Someone I Once Met: Dootch

Someone once said that if you wanted to walk from campus into town and you’re in a hurry, don’t go with Dootch. Our university was one of the smallest in the country, and although it’s done a lot of growing since I left in 2010 it still only boasts a couple thousand students. It was as if Dootch knew them all and they all knew him. Walking into town with him meant stopping for a chat with various people as he inquired sincerely about how they were- not forgetting the inquisition about the health of their family and pets too.

Of course Dootch isn’t an actual name that exists in any baby-name book. You see, Dean du Chenne was a huge fan of South African rugby player Butch James. By this way, Dean became fondly known as Dootch. And sometime in August 2010, there Butch was, a national sporting celebrity, at Dootch’s wake. Honouring with us the spectacular person that Dean was. What this would have meant to Dootch is immeasurable. His idol and namesake came, laughed, hugged, teared up and posed next to a photo of our recently lost friend.

How many people do you know that mentioned, at the age of 20, what song they’d like to have played at their funeral? Probably not many. And his choice of ‘Forever Young’ is even more chilling. Such a personality, so much larger than this life, could only have been taken away from here by something as unstoppable as lightning. Everything about this situation, when I think about it today, is incredible.

There are a close-knit group of people who were lucky to call Dootch their best friend. These people knew all too well the kind of individual he was- the class clown and boy’s boy who was never too poor to spend money on his friends- or anyone for that matter. Even if he didn’t know where his next meal was coming from. Certain figures, with certain organisational skills, who knew him so well, knew that his life couldn’t just end there. And so the Dootch Fund was born.

Only in it’s second year, the fund has already raised enough money to sponsor it’s first post-graduate student. It wasn’t easy to choose who’s life to change, but in 2014, the Dootch Fund will send it’s first student back to university to further his career. And all because once a year, in September, Dean’s ever growing number of friends and family gather in the Drakensberg and raise funds while wrecking havoc.

I’m glad for the few years I was able to spend getting to know him at Rhodes University and on various trips. One that stands our is our 4 day hike through the Transkei where he wore no underwear and brought no change of clothes. Cheers to Dootch, to his family who attend all the events and to his dedicated friends who have not let a great life end where it could have.

 

 

Through the Karoo

When we meet someone who has been to South Africa or is planning a trip there we always ask the same question: where did you go? And we, more often than not, oooh and aaah over classic must-sees like Cape Town, the Garden Route and The Kruger National Park. But what, I say, about the Karoo?

There’s no place quite like it. It is spectacular in its sparseness- but then again I’ve always had a thing for dry areas. Of course the Garden Route is a must see for various reasons, and people are naturally drawn to beautiful coastlines, but the massive part of our country that is the Karoo is in a league of its own.

My most recent trip through there has got me seriously thinking about suggesting it to future visitors of our majestic country. I’m from the North West province so a journey through this area is necessary if you’re en-route to Cape Town. And if you do find yourself there, go one step further and take the road less travelled. Get off the highway and experience some (actually) really good tarred roads connecting Karoo towns- doing this you can truly appreciate the open, beautiful spaces in South Africa.

The long straight roads will lead you to enchanting towns, somewhat stuck in the past with their Victorian architecture. Telling stories of days gone by when the area was filled with Boers trekking through the interior, fighting bloody battles against the Brits and locals in the Anglo-Boer War.

In the Karoo, much like other parts of the country, you will be awed by a spectacular array of cloud formations. I love them for the depth they give to photographs and can find myself looking at them for ages. What is it about South Africa and clouds? Nothing beats them.

I’m not a morning person, but on the odd occasion, when I’m forced to be up to see the sun rise, I realise that dawn is an incredibly beautiful time of day and one that I should really make more of an effort to see. Unfortunately sleep is very important to me. There are plenty of child-raising years to come where I will be up around that time.

Q&A: Bodyboarder Ticks Tahiti off his Bucket List

Reece Wartenberg’s first love is the Ocean. But above all comes bodyboarding. His deep seated passion for it has and will continue to take him across the world to ride the waves of his dreams. This year Reece made his biggest dream a reality by heading to Tahiti – number one on his bucket list.

Use three words to describe yourself.

Just very determined.

