Buying a B&B

[reesek]

gerhard

this is wonderful!! i have the chills just thinking about the adventure. congratulations for following your dream - wherever it may lead - please blog as often as you can - you have a rapt audience in us.

best,

reese

[Mayhaw Man]

I look forward to hearing about your adventures Gerhard. Currently it is raining here (36 inches for the Spring, and already 4 or so for the Summer) and I am thinking that your beach looks alot more attractive than my swamp.

How populated is the area? Are people coming there just for the B and B's and the beach (not that you would need more), or are there other attractions?

[gsquared]

Are people coming there just for the B and B's and the beach (not that you would need more), or are there other attractions?

Lots of other attractions. The area is rich in fresh water lakes, rivers and mountains with lush vegetation and natural forest.

Rowing, kyaking, fishing, mountain climbing, parasailing....

Our mean nighttime temperature in winter is 12C and mean daytime temperature in winter is 19C. Summer is 16C nighttime and 24C daytime. That said, today was 26C- the winter weather is variable from warm to the odd really cold day (12C or so). This does make long term planning for breakfast difficult, as one does not really know what to expect until you get up in the morning. The guava ice you had planned to serve as the breakfast fruit does not go that well when it is chilly outside.

[Jake]

Beautiful photos! I think perhaps this will be the best advertising ever...you'll have eG members making reservations in droves!

[tanabutler]

We have now taken posession of our guest house and have more or less settled in. What would you guys prefer me to post: ball-by-ball, highlights only or just the food related stuff?

One vote here for "ball-by-ball" posting, but not if it detracts you from your work.

[bloviatrix]

It looks like you've found a piece of paradise. I can't wait to hear more.

[Maison Rustique]

Bravo!

I wish you the best and will be waiting to hear of your success!

[gsquared]

One of my many failings is impatience. Maybe that is the main cause why I will never be a good baker. We drew up a to-do list:

Paint outside

Paint roof

New stoves

Fit gas into the kitchen that is all electrical.

Redo garden

Remove dune bushes that obscure the guests’ sea view when lying on the bed

Fit irrigation

Install a central fireplace in what will become the guest lounge (for the few cold days and for comfort on rainy days)

Replace all the linen and napery

Replace the crockery

Replace the curtains

Replace the patio furniture

Replace the staff uniforms

Pipe satellite TV to the rooms

Clean and seal the terracotta floors

Remove the Bar and turn it into our personal lounge

Fit mini bars in all rooms

Arrange transfer of all licences and permissions

Arrange health inspection

Arrange contracts with the staff

And a host of small, irritating items

I decided to start tackling some items remotely from Johannesburg :- my impatience at work. It would have been a lot more sensible to take occupation first. Sensible is good, but sensibility and impatience are mutually exclusive. Impatience won. Were it not for a stroke of luck I would probably have wasted more money than I did. We were referred to Greg, the handyman, and this contact later proved to be a valuable one. We found that, in Wilderness, you get nowhere if you do not know the right people. An example is the Mole Man. There was evidence of moles in the garden. Fast forward to after our arrival in Wilderness. I phoned a few pest control companies and was told that these were Bathyergus Suillus or dune moles. Around a foot long, the beasties dig huge collective tunnels in the dunes and are impossible to eradicate. Not so, said Greg. All you have to do, is phone the Mole Man who might be prepared to address the mole problem if he takes a liking to you. I phoned the Mole Man.

Me: “My name is Gerhard and….”

MM: “Yes – you have a mole problem at Mes Amis.”

Me: “How did you know that?”

MM: “I know.”

Me: “Ok, can you help?”

MM: “I’ll see.”

Two weeks later a small, rotund man with a bald head walked in and introduced himself.

“I am the Mole Man”

I was rather disappointed that he was not wearing a cape…..

“Your moles are gone.”

Me: “What do you mean, gone?”

MM: “I fixed them last night. You owe me X.”

I paid up and asked him what I should do if they come back.

MM: “Forget about it. If they return, I will know and deal with it.”

Two single malts later, he left. The moles have not returned. I sleep well in the knowledge that we are under the protection of The Mole Man.

I know Kas, the woodcutter, Terry the Plumber, Pierre the bread guy, Garrick the gardener, Sol the butcher, Marinda the fish woman, Patrick the hang gliding photographer. I am set.

Buy the stoves now, I thought. That will mean that when we arrive, at least I can start cooking immediately. The one kitchen had an old Garland gas stove dating from the Boer war with the oven out of commission and only two burners working.

No spares available, so it had to go. The other kitchen had a small electric range that would be of no use to man or beast. So, phone the suppliers, pore over catalogs and arrange with the current owners that we can get the new equipment in whilst they are still in occupation. The one kitchen is located off the guest breakfast room and is used for breakfast. The other is part of our personal living area and will be used for our personal cooking. Equip the guest side with a gas range with an electric convection oven large enough for baking. I will, after all, do a good deal of baking for breakfast. Freshly baked bread, croissants, brioches……Sensible would have thought through the logistics, impatience wanted that stove in. Now. For our personal kitchen we would need a gas hob only, given that we would move our AEG electrical oven from Johannesburg. Good oven, with a low temp of 40C and a high of 290C. I settled on a Smeg range for the guest side

and an AEG hob for our kitchen.

