Merry Christmas ... is the house wrapped and ready?

So the year slowly comes to a close, but is the house coming any nearer to
completion. Progress made, but slow going with some very wet weather.

We had hoped that the house would be a sealed unit before the builders down
tools for the festive season. Sadly things have been going a bit slow after
some very wet weather earlier in the month. Outside and inside has been
plastered now, the windows and sliding doors are all in, so good news there.
The kitchen was meant to have been fitted in December but as the house is
not 100% sealed due to lack of doors this has not yet been done. It is
looking good though and with the builders due to re commence work a week
earlier than scheduled in January things might just get back on track as
they get on with some painting, doors fitted, and kitchen in.

We have got some slight concerns with a couple of things we have noticed
from the pictures we have been sent, but hopefully we can resolve those when
we head down there in the new year. Our collection of bits purchased has
increased with a basin mixer and shower mixer (many thanks to Michael!) to
go with the kitchen sink and mixer we had already acquired. Must remember to
pack it all in Mufasa when we head down!!

I have put up some of the latest pictures (see the link on the right) and
will add more as soon as possible in January. Other than checking on the
build progress we need to get the grass cut before we have our very own
safari park!!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011!!!

Getting plastered ... big style!

Well, a lot has been done to the house since we were last down in the village, well we assume it has. Money seems to be pouring from our account all too often, but as far as we can tell things have been happening, and the odd photo we get from Oliver (the builder) seems to concur.

Yes, I know I have been slack with updates, but ... been busy. Since we spent our two weeks in our new house (indoor camping) back in September our time has been eaten up with both scraping together the funds to keep Oliver happy and also finding and deciding on fittings, i.e. sanitary ware, taps, tiles, kitchens, blah. Ok, there might have been a bit of feet up time in between chores. Hopefully we have nailed all the bits and bobs now, we even bought a kitchen tap and sink, not that it is going to do much sitting in
Bob's garage 600km from the building site!

All the hard graft on the house is nearly completed, i.e. walls and roof, and the plastering and windows will also soon be done so that the place is a sealed unit. The builders break up for Christmas on the 22nd December, just a few weeks away, but if all goes well the place will have a kitchen (no doors), sewerage, internal plastering, plumbing and basic electrical. Of course this will induce another scrape of funds from us as an early Christmas pressie for Oliver! He did mention sommit about Barbados for the festive season?!

Anyway, our aim is to get down to Underberg in early January to check it all out for ourselves. Sadly it seems like end of February will be the earliest we can actually move in, sigh, long wait still. Good news though, our goods we shipped from the UK have arrived. Funny thing is though, they should still be in the UK as we told Anglo Pacific not to ship until December 1st at the earliest. They apparently 'overlooked' this wee detail. Several emails and interesting telephone conversation later we got a decent apology.
Oh, and they even buggered up the invoicing for it. So now our stuff will have to sit in storage in SA, assuming it is all there, for a couple of months until we can receive it in the house.

I shall post some pictures now (see album link to the right) and hopefully some more later in the month,
assuming we have some new ones.

Our first week in the village

It seems like we have been here for much longer. Only a week? So much has happened, well it feels like it.

The long drive down from Joburg is starting to feel a bit shorter. Still took 8 hours with stops, at Mufasa speed! Thankfully we know all the truck stops now so we can feed Mufasa at a good price, he gets very hungry. By the time we reached Underberg our thoughts of 'what are we doing' and 'have we made a huge mistake' had gone and we were glad to be home. With the keys in hand we went to explore. Nothing had changed since our last visit. No rain, dry garden, and dead roses that we had planted a few weeks ago.

First on the to do list was sort the electric and water. Easy, no? Before all that we needed an address, post box at the post office. No keys for three weeks though. Water we could turn on at the top of the drive, electric we needed a man with a key to switch our feed on. Eventually two days later with huge help from Faye, our estate agent and new friend, we had power. Boy the cold showers were not fun without it. The water people have our details now, the electric, well still waiting for them to phone us back!

Our next must do was submit the plans for the changes to the house. Easily done and should have them processed by 29th of September, approved hopefully! Following that was meet the builder to get quotes. Done, waiting for the figures, gulp. Just wish the exchange rate would improve. Last job, get someone to take a look at our inherited stove. A No.3 Rayburn. We would love to get it restored and keep it, but depends on how much it will cost and if we can find somewhere to put it. The people in the know are coming tomorrow so fingers crossed.

Other than the above we have been hard at work in the garden. So much to do and only two weeks here to get a start on it. Digging, raking, cutting, sweating! It has been extremely hot during the days. At night the temp drops. Had ice on Mufasa's bonnet Sunday morning! We spent the first few nights in the tent but have now moved in doors with our tent bed on the floor, indoor camping! It has however warmed up at night now though, well for the moment.

The people in the village seem very friendly, but that brings about our biggest nightmare, remembering names. We have started a list! Our aim is not to be hidden away in our house but to get involved in the goings on in the village. We had dinner last Thursday with Faye, her husband James, and her father Roy. Half price pizza at The Grind, and walking distance. Today we joined the Underberg Garden Club and went to our first meeting. Get to meet people, oh and nice coffee and cake! It does seem though that we are the ones not in the know, as the village telegraph has delivered around the news of our arrival. At the excellent plant nursery just out of town, they had heard of us!

Oh well, back to the to do list. Ok, perhaps tomorrow, its evening now, time for dinner and a glass of wine.

At last ... we own the house

Yes it has taken a while, but we are there. Official owners of a wee piece of land and building in sunny Underberg!

The fun now really starts. Almost have the plans sorted for the renovation and extensions, hopefully completed by the end of this week. Then it is down to the Berg next week to get quotes and commission our builder. Spend spend spend!

'Life on the Road' to 'Life in the Berg'

So how does it happen? One minute life is an adventure filled with far flung places. A different story to told with every day started. Then suddenly, a house, and a different way of life. Well, to be honest, having a house again is an adventure for us. It has been a while, over 5 years now, since we last had a fixed location. Not to say that the travelling is over, just a time to get to grips with a new challenge, and keep the travelling to be our 'time out' from the hard grind of life at home!

Our new base will be in Underberg, KZN. Spitting distance from the fabulous Drakensberg mountains. A mere 600km from Joburg. A strange location? Not for us. We love it. Just like a 'little England', with mountains! See http://wooliesthruafrica.blogspot.com/2010/07/namibia-thailand-botswana-south-and.html for the how and why.

So, now a new blog to tell the tale of life in the 'village', and the development of our property. 'Woolies Thru Africa' will continue to tell the travelling story as and when the tales are there to be told.