What does the word ‘Tahiti’ mean to you?

The word ‘Tahiti’ means a lot, but Tahiti is synonymous with a place called Teahupoo. I have been a bodyboarder all my life, and Teahupoo is well known as (debatably) the best bodyboarding wave in the world. To me there’s never been a debate. Teahpoo is the best. Since I was 11 years old I have known I needed to get to Teahupoo.  So what does the word ‘Teahupoo’ mean to me? Everything, literally everything.

The island of Tahiti

You spent three months there – not many people do that. Why did you?

As a traveller you realise more than ever that money, and time, dictate life. I knew that this was my one shot for a trip like this. I knew that if I was going to get Teahupoo the way I’d seen it in the media I’d have to go for a long time. Perfect waves don’t just happen every day – there are hundreds of factors that come in to play. You can predict when it will probably be good, and that’s what the sponsored guys do – They’ll see from a couple of days before that Teahupoo will be good and they’ll fly in for that one session. When you’re self funded that’s impossible. I went for three months to give myself a solid window. Also, I knew in three months I’d really get to experience the people and the culture, which I knew would be (and was) a great side effect.

As the only guys at the surf camp in the main town,’the fantastic 5′ got on really well. We revelled in telling our surf stories to each other.

You’ve travelled quite a lot. How did this trip differ from other ones you’ve taken?

Usually I travel and work, and do short trips in between when I get time off. That way I get to see and do so much, I get fully immersed in the country I’m living in, and finances are not too much of an issue. This trip was different in that I knew I didn’t want to work – I spent every cent I’d ever made on it. In a way I feel like I was being a bit selfish and wasteful (economically, environmentally etc) but at the same time this was my one opportunity. I made the decision before I went to Tahiti that this was an investment in myself. If I didn’t go I would never have known, and now that I’ve gone…well, I can’t put a feeling to it…but I feel ready.

You obviously had your expectations prior to arriving in Tahiti. Once you were there was there something about it that really took you by surprise?

Not really. I knew so much about Tahiti before I went. When I got there part of me felt like I might have been before. The biggest surprise was that I was actually there.

Tell us about one particularly memorable experience.

There were two incidents from which I’ll have always have the scars, which I suppose makes them particularly memorable. Twice I had bad wipeouts at Teahupoo. Both instances were almost identical, and within two weeks of each other, so I’ll tell you about the last one.

Teahupoo was big, heavy, and dark. It was angry Teahupoo. I paddled out between sets. When I made it to the take off zone the atmosphere was tense. Everyone was buzzing, even the seasoned locals seemed anxious – they know more than anyone that when Teahupoo is big it’s no joke.

The first big one which I was in the right spot for, I went on. It was breaking across nicely but it was essentially a massive closeout – identifying these closeouts effectively comes with experience. The locals call these waves ‘west’ as the swell has some west in it. So, my big west wave, was easily one of the biggest waves and barrels of my life. Everything happened in slow motion, as you’d imagine it to. I rode the barrel for seemingly ages, I felt so much power in the water and I could see all the boats in the channel from inside the barrel. The noise of the lip exploding on the reef was deafening. It was bliss. I quickly realised, though, that it was going wrong.  The west section reared up and there was little I could do. I was just swallowed up. I hit the reef twice.

My reef wounds from my first ‘reefing’ at Teahupoo.

The first time ripped my fin and boardshorts off and I slashed my foot and hip, the second time I cut my arm pretty badly. It was a fairly lengthy hold-down and I came up dizzy and coughing. I coughed into my hand and there was some blood. In between catching my breath and being washed towards the reef lagoon I remember laughing. The adrenaline was just so intense.

That evening, and in the days after, the self-administered first aid was a mission. For three or four days I couldn’t sleep and my whole body was in pain. But man, life was good. I’ll never forget that day. I’ll be back to Teahupoo soon to make my way out of one of those big barrels.

Describe, in one word, how you felt when your three months in Tahiti were up.

Content (predictable, I know).

Tahiti was always at the top of your bucket list. Now that you’ve been, what destination has replaced it?

Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Also for wave-related reasons, but I have no doubt it’s an amazing place in general.

Any words of wisdom you might have for those thinking about travelling to Tahiti?

