Window into SA: Helene Strauss

This week in “A Window Into South Africa” we step away from Jo’burg and take a journey down to Stilbaai to chat to author and writer Helene Strauss.  Helene is the author of the book Steps to Financial Freedom.

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What is the name of your website or business?
Write-4-U

Whereabouts in South Africa are you?
Stilbaai (Or Still bay in English)  PO Box 939 Still Bay 6674

Tell us about what you do?
I write and edit learning material for corporate clients such as Clicks’ Pharmacy Academy and other learning institutions.

Are you a football fan?  (rugby, cricket or football)
Rugby, cricket and football

Which team will you be supporting?

Has to be Bafana Bafana

Which is the nearest football stadium to your home and work?
Cape Town stadium

Will you be attending any games?

No

Are you near to any historical places or places of interest?

Yes, Pinnacle Point in Mossel Bay where remains of prehistoric man have been found

What is the number one attraction that tourists must visit in South Africa?

Cape Town

Where in South Africa do you go on holiday?

Still Bay

Do you have any advice for tourists and visitors?

Be aware and check with locals to make sure you’re safe

What can South Africans do to make the country a better place?

“Shout” against crime; blow the whistle  and stop breaking the law by driving too fast, littering, etc.

What is your dream or vision for the future of your city and country?

Equal opportunities for all; we can only eradicate crime once we have closed the gap between the haves and the have-nots [amen to that!]

What is your favourite South African charity?
Usindiso shelter for abused women and children

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I asked Helene to send me a photo of Stilbaai and this is the gorgeous photo she sent along:

Helene moved to Stilbaai at the end of 2009 but had stayed in Florida up until then.  Coincidentally, Florida is right next door to Weltevreden Park which was the part of Johannesburg I lived in so we were practically neighbours!!! I can see why someone would want to move down to Stilbaai though – it looks gorgeous there and reminds me of the Cape coast that I fell in love with last year!

Helen’s book Steps to Financial Freedom gives clear, achievable ways of escaping the cycles of debt and getting a handle on your finances.  You can find the book on Facebook too.

Saturday night

Santé from the boat! We're wishing you all a very pleasant end of the weekend.

The Isle of Wight Steam Railway part 1

It was our eighth wedding anniversary on Sunday 28 March and we treated ourselves to a first class ride on the Isle of Wight Steam Railway (well, it was only a little bit more expensive than the third class tickets!). 

Everything about Havenstreet Station was wonderfully authentic.

The carriage was marvellous.  We could just imagine the noble folk of the late nineteenth century sitting in the carriage in all their finery.  I visualised a proper lady sitting there with her high necked shirt, little jacket and hat, long skirt and high Victorian boots.  Perhaps their ghosts remain?

We had the carriage to ourselves for a little while and then an elderly couple joined us with their son.  They began to talk about how as children they used to sleep on the luggage rack up above on long distance trips from Swansea to Glasgow.  They had been upgraded to first class because the man used to work as a steam train driver.  He had some photographs on him and showed them to me, much to the embarrassment of his wife!  Naturally, I was thrilled.  Not as thrilled as he was when the train began to move off – he was moved to tears as the sounds of the steam and the whistle brought back all of the memories for him.  It was so touching. 

 

They asked if I was a steam train enthusiast but I said no, I just like old things and that we’d recently been going through my grandfather’s old photographs.  We spoke about The War (the Second World War).  Both the man and women had only recently “got rid of” their uniforms and the thought quite scared me!  They had moved into a smaller place but I could imagine they must have been in pristine condition.  They assured me that they had sold them on to enthusiasts so I was mollified both that they would have made some money from selling them and that they would be kept safe now. 

It was a lovely ride and I so enjoyed our company!  As we arrived at the next station, I took a peek out of the window at the tracks.  Stephen and I are trying to figure out – are the tracks wider or narrower today than they used to be in the age of steam engines?  We know that they are different but we couldn’t figure it out.

We decided to take a walk around the little town of Wootton as the brochure promised that there were two pubs nearby. Ha! Not quite but that is a tale for another post.

The harbor by night

Few things are more relaxing, night time, than the sparkling view of the harbor from a distance. A cup of tea or a glass of wine on the deck - just before bed time, is a simple yet beautiful pleasure.

Wordless Wednesday ~ 18: Explore

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200

An Indian curry lunch on deck.

Now only 200 days left till we leave this harbor.. That's 199 too many! Thank God we both have insanely much to do, work wise, so time flies faster. Yeah I guess if we wouldn't had, we would have left already. In one way, the 200 days feels so much when counting and longing for the adventure. On the other hand, it seems way too little when contemplating all the things that are needed to get done before we can set off. But as always: is there enough will, there is most probably a way. Patience is one thing we would need more of though, both of us.

Sail problem part II

Fuck! Even though the HR352 is a fantastic boat in many ways, she is definitely NOT a race boat! There goes the main sail. And ten days of waiting until it gets repaired. IF it is possible to repair? Let's keep our fingers crossed.