300312, Caravan,sweet caravan…

Arrived back in Coffee Bay yesterday afternoon after 2 days on the road (and almost a month away in the Western Cape).  My caravan was waiting for me in it’s new spot right next to the river at ‘Villa La Bye’ (ironically, the same spot I stayed at for two days when my caravan first arrived here last year).  This time there where no nasty surprises, no water leaks in my caravan, nothing but tranquillity and a bunch of happy dogs excited to see me.

I chatted a bit with my new camping neighbour and then went to look for my friends at my previous camp-site. It was good to be reunited with little René, her mom, baby sister and Vince.  Lucky for me, Vince was up for coming to help me put up the tent. It was pretty much dark by that time, but we did it without too much hassle, in fact it was probably one of the smoothest sessions of setting up the tent I’ve had.  René, building blocks in between.

Then I went for my first (much needed) shower at the new campsite.  I’m not sure if the geyser actually works at all, so it was a cold one, but I must say I really enjoyed it.  This morning I had another cold shower and it was good too.  I just hope maybe in the winter there will be hot water at some point…

Right now, almost 5pm on a Friday afternoon, I am sitting in my caravan, the rain started last night, not long after the tent was up.  I’m happy.  In fact I feel like a queen right now.  I feel a really good feeling about where I am.  (Right next to the river – and it is very beautiful here).  I was woken up by the sounds of various birds and the soothing sound of the river. 

After spending the morning, scurrying in and out of the tent to arrange things to a workable order and then a quick mission to Ngcwanguba for gas, I am now free to relax, have a cup of tea and a ‘stroopwafel’ that my mom packed for me.  All the while listening to the rain softly drizzling outside.  What more could a person want?  Well, I feel very thankful for a lot of things right now.  From my loving and generous parents I was able to spend some time with, to the opportunity to be right here and look forward to the new adventures at my doorstep and be able to trust in a God so good, knowing He only wants good things for me and carries me all the while when the going gets rough. 

I tried to contact the chief for a meeting today, but when I finally got a hold of him he said I can contact him tomorrow…

Tomorrow is the wedding here in the campsite and a big marquee tent was put up in front of mine today.  Hopefully it won’t rain all day.  I’ll put up some pictures of my surroundings when there is some sunshine again… 

250312, Sunday morning in Greyton

From a Cape Town wedding... Next one is in Coffee Bay.

Well, it is almost time for me to head back to the Transkei again, just when I've gotten used to having an en-suit toilet and shower...  I really should invest in a rain coat for this winter.  My new camping spot will be a little further away from the bathroom and I might need it for those rainy nights when I have to make a run for the toilet!

120312, From the East side to the West side...

So, I'm just seeing my current surroundings through new eyes and thinking about what different world I'm getting used to living in the Transkei...  It's good to be here and talk to some people, visited my old friend Amelia Mulder yesterday.   She started an online company selling second hand books, some of them very rare finds... I'm very thankful for the box of books she donated towards filling up the Rural Reading Hut...  Dankie Amelia!!

For those of you who love to read or if you're looking for a special gift for someone, check out what you can get at www.books4change.co.za

090312, Friday in the city...

I took the long road from the Eastern Cape to the Western Cape last weekend.  Today was my first day in the city since I'm back.  I'm not staying right in the city this time though.  I'm staying in the Strand, just a road separating me from the beach, the ocean sounds wonderful at night.  I love Cape Town.  And got a lot of admin done today.  But I'm glad I don't live in the city anymore...  There were a lot of traffic jam experiences today and my aircon isn't working....!

Anyway.  It's really such a different world to what I've gotten used to in the Transkei.  I must say, it's very nice to have 5fm available all day long.  I've missed that, I realize now.  It has become kind of synonymous to the city for me.  I need 5fm to be able to survive the city.  It makes your life feel a bit like a movie that's being played in fast forward all the time and gives you that energy that you need to do everything in a hurry before the city train departs without you and you're left stranded on the empty platform where no-one told you your clothes may have been dealt one too many hand-wash since last season or the price of burgers and parking have gone up too much for you to enjoy anymore.

Ah well.  Life is great isn't it.  Tomorrow I'm photographing a wedding.

28022012, Reading Hut progress...

Well, the walls are finished and the door and window frames are in.  Still a lot of work ahead.  Next step is the roof, then the floor, the plastering and the leveling and trench-digging of the ground  around. Then only the finer details such as painting, glass in the windows and actual door.  And shelves for the books, chairs and lots more books...

Anyone interested in helping in any way, let me know!  Lavonnebosman@gmail.com

Some of the kids who live on the hill and who will benefit from the Reading Hut...

When the kids came to play...

22022012, Wednesday, to the chief

Feels like it’s been a long day, but maybe not really that much happened…  Update on the Reading Hut, the walls are finished!  There’s still a lot to be done, but the walls are officially finished.  Next step will be the roof, the floor, the levelling of the soil around (It’s built on quite a steep hill, so I imagine that’s going to be quite a job) and a couple of other things…

Today, at last I got to the chief again, after pre-school, graced with the company off the very-hard to-track-down headman. (It is impossible to get papers from the chief without the complete co-operation of the headman.)  Another white lady I know, also wanted to go see the chief, so she got a lift with me, which I was very grateful for.  She has known the chief for some time and is familiar with the headman as well.  

At the meeting everything went well under the circumstances and I thought the headman did a good job explaining the whole land story to the chief.  (Not that I understood half of what he said, but there were no discussions other than what I expected.)

The chief listened intently without interrupting and came to a wise conclusion, I thought.  On Friday they will go to a meeting in which they will discuss more of these land affairs with the officials and then we will speak again about a solution to the complications that we currently face.  In the meantime, I don’t have papers, but will continue to complete the rondavel.  I will continue to trust in God and believe that He has good plans for me.

When I got back it was so hot I just needed to go for a swim.  I promised René earlier that I would take her so off we went with Vince as well.  When we got to the beach it was very much high tide and I spotted a blue bottle or two.  When I see those things I immediately lose all interest in swimming.  We stood in the shallow water for a while contemplating and decided to go swim in the river instead.  I had already turned around and started to head the other way when René started crying all of a sudden.  It was a bluebottle that got her around the leg.  I quickly ran back and got her to sit down and just put sand on it. 

She was crying for a while still but the sand definitely helped.  Vince had never been stung by those things so he had no idea of how intense the pain was.  I had never been stung either, but when I was a child, my sister got stung once and I never saw her run as fast as she did that day, to get out of the water.  That’s when I decided I’ll rather stay far away from them. 

Anyway, after a while the pain got less and we had her legs covered completely with sand, so we started playing with all the stones and strange sea plants that the tide washed up.  We made mini gardens and soon René was laughing again.  I must say she’s probably the bravest  5year old I know.

Back at the caravan, I discovered hundreds of ants in my cupboards, great.  Some strange sort of infestation.  I really hope I can get rid of all traces of them…

Oh, yesterday I had a first session with a new student who’s going to come for some extra reading classes and I’m very excited about the progress we can make there…