I bought and arranged installation. The Garland had to be removed. It was huge and weighed a ton. I phoned Greg, who gave me the name of Russell, the Gas Man. Russel dismantled the Garland and removed it. For free. The new equipment was installed and I was happy. Reality would set in later.

Farewell dinners on the veranda for all the friends and family, all our belongings and the detritus of 15 years packed and headed coastward. Me, The Artist, two dogs and a fully loaded car followed. We sang some of our favourite 60’s songs on the way. We talked about our new life, rehashed our plans. We were happy. The adventure had begun.

[Anna N]

Welcome back! You have been sorely missed. This sounds like an adventure story that will keep us entertained for many episodes.

[s'kat]

It's so wonderful to hear how this has transgressed since your last posting. Thank you for coming back with your delightful tale.

[Rachel Perlow]

I feel a sense of forboding from that last installment.

I wonder what the mole man did?

[phaelon56]

The new equipment was installed and I was happy. Reality would set in later.

This statement alone will have me anxiously scanning the threads for the next installment

[Pan]

Gerhard, I loved your foodblog back when, and like the others, I'm happy to see you posting again! You really know how to tell a story, and that photo of the sunset (or sunrise?) is breathtaking!

[Bond Girl]

G, I guess I got on to this a bit too late, but congratulations and I am eager to hear your success. Keep us all posted.

[fredbram]

One thing that I remember wanting to say during your blog--I like your wife's art, at least from the one or two that we saw in the blog.

Maybe you can post more at some point?

Impressive work getting the photo idea across to the glider.

Edited for spelling.

Edited June 24, 2004 by fredbram (log)

[beans]

Me, The Artist, two dogs and a fully loaded car followed. We sang some of our favourite 60’s songs on the way. We talked about our new life, rehashed our plans. We were happy. The adventure had begun.

And the large pawed kitty too?

I am in awe of your adventure.

[gsquared]

And the large pawed kitty too?

He was scheduled to travel with us, but disappeared a day before we left. I guess the movers packing things got him spooked. We left without him, but with a posse of the neighbours visiting regularly to look for him. He returned the next day and went to stay with my daughter temporarily. They have bonded. Temporary has become permanent. Cat is happy. Daughter is happy. We miss him.

[gsquared]

Thanks to all for the complimentary words. And the encouragement.

[chefdg]

Of course eGulleteers that book via PM will get a deep discount!

Uh, whats PM?

[alacarte]

PM stands for Private Messaging -- you'll see the PM button at the bottom of each post.

Gerhard, the pictures are wonderful and here's wishing you the best of success with the B&B.

I love B&B cookbooks. Whenever I go on vacation somewhere I scan the bookstores for compilations from local B&B and inn proprietors. In between the usual egg casserole and blueberry muffin recipes, there are always a few gems showcasing local ingredients and flavors.

[chefs13]

That is so beautiful. I'm afraid if I owned that I may never get anything done. I'd be laying on the beach all day

[alacarte]

If anyone wants to test-drive the B&B lifestyle, I just read the following snippet in BusinessWeek magazine.

So you dream of operating a bed and breakfast. You can, without the financial commitment or full-time responsibility. Interim innkeepers are in demand to spell burnt-out B&B owners. The pay is only $150 to $250 per day, but you get to travel and stay in lovely places. Start by signing up for inn-sitting training with the Bed & Breakfast Institute of Learning (bbinnstitute.com), Interim Innkeepers Network (innsitter.bigstep.com), or Inn Caring (inncaring.com). Courses usually last three days and cost $200 to $400.

[gsquared]

If anyone wants to test-drive the B&B lifestyle, I just read the following snippet in BusinessWeek magazine.

Now there is a thought! I have been in this business just long enough to come to two realisations:

1. Running a B&B is a doddle

2. Running a B&B ties you down.

When we want to go anywhere, even for a day or two, we need a sitter. Otherwise we go single. So where is the Assocation of B&B Sitters that I can phone to come take care of the shop while we go swanning down the Danube?

[JennyUptown]

I suspect there are quite a few EG types who might volunteer for such duty.

[laurenmilan]

I love B&B cookbooks. Whenever I go on vacation somewhere I scan the bookstores for compilations from local B&B and inn proprietors. In between the usual egg casserole and blueberry muffin recipes, there are always a few gems showcasing local ingredients and flavors.

I've got a few of those too... "Rise and Dine" is one of my favorites, because it's a national compilation, with 1-2 recipes from any given B&B, so the unique-to-mundane ratio is far better than a single/regional publication (although, trying out some of the more traditional recipes in the book is recommended for us novices.)