Zero to Maxed in 3 easy steps
1. You choose to forget that you’ve charged hefty work-related expenses (e.g. flights, rental cars) to your credit card already. Oops.
2. You go to the V&A (so many shops!) to visit a friend, who doesn’t know the rule. When Ant says “Ooooh! Do you mind if we quickly go look around that nice expensive boutique wine store? I’ll be 5 minutes”, the good friend is supposed to say “No no, just keep on walking, do not – I repeat – DO NOT deviate from this path” instead of “Ja, sure. I’ll come with you.” Of course, coming with me means there are more hands to lug more wine around the goliath of a shopping centre. (Thanks F, you’re a peach, and the tarot card-labelled wine has already been quaffed. I give it a 3/5).
3. Restaurants, restaurants, and more restaurants. Some reasonably priced, some expensive, some just plain ludicrously overpriced. (Although they all have one thing in common - the service leaves much to be desired. I did go to one nice Austrian place in Hout Bay where the almost-Scarlett look-alike Austrian waitress gave us outstanding service. I’ll be back for more next week – the service, that is, not Scarlett.)
Yet another good reason I don’t live in this pretty city, I wouldn’t be able to afford it. Too much to see, do, buy and eat, all at around 1.3 times the prices in Joburg.
One thing that would be better off here is my fitness – somehow you just want to exercise as an excuse to enjoy the scenery (a case of the means justifying the end), and it stays lighter longer in summer, meaning longer working hours do not always have to hamper your good intentions. My nerves, on the other hand, would be more frayed during the morning/afternoon commutes. No-one uses indicators at all (as opposed to the 10% of drivers in Joburg that do), and they use traffic circles very differently than how I have become accustomed to using them in my mother city.
Ah, it’s always a love-hate rivalry between these two cities and my emotions about both of them.
Happy weekends, y’all. I’ll be doing the Joburg one day, Cape Town the next, thing throughout next week. It’s a tough life, ain’t it?
posted by Third World Ant @ 10:46 am
8 Comments:
Ooooh... Cape Town and credit cards... what a match made in heaven ;)
That place ROCKS for shopping. The problem is that you have to get back to the 'real life' and actually pay back what the credit card takes. It really shouldn't work like that. The bank MADE you spend the money, THEY should pay!
Ah, starting to wax lyrical now aren't we?
You have to admit, it's getting to you, slowly but surely!
You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.
Scarlett's in the woody bay. I'm on the next flight. & to think 18 months ago I owned a house in Noordhoek, which would have been only a tollfee away.
But I think Martin's right - I hear the lyrical waxing from here. Absolutely best time of the year in CT. Minimal GP tourists. A couple of straggling Euros, but mainly locals and the most awesome weather.
Prices are higher, salaries are lower - my Mom-in-law was commenting on the high rent we're paying...hey, the view costs in Cape Town. Johannesburg's not as nice, but you're earning more and it's an easy flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town (I know somebody who works in Jozi and who's family lives in Cape Town!).
I can only possibly offer one piece of useless bumbling advice to avoid the max-out! Live in a place where they don't accept credit cards! Look I didn't say it was going to be good advice did I? Its not a whole lot of fun but it certainly aids in forced savings. It does also help if you get your company to pay for everything whilst in that crappy country that doesn't accept the plastic! Try Albania on for size! :-(
Yzerfontein: Surely you mean "bond payments" and not rent? Rental costs in CPT are next to nothing in relation to property values.
Because of low salary levels, on average you can rent for 30-50% of a monthly bond payment. I'm renting an apartment worth R1mil for R5300/month!
Shit! spent a good 10 minutes writing a response to y'all, to have the page expire. Oh well. Suffice to say I'm back in CT as from this evening for more of my love-hate affair...
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