INTRO=Many people dream of taking a long holiday but things like a lack
of money or time often prevent them from fulfilling it. But a disabled
man from Douglas was not to be denied. He has taken a year's holiday to
travel to Cape Town.
He set off about a month ago, traveling on a horse cart
with only his two dogs for company. Veronica Fourie met him along the
road between Jansenville and Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape while he was
resting, and compiled this report.
TEXT=Fox is a bachelor and is
at peace with life and himself. He lost his left eye in an accident
while working as a boilermaker in Douglas. It is now covered with a
black eye patch. He is not bothered with material possessions like
clothes and just wears short pants, braces and sandals. With only one
horse power, he had to limit the luggage.
(A suit for church, I've got clothes for the city, but for here on the road over here I wear short pants and a bush jacket.)
His
suntanned bare chest and wrinkled face says he has been on the road for
some time. But he is adamant that he is no vagrant or beggar.
(I
get a disability of R740 and I am sure that is enough for me and my
animals for the month because I dont pay electricity or rent, I dont
pay for fuel, I travel slowly. Accommodation is no problem. I sleep
under the stars. If I get cold, I just pull a couple of couds on top of
me then I am hot again.)
Even though he has only a few teeth and
one eye, his tough hands are quite capable. On planning to travel for a
year, he designed himself a special holiday car. And it was this bright
red contraption that caught my eye along the road.
(Its and old
body of a Ford sedan, I think it is about 75 years old. I converted it.
I found in the river bed near Noupoort. I just decided when I left over
there that I going to sell my motor car that I had at the time, that I
am going to travel by horsecart.
And you've got very special companions?
Ja,
the Doberman is Auntie Vaughn – she is beautiful. She protects me. She
sleeps with me, wherever I go I take her. I dont leave her anywhere.
The other one is sister Diane.
What's the name of your horse?
That's Dulce.)
Fox
is well prepared for the trip. He has a little radio to listen to the
news and weather forecasts, and a cell phone – but just for
emergencies, like snake bites or if the horse should die. A bicycle is
fastened on the back of the cart which he uses to visit towns and go to
the shop. He also has a road map to guide him onto the gravel roads,
which he prefers.
(It is much more safer. There is not a lot
of trucks. And there is no water. On the main raods there are no turn
offs to the farms. Youve got to travel sand roads to get to the farms.)
He often has to cross farms and private land, but takes care not to trespass.
(Wherever
I go I ask first. I dont just go onto a terrain. Or other wise if the
farmer is bit far out, take off my bicycle, but I dont just go onto his
property without the owners actually knowing. But usually they say ag,
it's oraait and that.)
He entertains himself and his animals by playing guitar…
FX
(FX..Silver cons…..something to that effect.)
Fox keeps a journal which he plans to use later to write a book about his experiences o n the road.
(it's
nice to meet people. That's actually why you go on holiday – to meet
people. To entertain yourself. I am not going to remember everything,
but I have an adress of people, I can recall actually at that time at
that place. Everybody that I meaat – they must write in. The farmers,
the police, the truck drivers, the tourists – just as I move along.)
Soon it is time to harness Dulce, get the dogs on the red Ford cart and set off along the road again.
FX
(Up up, leave a place for me… sit down, stay there, okey okey…dogs yapping and car leaving.)
Even
though Fox is in no hurry, he plans to be around Cape Town in May
before returning home to Douglas. I'm Veronica Fourie near Jansenville.
OUTRO=none
CREDITS=Veronica Fourie/pe/27-11-05/
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