Our Upcoming Speaker

Boots Made for Walking.......to Everest Base Camp

Gordon Forbes, not of tennis fame, but one with different athletic aspirations, will tell the March U3A Helderberg meeting about his walk to the Everest Base Camp. The meeting takes place on 4 March at 10.00 at the DR Church Helderberg, 82 Firmount Road, Monte Sereno, Somerset West.

Once Covid brought an end to his career as a construction project manager – he had worked on over 200 construction projects – he changed the focus of his life from chasing jobs to travel, exploring and adventure!

In April 2024 Gordon was fortunate enough to be included in a largely Stellenbosch-based group to walk to the Mount Everest base camp, a venture he successfully completed.

As an Old Boy of Jeppe Boys’ High, Gordon fully subscribes to the school’s motto “Fortii Nihil Difficulius” (Nothing is too difficult for the brave) and says he would rather say he had done something than wish he had done it.  Most fortunately Gordon and his wife Lynn enjoy good health and after 50 years of marriage share the desire for travel and adventure. To date they have visited and walked in about fifty different countries around the world, not only as adventurers, but also to explore other cultures and put our own country’s mixture of cultures into perspective….a sort of appreciation of how we South Africans are truly blessed.

Gordon’s walking/running CV includes many, many marathons, ten Comrades and ten Two Oceans, numerous triathlons including a few Iron Mans, Midmar Miles and Duzi canoe marathons. He has also hiked many trails in southern Africa and abroad as well as a thousand kilometres on the French Camino from France, across the Pyrenees to Santiago and then to the Finesterra coast.

This man’s boots are definitely made for walking and his story is sure to inspire

us all to live life to the full and enjoy every moment!!

There is no charge for members; visitors pay R20 at the door.

Members may collect their 2026 membership badges in the hour before the meeting.

Enquiries: Denise Fourie 072 2111173