Johan Bakkes: One hell of a traveller

‘That woman in the dress and bracelets is my dad!’ This is how the kikoi-clad author of To Hell and Gone is introduced to English readers for the first time by his young son. Alison Westwood had lunch with the Afrikaans travel writer Johan Bakkes and came back with a hangover, an Arabian fancy dress costume and a head full of stories.

Christo Coetzer: One wheel short of a bicycle

Two hours into his first desk job, Christo Coetzer knew it wasn’t for him. It took a unicycle, a copy of Riaan Manser’s book and a piece of extraordinary luck to launch him on an entirely different course. Alison Westwood spoke to the young South African whose story is an inspiration to anyone looking for the courage to pursue a dream.

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