How I Got To Eat Soup With My Hero In Africa

Today’s post is by Steve Moakley, a member of our Sensophy community. Steve is a freelance photographer based in Austin, Texas, USA. His work focuses on humanitarian issues in the developing world and commercial assignments.

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A couple of years ago I read a book by Riaan Manser, a South African who decided one day to ride his bicycle around the circumference of Africa. He wanted something more from his life and decided THAT was it. He would be the first person in the history of the world to do it and he wanted to prove that it was possible.

Wow. I was enthralled by his story. I read the book during every free moment. I told everyone who would listen about the pretty commonplace adventure this fearless dude in Africa had undertaken. When I got to the last chapter, I put the book down for two weeks, a silent protest that this mundane journey he was taking me on had to end.

But I finally did finish it. As you might imagine, Riaan came back a new and changed person. He was hired to speak about his journey. He created a foundation to encourage sporting activity among youth. Nelson Mandela requested a personal audience with him.

I could not stop thinking about this guy and his quest. Just think of the stones it would take to attempt something like that! I secretly told myself that if I ever made it back to Cape Town (I had traveled there once before) that I would look Riaan up and invite him to beers.

It’s Social Media – Use It

When I finished reading Riaan’s second book (about kayaking solo around Madagascar), I found him on Twitter, followed him, and tweeted that I loved the book. Within minutes he tweeted back to thank me with a hearty “Good man!” I sat there stunned that I had just received a tweet from this guy who circumnavigated Africa on a bike. Amazing.

This made me realize, that’s the thing I love about Twitter: it connects you instantly to that person. You have immediate access to them. How many celebrities, athletes, bloggers, etc. do you read about that actually operate their own Twitter accounts? Tons. Just like you and me.

I continued to trade tweets with Riaan from time to time.

Reach Out  

I eventually friended Riaan on Facebook and followed his dual-kayak expedition around Iceland in 2011. As a supporter and fan, I offered whatever encouragement I could from the other side of a computer.

A year later, I signed up to attend a photography workshop where I would be shooting for a non-profit organization, the type of work I want to do more of. The workshop was an amazing opportunity and it was being held in no other place than Cape Town, South Africa. Well, remember that little promise I made to myself earlier?

I decided to give it go at meeting Riaan Manser. I messaged Riaan on Facebook and simply asked him if he could meet up. I explained what I was coming to Cape Town for and told him, “You are at the top of my ‘People I’d Like To Have A Beer With’” wish list. It took a month to get a reply (all that adventuring keeps one busy, I presume), but he finally wrote back and said “Awesome!” He gave me the email address for his PA and said she would set up a time and place.

I wrote Riaan’s PA, Rene, and she wrote back. She said Riaan could meet on the Friday evening the weekend before my workshop began. Perfect! Friday happy hour beers with Riaan Manser?! Seriously? Mark. It. Down.  She said to meet Riaan at 5pm at the V&A Waterfront at Cape Town Harbor.

Boom. Done. And all because I had access to social media and took a chance to reach out.

Patience, or If At First It Doesn’t Work Out

A few months later, I had made it to Cape Town. A Thursday sodden with torrential rain turned into a gloriously sunny Friday. Cape Town in the sunshine is a beautiful place, so I loaded up my camera bag and headed out early from the hostel to walk across downtown to the Waterfront to meet Riaan Manser. I couldn’t believe the day had actually arrived!

I brought my laptop with me as I expected to stop at a coffee shop downtown to send some email. I found one and bought a cup, set up my computer and instinctually checked for new messages. BING – I had mail. A message from Rene, Riaan’s PA, was at the top of my inbox. And it sucked.

It said that a scheduling snafu had resulted in Riaan being stuck in Johannesburg and unable to make our meeting later that afternoon. He was very sorry.

I was very crushed.

I had been extremely excited about this one-off chance to actually have a beer with Riaan Manser. We were going to talk Africa, talk about helping others, talk about taking on extreme adventures. But it was not to be. Instead, I would be having that beer alone, thumbing through my copy of Around Africa On My Bicycle that I brought for him to sign and revisiting all the parts I had underlined. By myself. Bummer.

However, Rene did mention, should I still want to meet Riaan, that he was taking part in a kayaking race the next weekend through the waterways of Cape Town. I could come meet him at the end of the race at a sailing club on the Atlantic side of the city.

