2011 aQuelle Midmar Mile and the 8 Mile Club

Yes, everyone wants to see Ryk Neethling, Charlene Whittstock, Lewis Pugh, all the celebs.... well here is Ryk, he finished first in the mens' event.

But you really want to see this group of people too.... The 8 Mile Club is a group ranging in ages from 16 to well into their fifties, and they swim all eight events (four miles on Saturday and four miles on Sunday) and raise money for charity through sponsors.

This is Chad Gifford. He is 39 and he lost both of his legs after a car accident. This is Chad on the support boat which takes the swimmers across to the start of the next race - looking pretty fresh and relaxed and ready for the start of the 7th race!

The 8 Mile Club looks set to raise around R 1.5 million this year for a wide range of charities.

Lewis Pugh talks to Pietermaritzburg

"If you follow your passions, everything else sorts itself out"

Endurance swimmer and environmental campaigner Lewis Pugh spoke at a breakfast at The Golden Horse Casino in Pietermaritzburg the day before the aQuelle Midmar Mile Race. He joins the 8 Mile Charity Club this year and will raise funds for Wilderness Leadership School at the Quelle Midmar Mile Race at Midmar Dam

Lewis Pugh,

SA swimmer Penny Heyns, and

Ant Stott, defending Dusi Champion,

together at the Golden Horse Casino where Pugh shared some tips with Pietermaritzburg on how to achieve the impossible.

Faces in Places

Been meaning to put this guy's picture here for a while, took his picture from a balcony in Ballito on KwaZulu Natal's north coast. He caught my attention and was keen for me to take a picture. I always wonder why people want you to take their picture when there is no possible chance of you delivering them a copy.. but I am very happy to have such a happy open portrait of someone.

He was working in the gardens, and when I left a bit later I tried to find him to get his name... but unfortunately I could not see him. So anonymous smiling man in Ballito he remains.

Maryann Shaw

Jealous is the freedom of fools...

May 2009: St Lucia Border South Africa/Mozambique
Boundless Southern Africa Expedition
www.boundlessa.com

Indaba day three, May 11, Kingsley Holgate leaves from Durban on the Boundless Southern Africa expedition, Miss SA cuts the ribbon

Miss South Africa Tatum Keshwar helped draw the crowds to say farewell to adventurer Kingsley Holgate, as he left today on a journey through the nine transfrontier parks of Southern Africa.

BoundlessSA website

Baba Dlamini from Lesedi Cultural Village in the Cradle of Humankind, a face I remember from my first Indaba in 2003, was there as well, (see picture above), and Swazi and Zulu dancers put on a stunning show.

See SA Tourism's video from this event on Utube, I let it run through with buffering (which is annoying) and then was able to watch it without interuption after that see here