Dutch couple can go back home at last
A Dutch couple who were supposed to leave South Africa to go back to The Netherlands on 31 March, have been stuck in Mossel Bay until now because of the Covid-19 lockdown.
They arrived on 2 February. Chiel and Janneke van der Zee have a house at the Mossel Bay Golf Estate.
Their flights home were cancelled because of the lockdown. Then, when flights were reintroduced, the couple booked flights four times and each time they were cancelled.
The Van der Zees are globe trotters, who have a variety of hobbies which kept them busy during the lockdown. Also, they have family in Mossel Bay.
Chiel said the most frustrating part of the lockdown was level 5, when people were not allowed to go out at all to exercise. "We walked three kilometres per day, just walking around our house," he said. "It was nicer when the rules changed and we could go out and exercise from 06:00 to 09:00 in the morning."
Chiel said he had walked past the house of well-known pianist Olive Sandilands twice, when she was playing the piano for people walking by. Sandilands lives relatively close to the golf estate.
"She played Gershwin for me," Chiel said. "I want to thank her." Sandilands often performs in concerts held at the Caravel in the Dias Museum in town.
Another highlight of the Van der Zees' visits to Mossel Bay is visiting the Township Angels art and craft shop in Church Street. "Every time we're here we buy something from Hein Marais at the craft shop for our family back home. We bought an elephant from him this time."
Finally the Van der Zees are flying back to The Netherlands tomorrow, Saturday 25 July.
They will be flying from Cape Town to Amsterdam and then driving to their home in the city of Zwartsluis.