Section 1: Inspiration for the Trip

Asalaam Alaykum.

It has been a year since I reverted to Islam and my life has changed in many ways. Alhamdulillah, this journey has taken me twelve years to complete, and it has been a journey of self discovery and self realization, of introspection and thought and my conclusion is thus that Islam is the one and only true way to salvation.

I am still learning about Islam and have read many written works about Islam on my journey of reversion to the one faith.

So what inspired me to do this trip. I was born in South Africa and I have been lucky enough to have travelled almost all over the world. I have been to Masjids in Dubai, Hong Kong and China. As a result of my travels to China in July 2009, I decided that I wanted to write a travel journal about a visiting a Masjid in every city of the world.

My first step would be to do this in my own country, because Allah T'allah has blessed us with a beautiful country, and of course, charity starts at home. I commenced planning the trip in late October 2009, and I plan to set off on the 02 January 2010, travelling due west until I reach the Atlantic Ocean, and then going south east for a while until I swing back north east and return back to Johannesburg. All in all the trip should take me 10 days and I will cover over 3490 kilometres.

I will visit the following towns, in the following order: Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Wolmaranstad, Schweizer-Reneke, Vryburg, Kuruman, Kathu, Olifantshoek, Upington, Louisvale, Keimoes, Kakamas, Augrabies, Pofadder, Springbok, Steinkopf, Port Nolloth, Garies, Vanrhynshoop. Calvinia, Sutherland, Fraserburg, Beaufort West, Victoria West, Britstown, Strydenburg, Hopetown, Kimberley, Boshof, Brandfort, Ficksburg, Senekal, Bethelhem, Harrismith, Warden, Villiers and Heidelburg.

Inshallah I can get to meet some very interesting people and publish photos of the Masjids as and when I have been there.

I am convinced that I will find a Muslim in every town, and will be able to make Salat at each and every town in Jamat.