When Royden and I walk back to the large parking lot after our shopping, I have to take a breath. When I see our camper I realise that my love for Betsie, as we’ve come to call her, is fragile and I suddenly feel that I find her too big, clumsy and ugly.
Two days earlier I took her for a short spin and I was really disappointed. She has no power steering, which gives us a huge turning circle and with her 2.2 meters she is a lot wider than a normal car. In addition, I can’t reach the pedals properly because the seat can’t go far enough forward. I feel a light panic. I still remember how scary it was to drive the Landrover through Cape Town city. I always thought it was a mission to go out with it. I couldn’t park her anywhere because she was too high for the parking garages. She had such a big turning circle that I had to go into the narrow streets a few times to make the turn and I was always afraid that I would lose the clutch somewhere along the way.
That same feeling washes over me at the idea of travelling with Betsie.
Royden senses that my energy changes and asks what’s up.
“My God,” I say, “I just don’t know if she makes me happy.”
Royden is startled by my remark, but does not let himself be put off. He shares his genuine love for Betsie with me. That she is beautiful in all her shades of brown. That he thinks it’s fantastic that we give her a new life. And that he wants to change everything to make her so that I will love her too.
Royden senses my energy changing and asks what’s up.
“My God,” I say, “I just don’t know if she makes me happy.”
Royden is shocked by my remark, but pulls himself together and shares his sincere love for Betsie with me. That she is beautiful with all her shades of brown. ‘I think it is such a wonderful thing to give her a new life, San,’ he continues. ‘And I will change whatever is needed for you to love her too.’
It’s exactly what I need: a different perspective. Royden’s enthusiasm for our brown dolphin, as he affectionately calls Betsie, is contagious. How I love this man! Luckily I can look at our camper with new eyes.
Because he’s right. She is unique with all her shades of brown. With her clumsiness and her age. She is one of a kind. We really want to make it our new home on wheels. And I will probably succeed in mastering the driving skills in Betsie. At some point :-).
We drink a cup of coffee and treat ourselves to something delicious. The lady behind the counter turns out to be American. It’s nice to see Royden in his element with someone who speaks his language. He has a dry sense of humor that not everyone understands right away. Most of my friends’ English is very good, but that doesn’t mean they get his sense of humor completely. And that’s a shame.
Royden asks me what I’m in the mood for today.
“I feel like giving the camper a nice clean. To make her a little more our own,’ I reply.
We go home to pick up some cleaning stuff and decide to look for a parking lot nearby (as we cannot park the car in front of the house).
Armed with sponges, gloves and other cleaning materials, we set off. We park in the corner of the large parking lot that borders the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen. I’m excited to get started. Royden has brought a bag of tools from England and starts with some small jobs. I start in the kitchen. The magic sponge I bought at the Action is a blessing. It removes even the most difficult stains. I didn’t know cleaning could be so much fun. I use an old toothbrush to remove the crumbs from the ledge of the refrigerator. I’m not much of a cleaner, but when I do, I go all the way.
Betsie is getting prettier and cleaner by the minute and she starts to feel more and more as our home.
After an hour and a half I think it’s time for a break. I take the two camping chairs from the camper. I take them into the sun, about twenty meters away from the motorhome.
From a distance I look at our Betsie. It is indeed cool that we are giving this old lady a new life.
“Actually, with all her shades of brown, isn’t she just a beauty?”
