Category: this is south africa

Nearly ready

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Sure, I’m a non-believer, but any excuse for a party, and the fact that it’s going to be 30ºC here tomorrow and there’s a swimming pool and some cold beer seems like a good enough excuse for me. Whatever the religious reasons behind Christmas, we see it as a time to get together with family and friends, eat some good food and reward the kids (and ourselves where possible) for surviving another year. The car got rewarded with R5100’s worth of new shoes this morning. My wallet is feeling decidedly unrewarded.

The beagle is roasting on an open fire and Jack Frost has just been in touch to say that he’s never seen Cape Town, but he might just turn up (he won’t – unreliable bugger). The Carols from Kings CD is prepped in the living room and the last gift was bought at an alarming 11:31am today. Beers are on hold until the last family member has been picked up from the Deep(ish) South, but that’s no big deal. Plenty of time for catch up.

I have lots of writing deadlines to meet, none of which I am going to manage to fulfill, and a million YouTube videos to look at. My drone didn’t make it in time for Christmas, which is sad, but much like the beers, plenty of time for catch up.

Yesterday’s rain would normally have been most welcome, but the drive home was testing and stressful. Mrs 6000’s Whatsapp images from the start and (almost) the end of the journey tell the story.


And then we had shedloads of holiday washing to do and no means of getting it dry. Disaster.
Still – it’s done and now we have green grass for a few days, so I’m happy enough.

I’m now off to hoover the beagle as part of the sprucing up of the house ahead of the potential arrival of this evening’s red-coated intruder.

Bye for now.

Traffic cop

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South Africa’s roads are notoriously dangerous – a fact which is more widely publicised over the holiday period. I like to think that I am a responsible, careful driver, but I can’t legislate for all the other idiots on the road. And hey, maybe they are thinking the same thing anyway.

We did see a couple of roadblocks on the way down here, and it’s likely that we’ll see some on the way back to the Mother City as well. If you get caught in one, maybe you can use this approach.

I’m not saying that I know it will work, but then, do any of us REALLY know anything?

Drive safely, folks. Especially around me. Thanks.

It’s off the hook!

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Struisbaai is known as the party capital of Cape Agulhas, and no more so than at this festive time of year. Later today, there’s a Langarm Kompetisie up at the new nightclub in the industrial estate, but I fear that even that won’t match up to the excitement of yesterday’s Sasco promotion at the the local ‘OK’ supermarket (named thus to avoid trade descriptions issues with their original choice of ‘Really Good’):

This man bought a loaf of Sasko bread at ‘OK’, and got to spin the mystery wheel of fortune outside the store.

You’ll never believe what he won:

SOME BREAD ROLLS! Jeez. Times are tough, eh?

Please note Sasko (bakery company) c.f. Sasco – revolutionary student movement.
It should also be noted that only one of these is offering the chance to win R10 worth of products outside the Struisbaai ‘OK’.

But still, BREAD ROLLS!!!!!

DAMN! STRUISBAAI REALLY ARE OFF THE HOOK THIS HOLIDAYS!

That Saturday in holiday season

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Cape Agulhas is full. If you are planning on coming, don’t bother. It’s full. Even Mary and Joseph would have been turned away. The stable has long since been converted into holiday flatlets and they’re full. All of them.

“Son of God? Nee, man. Been there done that. And did you really ride that donkey down from Bredasdorp? Ag, no wonder the traffic’s been so kak.”

It’s not that I don’t love Agulhas when it’s like this. I still like the place, but maybe just a little bit less than when I have the beaches to myself. There are impromptu brandy & coke parties attended by loud Afrikaners springing up all over the village in the holiday houses that only get used for a fortnight each year. The beagle is constantly being triggered (not in a SJW way) by the unusual noise and occasional raucous laughter as Oom Koos van Pretoria cracks another joke about the Stormers back line.
I’m still happy to be here. Still recognise that I’m very lucky to be here. But I can’t wait to experience this place again when the crowds have disappeared and there’s just me and the beagle on the beach once more.