If you don’t surf: Go to Tahiti as part of an around-the-world ticket. An around-the-world ticket is about the same price as it cost me to get to Tahiti from South Africa. If you don’t have a need to stay long-term it’s by far the best option as you can go to so many other countries as part of the same trip. When I was in Tahiti I’d occasionally go in to town, which is a fair way from Teahupoo, for a few nights. When I did I’d bump in to other travellers, all of which were on around-the-world trips. Hearing their experiences definitely made it sound like the best option for non surfers.

If you surf: The waves are heavy and the reefs are sharp. There is no relief. If that’s your thing though, go. You have to. Teahupoo is not the only spot. There are about 30 spots (or more) on the island all of which have their unique characteristics. It’s a playground. Ideally go with mates though – I was alone and would often make the 45+ minute paddle to the reef passes by myself. It would have been nice to have someone with me, especially when you get out to the spot and you realise you also have no one to surf with. When it’s heavy it can be a bit stressful. When barrel fever has bitten for a session it’s tough to tell yourself to hold back. I’m not claiming to be hardcore, I’d often chicken out!

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Welcome Home to ‘Goodbye Madiba’

The fact that I arrived home the day South Africa celebrated the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela is something I will be eternally grateful for. There had been so much speculation surrounding Mandela’s health and whether or not he was still with us that it almost seemed as if, when we were finally given the go ahead to say goodbye, South Africans did so with relief as well as joy, gratitude and pride. It truly was a celebration.

Messages for Madiba outside his Houghton home, Johannesburg

My experience of the whole thing saw an incredible amount of joy in the place of sadness, as well as a sense of calm rather than the chaos so many people had anticipated. The country was well prepared for the inevitable day Madiba, the face of the nation, would have to live only in our memories. He had been sick for months and eventually, when his time did come, he went in peace in the comfort of his own home. Just like he deserved.

South Africa is the only place I know of where people dance when they’re sad (or angry!)

What he also deserved was the congregation of people outside his house in Houghton, Johannesburg; dancing, singing, celebrating, joking, crying, remembering the man we all consider our father. This was only one of the places South Africans gathered to show their respects. Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton and Vilikazi street in Soweto where other massive rendezvous points for the occasion. As well as various other spots around the country.

As a brightly coloured crowd danced and sang songs of remembrance and freedom I was reminded of just how beautiful the people of this country can sing. Their natural ability to harmonize is always impressive and so too is their tradition of dancing in the face of sadness. People of all generations, colours, religions and social status crowded together, smiling at and with one another in memory of Nelson Mandela. While South Africa has a way to go in dealing with its racial, social and economic divisions, this occasion allowed us to forget about it for a moment and just be, as Madiba wanted, brothers and sisters.

I think most of all, being present for all of this has reminded how I feel about my country, or rather, how my country makes me feel. As much as the Earth is calling me to explore all its corners, I will always be proudly South African. And sometimes, as hard as it is to define what it is to be South African, there is something so obvious about it when you’re back home. A melted-pot of cultures and traditions that we all share- black, white, Indian, Coloured, you name it. A braai for example; we all love a good one of those!

When I found myself next to the man leading the choir of people, I had to get a photo with him. He had a voice of Gold.

Reflections of a Summer Abroad and On Board.

As I sit on board the Boeing 737 from Nice to Istanbul (and eventually Johannesburg), I have a moment to reflect on my summer spent on the Mediterranean Sea. It was a season of highs and lows, one that involved a lot of learning about the sea, the French, the rich and of course about myself.

Sailing yacht Moonlight II. My home and place of work during the summer of 2013

After spending a couple of weeks in Spain between the end of the summer season and my actually leaving Europe, I returned to Antibes to gather the last of my things, say hello to the boat again, see a few people one last time and finally climb on a plane back home. The two days that I found myself back where it all began were pleasant and I was glad for them as the positive memories came flooding back. Helping me realise that even though I’d probably never again be part of the yachting industry, I’m glad for what I got out of it.

Posing with a pretty sweet view somewhere off the coast of Sardinia

The beautiful (winter) weather I got to experience during my last few days added to the satisfying feeling I had about being back. It also made for a fantastic take-off that allowed me an aerial view of the place I called home from April through October- Port Vauban, Antibes. The biggest port in the Med, filled with every kind of boat imaginable. From the smallest sailing yacht to the biggest, most impressive super yachts.