It wasn’t happy hour beers, and it was a week later, but it was a second chance to meet this guy while I was on his side of the world. I was in.

They Are Humans, Too

The following weekend, on Sunday, my workshop had scheduled a day off for us to tour the wine country outside Cape Town. Hell yeah. At the end of the tour, I arranged for our driver to drop me off at the sailing club Riaan was to finish at. I was skeptical about trying to meet him at this event; he is a favorite son of Cape Town and of South Africa now, and certainly famous with the kayaking set. I expected him to be busy shaking hands, posing for photos and doing interviews when he finished the race. I wondered if I would just be another face in the crowd.

I walked into the grounds and down to the water. People were pulling their kayaks up on land, drying off, and looking for soup (it was winter time in SA, after all). Then I peered through the crowd, noticed a small scrum of people and a TV camera down near the water, and right in the middle of it all was – Riaan Manser.

What to do? During my photography career I’ve met famous people, celebrities and legendary sports stars. One thing I’ve learned over the years by sharing elevators, green rooms and taxis with them is that they are just humans, too.  Far more often than not, they just want to be treated that way.

So I stood back and waited for the crowd to dissipate, for the odd recorder or TV camera to switch off. When Riaan parted ways with a fan after a photo and had a moment to himself, I simply walked over and said “Riaan – hi, I’m Steve Moakley, the guy from the US,”. True to form, he lit up with a bright smile, recognizing my name (or at least played it convincingly) and said “HEY!”, shaking my hand.

I had met Riaan Manser.

We stood chatting for a minute, talking about the race. As I noticed Riaan’s teeth chattering, he asked that I excuse him for a moment so he could dip in the hot shower and grab some soup; he said to wait inside with his group and he’d be right back. I went inside the club and found Vasti, his girlfriend (whom I knew from the books) and Rene, his PA, whom I knew from the emails, and made my introduction. We got acquainted while Riaan warmed up. Then, cup of soup in hand, Riaan joined our circle in the common room of the club. I had a seat next to him and we chatted about my workshop project, about Cape Town, about the States. I had him sign my book. We probably spent 20 minutes or so just hanging out as a group, laughing and talking.

I tagged along to the parking lot as Riaan and his crew loaded up the kayaks on their trailers. This last task complete, we all stood around just chatting and joking some more, and I had one of the crew take my photo with Riaan. There would be no post-race beers as evening was coming on and the crew had a long drive home around the cape.

But before they left, Riaan did chat closely with me about vague clues for his next adventure (which he is on now) and honestly treated me like an old friend. I couldn’t have asked for more. We shook hands, I gave Vasti a hug and they all piled into the car and drove off.

Just like normal people, which they are.

It Is Possible

I think the number one barrier which keeps us from reaching out to that person whom we admire, want to connect with or learn from, is that we think, “It just isn’t possible to meet (so-and-so).” So we don’t bother asking. But what I discovered by trying to meet Riaan Manser is that this way of thinking is wrong. A few simple actions can open up an incredible opportunity:

Action Steps for Meeting The Person You Admire

• Use Social Media. Find the person you want to meet and connect. It is that easy. Start a conversation. Comment on something you like or respect about the person and open up a little about yourself.
• Reach Out and Ask. The worst thing someone can ever tell you when you ask about a meet up is “No”. Chances are, they won’t say that. And you will never receive a “Yes” if you don’t ask in the first place
• Be Patient. Famous people are busy. It might take forever to get a reply, but keep trying. Cut them some slack if something doesn’t work out. Try again.
• Remember, We’re All Human. Treat your person as just that – a person. Say hi. Introduce yourself. Talk about mutual interests, not how much you love them. They know you are a fan because you are standing there. Just have a conversation and hang out.

Back before his bicycle trip that started it all, everyone thought it wasn’t possible. Riaan had a ton of detractors. “You’re going to do WHAT?! That’s CRAZY!” they would say.

So, he made some plans, used the tools he had, got on his bike and started pedaling. And you know what?

Turns out, it is possible.

Who are your heroes?

If you could meet anyone in the world for a coffee or drink, who would it be? And what would you talk about? Putting it down in writing already makes it seem more possible, and will introduce the rest of us to some pretty amazing people out there. Tell us about it in the comments below! 🙂