Grant Christie completes his walk along the South African coastline

Jodi van Wyk

“If you are facing the right direction, all you have to do is keep walking.” – Zen Proverb.

There were times during the past nine months when Grant Christie was not sure which direction he was facing, but he kept walking.

And now, after 250 days and 3514 km, the adventurer, conservationist and self-confessed “crazy guy” Grant Christie has triumphed.

Christie (28) set out to walk the entire South African coastline on foot in October last year, beginning at the Orange River Mouth on the border of Namibia and South Africa.

He even beat his target of 'Six Million Steps', reechoing his destination at Kosi Bay after five million steps on June 23.

When he spoke to the Courier during his Ballito stop last month Christie shared his story of South Africa's undiscovered beauty and the love of its people.

The former civil engineer said he gained much perspective during his journey.

“It revealed to me that there are still so many fears and misconceptions out there. But what my journey proved is that most of these are unfounded. Yes, crime is a reality, I was never threatened in any way. We live in a beautiful and diverse country. And we really do not have it as bad as a lot of people think. In fact, we have it great.”

Christie said the expedition has restored his faith in humanity.

“Often when I felt at my lowest, at the end of my tether, someone would pop up and offer some help. The people I encountered along the way, whether it was just a brief discussion on the beach or staying with them for a few nights, these people are what made the journey so incredible. They helped me more than they know and I appreciate this more than I could ever express.”

Armed with a rucksack filled with essentials, Christie encountered only three medical emergencies – a severe case of tendinitis, a damaged toe after a four-metre fall during a rock climb and stress fractures which led to him walking the final leg of his journey with his feet strapped.

“Would I do it again? Probably not, I would rather take on something different. There are parts that I will definitely do again though. And I would definitely recommend it to everyone.”