Dear readers,
Still here. I can't see a mall anymore. The biltong (beef) comes out of my nose. I want to go away. Tomorrow morning. And fair winds ahead. Can we make up some time again? You really shouldn't be in a hurry to get out of here. It drives me crazy.
We are really ready to go.
Main stay tensioners renewed due to hairline cracks, leak at water filler cap fixed, anchor chain repaired, running light fixed, hot water boiler working again, refueled. (The story of Ali Fuel), water loaded, shopping done (more than a month's supply) We are now just waiting for the waves to subside a bit to get out of this hole again.
Ate in the Belgian food barn yesterday. Stone cold there. With an arctic storm on your neck. Are you sitting at the table with your coat on? Delicious Chateaubriand to eat. With a trappist. And a shiver. So over your back. Of pleasure. That mister Chateaubriand has been spoiled with such a fantastic cook. And yesterday me too. Eating out for two costs about €50 here and then you eat and drink enough. Often add dessert as well. Yesterday it cost € 60, - So an expensive restaurant. But highly recommended. Den Anchor.
We also cleared yesterday. That also has some feet in the earth. You must have a letter from the Marina. Another letter from another Marina and you have to provide information for Customs. Then you go to Immigration, hand over everything and get a letter and a stamp in your passport. Finished.
Not complicated but unclear. You don't see anyone else. No one comes to look at your boat and they don't keep an eye on you either. Apparently.
The Story of Ali Fuel.
Ali sells fuel and was advised to us by the Marina chef. Appointment made. Ali arrives with his 1000 liter container in his car with a flatbed. And his sidekick. Two Arabs. Nothing wrong with it. A semi-transparent old hose appeared with a coupling piece for another piece of hose and that quickly bridged 20 m.
The 1000 liter container has a pump with a counter. Counter to zero. 'The price is R28.8 call-out costs R650' and I can purchase everything. From 1 to 1000 litres. From Ali and his mate. The Arabs. They pump. We look. Toot, toot, boink, boink. After 358 liters the tank is full. That seems correct to me given the amount we motored. I paid. Finished.
The pinch was in the 28.8. Ali is therefore 26% above the price at the pump. And he also charges delivery costs. The normal price is 22.4. I tried to make it clear to Ali that it wasn't very charming to work this way. He was not impressed. In the end we paid about €100 too much for the fuel.
But when I told the story to the chef Marina, he offered us three nights for free. In order to compensate. A strange action if you ask me because he is not responsible for the fact that I once again let myself be fooled by fast Ali Fuel and only looked up the normal price for fuel afterwards. Of course you have to negotiate with Arabs. Otherwise they don't even like to sell you fuel. Anyway you like a gift horse.. And he solved it well. Ali will not be invited in the future if he does not offer a competitive price.
Apart from Cape Town, SA is also a cheap holiday destination.
I said you're all coming to visit soon.Greetings Ton and Mark
