Ok, I am posting a couple of photos of some cushions and a purse...embroidered by xhosa ladies at the Aids project farm. These were the last ones I could get.... I love their embroidery, it is very rich...on very thick black ravelly cloth...but I did buy several last year to turn into a wall hanging...which is a UFO/MIP( masterpiece in progress) at the moment! But these will go nicely in my African room...so I had to pick them up.
On to the next thing.....I know...South Africa has some lovely lodgings we have been so happy to stay in...but recently we booked a 2 bedroom flat, for 4 ADULTS , 2 couples. And never having stayed there...I guess I DIDN'T ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!!!! Actually I don't guess, I KNOW I DIDN'T!!!! We drove 4 hrs to Port Elizabeth and didn't stay in the place we usually do...since our friends were with us....and I knew they liked a pool, our normal flat place doesn't have a pool...but it is across the street from the beach...so it doesn't matter to me. But wanted our friends to be able to sit out by the pool...which they enjoy. So I asked the lady if it had a pool? She said that they did...so I booked the 2 bedroom flat for the four of us. When we got there..... the first thing was that I had to ring the bell at the locked gate 4 times to get someone to let me in, then a young girl gave us the key, with an electric gate key attached to it...but it wouldn't open the gate...( we were actually being given accomodation across the street...from MR Landlord) so I had to walk back across the street....so she then gave me another gate key.... a seperate one.... and it didn't work. I went back across the street...and she came out to inform me that there was a second gate....that that key worked for.... and that the original gate to which we had been directed...was in fact broken...and would be fixed in the morning! So we drove to the other gate...and sure enough that gate did open with the other key. Now these are remote electric gates... but in fact the broken gate, wasn't broken in the lock position...but could be pushed open by anyone...who touched it. 
A very scary....thing....especially when we entered the lounge of the "flat" where a message on the wall, said to always be certain that the gate was closed...as these are dangerous times! Again not reassuring....and the regular place that we have stayed at is only a block away. Not sure what the message was for....since the gate couldn't be locked??? But I still wasn't deterred from being at the sea. It is a pretty beach, and I do love this particular place on the Indian ocean. But the real surprise came when we went to the bedrooms. Behind door number 1, two twin beds..... Hmmmmmmmm...... then on to door number 2!!! Surprise, Surprise, BUNK BEDS!!!! YEP!!!! BUNK BEDS!!!! Now all 4 of us are at or above 50, 3 or us have had knee surgery....and I doubt any of us had slept in a twin bed, muck less bunk beds in years! CErtainly not since I have been married.....which is 34 years tomorrow.
On to the next thing.....I know...South Africa has some lovely lodgings we have been so happy to stay in...but recently we booked a 2 bedroom flat, for 4 ADULTS , 2 couples. And never having stayed there...I guess I DIDN'T ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!!!! Actually I don't guess, I KNOW I DIDN'T!!!! We drove 4 hrs to Port Elizabeth and didn't stay in the place we usually do...since our friends were with us....and I knew they liked a pool, our normal flat place doesn't have a pool...but it is across the street from the beach...so it doesn't matter to me. But wanted our friends to be able to sit out by the pool...which they enjoy. So I asked the lady if it had a pool? She said that they did...so I booked the 2 bedroom flat for the four of us. When we got there..... the first thing was that I had to ring the bell at the locked gate 4 times to get someone to let me in, then a young girl gave us the key, with an electric gate key attached to it...but it wouldn't open the gate...( we were actually being given accomodation across the street...from MR Landlord) so I had to walk back across the street....so she then gave me another gate key.... a seperate one.... and it didn't work. I went back across the street...and she came out to inform me that there was a second gate....that that key worked for.... and that the original gate to which we had been directed...was in fact broken...and would be fixed in the morning! So we drove to the other gate...and sure enough that gate did open with the other key. Now these are remote electric gates... but in fact the broken gate, wasn't broken in the lock position...but could be pushed open by anyone...who touched it. A very scary....thing....especially when we entered the lounge of the "flat" where a message on the wall, said to always be certain that the gate was closed...as these are dangerous times! Again not reassuring....and the regular place that we have stayed at is only a block away. Not sure what the message was for....since the gate couldn't be locked??? But I still wasn't deterred from being at the sea. It is a pretty beach, and I do love this particular place on the Indian ocean. But the real surprise came when we went to the bedrooms. Behind door number 1, two twin beds..... Hmmmmmmmm...... then on to door number 2!!! Surprise, Surprise, BUNK BEDS!!!! YEP!!!! BUNK BEDS!!!! Now all 4 of us are at or above 50, 3 or us have had knee surgery....and I doubt any of us had slept in a twin bed, muck less bunk beds in years! CErtainly not since I have been married.....which is 34 years tomorrow.I couldn't back to the reception office quick enough....and the woman had the cheek to tell me, it was my fault....I hadn't verified the booking for two bedrooms....with double beds! 
I was furious...but customer service isn't the best thing over here....and she said they could give us seperate accomodation...as in 2 seperate 1 bedrooms flats...but it would cost another 100 dollars a night.....each! I couldn't believe...it . I had prepaid all room charges to hold the booking.... no refunds accepted less than 2 weeks prior to the booking date. I mean they had us coming and going...so the next time you travel in an unknown area, be sure and ask the right question! Oh, and remember I asked if they had a pool? Well, The question should have been is the pool clean enough to swim in...or Can we swim in this pool???? Because the pool they had although a nice size, had plastic bags and milk jugs floating in it...and the bottom of the pool was NOT VISIBLE!!!! So we decided not to chance it! Its all in semantics I guess! Even if I was going to be here long enough to make another trip to PE, I wouldn't be staying there FOR SURE! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.I am hoping to pack a bit...and sew a lot! Lots of Laughs this past week! Colleen
I was furious...but customer service isn't the best thing over here....and she said they could give us seperate accomodation...as in 2 seperate 1 bedrooms flats...but it would cost another 100 dollars a night.....each! I couldn't believe...it . I had prepaid all room charges to hold the booking.... no refunds accepted less than 2 weeks prior to the booking date. I mean they had us coming and going...so the next time you travel in an unknown area, be sure and ask the right question! Oh, and remember I asked if they had a pool? Well, The question should have been is the pool clean enough to swim in...or Can we swim in this pool???? Because the pool they had although a nice size, had plastic bags and milk jugs floating in it...and the bottom of the pool was NOT VISIBLE!!!! So we decided not to chance it! Its all in semantics I guess! Even if I was going to be here long enough to make another trip to PE, I wouldn't be staying there FOR SURE! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.I am hoping to pack a bit...and sew a lot! Lots of Laughs this past week! Colleen
5 comments:
Too funny!!! shame.
~jen~
oh crud! How unpleasantly surprising! Been there, done that! Although in the U.S.
Thanks for dropping by my blog. 8-)
Those embroideries are absolutely beautiful! - Kathy at http://www.stashinhalf.blogspot.com
Oh, I'm excited about being your 50th post winner. I've e-mailed you.
Those embroidered pieces will certainly make a lovely wall hanging, really gorgeous.
Annie
: )
I love those embroideries !
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