Lots of skinks, here’s one with ambition to become a model. He was hanging out at the corner of Hollywood and Vine..err, I mean, by my laundry room and the garage. He didn’t run off ’til I was done shooting. A real trooper!

Here are some photos from moving day, November 8. As usual, click on the image to see a larger version. The large versions are 1280×853, which is suitable wallpaper (the ratio of the photos from the camera is not the same as the usual computer monitor, hence the borders on the top and bottom).

Starting with a surprising sunrise. I’m fascinated by the shadow across the sky.

Here is a zoom of the beach, seen from the patio. If you look at other photos of the same view, you’ll see the house across the valley with the white awning. That’s the awning in this shot.

My favorite shot with the movers. The container had to be parked around the corner because the street is private. (I know this makes no sense, but rules are often like that). Here’s a load coming from the container with bunch of the crew. Wish it was a larger photo, but I was shooting with my little Olympus.

Movers in South Africa

November 6

What a day. The noise from the roadhouse across the street, which is disguised as a hotel (Blue Lagoon), woke me at closing time, as has happened before. But this time it was some drunk yelling repeatedly. Mind, I am writing this the next morning, at 3:24 am. I am already up with coffee, thanks to the drunks from this night. But they woke me earlier this time, but I tried real hard to get back to sleep.

Then we dashed around madly, making a major record by being out shopping by 8:30! Some things I wanted at the new house immediately. Like 4 new bath sheets, specifically for the pool. I must be expecting company.

The weather was wet over night, but it was clearing before very long. There has been a good bit of rain these past few days. This is most welcome; it makes things green and the birds sing.

Dash! Cycle shop. Dash! Bank. It took 45 minutes to get a banker’s check, mostly waiting in line. Customer satisfaction is a new concept around these parts. Dash! To the new house. Dash! Back to the cycle shop!

I got my scooter and an old helmet. They could find no new helmet in my size, anywhere in South Africa. (Probably XXL BUT maybe bigger). Even then, the old open-face helmet won’t fit in the helmet compartment under my seat!

I had to take my maiden voyage all the way through town and back to genteel Beacon Bay. I was concerned about that, but it proved a fine ride. The scooter cruises fine at 40kph (25mph), and I have to watch the speed as it will get up to 50kph quite easily.

When I got back to the old house, Johan took this photo:

Karl on Scooter

Dash! Pack some stuff, load the car. Dash! New house, landlady briefed us, we unloaded.

Dash! Back to the old house. Idea! Hurry, get back to new house, then the first swim, together!, before Johan has to catch his plane to Lisbon. We made it, just barely.

Karl on Scooter

The water was cool but not too cold to enjoy. At Johan’s request we started with bathing suits, but then I yanked his off and we finished the proper way to swim in one’s own pool, in skin.

The landlady showed up unexpectedly, with more keys. We were out of the pool, but only wearing towels. She gave us a bottle of wine, and bade us well. What with gates and doors, we’ve enough keys for 4 average American houses.

Dash! Johan to the shower. His colleague was to arrive at 4pm to drive to the airport. I was only semi-dressed, just my jeans, when he arrived with his wife. I was a little embarrassed, but folks are casual around here. I even see grown men, barefoot, at the supermarket.

I got the wet stuff hung up and hopped my mini-Honda back to the old place.

Photos of the house

Signed the lease for the house today! It was a difficult achievement. Reading contracts in new countries is tricky. Different words, customs, and laws combine to create headaches. Included in ‘customs’ is the apparent fact that sloppiness is tolerated in such things, i.e., they don’t write what they mean.

See some more photos of the outside of the house HERE. We’ll add more photos, and indoor photos, once we get in. We’ll have the keys in hand this Saturday, and the movers arrive on Monday.

After dealing with the lease we ran into our new landlords on the street. Nice people really. We went down to the local Honda dealer to look at a scooter I might buy for myself. A Honda SCV100 Beat. We’ll see. (Its Wednesday as I write, and I’m going for a test drive this afternoon, and will buy it if it seems okay).

Sand in Motion Album

Exceptionally strong winds today. At least people say its exceptional. We’re told we’re fortunate not to have the pool yet, there was so much sand blowing around. Palm branches littering things up in some areas.

I went to the beach here by our temporary house and took some photos, you can see some HERE. I was trying to capture the motion of the dunes.

Tuesday we went to the house for a lesson in caring for the pool. It rained a bit, but that’s okay because of this photo:

Rainbow by East London, South Africa

Wednesday I had to negtiate about the lease. That is not finalized yet, but should be finished by Friday, assuming the agent’s cooperation. After all the work with her, she announced she had to clear it all with her boss. We’ll see. There remains a serious sticking issue about renewal option.

The weather was chilly for the last couple days, but today is to be 25c (77f). By Monday it is forecast to be 32c! (89.6f!), then turn cool again. Problem with cool here is that houses have no heat! Problem with hot is houses have no air conditioning.

We got our new car on Wednesday. Its very nice but a tad bigger than expected, its a Toyota Camry. Last one of those I drove wasn’t quite so large.

I was up quite early and saw the lunar eclipse as it began. Unfortunatly I don’t have a tripod here yet, so couldn’t take a photo. It might have been a nice photo, as by totality, the moon was rather low in the western sky.