Monday, July 23, 2007

Thumping Escape

The problem with holidays is one ends up doing the not-most-sensible things. (I can start to feel those who were around this weekend start wondering which part I am about to mention…)…

But, y’know, I’d been looking forward to it since I knew it was a possibility. I had to. Despite the consequences of such an action.

Getting completely tanked on cheap ass white wine. And maybe a few vodkas & ciders. All within hours of landing on a soggy Cape tarmac. Having four hours of sleep – in my boots. And ending up in Khayletisha by 11am Saturday, watching kids drum their little hearts out for their library Speech Day.

Help me. If ever there was purgatory, I was in it, trying to keep the MacDonalds breakfast down, to the out-of-tune thudding of my head on musical beats.

Their poems and photos and skits were gorgeous though. Even if all viewed through a thumping skull and blood shot eyes and maybe whiffing ever so slightly of booze.

By an hour later I had some tiny two year old poor kid attached to my hip, and her uncle trying to seduce me with tales of how decent his house is, and how well he and I would suit each other.

Why? Cause I have white skin? I said through bleary eyes, sunglasses, and conducting an ad hoc walking tour through the township to find coca cola.

Yes!

Bugger that, honey. But thank you. I think.

I do love the Cape. And I am definitely doing more such weekends of escape. Maybe without the drums this time.

We gave my travel partner the full Long Street experience…she had her phone stolen by the second bar and had scored by the last one. Which obviously was Joburgs. Where I was trying out my worsening French on Gabonese and Congolese. While my engaged mate was having an argument with the barman that she only called him an asshole AFTER he refused to serve us. And then we got kicked out. Because the place was closing.

Good times.

Otherwise. I conducted a fourteen hour sleeping marathon. Maybe not the most sensible thing to do when one is on limited time. I blame the drums. And then I drank champagne on the Camps Bay strip on a gorgeous sunny Sunday, over a sushi lunch. After brunching on a wine farm. And before climbing on the midnight flight back to Jozi.

Thank you to certain people for organising the gorgeous weather!

See you all back in the summer time. And maybe a few before. (And maybe one of you in New York!!!)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have such a complex relationship with Cape Town. At times, I love it and other times I feel claustraphobic and dull.
But glad you found some time to sleep. Wasn't there something else you forgot to mention?

Anonymous said...

Aaaaah - isn't CT lovely. I'm having a little moment about it today. *squish*. Glad you had fun though, chicken!

Champagne Heathen said...

Jamaloni - I know after four years there I was VERY ready to leave. But now, I just get quick in-and-out versions of it, so I get to stay in the "love" part.

Mention something...hmm...like my beach walking yesterday, you mean!

Dolce - I did indeed. During the next instalment maybe I will have to entice you out to meet me and join in the champagne drinking!

Anonymous said...

Er...yes.. beach walking!

Champagne Heathen said...

Bugger off!

Anonymous said...

*evil chuckle*

Anonymous said...

Ooh, ooh...I sense an untold bit of gos. Spit it out girl!

Oi - and Jam - where do you live now - old link has died and been fed to the spam bots, it seems...??

ATW said...

"....to find coca cola.".

Ah, a fellow fan of the "little red ambulance", I see.

Anthony Burgess begins You've Had Your Time, the second volume of his autobiography, with an anecdote about being convinced he was going to die during a trip to America; "I was revived", he says, "with quarts of chill Coca-Cola, against which let no man say a word."

Seems to work on the Cape Flats too.

High in Dubai said...

Champers, that sounds like a mammoth, yet oddly relaxing weekend! I have a project in CT over the next 6 weeks. I hope I get to spend one or two weekends... It's been ages since I've been!

Champagne Heathen said...

Dolce - you know me and my sealed lips. Gawd, what could be read into that!

Jam's site expired, and she is focused on some changes, but yes, keep bugging her to get her act into gear and get a site back up!!

ATW - where've you been!?
Globalisation has brought us all closer and together in our common hangover misery, and our coping to survive them. Viva the Coke!

Highs - So then a perfect weekend. How is the mohawk treating you? You definitely need to get down there for at least one weekend. I don't know why I've been holding off from it for so long - I am now resolved to having a cape visit every 3 months!