Greetings all. I finally decided to sit down and write a letter. Paul Gronwall will be sending an update to Craig but this is an “ala New Zealand” kind of communication. I need to get it down before we get too far into the trip and I forget where we’ve been and what we’ve done.
First, our UAL flight from Seattle to Chicago was cancelled due to equipment problems. Lots of folks not happy as they were heading to the Super Bowl. Fortunately we were at the airport 3 hours early because it took an hour to get us rebooked on Lufthansa. Not sure why it was not booked this way in the first place. So, instead of going through Chicago to Munich we flew directly from Seattle to Frankfurt and then to Munich where we had an 8 hour layover. We took the train from the airport to downtown. We had dinner … a true Bavarian dinner, and then watched a protest in the square. There was a “security” conference going on at the time so lots of flags and signs protesting for social justice. Back on the train to the airport. Our flight arrived in Cape Town about 30 min. ahead of schedule … at 10 am. I had reserved a Hyundai H1 (we drove this vehicle in 2011 and I liked it), which we were thankful to have with all our luggage. And, it’s an automatic! A first for SA. And, a diesel, which we’ve not had before. We arrived at Brenwin House, stored the extra luggage in the garage, got into our rooms, changed clothes, and headed for the V&A Waterfront to catch the topless bus tour. The gondola at Table Mountain was shut down due to the wind (also a first for us … even tho we weren’t going to take it anyway). Weather is beautiful although windy. Lunch at the waterfront afterwards, and then we met Lucas and Beauty Plaatjie, daughter Liyabona, Carl Swart and wife Madeline, and Johan & Selma Botha. Some of you may recognize the names from our 2011 visit. We had dinner with them at the Greek place. This time we ate at “Beluga.” A wonderful place close by where we were able to sit outside in a lovely courtyard out of the wind. For those of you who know Liya, she is 17 going on 18 this year. Hard to believe we met her when she was 10. She is quite the lovely young lady. (Vonnie, we’ve taken a special photo of her for you.)
At 1:30 Monday morning we got up to watch the Super Bowl live on a local sports channel. What a thrill. It seemed surreal to watch them play so well and really beat the daylights out of Denver. I don’t think most folks gave them much hope but they proved everyone wrong and now people know they are for real.
Monday was a trip to Cape Point (Wendell proudly wearing his Seahawks t-shirt). Weather lovely but still windy. Thankfully Wendell now has his groovy motorcycle glasses so the wind no longer bothers his eyes. Not many folks on the road which is great. Lots of road improvements since we were last in this area in 2011. Lots of improvements in general. It feels different … less neglected. The funicular is back working at the point so Paul and Gail take it to the top. One can still walk up to the lighthouse (and back) but my knees must be salvaged and Paul needs to take care of his as well (he tore his meniscus just before leaving). We have lunch at the Two Oceans restaurant after the tourists from the tour buses take their leave. A stop at the Cape of Good Hope sign for a photo op and we head for the park exit.
Ok, now is a version of “the dog ate my homework.” On the way back we stop along side the road where Wendell hops out to close the gas cap cover (it seems to not close well and pops open randomly, prohibiting Paul from exiting the vehicle) and in through the door Wendell just exited, jumps a baboon. Paul quickly opens his door to get out (now that the gas cap cover is closed he can open his door) and the baboon jumps into the back seat and then into the far back. I am still in the driver’s seat watching this and then Gail comes out of her shock and realizes she has a baboon sitting on the seat next to her (and it’s not Paul). She opens her door and jumps out and I then also make the same decision, realizing that this is not somebody’s pet monkey but a wild and dangerous animal. So, we are all now out of the vehicle and the baboon is in the vehicle checking out all the bags in the back. Fortunately he cannot carry Gail’s or Paul’s backpack and so he settles on the red Vodacom cell phone rental bag. With the bag in his mouth he exits the vehicle and sits on the road. Trying to get him to drop the bag is unsuccessful (those guys have big teeth) and he runs off jumping up on to the roof of a bakkie that is parked on the side of the road (that belongs to a wind surfer). Wendell picks up a stick to try to encourage the baboon to drop the bag but it only results in a dash for the bush, red bag in mouth, to join his cohorts. This whole thing took less than 5 minutes. At this point we are feeling like complete idiots and Wendell and Paul are still chasing the baboon in the bush, hoping he has dropped the cell phone bag (which of course, he hasn’t because he knows that’s what we are after). With drivers on the roadway pointing and wondering what these people are doing, they give up and come back to the vehicle. Fortunately, the cell phone and car charger are plugged in so the only thing left in the bag was the wall charger. We’re going to have some ‘splainin’ to do at the Vodacom shop at the airport when we leave. As I said, this is a take on “the dog ate my homework” story only much less plausible … unless, of course, you are in South Africa. Now mind you, Paul is going to give his report to North Point on Sunday so given that he was in the back seat, he will likely have a very different view of this experience and will put his “spin” on it ?. Now this may all sound like a very funny story, and it is now, but trust me, it wasn’t while it was happening. Unfortunately, you will not be able to wait for the video, because there isn’t one. Like most fish tales, this story will grow as time goes on. The baboon will get bigger and bigger, and many more will have been in the car. Suffice it to say, it DID happen, but we don’t have the scars to prove it … unless you count the scratches on Wendell’s leg.
I forgot to mention that for some reason the cell phone will now allow us to make calls so after all this we still have to go back to the V&A Waterfront with the cell phone. (It turns out that for some reason the phone “locked” and could only be unlocked by the provider.) Since we were traumatized by both of these events it was time for a glass of wine and dinner by the harbor. We are seated at a wonderful table over the harbor, get settled, and then are asked, by the same person who seated us, if we would be willing to move to a table not by the water. Excuse me? Are you seriously asking us that? He clearly had no idea of what we had been through that day. (Dinner was great.)
On to Tuesday. Wendell has made arrangements for a 3 ½ hour tour through Khayelitsha, the largest informal settlement in South Africa. Our guide, Jimmy, lives in one of the other informal settlements and has been in the tour business for about 5 years. He is very knowledgeable. With KBV doing the driving, he guides us through the maze of settlements comprising the Cape Flats. Jimmy believes about 3.5 million people live here. Paul & Gail are silent … they are probably overwhelmed by the images assaulting them. As with most of these settlements, we see housing ranging from metal and wood shacks, to two-story block townhouses with gated entries. Jimmy takes us to see “Vivian” who runs, what we would call, a social service agency. She has about 16 kids in a daycare, 5 kids who are essentially orphans, a choir, a library. She is what we would call a “champion.”
After the tour we drive to the Green Market Square which is in downtown Cape Town. After lunch we walk to the District Six Museum.
Wednesday we were off for Oudtshoorn (pronounced “outswearen”) which is ostrich country. We stayed at Thylitshia Villa which is a wonderful place we have stayed in years past. It was bought a couple years ago by a couple from Graff-Reinet. It is as lovely as ever and they are wonderful hosts.
Thursday late afternoon we arrive in Aliwal North which is where we will be until Monday morning when we leave for Vanderbijlpark. Today (Fri.) Gail spent time with crèche kids and delivered many of the books, puzzles, and games she brought in one of the three extra suitcases she carried. Brad, Wendell and Paul assessed the continuing water problems that are a result of roof drainage. Long story, but Paul will put his engineering skills to work drafting a plan to deal with the runoff. Tomorrow we will visit some of the churches in Brad’s presbytery where he and his Gtm team plan to work, helping them with minor repair projects.
Well, that’s all for now. It’s time for bed.
Blessings to you all,
Kelly