After spending a wonderful day and night with the Buikema family in Hout Bay, I headed back to Cape Town for a relaxing stay with Neil and Rozie in Claremont. Neil had to convince Rozie that I wasn’t some axe murderer.
Surprisingly, I woke up this morning without a hangover, despite last night’s adventures at the local tavern. Even at 3 a.m., I found myself wide awake, unable to sleep—not even feeling tired. Maybe next time, Arjan and I should finish those bottles.
Brenda and Arjan treated me to a delicious English-style breakfast: eggs, toast, sausages, and a freshly mixed fruit juice that was absolutely delightful.
Without a working computer at their home, I spent some time jotting down notes about my previous day on paper. Fortunately, Arjan found a solution: his next-door neighbor, the artist Paul du Toit, allowed me to use his internet. Paul’s studio — his creative lab — was a treasure trove of fascinating artwork, with the smell of fresh paint hanging in the air. I managed to get my updates online before it was time to move on to my next adventure.
My next host, Neil, came to pick me up in Hout Bay. Neil had extended an invitation a few months back, but when I reached out last week, he had to convince his wife Rozeta that I wasn’t some axe murderer. I can only imagine their conversation:
“Well, how do you know he’s not going to kill us?”
“He has a website!”
Before leaving, I thanked Arjan and Brenda for the remarkable time we’d shared, loaded my backpack into Neil’s car, and we were off.
By the way, did you know that Hout Bay has a real castle? Lichtenstein Castle, perched on the mountainside, is a luxurious replica of the famous Lichtenstein Castle in Germany, complete with a helipad. It’s now a high-end lodge for the wealthy—a rarity in South Africa, given its lack of European castles from the past.
As Neil drove me to his home in Claremont, a suburb nestled on the eastern side of the Table Mountain range, he shared stories about his life. He works as a financial account manager and has a deep love for the internet. According to Rozie, his wife, Neil can be quite the internet addict, often surfing late into the night.
When we arrived at their cozy home, I was warmly welcomed by Rozie and their little daughter, Jessica.
Knowing that I desperately needed to catch up on my online reporting (seriously I need extra hours in a day for all these daily reports you read now), Neil kindly let me use their internet connection, so I could update my travel diary and make sure everything was up to date. After working for a while, Rozie called us to dinner, which she had prepared for me, along with some of her friends.
Among the guests was Leonie Joubert, a wine journalist who taught me a lot about South African wines. I hadn’t realized how rich the local wine culture is. As the night wore on, we shared stories and laughter over dinner with Leonie, Wayne, and Lara. The differences I’d observed in every country made for some amusing conversations.
We ended the evening with coffee in the living room, swapping stories about life and the little things that make it interesting. As the night drew to a close, I was offered a bed on the living room floor, which I gladly accepted. The moment I hit the mattress, I was out cold.
It was another day of travel on Let Me Stay For a Day—and a wonderfully relaxing one at that.
Good night, Claremont!
Ramon.
