Riding alone, cyclist adventurer Charlie Bradley from Birmingham in England was enjoying the comparatively quiet level stretch of tar on the N1 just south of Bokmakierie, relieved that he had survived the heavy storm which had hit Musina on Thursday night last week.

Bill Scott, cyclist adventurer from White Horse, Yukon in Canada, enjoying the same level stretch while riding alone on Friday from the opposite side between Wylliespoort and Bokmakierie, became increasingly worried about a jarring sound in his bicycle’s back hub.

Then, in amazement, they looked up from the road. Both stopped pedalling. It was an unbelievable coincidence. Bill crossed over to Charlie’s side. They shook hands. It was an absolutely surprise meeting between two fellow adventurers, both of whom admit to an incurable infatuation with Africa. They’ve been here a couple of times before and are still visibly thrilled with every moment of their close encounter with the African scene.

For quite some time after their surprise meeting, there, along the roadside in the middle of the northern Limpopo bushveld, they exchanged experiences and advice, also about the best ways to handle the different monetary systems in the neighbouring countries, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Angola and Namibia. Both had a definitive soft spot for Namibia.

"I’ve been there twice," admitted Bill. "Lovely country. Lovely people."

Charlie arrived in Pretoria at the beginning of June this year and first pedalled to Natal, the Drakensberg and then Lesotho. He then went past the Cederberg, through Namaqualand, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, from whence he was returning last week.

Bill arrived in October. He is on his way to Zimbabwe from where he will travel through the northern part of Botswana and once again to Namibia, before starting the long road down to Cape Town.

Just for some additional fun, Charlie is planning to pedal through China next year.