Good morning Calvi, Corsica!

Once in the air, looking down on the calm sea below me, I remembered the times we sailed to Corsica, A French Island and home to Napoleon the conqueror. Some trips started and ended without a glitch, others kept all crew and guests awake as we sailed through a storm- losing sense of gravity and some losing control of their emotions and stomach contents.  All we could do was hope for the best as the 12 hour rollercoaster ride played out. 

Corsica and her mountains rising above the sea after a smooth crossing from France

From my aeroplane seat, thousands of meters above it all, I could see the snow covered mountain tops of Corsica, an indication that summer was already long behind us. A sudden rush of emotion hit me after realising that, once again, another chapter in my life has come to an end.

Once again I can’t be sure of when or if I will ever see the people that formed massive parts of my life over the past 7 months. And I realise that the beauty in these cases is our natural human ability to remember the good times, even if there were moments when you considered jumping overboard.

 

 

 

Travel Tips: How to Keep Your Travel Costs Down (and still have fun)

The fact that I’m writing this doesn’t mean I went through all these efforts (this time round). It’s safe to say that my post-yachting-season-bank-balance has allowed me to live relatively well throughout my time in Spain. However, I am aware that saving when you have a lot of money is easier than doing so when you have a little. So my approach has not been an ideal one in terms of making my yacht-money go far. Let’s just say I’ve been treating myself after a summer of doing something I wasn’t loving.

It’s not always as easy as following a set of guidelines on ‘how to keep your travel costs down’. There are always factors that will influence the amount of money you spend. Even if you’ve done all your forward planning. If you’re super strict on yourself and don’t allow other people to affect your decisions, you might end up spending the daily amount you’ve limited yourself to. But then you could be missing out on a lot. So how do you achieve the ‘win-win’ situation where you’re spending a reasonable amount and not missing out on all the fun?

Staying at a hostel is one of your cheaper accommodation options when travelling. But since the hostel life can tend to revolve around meeting new people and socialising, you often find yourself spending more money than you otherwise would if you were, say, a loner and not keen on mingling. Going out for coffee, heading to pubs and clubs, hitting up the sights and doing all kinds of activities together will eventually take its toll on your wallet.

There’s no point in trying to avoid these hidden costs altogether because it will mean avoiding the making of great memories. Just try to pick and choose your indulgences rather than joining everyone and doing everything. This is if you’re attempting to make your money go far. If you’ve had two pricey days in a row, take a break and lay low for a while. Do things by yourself that are free or cost very little.

Doing things with other travellers is fun and shouldn’t be avoided just to save money. When possible, suggest free or cheap things to do.

The next point is somewhat related. It’s very important if you’d like your money to stretch further that you don’t eat in restaurants all the time. It may not seem like it at the time but spending money on a meal in a restaurant even once a day is way more expensive than cooking something for yourself (and possibly others- always a cheap option). Unless you’re in India where you might feel like and actually might be a millionaire.

As fun as this may look, it takes its toll on the budget traveller’s bank balance.

Think twice before booking transport between places. Maybe there’s a cheaper option- shop around. Sometimes a bus or train ride might not cost you that much less than a flight. This is the case around Western Europe a lot of the time. Saving time AND money- score! Booking transport (and accommodation) in advance almost always saves you money too.

Even cheaper options and something that can be an absolute life saver in places like Europe where you might (and probably will) get sick of spending so much money on long haul journeys, are car-shares. Blablacar.com is an absolute winner for this. I have touched on it in a previous post but for those who are still in the dark…. Type in your city of departure and desired destination. A list of lift offers will appear from people already doing that trip in their own car. You then contribute the amount sited to join them on their journey. This can more than halve your travel costs (and force you into a conversation with someone potentially awesome or influential).

I think it goes without saying that when you cross the border and leave your home country  you’ve GOT TO turn off your mobile data. That is unless you’re a fan of spending exorbitant amounts of money on surfing the internet. (Or even just checking the odd email or Facebook message. You’ll be surprised just how much it will cost you). Just do it ok. This is not a fun mistake to learn from. You’re better off buying a sim card in your destination country, with which you can most likely buy credit with mobile data or even just mobile data.

