IT took him eight months, but Grant Christie’s journey on foot, which saw him walk from the Orange River Mouth on the west coast to the South Africa-Mozambique border on the east coast, is finally behind him.
A distance of over 3 000km, at times without shoes, most of the time on the beach, was a massive undertaking for Christie, who has proven his endurance.
He arrived in Kosi Bay on schedule on 22 June and was met at the border post by his family.
‘I feel no different than any other day,’ said Christie on arrival at Kosi Bay.
‘The future is uncertain, but one thing I know for sure is that my body is going to enjoy some rest’.
The pressure exerted on Christie’s feet forced him to slightly extend his stay in St Lucia where, after being advised to stay off his feet for a while, the final stretch of Christie’s coastline walk hung in the balance.
However, determined to finish on schedule, with strapped feet he battled his way to the finish line where he celebrated with a warm shower and a hearty meal of takeaway chicken.
‘The last 150km I really had to grit my teeth and push through the pain to get the distance done,’ said Christie. ‘In a way this was a blessing as it made the end point more desirable’.
Endorsed by Wilderness Foundation South Africa, the purpose of Christie’s journey was to ‘uncover the environmental burdens on the coastline and to raise awareness of these issues’.
According to his website, www.sixmillionsteps.co.za, the project’s success depended on his ability to document the journey and relate the story to the public as it unfolded through written, photographic and video updates along the way.
This he did mainly via Facebook, but the next stage of documentation, and the first stage of his life after walking, is to start working on the Six Million Steps book.
