Hubcaps and Other Observations

Yesterday (Sunday), we took a dry run drive over to Delmas to make sure Dax could find where his customer is located. We've noticed that all hubcaps are attached to the wheel with ties. Even our "Warthog Express" has this feature. If you don't have the caps tied on, then you will be buying them back the next day from someone selling them in the middle of the road. We also have determined that the theft of hubcaps is not the sole purpose of having them tied onto your wheels. The potholes would cause them to fly off if they weren't attached. I haven't taken the time to take a photo of our hubcaps yet, but here is an example from the web. It doesn't matter if you have an old junker or a brand new rental, you will find at least 2 ties on each hubcap. 

This picture only has one tie (bottom/middle).

An actual road sign has an exclamation point with the word potholes under it. Even on the paved roads, it is nearly impossible to go the speed limit and successfully dodge the potholes. Hey, at least they warn you of their presence. Slaggate means pothole in Afrikaans.

South Africa has some amazing road signs. The "Dung Beetles Have Right of Way" and 

"Hi-Jacking Hot Spot" signs are just two prime examples. 

Other interesting road signs:

"Pedestrian Crossing Next 2 Km"--posted along the highway. We are not sure how in the world someone could cross the N4 highway, and besides, there is nothing on either side of the road. Though, we continue to see lots of people doing it. 

"Warning--Cow and Pedestrian Crossing--No Fences!"--posted on highways. 

They just can't keep the cows and people fenced in, we suppose. 

Also, yesterday, after our visit to Delmas, we went to the movies and saw After Earth. We were the only people in the theatre. Isaiah had a bottled water and a crunch bar. It was super cheap--less than half of what it is in the USA. We also noticed they don't have any napkins. 

 Oh,  and trash cans are hard to find, too.

Isaiah enjoyed playing "big chess"while waiting for the movie to begin. 

As you can see, he had everyone rooting for him. 

Isaiah slept until 10 a.m. this morning. It's REALLY hard to get out of bed here because these concrete floors and just toooo cold. Dax left for work at 8 a.m. I got up shortly after he left to take a hot shower. Well, to my surprise (I'm not sure why stuff in this country still surprises me), I was not only without hot water, but any water at all. Not even a drop came out of that spicket. So, I got dressed again, and went back under the covers to stay warm. I waited until Isaiah got up and then tried again. Tadaah! Water! Even hot water! TIA. 

Dax came home with a big slab of meat wrapped in some brown paper from his customer today. We had no idea what it was. One of the "big guys" around here (maybe the owner), Roger, sure knew what it was and carried on about it for 30 minutes. He said we had at least R300 worth of biltong. It's a delicacy here. We are thinking we need to keep it in the front seat of the Warthog Express to pay off the crooked cops. Anyway, Roger had me track down a sharp knife and plate from the kitchen staff and he sliced some up and helped himself. It must be the equivalent of an expensive wine or some delicious chocolate in the states. 

I tried it and thought, 

"Ewww, this is a delicacy?" 

He told us to protect it or it will get stolen. 

Well, we are waiting for him to leave so we can give it to "Momi" and the other staff to enjoy. 

Our biltong is actually made from beef which is the best, in comparison to game (according to Expert Roger). Biltong is South African dried meat. The word comes from Dutch with BIL meaning buttock and TONG meaning strip. 

As far as I'm concerned it must taste like strips of butt. Yuck! 

Whatever you do, don't compare it to beef jerky--it is apparently far better than that. 

We all enjoyed another walk with our 4 rotts this evening. Along the way, we had to use our pool sticks while another man used an iron rod to break up our 4 rotts and his 4 sheep dogs. You know those rotts would kick their you know whats if we let them. Then, we admired the boxers next door yipping like crazy as the rotts swaggered back.

Those boxers have a big bark when they are protected by a fence. 

 Isaiah likes to watch these rivals do their thing.

From front right to left/very back: Jokky, Jabby, George, and Bush.

 (Winding down after their rival encounters). 

Dax and Isaiah trying to beat the computer in a chess game this evening.

Here is something that we forgot to post about earlier. Can you guess what this is? 

Yes indeed, it is a termite mound. 

Termites divide labor among gender lines, produce overlapping generations 

and take care of young collectively. 

They live in these giant mounds here. 

Scientists have discovered that the size and distribution of termite mounds in South Africa 

can be used to predict ecological shifts from climate change.

Okay, it's time for us to get ready for bed. We don't have any plans until tomorrow evening. Dax's customer invited us to his house for an authentic South African braai. 

We have to meet him at his office/shop at 5:00 p.m. and follow him to his house. Don't know if we'll have time to post tomorrow night or not--depends on how late it is when we get back. 

I might wait until the next day.