• Goodbye from Casablanca

October 7, 2004

The friendly Moroccans	A lady from Morocco

In his poem ‘If’, Rudyard Kipling wrote, “If you can fill each unforgiving minute with sixty seconds worth of distant run, Yours is the earth and all that is in it.”

As the PETRONAS Trans Sahara Expedition 2004 draws to a close, I realise that I have traded almost 1,569,600 seconds of my life for the greatest adventure of a lifetime. For the past 39 days, each minute has been truly memorable. I have indeed received more than I bargained for as I am left richer by the entire experience. I feel as if I was treated to a royal banquet of the best Mother Nature has to offer with picturesque sceneries I have never seen before.

The expedition indeed encompassed all modes of transportation - land, sea and air. We have been to seven countries, driven through the wild Sahara desert and the narrow and rocky terrains of the Atlas Mountains, sailed through the Mediterranean Sea, walked by the Red Sea, and cruised by the Atlantic Ocean. I have walked through world heritage sites, visited historic landmarks, tasted local culture and left my footprints in places where ancient civilisations arose and blossomed. I have seen different shades of sand as far as the eye can see, watched spectacular sunsets and sunrises, camped in the wilderness and slept under the canopy of a million stars.

I shall treasure the joy, laughter and smiles of the children and the people I met. I will remember their excitement and childlike innocence for they taught me the true meaning of being contented. I have enjoyed the break from the monotony of routines. Each day would spring a surprise of its own, and I have learnt the importance of discipline and of adapting to my surroundings.

I have learnt and observed various management skills, and realised that it takes a strong person to hold the reins of leadership. I have learnt that first impressions can be wrong. I now know the importance of being a team player and contributing to the community. I realise that patience and tolerance are virtues that need to be cultivated. And I know that at the end of the day, what matters is whether I have been true to myself and accountable for my actions.

There could not have been a better place than Casablanca, a land of love and romance from where final goodbyes were exchanged. This is a magical and mystical place for the beginning of a beautiful relationship – a journey of discovery of nature, people and of self.

Years from now, when all that would be left of this expedition would be memories, I shall cherish the many lessons I learnt as captured in the words of Berry who said:

Let me forget the hurt and pain
Found along life’s way
Let me remember kindness
Given day by day.

Lots of love and goodbye from Simba.