Dysseldorp-28 januari 2024

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I slept in the camper last night and that was bearable. During the night a cool breeze arose and that in combination with the height (2 meters) quickly made it pleasant. My mother-in-law also put her mattress outside the house to sleep; only Lisa is, of course, stubborn.

There is a lot of noise here and screams all night long. I know this well but the first few days it takes getting used to before you sleep through it. Even now during the day it is very noisy caused by the fact that it is the weekend, Sunday and a good amount of alcohol. It’s really like you’re in a movie where the characters are after each other, for reasons inexplicable to you, pretty much like life. These people live in the so-called ‘zakkieshuizen’ about 50 m away from my mother-in-law. The houses are so called because they are made of bags of sand-cement. As soon as the residents got in, they threw in all the windows and now, for years, there have been plastic bags in front. Fortunately, the church service starts now so it will be a little quieter. It is heavily cloudy today and therefore less hot although now, 9 o’clock, it is already above 25 degrees. Hopefully it will stay so ‘cool’.

Here too it is ‘loadshedding’ again and so the whole village is without power. It’s nice that the solar panel on the motorhome works again so that we even have Wi-Fi. The panel is large enough to keep the battery reasonably in shape.

During the day the clouds have disappeared and it has become really warm. In Oudtshoorn up to 39 degrees and here with my mother-in-law also more than 36 degrees, but there is some wind. I installed a tap on the camper that was stolen from it by copper thieves 2 weeks ago. Weird figures after all because they will not have received more than €0.50 for that thing. Just go to work you would say, yields more.

I can now watch ‘Voetspore’ again on local TV. A fantastic program created by a few crazy South Africans who travel right through Africa with their Landcruisers, Landrovers and Hilux campers and arrive in the most impossible places. A kind of Floortje to the end of the World but for really advanced. There are also many episodes on YouTube that are really worth watching.

I have now rolled out the awning and rolled it up again and that thing is fine although very dusty. I also sprayed some paint on the camper part here and there to update some spots. Cleaning the water tank is more work because this must be done carefully. I’m going to throw the tank half full and then a good splash of dishwashing liquid in it. Then driving a long way and then rinsing well should be enough. We are only going to use the water tank for coffee or tea and emergencies.

Also we will fill the gas cylinders tomorrow so that we can cook on the way.

The wind has now been raised and it makes it cooler but impossible to be outside. The dust gets in everywhere and sits between your teeth. Actually, it’s best to refrain here!

The photo shows Lisa enjoying the theater for her. She has ignited the fire by giving them ZAR 20 to buy the local, homemade, liquor. Incidentally, I was asked to marry one of the women there. The other photo shows the local battle group preparing for a battle further down.

And in the last photo my mother-in-law goes to war….