Travelog for: HitchaRideDooey

Dooey was born very very small and finds it hard to get around on his own.  He met a lot of those bigger guys called toyvoyagers that travel all over the world.

Dooey loved the idea of becoming a toyvoyager just like them ordered a new dog tag and then climbed into a box with a friend one day who was leaving on holiday.  Before he knew it, he was traveling ---  Hitchn A Ride!

Dooey has this great nose for sniffing out Burgers and Fries, Cookies and Doughnuts or other great treat and he will most likely help himself to it if not supervised.

Let him travel often, always with a toyvoyager friend and keep him safe from harm.  Never - Never let him wild!

Let him write home often to tell us where he is at and write home often to tell us where he has been.
Keep him safe from harm and kiss his nose for good luck when he is off for a new adventure.

Dooey has met up with a traveling toyvoyager named Dilbert and they have become good friends.  Dilbert has asked Dooey if he would like to travel with him on his next voyage. 

They both know they will be traveling soon on the international routes around the world.  Then Dooey will find another toyvoyager to help him travel.

His new adventures will lead him from place to place and making a lot of new friends.  Life will be good for this little tiny pup. 

Dooey got a message today and it was time to leave.  He climbed inside with Dilbert and they both left Oregon to venture on to South Africa. 
There, they are sure to run into a great deal of adventure and fun.

Helloooooooo, hellooooooooooo! We have arrived in South Africa at last... what a journey, jostled about by the postal system. Luckily no one poked their nose in the packet (luckily for them or Dilbert or I would have given it a nip!) Fi raced into the post office to rescue us just as the guard was approaching to lock the door... with an rather unamused look on his face! Anyway, freedom at last and a quick five minute journey home. We were dying of thirst and we could both smell water...and other dogs... we sniffed around a bit and found the water bowl.



Time to make plan B! What size dog could possibly need all that water? Hmmmm? Ummm....ummmm.... ah... eeek!



Oh, I thought my heart might stop! I'm not even a mouthful, I'd get stuck in her teeth! Oh help she is going to sit on me... no, she is just going to ... how rude, she is just going to sit there and ignore us! Hey, hey you with the funny accent...yes you, I'm talking to you. I've come all the way around the world to meet you and you turn your very large nose up at me?



Oh well, I guess we didn't make too much of an impression on her then. Wait, there is another one... hey you! Aaarff arrff! Can you see me? No I am not a noisy autumn leaf! Look closely and you will see me. Well, South African dogs seem pretty stuck up!



Ooooohhh! We have just spotted the bed Fi and her children made for Pinky Bear... don't know about you Dilbert, but I could do with a nap.... and Pinky is off on a mystery tour  somewhere so she won't be needing it....

Fi said this house has strict dog rules. That means no sleeping on beds. So Pinky’s bed was out… I thought we were doomed to the doghouse but Fi whipped up this little basket for us. So warm and comfy! Come on Dilbert  snuggle up.



Ahhhh, this is the life. Can you tell Fi likes red? We slept so well last night. We had a lazy day to day because Fi was helping someone with a project, but tomorrow we will do something nice. She told us that on Friday Dilbert is going to sleep over at her friend Lara. Lara is going to take him with her to a Game Reserve! I am so jealous…. Apparently I am too small to go with. I am going to stay here and wait for Pinky to get back from Europe. We will have an equally exciting adventure next week. I sure hope so. I also want to see wild animals…other than those rude dogs that live in this house…actually, strict dog rules: they live outside! We are lucky to be let in… they are allowed in to sleep at night when it is cold though. Bet they would love a bed like ours….ha ha it would have to be the size of  a double human bed!

Hey! Can you believe this? We were wandering through the house today having a good sniff around as dogs do. We went into little Natalie’s room and who did we find there? Non other than my cousin Mc Doggy! We had lots of catching up to do.  We mentioned to Dilbert that we came from Mc Donalds and he asked if that was in Scotland somewhere… such an ignoramus. After we started laughing at him he went back to bed in a sulk, he must have been dreaming about the animals at the Kruger Park, he was muttering about lions and things then he shouted ‘OSTRITCH’ and started twitching…. Made me kind of glad I wasn’t going with... I heard about the ostrich that took poor Marcello.

