Motorcyclists ride from SA to Croatia for charity

Two Cape Town-based friends, Cassian Tulleken and Marcel Bovijn, are travelling on motorbikes from Cape Town up to Croatia along the African west coast in order to raise funds for Operation Smile South Africa.

 

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after what felt like decades of delays we finally managed to get out of here! 😅 . feeling blessed to have such incredible people at the send off 🙏🏼 . a huge thank you to all the people who have been involved in the preparations and especially to those who have made donations already! it’s day 1 and we’ve already nearly raised enough cash dolla for a smile!! . the link to donate can be found in our bio👆🏼 . yeeeewww!! . . #westcoastwander #operationsmile #klr650 #frothcity #shakamahalobro

A post shared by TheWestCoastWander (@thewestcoastwander) on Apr 24, 2019 at 12:51pm PDT

‘We have chosen Operation Smile because of the amazing work they are doing bringing dignity and improved quality of life to individuals without the financial means of getting correctional surgery for their cleft lips and/or palates,’ the pair said on Instagram.

Tulleken quit his job and Bovijn will begin his masters studies in August, giving the two the time and opportunity to embark on this adventure with a cause. ‘The decision to quit my job [of] sailing the seven seas and take on this incredible journey has been one of the best I’ve made and I’m sure this trip will be life changing to say the least,’ Tulleken said on Instagram.

Both Tulleken and Bovijn will be traversing the continent on KLR650 motorcycles. On Thursday, 25 April the pair departed Cape Town from Signal Hill and are currently in Namibia.

 

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Here’s a basic outline of our anticipated route. We’ve planned it so that we know the location of highlights and activities we hope to see but will plan our route daily or as we ride so as not to feel pressured into achieving an illusory goal. Trip Update: Our bike repairs have taken longer than expected and as a result we’ve had to push our departure to sometime early next week. While we’re both frothing to get on the road and begin this adventure, we’re super positive about the delay and taking it as a sign to consolidate, fine-tune, and decompress before we head off! #westcoastwander #motorcycle #klr650

A post shared by TheWestCoastWander (@thewestcoastwander) on Apr 17, 2019 at 8:41am PDT

To stay updated on Tulleken and Bovijn’s exciting journey, follow them on Instagram @thewestcoastwander.

If you want to donate to Operation Smile SA, click here.

Image source: Instagram @thewestcoastwander