Try your best to avoid changing currencies at airports or ferry terminals. You won’t get a very good exchange rate, i.e. you’ll be losing more than you otherwise would (if you’re like me and are often changing the weak South African Rand for a stronger currency like the Euro). These places feed off last minute money exchangers.

Having to stick to a budget is not always a bad thing– it can be a blessing in disguise. Often it will force you out of the more expensive touristy areas and into parts of the country or city that is way more authentic. Couch Surfing is a prime example. By saving on a couple night’s accommodation you are also getting a completely unique view on the town or area you are in.

 

 

 

Q&A: 70’s exchange student looks back

James was 24 in 1979 and studying at one of South Africa’s top Agricultural colleges. An opportunity arose for him to go abroad and he grabbed it with both hands. More than 30 years later, he still refers back to his days spent in North Dakota- one of the Northern most and coldest states in the US.

…So you went to the States. How did you end up there?

I went there for a work/study experience called the MAST (Minnesota Agricultural Student Trainee) program. Agricultural students from all over the world had the opportunity to work on farms and then earn some credits at the University of Minnesota. I had a two year visa. I was placed on a farm in a very remote part of North Dakota. Basically we were slave labour. Agricultural workers were not covered by the minimum wage in those days. But it was a real privilege to get into the program and there were some top people- all graduates in their early twenties. It was a good way to be introduced into the world of travel.

Why did your exchange take place in such a remote part of the world. What was it like?

Students could be placed anywhere in the tri-state area (North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota) because these are all associated with the University or Minnesota. In North Dakota, there is a place called Center which is the geographical center of the North American continent. Because it is not tempered by sea currents etc, it  gets colder than Anchorage Alaska and it gets hot and humid in summer. It is said that the state bird is the mosquito.

                                                                                                              

                            

                     What was life like?

I drove tractors, combine harvesters and planters from dawn to dusk. The growing season is so short in that part of the world, you plant when there is snow on the ground in spring and harvest when the snow is flying again in October. North Dakota is the pits. They say that after your first winter you freeze half your brain and are too dumb to move. But I left at the first opportunity, on the night of Halloween and drove to Minneapolis in my old Chevy Caprice.

 

 

What were some of the high points?

During the winter quarter (two semesters) in Minneapolis, groups of students lived in student digs together and every digs wanted to host a party. Then we were also invited to other (non foreign student) parties. We also used to go out in big groups and have sing-alongs in pubs. Every nationality could sing together but the South Africans couldn’t think of a single song which we all knew. On my first week-end off from the farm, I went to Deadwood South Dakota with an Australian friend. I will never forget how great it was to be among mountains and trees after the monotonous plains further north.

With the highs come the lows. What were the moments you wanted to teleport yourself back home?

I went hungry on a number of occasions. Once my host farmer went on holiday and left me in charge of the farm but left nothing to eat. I tried to hunt grouse and wild duck. As a slave labourer, I would be loaned to neighbouring farmers when things were slow on our farm. Car problems were a part of life as a poor student/slave. Once during the winter quarter I got terrible tooth-ache and had to have root canal done by a second year dental student. It took 6 sessions to do what a proper dentist would do in ten minutes. I eventually ran away but he tracked me down saying that he needed to finish the job to get his credits. But I refused to go back.

With so much hindsight, how would you say your exchange influenced your life?

If I look back on all my life experiences, I can say that the 18 months which I spent working and studying in America was possibly the most memorable time of my life. Few people in my circle have experienced such adventures. Who can say that they have ridden a bucking horse in a rodeo, driven an eighteen-wheeler across Nebraska, ridden round-up in Bonanza country (as in the TV show) , been to a senior prom, smuggled Coors beer across the border from Montana into North Dakota where kids could only buy 3.2% beer, danced to juke-box music in a bar on the reservation for Sioux Indians. I have lived on scraps of pizza left by customers. I once lived on boiled potatoes for two weeks and I have camped out in the snow without a tent. Experiences like this influence who you are and where you end up. Life takes strange turns, one thing leads to another – seemingly without structure or direction. That period was just so intense, it remains part of who I am.