LOCKDOWN ROAD TO RHODES–HOW THE COVID LOCKDOWN GOT US PERMANENTLY TO RHODES by Heather Raplh and Rudi Hiestermann
We’ve been visiting Rhodes for over 12 years, initially coerced by our friend Ken Bruyns and eager to learn about fly fishing from the ultimate professional guide, Fred Steynberg. As is probably the case with most people, we visited once, were marched around the rivers by Fred, consumed much alcohol at Walkerbouts and vowed to return. For some the promise is forgotten, but for us, the bug bit and we kept on returning. Mainly for the fishing, but the experiences in the village certainly contributed to the return trips. We also set a new challenge for ourselves that we’d stay in as many of the homes available for holiday rentals as possible. That’s where the first problem evolved. Everytime we visited, the possibility of buying a home for rental and holiday purposes became a regular discussion. BUT our sensible, careful calculations always highlighted just what a futile financial effort this would be. Over and above, the experience of owning property always reminded us that it comes with lots of maintenance–how much more the older houses in Rhodes, built on very limited budgets with limited local material. Family with holiday homes were always lamenting the time used to repair and maintain the house when they were meant to be relaxing on holiday. THIS ALL CHANGED WHEN COVID STRUCK
In early March 2020, COVID was a faint rumbling happening in the rest of the world, but the realization that it would be coming to South Africa was dawning. We travelled to Rhodes for our annual pilgrimage to the WTA Trout festival. We first spent a few days at Branksome where the Vosloo’s started talking more and more about the impending changes. Rene, the owner of Branksome was working with the SA Tourism Association on COVID plans and her reports were filtering through. Basie was making plans to bring the “Grandies” to stay on the farm, far away from the dangers. Tongue in cheek, we agreed to go back to Birkhall after the festival as he offered us plenty of cabbage, lamb and beer–a perfect way to survive!!!Needless to say, we part-took in the usual activities of the fishing festival, all the while dreaming of getting “stuck in Rhodes”
As it turned out, we left on the Sunday with heavy hearts to return to the corporate grind. AND then in that same week, we were forced out of the office and trapped in our house for the various challenges this new word “LOCKDOWN” imposed on us. We were fortunate, a Joburg house with plenty of space, nice big garden, two of us quickly learning innovative ways to meet with family and friends on Zoom. With plenty of time to spare, there was much reminiscing about trips to Rhodes and much lamenting the fact that we didn’t stay on and become “caught” in Rhodes. Eventually as LOCKDOWN became less severe, we made plans to join Fred on a trip to the Lower Orange. At the same time, we got wind that the one house we had always said we may consider buying in Rhodes was on the market.
So the inevitable debate again surfaced–a HOLIDAY HOME. But this time with the added attraction that it could be a potential sanctuary if the world reverses and craziness sets in again. Four days on the Orange was a good time for Fred to convince us about the joys of Rhodes. The trip back to Joburg was a time of much reflection, but also the point when we made the final call that we should buy the house. A few phone calls and the next thing, the deal was signed. Eight weeks later, we were the new owners of Bellbrook–A HOLIDAYHOME!!!!
The first problem we realized–renting vs using the house for your own holiday presents a dilemma. The only time good rentals are achieved in Rhodes is over the holidays.... We took ownership at the beginning of December. The previous owners had already committed the house for rentals for a month. So there was no holiday in Rhodes for us that Christmas. In the meantime, we were still not back at the office. Both of us work for the same corporate company, which was fastidious about safety and taking extra precautions. We needed to obtain specific permission to visit the office, even as the lockdown levels continued to lower. With that in mind, we resolved to spend as much time as possible in Rhodes during 2021 and for as long it continued to work well.
We purchased the house with microwave wifi, which we soon discovered worked as well, if not better than the Joburg fibre connection. So whether we were in Joburg or Rhodes, as long as we put in the hours behind the computer, our bosses were happy. And we did–the big disadvantage of Lockdown is that our working days have certainly become longer. We quickly got into the routine of spending at least 4 weeks in Rhodes, making the trip back to Joburg, getting whatever needed doing there then returning to Rhodes as quickly as possible. We found ourselves spending longer stretches, BUT the house in Joburg forced us to return at regular intervals. We had long ago decided that we did not need domestic help, so there was no one to watch over the house, clean it occasionally and make sure the Kreepy didn’t leave the pool to try to mow the lawn which was hiding dassies it was so long.
