Gap Year Experiences

Goodbye to Pepper Jan '09

Tuesday 14 April 2009

I can’t believe that Pepper Jan 09 is actually over. I have contemplated not actually getting on my flight but I guess all good things must come to an end. I can honestly say that I have had the best 3 months of my life and I have loved everything about it. I've met some awesome people and am so glad that I got to share this experience with you all. Each place we went to had its own special little "vibe" which made leaving one place easier because of the excitement about the next. I am definately going to miss the travelling lifestyle of having nothing to worry about. All that’s left to say is “SHAME eh” we’re leaving.

Love Lucy xxx


As the Pepper trip draws to a close there are so many things I could say about the time I’ve had over these three months, but essentially all you need to know is that we’ve all had some of the most incredible experiences of our lives, made some amazing new friends, and generally had a completely mind-blowing time. I’ve loved every place we’ve been to, each so different, with new people, new experiences and new activities along the way, which I think is one of the most amazing aspects of Pepper, the never ending variety ensures that there is never a dull day. I have completely fallen in love with this amazing country and I can’t wait to come back, but until then, roll on the reunion!

Love Jules xxxx


“Hows it, bru!” I’m so sad to be leaving South Africa, and ending this amazing trip. I have honestly had an incredible time and I wouldn’t change it for the world. Mule, Vince and Dougie have been so cool, and there is really no apparent divide between the leaders and the group. Carrie, Luce and Jules have been wicked to spend 3 months with, and even though we’ve had to live in such confined spaces with each other, we never bickered once, and have got on amazingly well. I’m going to miss them, the Pepper boys and everyone else we’ve met along the way, including Ricky, Ramsay, Snake, Dylan, Tammy and Stacey...just to name a few. I will definitely recommend the Pepper Experience to friends and family. Again many thanks to Pepper,

Love Eloise xxx



Well, what can I say? I'm sitting here typing this with less than an hour before we head off to the dreaded airport. I can't actually believe the 3 months is up and the Pepper Experience is over. This has been one of the best experiences in my life and I just can't put into words how amazing the trip has been. From the white water rafting, to firing a rifle, to our close elephant encounters, to surfing, scuba diving, jumping out of planes and of course lots and lots of partying - I can genuinely say I wouldn't change a thing. I have met some of the most incredible and coolest people along the way that I won't forget. But, I can say without a doubt that the most incredible people I have met have been the entire Pepper Group. My three girlies, El, Jules and Luce, I would have been lost without you girls, and of course the Pepper Boys, Doug, Vince and The Mule - I can't express how grateful we all are of your hard work, high spirits and your love of travelling. The only way I can describe the whole Pepper Trip from start to finish is absolutely perfect.

Lots of Love Carrie xxxx


Ricky has been an incredible addition to the Jan 09 Pepper Experience and will be sorely missed by all. His appetite for life, crazy backflips, juggling and endless guitar melodies have been a crucial part of the trip and it was awesome to get to know him. We wish him all the best with your RYA yachting course here in Cape Town and I hope you get your dream job on board a super yacht in Greece this summer! Keep in touch with us at Pepper.


Button joined us for the game reserves programme. Being a keen and well-informed birder he got fully involved with the programme! His renditions of a Pepper favourite, "day and night" around the camp fire will also be remembered for a long while to come. We wish him all the best back in London where we hear he is now working hard as an accountant!


"The Snake" was a very well loved member of the Pepper road trip from Durban to Hogs Back. Never short of a sarcastic chirp, he provided a great deal of amusement for all. He sends his love to all of you on the trip and requests that you all come back to South Africa soon and visit him in Joburg!

Francesca, who joined the Pepper team a while ago, made it out to South Africa for the first few weeks of the Jan 09 Pepper Experience experiencing the white water rafting orientation week and the game reserves. We are seriously glad she finally got to come out and see how incredible this country really is!

The last 90 days have honestly been everything I thought they might be and more. Covering 10,000 kilometres of this amazing country in the legendary Pepper Bus with an awesome group of guys has been an absolute pleasure. From stunning mountain hikes to walking with rhino and spending time with impoverished orphaned kids, Pepper really does give you a unique access to some of South Africa’s hidden gems. The group atmosphere was dominated by an endless thirst for adventure and I can’t believe its given us the chance to scuba dive with tiger sharks, jump out of planes and off a very very high bridge. I will never forget these 3 months and the experiences shared with Lucy, Carrie, Jules and El and everyone else along the way. Thanks go to Vince and Johnny for creating such an incredible trip and here’s to doing it again and again and again!

cheers Doug

After my 6 weeks with all of you, sitting back in the UK office and reading the constant updates about the trip has been awesome. From all the reports flowing back into the office it definitely sounds like an amazing end to the trip and that you loved Cape Town as much as I hoped!
I’ll be catching up on the gossip with everyone who is now back home over the next few weeks, but for the moment I just wanted to say I can’t believe that its over already! Being charged by rhinos, swimming with sharks and travelling with all you guys was incredible and as Jules says, roll on the reunion!

cheers Vince

I flew in to South Africa half way through the trip, taking over the reigns from Vince, in Durban for the start of the 2 week Road Trip down to Cape Town. Driving through the remote Transkeei villages with mountains on one side and the crystal clear ocean on the other side, with tunes playing and a look of excitement and anticipation on the faces of all in the Pepper bus quickly reminded me of how lucky we are to be involved with Pepper.

Sitting here in our Cape Town office and reflecting on the last few months I wanted to take this opportunity to touch on a few of the more special moments and achievements of the Jan 09 Pepper Experience. First of all Ricky's gymnastics which he performed on the beach at Plett, midway through the road trip. He was apparently going for a move he had never quite mastered. We watched as a combination of various cart-wheels and back flips were strung together across the sand and into the shallow water. We look forward to this being added to the Pepper DVD!

Lucy's decision to take the plunge into the Durban ocean armed with simply an oxygen tank, mask and fins whilst tiger sharks swam around her is another unbelievable achievement. This is one of the more rare and high adrenaline activities on offer on the Pepper Experience and it takes a hell of a lot of courage.

I remember talking to Carrie on the phone in the UK before she came out to South Africa and she had seemed very hesitant about scuba diving, having only experienced the bottom of Maidstone's chalk pit which doesn't leave much to the imagination. She quickly overcame her fear of the sport and went on to complete her PADI Open Water Diving certificate at one of the world's top spots enabling her to dive anywhere in the world.

Surfing is a sport which requires a great deal of determination in the early stages as it is technically challenging and can be very frustrating. Eloise however never failed to give up and was found enthusiastically joining us on a number of dawny surfs at some intimidating breaks throughout the trip. It was awesome to see how quickly she progressed out here in SA.

The thought of the world's highest bungee jump never fails to lurk in the back of the minds of Pepper travellers. Some join the trip with an arrogant attitude but I can assure you these opinions transform quite swiftly as we approach the bridge and look down the gauge at the Bloukrans River 116 metres below. This year everyone in the Pepper group conquered their fears which I found remarkable. Jules, having just been winched up by her ankles and being unstrapped on the platform, looked at me saying "I need to do it again backwards"! Without any delay she was being strapped up and supported by the staff as she hopped back towards the edge once more except this time facing backwards and looking at the crowds - "3,2,1, Bungee" and she was airborne again.....absolutely ridiculous!

To all of you on this trip, it has been incredible to get to know you all and make sure you keep in close contact with us at Pepper - we look forward to watching the DVD and reminiscing at the reunion. Thanks to all of you that have been closely following the trip and reading this diary.

cheers for now,

Johnny