In Pulheim by Dieter en Dorothée

Met Det en Nele (slapend :-)) by die Ryn.
With Det and (sleeping) Nele at the Rhine.

Dieter en Dorothee het 'n groot SA vlag vir my opgehand om te wys waar hulle woon.
Dieter and Dorothee used a SA flag to show me where they live.

Ek, Dorothee, Dieter en Pauline, hulle dogter. Haar vriend Christoph het die foto geneem.
I, Dorothee, Dieter and their daughter Pauline. Her friend Christoph took the photograph.

Hallo!

Nog 'n besoek by vriende, nog 'n keer staan ek beskaamd oor al die goedheid wat ek al op my reis ervaar het.

Ek en Det en Ivi, Fin en Nele het Saterdagoggend 'n lang ent in Dusseldorf gaan stap. Det en Ivi is twee skitterende ouers vir hul kinders. Terwyl Ivi met Fin by sy swemklas was, het ek en Det en die slapende Nele tot by die Ryn gestap. Nog 'n groot rivier op my huidige reis het 'n merkie agter sy naam gekry.

Ek het Satermiddag so kort voor twee by Dieter en Dorothée Moritz in Pulheim aangekom. Hulle is twee ou vriende van baie Botswanareise van vorige jare.

Vooraf het Dorothée geskryf dat ek hul huis maklik sou herken as ek in hul straat kom. Ek het, want van ver kon ek al die groot SA vlag wat voor hul huis gewapper het, sien.

Dieter en Dorothée was skitterende gashere en die aand het te gou verbygevlieg. Ons het nog tot laat DVD’s van hul reise gekyk. Die fotografie was werklik besonders.

Sondagoggend het ek my verslaap. Dit was salig. Dorothée het ‘n reuse ontbyt gereed gehad. Vir die soveelste keer die laaste paar dae het ek my hopeloos ooreet.

Ek was vreemd “sad” toe ek by die liewe Moritze weggery het.

Nou kom ek terug na my eerste sin. Hoe sal ek ooit al die baie mense wat vir my as 'n vreemdeling of vriend tydens my reis hulle huise / hutte oopgemaak het, vir hul gasvryheid kan bedank?

Ek glo nie ek sal ooit weer iemand wat by my huis vir kos aanklop, by die hek kan laat staan nie.

Van een van my grootste skoolvriende wat ek eeue laas gesien het, Roelf Kleynhans,het ek ook nou ‘n e-pos ontvang. Roelf, baie dankie! Sodra ek weer e-pos kan skryf, skryf ek terug.

Groete

Hello!

Another visit to friends, again I was left speechless by all the love and friendship shown to me.

Saturday morning Det and Ivi, Fin and Nele and I went for a long walk in Dusseldorf. Det and Ivi are passionate parents who really enjoy their children. While Ivi was with Fin at his swimming class Det, Nele and I walked to the Rhine River. Standing at this great river I ticked off another great river of this world seen on my trip.

I arrived in Pulheim at Dieter and Dorothée Moritz jus before two on Saturday afternoon. They are old friends for many years and together we did three Botswana tours during the previous four years.

Dorothée wrote earlier that when I would easily recognize their house. Riding slowly down their street I saw a big beautiful South African flight hanging from the window of a house. I immediately knew that I’d arrived.

Dieter and Dorothée were two excellent hosts. We had a great dinner and after that watched a few travel DVDs of some of their wonder journeys of the past. The evening was over too soon.

I overslept this morning. I needed that. Dorothée had a gigantic breakfast ready and we sat chatting for another hour or so.

I felt sad leaving there. When are we going to meet again?

Now back to my question of the first paragraph. How can I thank all those friends or strangers in Africa and Europe who opened their homes / huts to me during my long trip?

I don’t think I could let stand a stranger at the gate of my house if he / she asks for water / food.

I received an email from one of my biggest school friends I had, Roelf Kleynhans. We haven’t seen each other for many, many years. Thank you so much Roelf! I will mail as soon as I can.

Regards!