Comrades 2013 Travel Plan...

By Frank

Here I go again. True to my long distance travel habits, I will always opts to post about what has been planned out for the trip and also my packing list. And for the first time, I will be travelling with 2 new luggage bag and a camera backpack after the demise of the infamous "Big Black Bag" at the previous Year To Year circuit race trip. And this being my longest trip away from home for a race trip, it shouldn't be misses out. My third trip to South Africa and my second for the Comrades Marathon, it is one enjoyable trip that I will be hoping for, for there is also a mammoth task to be accomplish there.

Packing list for this time.

As you can see from my packing list above, you will actually notice the usual Old Town White Coffee for Chee Kong. But new to the list this time is a dozen packs of Bak Kut Teh spices for Peter. Talk about Malaysian overboard deprived of local food here! Hahaha...

Leaving for South Africa on 23 May 2013, I will have slight more than a week to acclimatize to the conditions there. Flying on board an Emirates A380 where I will transit at Dubai for close to 7 hours before resuming my flight to Johannesburg. It will be one long wait and hopefully, I will be able to get myself some rest to kill time at Snooze Cube, a rest hotel for passengers on transit. Just hope I don't oversleep though.

The all new "Big Black Bag" and 2 smaller bags.

Upon arrival at Johannesburg, there will be a couple of runs scheduled for me at Pretoria while awaiting the arrival of Roy, Cham and CP in a few days time. And from there, a visit to the Imflonzi National Park is in the list before continuing on to the Comrades House at Pietermaritzburg, and then to Durban for our big race. And it will be at Durban where the rest of the Malaysian contingent like Francis, Fook Seong and Kim Kok will join in.

I myself am not very clear about my plans at Durban now as I believe there will be some meet ups with the Comrades Marathon Association and the rest of the ambassadors. I will readjust my time when I am there. But more importantly is to rest up for the big day will be Sunday, 2 June 2013. All the sacrifices and effort will all be justify on this day.

And after a hard fought battle on the epic route, no matter the outcome, all 8 Malaysian will be already a Comrades runner the next day as we set to depart for home. Some will leave back home to Malaysia, some to Cape Town, while myself will follow Chee Kong and Mei-Ee back to Johannesburg. A send off for Roy and Cham in the evening as they will fly back home to Malaysia.

The next day, it will be an adventure to Krueger National Park once again together with Chee Kong, Mei-Ee and Fook Seong. Will be visiting new camp sites this time and hopefully will have better luck viewing the wildlife this time. Will be there for 3 days 2 nights staying over Satara, Lower Sabie and Letaba before leaving on Friday morning as Fook Seong has a flight to catch at night back home to Malaysia.

As for myself, I have one more day to spend at Johannesburg before finally, on 10 June 2013, I will say farewell to South Africa again where I will depart from Johannesburg  in the noon to Dubai. A close to 4 hours transit there before flying back home on board the Emirates A380 where I will arrive at around 3pm.

Hopefully this trip will be a memorable and successful one where I look forward to meet all my South African and international friends again. And as for Comrades Marathon, my training has been very positive and hopefully, the result will be too. Till 2 June 2013 then, for The Ultimate Human Race awaits.