South African born Marianne Du Toit had limited equestrian experience, but that did not deter her from embarking on a journey that would take her – and two horses – almost two years to travel from Argentina to New York City. Crying with Cockroaches tells the story of her undertaking, one that many considered downright mad. She titled her trip TATA: Travels Across The Americas, and from her home in Ireland, began planning this trek of personal discovery. But as the project evolved, she realized that she could also use the adventure as a way to raise awareness for the need of therapeutic riding facilities in Ireland.
The book is over 400 pages, and includes over 100 color photographs, mostly from the author’s collection of her trip, which was inspired by the writer, Aimé Tschiffely, who undertook a the most famous equestrian journey of the 20th century. Marianne’s expedition took place from May 2002 through March 2004. This fall, she’s been touring the US, and will appear in Rochester next Saturday, December 1. She’ll give a lecture at the George Eastman House, complete with photos and stories from her amazing solo adventure through the Americas, with two horses by her side.