Yes, you can take your wheelchair on tour
CAPE TOWN They are on the road again; two Capetonians, a well run-in bakkie and a wheelchair.
The wheelchair is for Louis Broodryk, who was injured when he fell through a ceiling while helping friends do renovations. He was studying at the University of Stellenbosch at the time. Being a paraplegic did not stop him from doing what he loves most, travelling, exploring and scuba diving. It can be hard to convince people that Louis enjoys scuba diving, horseback riding, driving a quad bike and similar activities. There have been challenges, they admit, mainly finding wheelchair accessible accommodation. Kareen Broodryk and Louis are heading for Namibia, Botswana, Angola and wherever the road takes them from there. They have not decided on their final destination but intend to travel for about a year. During the first three months they want to see the Okavango Delta, the Skeleton Coast, Van Zyl’s Pass and other landmarks in southern Africa. They have no set agenda. The idea is to travel slowly, stop anywhere, experience the cultures and make a difference to the lives of people they meet. He and Kareen have been travelling for 15 years. They have been to Peru, Bolivia, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Vietnam and several other countries. Louis, 50, and Kareen, 46, were married in 2003 and spent their honeymoon in Mozambique, where they realised how much Africa had to offer. They soon started backpacking around the world. At first, they set off in a Renault Kangoo delivery van. Then they acquired a VW Caddy that took them through Botswana, Zambia and Malawi. It was on that trip, in 2014, that the idea of Fearless on Four Wheels was born. At first, it comprised a blog on which they published details, photographs and videos of their tour. It took off and became a way of sharing their experiences and love of travelling. And it showed how people who are physically challenged can travel independently. At some stage during that trip, they took a momentous decision to get out of the rat race, resign from their corporate jobs and make travelling a permanent lifestyle. They traded the Caddy in for a 2010 Toyota Hilux D4D, which they named Ufudu, the Zulu word for tortoise. First, they fitted an aluminium pop-up camper on the back of the vehicle. During the next 18 months they added an extra fuel tank, a solar panel, a battery system to generate electricity for the fridges and other equipment, and a solid packing system. Ufudu was equipped with a hand-control driving system so that Louis could do his share of driving. On the driver’s side, they fitted a box for the wheelchair and with handles all around the vehicle, Louis can get in and out without assistance.
Now, on their latest trip, they are raising funds to
• Distribute 100 sets of washable, reusable sanitary pads and panties for schoolgirls. A company, Subz Pads, was formed in response to a request for donations. Subz Pads also have their own non-profit initiative called Project Dignity. They have already raised R25 000, more than halfway to their target. • Show educational movies on recycling and reuse. They have a mobile projector to show how trash can be turned into income. • Print pictures of families that do not have family pictures, using a small printer. Anyone can support the Fearless on Four Wheels charity initiative under Back a Buddy at: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/ fearless-on-four-wheels. You can follow the team on Facebook and on Instagram.