Post 36 Build it Journey

Blog Post 36

It’s been a great week, I just love the Karoo. I just feel so free out here, even if I’m working. I am doing a multi-day blog today as it has been a bit of a different three days.

Wednesday turned out to be an admin day and I could not have spent it in a better place – Bethuli. I visited the hotel where I had dinner on Tuesday night – The Royal Hotel to see the library of 120,000 books and 80,000 records that owner Anthony Hocking has collected. It’s simply amazing. Absolutely amazing. I had a very wonderful dinner there with Anthony joining my table which I shared with some cyclists passing through the town and he regaled us of stories of Rhodes and Beit and his favourite Leander Star Jamieson. We discussed the Boer War, the concentration camps, his collection of books and records and Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If’ which Anthony opines was written about Jamieson who Kipling met and befriended him in South Africa. Luckily I have the poem permanently stored in my phone and read it often so Anthony could read the whole poem to the other guests who had not heard of the poem before. It was a highly entertaining evening and a great day when I was not in front of the computer

I did a cycle ride at about 5 pm until the sun set which I really enjoyed. Visiting some beautiful dam that glimmered and sparkled in the late evening sunshine. In the morning I was well rested and lucky for that as I did 590 kilometres visiting just two stores today. Yes, that is how big and wide the Karoo is and also why the store visits have dropped a bit as there is a lot of time spent in the car driving now. Basically I drove the same distance as Durban to Johannesburg on Thursday. Eish…

So I got to see Marisan in De Aar and was lucky enough to also meet owner Okkie Jooste. Marisan was a very friendly person and a lovely lady. A great stat from the De Aar Build It store is that since they have been listed they have had 104 unique visitors to their listing and 43 leads! Simply fantastic and especially for a store that is quite rural. Well done De Aar Build It.

I also met with Gerrit from Karoo Build It in Middelburg who was an absolute gentleman. Both of the store visits were great and then it was the long drive to Cradock.

I had my first petrol scare and nearly ran out and testament to this was the fact that when I filled up my 45 litre tank took 46 litres. No lie, it was that empty. I certainly had butterflies in my stomach for 20 or 30 kms and I will try not put myself through that again.

I arrived very late and checked into the splendid and very Victorian, smart and beautiful Victoria Hotel. If you have never stayed here do yourself one favour in life and do it. It is straight out of the 19^th century with flowers and silver service on every table, proper serviettes and a genteel, calm feeling with the most friendly and helpful staff imaginable. The accommodation is in small cottages outside of the hotel (there are hotel rooms too) and they are tastefully and beautifully appointed with old furniture and paintings and it’s just a treat staying here. And the price? Cheaper than a lot of the B & B’s I have stayed in along the way. Really first class.

My digs in Bethuli was very special too – The Watchmaker which is a B & B owned by Em Frewen without doubt the nicest person in the Karoo if not the whole of South Africa and assisted by Jamie who is the second nicest person in South Africa. I got on like a house on fire with them and we had wonderful tea and chats during my stay there. If you go to Bethuli stay at The Watchmaker. Fantastic place. Get the room by the front door 

Then it is Friday and I went to the Cradock Build It store and met with Chevvon Dolley who totally saw the benefits of their store being listed on www.homeimprovemet4u.co.za it was quite a long visit and I am glad my digs were close by.

I had tried desperately to get accommodation in Beaufort West this week end so I could do the Somerset East and the Beaufort West stores today but the town is absolutely chock a block full. After doing 590 kms on Thursday I was not up for a further 400 round trip today driving there and then back to Cradock for accommodation - plus it is a huge waste of mileage driving all the way back after the store visit in Beaufort West so I decided to stay in Cradock today and then drive there on Sunday when the town is less full (there is their huge annual festival on this week end) and do the store visit on Monday. Then to Somerset East and my trip will continue from there.

It’s been a great week. This is a special trip meeting special people and it’s something I am definitely going to remember for the rest of my life.