Gerard Colenbrander

Born in Johannesburg 1942, the author spent many years traveling in his twenties. These travels took him around the world, and included some vivid adventures. The first few chapters in the book “ The Power of Seventy” relate to some of his first experiences whilst travelling in Africa, some of which were recorded in books and included in a movie.

With an interest in aircraft, he and a friend decided to acquire crop duster licences from a flying school in the USA, and set out to do this. The idea was to travel through Europe, by ship to Canada, and overland to the Nevada flying school. They reached Iceland, where , after 3 months , plans were changed, and he ended back in Denmark where he and a friend bought a Combi, converted it into a camper, and set off to drive to Australia.

During this 4 month odyssey, he performed as a second in a western movie filmed on the Isle of Ibiza, and again as an extra on the set involving Hayley Mills and Trevor Howard at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. Subsequent to these travels, he was called back to South Africa, to manage and develop a family owned sugar farm . This was successfully accomplished, and following the sale of the farm, he embarked on a series of businesses. A couple of disasters, and a couple successful.

A widower with 3 sons in professional capacities, he co-founded, 15 years ago , the now well known “Highstakes Venue” conference and activity centre on a farm near Cato Ridge . He is busy with another book.