Today Fi decided to be brave and take us to experience some local bureaucracy.

Every five years you have to get your drivers licence renewed. So a month ago, off she went to the Randburg Licensing Department to apply. The queue was very similar to something she had once experienced at Eurodisney…. You stand for hours in a maze not knowing how long the rest of the queue in front of you is because it is always just out of sight. Anyway, on that occasion it took four hours till eye tests were done and finger prints were taken and large amounts of money were handed over (cash cow anyone?).

Three weeks later Fi was almost bowled over when she opened her post box and a postcard informing her that her licence was ready, tumbled out. Almost unheard of in the African time space continuum.

Fi chose her very largest handbag to hide her camera in. As patriotic as she is, she told us that Johannesburg is indeed a very dangerous place overrun with a criminal element… If her camera was spotted it was definitely going to be ‘re- purposed’!

So first stop. Drivers licence pick up. What a shocker, place was empty! It took longer to take a photo than to pick up her licence. Luckily there is nothing that African people like more than having their photo taken! See the man in the background? He was very funny. He asked if I had just taken a photo, whoops I thought Fi was in trouble… but he said ‘better check your camera still works you chose the ugliest member of staff to take a photo of!



Next, Fi picked up her car licence disc, very conveniently it was due at the same time so only one trip was necessary. Fi kept us tucked well in her bag with the camera; she was dying to show you all what it looked like in there (trust me – like nothing you have ever seen before) but she just couldn’t take the risk.

Then we stood for ages in a very grubby passage waiting for the door to open to room 105B so we could see Abie and make enquiries about a long overdue licence for a foreign vehicle. Of course ‘the other side’ had made no record of receiving the documentation  so it had to be re sent, now that was more like the South Africa Fi knew! Abie was also happy to have his photo taken



…hang on we are almost drowned in paper work… here we are close up.



Outside Fi used her camera phone to take a picture… then quickly walked back to her car.



This is the car guard! People are actually employed to look after your car to make sure it doesn’t get pinched! I can’t believe it. After she tipped him she asked if he would like to have his photo taken. He was very happy and asked all about ToyVoyagesr but I could see the look in his eye that said “crazy woman” - the same look they all have. 



On the way home we saw lots of interesting things but there was no where safe to stop. As we approached Fi’s area she found somewhere to pull over to show us Johannesburg city itself. It is about 30 km away  -18 miles for foreigners like us! We had to pull a Tom Cruise and hang upside down so we could be in the photo… right, so we see tall grass and a housing complex and. .?



Ahhh! There it is. Looks tiny from here.

It. Is. Just. Not. Fair.



Look what Dilbert got. I never got one. I will probably be cold all on my own... I am sure I need a jacket too.



We visited Fi's friend Lara to drop blue eyed Dilbert off for his trip to the Kruger Park. She's pretty cute huh?



...and she has nice stuff on her kitchen counter. Back home we call it beef jerky. Here they call it Biltong. Smells deeeeeeeeeeelishuuuuuuus....



But she kept the packet closed.  Even though I looked pleadingly at her. She's not that cute actually...




Would somebody please tell me who Anne Geddes is and then get me the heck out of this flowerpot... I feel stupid in here, I don't care if I look cute.



Mwah ha ha ha ha! You should have seen Dilbert's face when he realised these were ostritch eggs! Mwah ha ha ha! Especially when I told him there was a hole in the bottom of one which meant an ostritch was on the loose... Man, I felt so much better after rolling around and laughing my butt off!



Pinky and I are going to have so much fun around here without that fraidy cat and his cammo jacket. Can't wait till she gets home so I can meet her.

