This last weekend I was treated to the unusual opportunity to drive in a rally from Cape Town to Worcestor in a brand new Audi A4 with a blind navigator in order to raise money for the Pioneer School for the Blind. It was one of those out of the ordinary experiences where I somehow found myself thrown together with 40 SA celebs (mainly the cast of Binnelanders & 7de Laan) to try help make a difference. I really felt like the new girl on the block, as the bulk of the 'stars' were flown in from Joburb and everytime I was introduced to someone they had this blank look of 'and you are?'
Once we were buckled in, car 39 set out with yours truly and a fab young navigator Rynhart Kruger to steer me using a braille map that had been set by Sarel Van Der Merwe. I have to say that somehow I completely missed the point of a rally, and happily sped along in our gorgeous A4 promptly missing the first turnoff! This saw us lost in the Pinelands 
industria and trying to get back to the M5 to make it to the first check point at Audi Claremont. I think I knew then, that I wasn't going to do very well at the whole rally thing, but Rynhart was brilliant at letting me know where to go despite my inability to stick to the speed limits the schedule required. I mean - dont give a girl an A4 and then ask her to do 50 in a 100 zone!
Needless to say I managed to successfully come 35th out of 40 - announced by MC's Kobus & Toks to the 400 guests at the gala dinner once we all arrived in Worcester! The Rotary club had organised the entire event and it was seamless, including fantastic chaperones - Jannie & Jeanette - who made sure I was ok at all times and drove me to and 
from my hotel. It really was an incredible event and amazing to see all the 'celebs' partnered with their navigators for the evening having really bonded on the four hour rally together. It was a humbling and inspiring experience to get a little insight into the world of people living with blindness.
The evening ended with an auction of items donated by the various celebs to raise more money for the school, and I was thrilled when my limited edition copy of 'Journey' was bought by Ollie Le Roux for R1500!!! All in all it was a mindblowing experience and I can't wait for next year now that I know 'put your put on the gas' is the last thing to do in a rally!
