Seven days, seven cities… a thousand smiles

I recently watched Forrest Gump again, a classic movie close to my heart. One of my favourite scenes is the point where our protagonist, Forrest, feels a bit lost and goes for a run. And he runs and runs and runs, across the entire USA, for no apparent reason. For me, this section of the film has always been a way to showcase the best America has on offer from a scenic and tourist perspective, a view incidentally shared by the movie’s director Robert Zemeckis

I always wondered if I’d ever be able to complete a similar trip in our little piece of heaven called South Africa, and thanks to Kia’s annual Seven7 Drive, I recently got to do just that. However, this is where the similarities stop. We replaced the Nike running shoes with two hardy Kias – the Sorento and Sportage – and, unlike Forrest, we didn’t drive for no particular reason. We had an important cause – our drive across the country was to raise money for the Cupcakes of Hope Foundation.

The Seven7 Drive is a philanthropic mission spreading hope and joy to kids with cancer across the country. In the six years it has taken place, not only have thousands of rands been raised for the Foundation, but the delivery of gifts, toys and supplies has brought smiles to the faces of the children and their committed caregivers. Traversing our country’s deserts, mountains, forests, beaches, passes and bushveld, I realised just how privileged we are to live in this truly diverse country. I have often heard people say that South Africa offers the world in one country, and that you can experience