Fi has been busy rushing around after her houseguests and she hasn't had much time to take us anywhere. We (Pinky Bear and I) have just been sitting around watching the goings on around here. Today was COLD! And I know Pinky comes from Germany but even she said it was cold! Fi explained that the reason we feel cold is that the house is designed to keep the African heat out. So no double glazing or central heating  (actually no air con either!) and the floors are mostly tiled. Every time a freak cold front hits (there is snow in the Drakensberg making it icy here), everyone shivers... Well I was shivering and Fi eventually took pity on  me and made me a little coat. Not a cammo one like himself got though.  Still I shivered, so she got me a hot water bottle.



That didn't do the trick, so when she wasn't watching I snuck into bed with Pinky to keep warm - rules shmoolse...



She was a little surprised but she didn't scream OR throw me out. Hope tomorrow is warmer and that we get to go somewhere.

Well we managed to get out the house today! Because it was World Earth Day, Fi took us here:



Honestly, I am not welcome! I am just going to be an honourory bear today so I can get in...



Phew, nobody noticed....

South Africans like to change the name of everything. Fi once left the country out of Johannesburg International Airport and when she came back a week later it was called the O.R. Tambo! The same with the Botanical Gardens:



Anyway, they have a little information area at the entrance and we wandered in to have a look. This is a neck vertebra from a giraffe. Hmmm... looks so good..Huh? What? No, no, no... me eat that? Never, I am a bear you know, we don't eat delicious, crunchy, mouth watering, huge bones. Nope not me...



They have black eagles that nest here, the only pair in an urban area(world wide) that breed and they are under threat by urban developement. We donated a few coins but my paws are too small so Pinky Bear did the honours. maybe we will see them later.



Fi was laughing madly about 'only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the Midday sun.' Neither the children nor I knew what she was on about. Anyway, I am a bear today.



Pinky found a wierd little creature in the grass, then we suddenly noticed HUNDREDS of them...I don't really care much for insects that are bigger than me. Fi said they only eat vegetation, but I wasn't taking chances..



This one had an identity crisies and went to read up on itself...



There is a part of the garden that shows you the different types of rock found in the area. This is me on some coal.



Here I am at the waterfall... for Pete's sake, here! At the bottom. Can you see me now?




Look what we spotted! I hid away in case it swooped down and ate me...




What a pity Fi didn't have her bigger lens with...

We went adventuring next. I hunted for dinosaurs in Jurassic Park (Fi said it wasn't Jurassic Park, just Cycads - she has NO imagination)


Fi said this appeared to be a Bromeliad...what ever, it was a fun place to sit and have a rest.



I was exhausted after all that walking....time to go home. We had an ice cream first and Fi, ever the Postcrosser, went looking for postcards.

On the way home (a ten minute journey by the way - nature is so close here!) We passed by this sad place. This is an informal settlement. More commonly known as a squatter  camp. Because it is an illegal residence, there are no ammenities such as electricity, running water or refuse collection. The houses (called shacks) are made from whatever can be salvaged. This is only a tiny part of it obviously, it is quite massive. We only managed two quick photos because it is definately not the place to stop and linger with a camera in your hand. This area is within walking distance from Fi's house and the crime in her area has gone up since the settlement was established  a few years ago.




The mini buses are used as "taxis" to transport people to and from work because the Muncipal transport system is so ineffective. They are the bane of Johannesburg drivers lives (and much of the rest of the country) as they are a law unto themselves and drive recklessly on the whole.

You know, we either sit around doing nothing all day or it's non stop action. Today was non stop action. Fi is a great believer in 'THE LAST MINUTE', without which she would get nothing done. As a result she is always in a rush and usually late. So this morning we all hopped in the car and the poor children and us had to eat breakfast - in the car. Luckily she sticks to the speed limit when she drives and we were only 5 minutes late for meeting friends at the Bright Water Commons (formerly the Randburg Water Front - I see what she means about the national obsession for changing place names). First off we played Putt Putt, not just any Putt Putt, but ADVENTURE Putt Putt... That means it is set in a jungle, with lots of water and rickety bridges and you have to climb over rocks and other things that people with nice cameras should not be doing. Here is Pinky Bear and I having a rest at one stage...



One day, Natalie is going to be a fantastic hockey player, Not so much a golfer, but she tried. We cheered her on.



