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Reports

During my travels, I received free accommodation for a night in exchange for writing a daily travel diary. This diary documented how I reached my next destination, the hosts who welcomed me, the food I was offered, and other experiences along the way. Below, you will find the archives of these extensive reports. Please note that English is not my native language, and most entries were written quickly, often around midnight. Enjoy!
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Sunday, 14 October 2001
Houtbay --> Claremont, Cape Town (SA)

After my day and night with the Buikema family in Houtbay, I moved up to Cape Town again where I had a relaxing and amusing stay with Neil and Rozie Andrew in Claremont.

I woke up not even that late this morning and I expected a hangover after last night’s escapades in the local tavern. But nothing like that.

I even was plain awake at 3am, not being able to sleep at all. Not even tired. Maybe next time Arjan and I have to finish the bottles…

Brenda and Arjan prepared a delicious English style breakfast with eggs, toast, sausages and a yummy fruit juice they had mixed themselves.

I also gave them the gift from Denise and Kobus Eysele, my former hosts in Brackenfell, Cape Town. Arjan and Brenda were pretty intrigued about the whole gifts-idea and enjoyed the wired flowers and the little bag of summertime flower seeds they received from the north.

As Arjan didn’t have a working computer, I spent some time writing my notes about yesterday on paper. Fortunately Arjan found me a possibility to use the internet at his next door neighbor, the artist Paul du Toit.

Arjan introduced me to the family there and Paul connected me with the Internet in his creative lab (aka basement), surrounded by lots of fascinating works of art and the smell of fresh paint.

I was finished with updating all this when it got time to get going again. I thanked Paul for his helping me out and got packed for my next destination.

This time my next host would pick me up at my current location in Houtbay.

It was Neil Andrew who had invited me a few months ago and when I contacted him last week, he had to convince his wife Rozeta that I was definitely not an axe-murderer.

Just imagine the conversation they would have had:
“Well, how do you know he’s not gonna kill us?”
“He has a website!…”

I thanked Arjan and Brenda for the remarkable time I had with them and loaded my backpack in Neil’s trunk when he came by.

By the way, did you know that Houtbay has a real castle on a mountain side? It’s just that it is not a usual thing for South Africa, as there weren’t really European situations going on in the past.

But a few years ago, some guy built a replica of the Lichtenstein Castle (Lichtenstein is an independent small country bordered by France and Austria). It’s now a luxurious lodge for the wealthy. I mean – it even has a helipad where you may land your helicopter…

Neil drove me to his home in the suburb Claremont, east of the Table mountain range that goes across Cape Town, while telling about his life. He is a financial account manager and loves the internet. According to his wife Rozie he can be quite an addict and surfs all night long on the Internet.

At their comfy home I met up with Rozie and their little daughter Jessica.

The first thing I had to do there, was present them the Letmestayforaday-gift as I got it from Arjan and Brenda. It was heavy and too obvious in appearance to be hiding from them.

Their gift from my previous hosts were two bottles of unique South African wine, white and red.

Neil knew that I needed to use the internet pretty badly as I don’t like to be behind in reporting, so they let me use their connection to be working a bit more on reports you can read here, before Rozie had finished preparing dinner and I, together with some friends of her, joined at the table.

Leonie Joulert, one of the friends, is a wine-journalist and taught me things about the South African wines I didn’t know about. Together with her, the family and Wayne and Lara we had some pretty laughs during the dinner. About the stories I told them and the differences I see in every country.

We ended the evening drinking coffee in their living room, sharing stories of life and about daily things until it was time to go to bed. They had arranged me a bed on the living room floor, so after I crashed on it, I was a goner.

Another day on Letmestayforaday.com and it was a very relaxing day I must add.

Good night Claremont!

Ramon.


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