22nd to 24th of July, 2018.
I thought I would be able to hitchhike from Joburg to Pretoria. I would have to take a minibus until some spot first. Laura tells me it would cost about 14 Rands to go over there and later her boyfriend tells me that the whole way to Pretoria would be something around 40. So doing the maths I decide just going directly to there. Later, of course, I figure out that maybe it does not worth it: I take a minibus to the bus station, 6 Rands; the minibus to Pretoria it is 45 Rands; but then from there I have to take another minibus to Abrie’s house (my first CS host), so that is another 15 Rands. Of course it is easier and everything but I am up to the save money not to do the easier way.
A funny moment happens a little before I get in there: I see this really beautiful blue bird and try to take a photograph but I cannot and the bird flew away. I was so pissed off that I start to yell to myself that this is why I hate those stupid shits. When I turn around I see somebody, a man, just behind me. I look at the guy and say sorry. I keep walking and soon enough I can hear he is laughing.
At Abrie’s place I am surprise in how different he looks from the pictures. He is very nice and show me all his place: a very nice, natural and quite big house. It looks like an old building with the red bricks all showing up but with his modern art touch on the vibrant colors he split out here and there. And it is also full of birds in the backyard.
I decide not go to Pretoria that day and just go for a walk around. I walk until I find a Spar,I buy some groceries and come back. It is such a great time I have to say. I am listening Raul Seixas, for the first time having all his songs. I mean, not all, but most of them. And I am shocked in how good he was, damn it!
Abrie comes back in the middle of the afternoon and we go to buy some vegetables for dinner. I prepare pasta with carrots, courgettes and aubergines. We also have some wine also some chocolates for desert. He suggests we watch a movie but he does not like any movie where a lot of people die, so checking my computer I figure out that best option would be One flew over the cuckoo’s nest.
After the movie I am exhausted and go to sleep but Abrie decides spend some time in his Jacuzzi, this huge thing which sits in the middle of the house. So different but at the same time, cool, you see. I think he prefer to do like that because then any other guest could come and joy him, without necessarily going to his bedroom.
Next morning I make some porridge with maize, for the first time. I talk with Abrie’s housekeeper about where to grab a minibus to town. I do not know exactly where get out but, again, I just figure out. I walk successfully all over the town: Union Buildings, Art Museum, Lions Bridge, The Es’kia Mphahlele Community Library (which is located inside of a complex with a lot of shops, between the Sisulu and Lilian Ngoyi St, at Helen Joseph and Madiba St and it is really nice and spacious), Women Living Heritage Museum (but it is closed due restorations), Church Square (also in fucking horrible restoration but at least there are a lot of beautiful old buildings all around so I could appreciate something), National Museum of Natural History (which I do not pay to go in and I am so surprise for this huge whale skeleton in front of the building, just there, outside), Burgers Park, and Melrose House Museum (this really beautiful colonial house, which is totally decorated in the same style inside, but for which I also do not paid to visit). When I am going back to the minibus stop, I see one which is going to Menlyn (where is Abrie’s house) so I just jump in. Just be aware that when you take those minibuses, they might put you in another one, in the middle of the way, which is actually going to the place where you are going. Do not worry because they will not make you pay twice, they just make a deal between them and that is it.
Back in Abrie’s house, I eat the leftovers from last night, I take a shower and write and read a little bit. When he comes back, we have some coffee and he invite me to come and watch a speech from Nelson Mandela’s ex-chef, Brett Ladds, in an event which happens once a month in a restaurant called Chefs@566. It is nice to hear his stories and we eat and drink and I meet a lot of nice people who got very interested and surprised about my travels. The restaurant is super cool and I am happy for Abrie’s invitation. It is so nice and generous of him.
Next day I am going to another CS, just because they both accepted me and I thought they were both so nice and so different between each other, that I decide to stay with both of them.