad event, it is open to all motorcycle enthusiasts no matter what their brand preference is,"
says Alexander Baraka, General Manager of BMW Motorrad South Africa.
In between all the motorcycle buzz, there will be a host of craft beer gardens and gourmet food stalls on offer. Festival goers can also expect fashion shows showcasing the BMW Motorrad lifestyle clothing range.
What is a festival without the best music and entertainment SA has to offer -“ a stellar lineup of live bands and DJ’s will keep the party going well into the night. Look out for the artist announcements coming soon!