This became the only reasonto have to return to Joburg. By the end of winter, and having determined that we could, with some adjustments to the Rhodes house, commitment to buying firewood and spending a little more on electricity, survive the bitingly cold winters. There was a stretch of more than a week where the temperate was below-10degrees. We learned quickly the challenges this creates when pipes are poorly installed and freeze multiple times. As we started preparing for another trip with Fred in September, it was decided we would go to the Northern Cape then head back to Joburg and stay there until we had sold our house. We had put it on the market in May, mainly as an intrepid agent called us out of the blue. This was one of the many tasks we found restrictive trying to manage remotely. It just work didn’t calling on friends to get them to open up the house (which was then not as spick and span as it should be to entice a buyer) and allow potential purchasers to view the house.
So we spent a roller coaster eight weeks focused on promoting the house and finally had a signed and sealed offer, with no complicated conditions. This resulted in the next big challenge. We bought Bellbrook with all its furniture, cutlery, crockery, linen and anything the previous owners did not want to take with them. In addition, the house in Joburg having plenty of space, was packed with remnants from two separate households, collected over a period of more than 20 years. We needed to sell and give away piles of STUFF. That in itself resulted in a heap of stories we could write about. So the long process began, aided by a storage unit being secured in Joburg, challenges to find a mover. Ask for an on-linequote–yes of course they said, some even gave a reasonable price. When we said are you sure, there is 60km of dirt road, did you pick that up on Google? Suddenly the quote was withdrawn entirely or quadrupled. Suffice to say we eventually hired a trailer (another story to that whole trip) and brought some things to Rhodes. The rest remains in the unit, still undecided.
After many fun and stressful events, including a bout of COVID, we handed over the keys to our Joburg house on 15thof January 2022and drove to start our permanent residence in Rhodes. So to the real point of this story. Everyone asks, so how often do you go fishing. As with most good intentions, the resultant answer is “far less than we intended”. WHY? A few excuses. We thought that we go every weekend and also slip off for a Wednesday afternoon mini weekend. As any visitor to Rhodes knows, Barkly is the closest town to reprovision and collect the essential things you have couriered. Whilst the community of permanent residents help out and fetch and carry for each other, somethings you need to do yourself. Phoning through an order to the grocery store, often results in an interesting delivery.
A further complication is that fresh fruit and veg are only delivered on a Tuesday and Thursday. If you call in the next day, the range is somewhat diminished. This means ‘time off work’ to travel in, do the shopping, visit the doctor, buy pre-paid water tokens & pick upon-line deliveries takes up the option of the mini-Wednesday weekend plan.The other excuse is involvement in community activities. When one drives through Rhodes, it looks quiet, but the reality is there is a fairly active social life and regular events are arranged. So we find ourselves drawn into those weekend birthday parties, special lunches arranged at Walkerbouts and other venues, festivals & tourist events, learning to navigate small town politics and the list goes on. Then ofcourse, there’s the inevitable house maintenance and repairs that all take time–at least double the time you originally planned for–especially if you didn’t think ahead and get everything you needed.
Projects just take longer in Rhodes. Then, the best reason is TOO–too cold, too windy, rivers too high, rivers too low, and CLOSED season (we don’t follow that strictly as per WTA decision, but there are certain naysayers that make pointed remarks when one does go fishing) All the excuses taken into consideration, we’ve managed to get out regularly and are certainly catching fish. We’re keeping a record of catches and bird sightings and hope to build up a decent log that will provide a good source of information. All of the fishing depends on the good will of the local farmers, prepared to be part of the WTA. We look forward to working with them to ensure that fishermen continue visiting Rhodes, benefitting the community and have similar wonderful adventures and experiences we’ve been fortunate.