Christo completes 'wheely' great ride
Published:Sunday | May 1, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Brian Bonitto, Special Assignment Editor
Following his 15-day unicycle trek around Jamaica, South African Christo Coetzer has a greater appreciation of Bob Marley's classic, One Love, which brought him to the land of the reggae star's birth.
"It has been terrific," said Coetzer, who was accompanied on his journey by his father, Theo.
"I met about 2,000 people along the way and everyone welcomed us into the towns and parishes through which we passed," he said.
"Some guys even joined me on bicycles and rode with me for some distance while telling me stories. It was incredible."
On March 28, the 24-year-old unicyclist from Pretoria in South Africa, began his quest to be the first person to circumnavigate Jamaica. His journey commenced at the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road in St Andrew and he headed eastwards around the island, ending at the reggae icon's museum.
In January last year, Coetzer made history by becoming the first person to travel around the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on a unicycle.
"The physical challenge was much tougher riding around Mauritius. It was a longer journey, but Jamaica is more mountainous and especially beautiful along the coastline," said Coetzer.
The South African, who was inspired to visit Jamaica because of his love of Bob Marley, said he rode 60 to 70 kilometres per day here.
"There were also some challenges due to bad road conditions ... especially in Portland, as well as between Alligator Pond (Manchester) and Milk River (Clarendon)," he said.
Coetzer, who said he will be writing a book about his three-week Jamaican sojourn, said he met some interesting personalities along his journey.
"I met the world's fastest man, Usain Bolt, at the beginning of my journey. And, at the end of it, I had lunch with Bob Marley's sons, Rohan and Julian," he said. "This was awesome."
Along his way, the unicyclist said he got a crash course in Jamaican culture.
"We visited a lot of cultural and heritage sites and I learnt a little Patois, too. I had jerked chicken and jerked pork. We got offers of fruits and spliff. And, even got a 'lecture' on how to grow marijuana," he chuckled. "We got marriage offers too!"
The unicyclist said throughout his islandwide tour, he heard "at least five million renditions" of Early B's Wheely Wheely.
"I haven't heard the original, but the words go something like this: One wheel wheely, mek we wheely one wheel, this is not a bargain, this is not a deal."
Coetzer said along his trek, he visited about 20 schools, where he encouraged students to "seize the day and follow their dreams".
And, as the 24-year-old closes the chapter on his Jamaican tour, he said his book would certainly mention the people's warmth and hospitality.
"If I had stopped with everyone who invited me to eat or drink with them, I would never have finished my journey," he said.