Stellenbosch

The wine region and university town just an hour with the commuter train north of Cape Town lays Stellenbosch. I met Jacques Kratz in Windhoek who studies here and I met him here again. I was there one week before Uni starts and all the kids arrived one week early to get organized and to party. South Africans like to drink in general but in Stellenbosch there are no checks because the kids are on a loose leach for the first time. Fraternities and normal clubs and bars offer everything students want. Boxed half liter wines for 2.5$ and everything from pizza to foam parties.

I camped at an interesting backpackers which is also frequented by overlanders heading to the northern countries. Wine is the obvious beverage and the owners were exceptionally relaxed. I met farting Stacey from Canada, Jacques Kratz’s gang, South African gypsies and the average people from London.

The vineyards are scattered throughout the region and public transport is bad. All white people are rich or studying and all the black people live in the township next door and try to get a slice of the money cake parents give to their loved ones. Most poor people walk wherever they want to go so local public transport sucks. So I hiked from vineyard to vineyard. Fences cut of paths all the time, high walls hinder you to see the magic landscape. It’ s difficult to be a pedestrian in an area where white folks want to feel secure.

The museums gave some insight about how live looked here during the last 300 years. Slavery, horses, rural life and business opportunities have been the driving forces behind this now wonderful region. But in the past a lot of things went wrong here and you can still see it.

I met a guy from Whales who gave me a lift to Mussels Bay. He is a basest and played in front of 30’ 000 people in Glasbury, England.