My Car Crash

For all of those how have been following my journey I would like to apologise for a long silence. I had a car accident. Don't worry, I am fine; no serious injuries were sustained, and no one else was involved. The car should be fixed by next week, and the journey is not over. I would just like to thank my father for all his assistance in this matter.

In the meantime I will be going through all my notes and filling you in on all the amazing things I have seen but just have not had the time to tell you about.  I hope you enjoy reading them.

What, you want something funny and entertaining?

Come on guys I am giving you some sad news. I mean it's going to cost a couple grand to fix my dear sweet car; and you want jokes and humorous anecdotes? Well, okay. The car ended up on its side, so perhaps the image of me crawling out of the passenger side door as it stood facing the sky, will amuse you. *Sigh*, I suppose that was a bit uncalled-for. Its just that the last few days have been a bit tough. Of course the notion of hanging up the towel crossed my mind. Sure, the road can get lonely. When unspeakable beauty fills your eyes, the desire to turn to the passenger seat and say "Will you look at that; ain't it cool", becomes intense. Though the chances to see these things are not constant. Besides, I have you guys to share it with. Then I remember, I am not really alone; you are with me. In my heart; my mind, my desire to share wonders and experiences to those who would honour me by reading it.

This trip started out being about me, and my discovery of whatever seeps from the tarmac. Though I must admit, you are the fuel that drives me to continue. That may seem a bit sad. Perhaps it is. It does not bother me though. That is who I am. When you leave the world that told you what it thought you are, you must be willing to consider the person you find along the way. Not the person who sits next to you, but the person that sits inside you.

Wait, I sense that I may have veered somewhat off topic. Just a bit. Anyway, had an accident, sorry about the silence, will be back to posting tomorrow.

I just met you; and this is crazy

Right, so before I recap the tales of days past in a whimsical yet informative manner; I think you should hear about my morning. Yesterday, today and tomorrow - yes I know the flower- I have and will be opening the Lunar Cafe, and helping out while the manager spends some quality time with her son. Yesterday went smoothly. This morning, not so smooth. I have to open the shop at 7:30 am. "No problem", says I. Got in my car at 7:15am did I. More than enough time to slowly drive to work had I. Did car start? No.

I know the reason. I had left the car on, but not running yesterday while I sat and read, thinking it was easier to keep track of the time with the little clock on the dashboard. Being the genius that I am, I did not realise that if you do so for more than an hour and a half; the battery will go flat. Thankfully, yesterday after a few push-starts throughout the day, I drove the car around a bit and went home. After parking I switched it back on again to make sure that the next morning it would start. But at that time the engine was nice and warm; this morning it was freezing. With my breath hanging in the air the car made a valiant attempt at starting, then said, "Stuff it".

So there I was; ten minutes to get to work, off the beaten track and no one in sight to give me a hand. I tried to call my friend but she is ill and I am not surprised that she did not pick up the phone. My only option was to get to the tar road and try to thumb a lift into town. This meant running up a hill; to which my lungs responded in kind. They burnt back at me, a reminder of years of smoking that seems to have counteracted the years of cross-country. My body tried, but it was weak due to the disuse and neglect I have shown it. My body remembered all the abuse it has had to suffer at my hand, and that was its moment of reckoning.

"You need me now, don't you?" it spat at me as I tried to use it to fulfill my obligations. The top of the hill seemed like a faraway dream. Luckily I got to the tar road at 7:30, but at that point I was wheezing like a squeaky clown after a drive-by. After the first car that drove past ignored my attempt to hitch a ride, and the others I tried to chase down were unsuccessful, I entered the bargaining phase of grief. So I looked out into the forests and hills on this beautiful Friday morning and asked any imaginary entity for help. I even offered to give up some of my vices, and take better care of my body. Five minutes later, just as the remnants of my strength was coming to an end, a bakkie pulled over. Sure I had to sit on top of tools and boxes in the back, but at least the road was rolling past me at a more productive pace. Amidst apologies I arrived fifteen minutes late, with a burning chest and a stack of nerves that were worse for wear. At least I made it to work.

Getting home, now that's going to interesting.

Chaos, Tow Ropes, Log Cabin .... Knysna

Coming into Knysna:

Oh what chaos I have endured. Before I ramble off in powerful euphemisms, let me start from a more palatable point in the story.

In Knysna I am staying with an old friend of mine. She runs Rape Outcry; with whom I have been a member for many years. She does amazing work, and just got accepted to do a Masters' program in Clinical Psychology. I am very proud of her, she truly deserves it. The thing is though, her place is just out of Knysna. Unless you know where you are going it can be a bit tricky to find, as I discovered the hard way. After five U-turns, and four attempted gravel roads leading to increasing obscurity, something horrific happened. My car got stuck in the mud that resulted from the week-long rain. The sun was setting and all I could do was run to the golf estate, find a house that had a bakkie parked in the driveway, put on a face of saddened trustworthiness; and ask if they would be kind enough to give me a tow. Fortunately I had all the rope required. You always need rope, lots of it. Never go anywhere without it.

Luckily the people at the first door I knocked on were kind enough to help me. The gentleman (a quantity surveyor with a wife and two young kids) asked me enough questions to ascertain that I was not planning an elaborate heist. It ranged from where I lived to what I studied. Lo and behold he had gone to the same university as I.

The first two attempts to pull my car from the sludge resulted in a snapped tow rope. Eventually I took a second length of rope and used it to reinforce the other; and to my great relief I was free -- albeit rather muddy. I thanked him for all his trouble and forced myself not to jump into the driver's seat and hug him in an overtly manly gesture of Bro-Love.

Eventually I found my friend's place, and my goodness un-gracious me; it was picturesque to the point of silliness. A little log-cabin in the middle of a farm/forest which runs on gas and solar-power. It's enough to make any eco-Nazi shudder with glee. After such an ordeal I hear the fluorescent beckoning of the bar. So it was off to see what happened in Knysna when the sun went down.