48 | AustrAliAn triAthletetext by Jordan blanco
photogrAphy by Korupt VIsIon and shutterstocK.comROAD TRIP THE GARDEN ROUTE
If you ‘Google’ best road trips in the world,
the Garden Route in South Africa (below)
frequently appears in Top 10 lists. The
route begins in Plettenburg Bay, just westA
s a competitive triathlete
who loves to travel, the
World Triathlon Corporation’s
decision to rotate the
IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships
around the world presents the perfect
opportunity to merge my sporting
passion and my wanderlust. I recently
qualified and accepted a slot to the 2018
Championship race in Port Elizabeth,
South Africa, and I’m looking to add
a finish there to World Championship
70.3 finishes in Zell-Am See, Austria and
Mooloolaba, Australia.
I was fortunate enough to venture to
South Africa for the IRONMAN race last
year, and my explorations before and after
the race helped me fall in love with many
aspects of the country - enough for a return
visit! Here are a few of my travel tips and
recommendations to help you plan your
race-cation to South Africa this year.READING LIST
As a fortysomething, I can’t visit South
Africa without reflecting on its recent
history. When I was a child, South Africa
was a pariah on the world’s sporting
stage, as its policy of apartheid prompted
the rest of the world to exclude it from
global competitions.
There’s no better way to understand
the history of the country than by
reading the autobiography of famed
freedom fighter and former president,
Nelson Mandela, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’.
The book details Mandela’s early life all
the way through to being elected
president, including his 27 years of
imprisonment.
For a lighter take on living in South
Africa under apartheid, check out the
autobiography of South African comedian,
Trevor Noah, ‘Born a Crime: Stories from a
South African Childhood.’World
Championship
season:
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