Monday, November 27, 2006

The stimulation sought by travelers often comes in big doses. Awakened before dawn by a horn honking repeatedly on the street, a well-dressed man wants entry into the building. I peeked out at his car from the garden gate and reasoned that a thief (or some other criminal type) would not be creating such a ruckus. He explained that he did not have his keys with him and that his wife had failed to provide entry for him. The decision was mine as I was in the lodge annex across the street and I had no idea how all the locks worked over there (if I decided to awaken someone on the staff) – let alone what had been explained about the annex by my kombi driver (in my jet-lagged fatigue when I was dropped off). I finally let the man in but hung around his door to make sure that he was on friendly terms with the woman in his life. All turned out well -- but he was lucky to have met me at the beginning of the trip and not at the end. At the end of the trip I would not have been polite to him and would have ignored his predicament entirely. Voetsek! (Piss off.)

(The view from my garden gate at the Annex to the Lodge -- the car/security guard is on duty. Milton Street, Observatory, Cape Town)

Coming to grips with what is politely called the “security situation” in southern Africa will prove to be a theme during my journey but should not discourage people from visiting. You just need to learn or “know the ropes” if you are going self-guided or listen carefully and follow the advice of your tour guides if you go that way.

Up early as a result of all this – took a cold shower as the geyser (hot water heater) was temporarily on the blink. The cold water woke me up and got me on local time immediately. Went for a walk on the Main Road and watched the great show put on by the kombi-taxi drivers and their agile assistants hailing potential riders with whistles and trash talk. Attractive young women received the most attention needless to say. Minivans decorated with the Orlando Pirates’ skull and crossbones completed the outlaw/gypsy cab look. Lots of other urban graffiti styles and Cuca-Style names (Let's Push, Fanny Resting, The Habit, Life Is A Game, Try Again, Oversize and Good Love Station) for the vans compete for attention.

("Armageddon" -- a nice kombi in Cape Town.)

The assistants take fares and handle the sliding side door letting passengers on and off with flair as the vans slide up to curbside.

(All in one fell swoop: a kombi drops off a passenger in Salt River, Cape Town.)

Found a meat pie shop in the Salt River neighborhood and was exposed for the first time to the friendly hospitality shown me all over southern Africa. The proprietor had just opened his business and wanted to sit and talk at some length about my planned route.

Walked back to Drive Africa and picked up the truck (having confirmed my arrival in Cape Town earlier in the day).

(Drive Africa's Main Office on Main Road, Observatory, Cape Town)

Exceptional staff: as usual it was fun to meet people face-to-face with whom I had dealt with previously by email or telephone. All are distinct individuals (Alex, Peter, Iris, and Matthias the summer intern) – German émigrés and multilingual (of course) – highly organized and very considerate. They insisted on getting me behind the wheel immediately so I drove the truck the first day, my only big mistake being a wrong turn up a steep residential street near the University. Amazed by my beginners’ luck, charmed by a pony cart being driven down the Main Road. Didn’t crash into anything on the busy streets, went in the correct direction at a traffic circle and subsequently navigated to the Grand Parade downtown and parked. Walked over to the bus station to pick up my son who was scheduled to arrive on the INTERCAPE bus. Will did not get off the bus and I was finally able to determine at the ticket office that no more INTERCAPE buses were expected.

(The INTERCAPE at the Cape Town terminal -- a transportation mainstay -- and notice the towed-trailer for baggage.)

Back to the lodge after visiting SPAR for the first time to buy water. Very pleased by my choice of lodge and location – everything very easy to find on the Main Road which seemed to lead everywhere I needed to go. Will surprised me back at the lodge – a copy of The Namibian newspaper on my doormat. His bus had arrived very early so he decided to go to the lodge directly.

He is a bit put off by the truck, feeling that a Double Cab Toyota Hilux is too conspicuous. I am more concerned about eventually fitting four people into it as we are to pick up the rest of the family along the way: Carole (my wife and Will’s mother) in Windhoek and his brother Jeff in Livingstone, Zambia. In the end the truck works out well but I also came to understand my son’s reservations.

We pick up a Cape Town map book (Map Studio) so that we can find our way to the rendezvous with our 4X4 instructor the next day; fill up with diesel for the first of many times – noting the heavily armed guards and armored truck crowding the apron of the Caltex station and head back to Observatory for dinner and an early start the next day. Drive Africa’s suggestion that I take a 4X4 driving course turned out to be the most valuable preparation I made for the entire trip.

(Let's see: there is Main Road and Lower Main Road and this is a one-way street and remember to stay to the left and lanes are called carriageways and...)

Labels: Cape Town, Vehicle Buy Backs

¶ 1:43 PM