Rudi RIP

Rudi was an Older Traveller who lived in Joburg and in recent years mostly posted on the Africa branch. But he was a regular on this branch when I first started coming here about ten years ago so some of you may have known him. We made several trips to Africa and he was so generous in providing information and contacts in the planning process. Then he went one step further and took us into his home and his life and his family. Steve and I miss him so much already.

I thought I'd post this here (its already on the Africa branch where he has so many fans) because some of you may know him. He was a tough old bird. Already in his seventies at the time, Rudi and his wife spent months travelling throughout North America a few years ago (using a car and tentj) and quite a few of the BC-based OTers met him and Brenda, either in Victoria or in Vancouver at that time. When we visited them just last year I was astonished to discover that he and Brenda still went to their beloved Kruger every few weeks to CAMP IN A TENT in the park - tough people.

Rudi was an intrepid traveler of the best sort. Just this past summer he showed me the extensive travel itineraries he had researched and was ready to implement ...but his health was defeating him. It was something to see, the desire burning in his eyes to backpack though Asia. At that time he was still thinking he might make it happen.

But just a ten days before he died he sent me an email that kind of told me where it was at for him...he was commenting on trip reports I'd been posting about Portugal, saying that it was now at the top of his list ...for the next life.

I like to think of him there ...roaming through LIsbon, birding in the countryside. May we meet again.

Thanks, Living2, when folks vanish from a group like this, one does wonder. He had a zest we all admired/

Darn it !! Thank you for posting this living. May he definitely see Portugal in his next time around :)

May he rest in peace.

thanks for posting this. I was lucky to meet Rudi and his lovely wife when they were in Victoria, and zosu, and i took them for tea to our favorite tea house. He was one of the best.

I also am sorry to hear that Rudi has passed. In 2006 Rudi and his wife Brenda where very kind to me and husband when we met them in Jo'burg.

I am sure you will convey to Brenda the sympathies of all of us on this branch.

Recently, Rudi responded in quite some detail to a request for information about birding in Africa, and I recall thinking how kind of him this was. I had met Rudi and Brenda previously when they came out on a birding expedition with our natural history group on their visit to Victoria, and if memory serves correctly, I also joined Canayjun and Zosu for tea.

Nice man, great traveller!!

How sad! I was so fortunate to meet Rudi and Brenda when they visited Vancouver. Please convey my best wishes to Brenda, along with those from everyone else. He will be sorely missed.

Thanks for posting. I have very fond memories of Rudi when I was planning our 2 trips to Africa. He gave such valuable information and insight that it was a pleasure receiving emails. Happy travels, Rudi, you will be sorely missed.