Kicking the Car to the Curb in Swellendam

So I have a lot of catching up and making up to do for my lack of posting. Hope I haven’t lost any loyal followers with my delays. :) The computer issues as well as access to the internet have been abounding. Unfortunately the pictures aren't accessible just now, but I do have plenty to show. So first the words and later the pictures.

Since I last posted…my car woes have continued, culminating this past weekend. Last Thursday was a public holiday and so I took Friday off, along with the rest of Cape Town and managed to find a place to go that would let me bring Vuyo as well. In the interest of full disclosure, I wanted to see how well my bug could go now that I had fixed a few problems (replaced the starter, solenoid, fan belt and battery). I got it up to 140 KPH (60 mph), just briefly, I didn’t stay there. The car overheated and I sat in the middle of nowhere for an hour waiting for the car to cool down. Drove on a bit further, but things sounded worse and then the oil light came on. So I parked it and the realized I was on the doorstep of a B&B. I managed to take the last room as another car was arriving and they towed my beetle down to the parking lot.

The owner’s son and his family were visiting and so they found a mechanic to come look at the car the next morning and the step granddaughter and her boyfriend took me with them to have pizza. Being in a rural area, everything is closed on the weekend and there are no beetle parts locally. The mechanic said he would have to open up the engine and couldn’t order parts until Monday. Left the car there. A friend picked me up late Saturday afternoon (I was two hours outside of Cape Town in Swellendam). We drove to Hermaneus, which is the resort town for Capetonians and stayed in my friend’s family holiday home – and one person compared it to Monterey, CA. Sunday was lovely, walking around, spotting whales (they come to Hermaneus to mate).

Yesterday I upgraded my automobile association membership to include long-distance towing, must wait 72 hours to utilize it and will call Saturday to have my car towed to Cape Town. But now spending this week seeking out transport has been a bit hectic.

On top of that just emotionally worn down trying to navigate some relationships.