Can you spot us sitting at the side? There is one of the rickety bridges not looking even remotely rickety - but believe me, it WAS! And where the one green ends and the other starts is a long drop and you have to climb down rocks, not a stair in sight!



Anyway, the three boys were going so fast and all at the same time so nobody was keeping score and nobody really won. Once the game was finished we went inside to play ten pin bowling.

Pinky and I had an earnest discussion about whether we would be better off with the green ball which was lighter, but might not go as far, or the pink one which was heavier but would be sure to hit a strike...



The green ball won because it was the only one we could actually PUSH to get it rolling... Pushing is not as fast as throwing, by no means.



After a looooooooooooooooong loooooooooooooooong time, it eventually reached the pins.....



Shane is still asking how his four year old sister won the game, she could also hardly lift the ball!

Everyone was starving after all of this activity, breakfast in the car was not a large or sumptuous meal.

We headed over to a popular family restuarant called the Spur. There is one in just about every town in South Africa.

It is a steak and burgers kind of place with an American Indian theme (Typical South African? I think not!)



This was our waitress, she was very friendly and nice. She took us for a little spin in her tray...see how straight she holds it without even trying!



This is the kitchen staff who made our food. The kitchen is open along the one side of the restuarant, don't worry Fi didn't just waltz into the kitchen! Though I wouldn't put it past her...



And the food, we had run off to the play area, that is why we are not in the photo.... Natalie was eating crumbed vegetable fingers, what a weird child...I thought children hated veges? One had fish fingers, the other had chicken nuggets. Only one was a proper kid, he had a real beef burger! And he shared it with me. After I gave him my 'look'. Thanks Shane.



We had a quick ride on the carousel - I felt sick (for goodness sake- I had just eaten a large meal!) so I had to get off...Pinky just held on for dear life and went around and around.... and around...forever it seemed...



Once again we all piled into the car, without breakfast, and headed over to Lara's place to fetch my buddy Dilbert who had just got back from the Kruger Park. I guess he didn't meet any ostriches then...har har har...

After Dilbert got back from his travels, he told Pinky Bear and I what a brave and fearless dog he was, tackling rhinos and lions and other dangerous animals without breaking a sweat. He went on and on... I bet he spent most of the time scared to death he is such a big baby sometimes.

The next day, Fi had a craft class with six children. We wisely decided to hide away. There was glue and stuff all over the place.

Yesterday (Fi is making me type this at 2 in the morning - you can tell SHE had an afternoon nap), we had a dissapointing day.

We all climbed into the car to visit a museum that Fi had heard of. First off the traffic lights were all out because of load shedding. The country does not have enough electricity, so everyone has a three hour period, twice a week, without power. They are all divided up into zones andwe chose the wrong day to drive through Roodepoort! After a bit, Fi pulled the car over and phoned the museum (she had the printout with her - not such a dumb blonde after all!) to see if they were closed due to load shedding. The lady said they had power but you could only visit by appointment! Have you ever? An appointment to go to a museum? We were all so dissapointed that Fi decided to take us to a nearby place which has miniature trains to ride on. Can you believe it! They were closed too,  the trains needed maintenance work. By now one child had a very long face and the other was near to tears. She decided to take us all to lunch. As we entered the shopping centre the lights went out... Fi bought some chocolate at the generator powered supermarket to cheer us all up and drove home. What a day.

That evening we went out and had fun at last.  Fi and her husband belong to a wine tasting club. Fi doesn't drink wine!
She told everyone about us and Dilbert and I almost went on a trip to Thailand, but the couple who are going admitted they were not responsible enough to be trusted with me.... as did the couple going to Venice. Fi has some well travelled friends!

Here I am balancing on top of the bottles, just for fun - I wasn't trying to sneak a sip, I never touched a drop!



Anyway, I am off to bed now

Been having a lazy day today, slept late, helped Fi frame some pictures, had a very late lunch, lazed around some more, watched a dvd with the children, helped them pitch a tent.... yep, we are camping tonight...



Jo'burg style.



You didn't actually think we'd be OUTSIDE in this crazy town, did you? We did get to see some wild life though, The Big Five ...



Okay, okay, they were just on the end of the skewers...

Now then, you can't go camping without toasted marshmallows, and you can't toast marshmallows without a camp fire.

Ladies and gentlemen, South Africa's answer to power failures, and the Jo'burg indoor camper's answer to a camp fire: the candle. (Yes, actaully, Fi DID go to boarding school as a matter of fact. Why do you ask?)



Dilbert went first... oooooh, just as well I am so low down, the salivating would put out the flame! Hope it doesn't stick on my muzzle fur, I'd HATE to have a bath...



OOOPS! I got it too low and set it alight! I got such a fright I dropped it!




Shane took over and showed us how to do it properly. Smart kid, he can also pitch a tent in his bedroom with only the help of a four year old girl and two small dogs... what a boy!



Right: teeth brushed, toilet, bed time story, bed! I am so excited to go camping that I don't think I will fall asleep any time soon....

Grab a cup of tea! And a few biscuits... go ahead, I'll wait for you. This is going to be a looooooong update.

First off, it has been three days and we are STILL camping! Fi is quite surprised that none of us has grown tired of it yet....

Yesterday Dilbert and I helped Fi whip up a cake quickly, honestly she really does leave everything till the eleventh hour. I tried so hard to help but I kept tripping over the extra long apron I had to wear to keep me clean. I helped the most though by licking out the bowl afterwards!



Hmm hmm hmm, can't you just smell that delightful aroma? Time to get it out the oven,  oops, Dilbert will have to get it, my paws are too small.


Now I suppose you are wondering what the occasion is? Really, who needs an occasion for chocolate cake? Okay, okay, it just so happened that there WAS an occasion. Quick version of a long story. Remember Lara who took Dilbert  AND NOT ME on Safari to the KNP? (Sorry, forgot you weren't  a local - Kruger National Park.) Well she is a scrapbook teacher AND the editor of a local scrapbook magazine AND she organises charity scrapbook events. She ALWAYS invites her best American celebrity scrapbook buddies The Polka Dot Chicks Kelly Collins and Amy Totty, to come and teach. They are designers for Bazzill (you know, of the brilliant card stock fame?) So guess who the cake was for?

Swoon, my new Best Friend Forever Amy Totty! Isn't she cute? (Secret, she was on safari with them too, I could have met her sooner!)



She gave us a scrapbook class last night, check out our page:



Silly Fi not only never took a photo of our masterpiece, but was so busy stuffing her face with a local favourite MILKTART, that she never even TASTED our baking! I must get the recipe for that tart, it was scrumptious

We got home so late and we had to get up early for....

... our long awaited trip to the museum. This time we had an appointment!

We caught EVERY traffic light red on the way there! And then we couldn't find the door to get in. Luckily we got found because it was fascinating in there. And we had a very nice guide called Carolina show us around.

The area was first populated by pre-historic man, in fact, a short journey up the road gets you to the Cradle of Mankind

The first European settlers in the area were mostly Dutch farmers who had made the incredible journey from the Cape Province on the  other side of the country called the Groot Trek (1834 - 1840.) They came by ox wagen and were called Voortrekkers (Pioneers is the closest word Fi can think of). Fi says it must have been an absolutely horrific journey, she hates doing it in a car, on a tar road, with every possible modern convenience. The though of hacking your way through the unforgiving bushes and terrain and the relentless heat is too much to contemplate Not forgetting the wildlife, lions and snakes and such!)

Any way, they settled here and did their best to survive.

A while later, a major gold find boosted the area in to becoming more prosperous. The museum shows the living areas from the Voortrekkers (bare and minimal), to the Victorian age (busy, fusyy and ornate), to the Edwardian age (a little more refind and less fussy but still decorative leading up to the art deco period) Man, I am so smart for a dog! I will quip yapping on and show you what you REALLY want to see, me and Dilbert posing on EVERYTHING!



This is Fred and Harry Strubens who discovered the gold. There is a street named after them called 'Fred And Harry" and Fi shops in Strubens Valley! Okay, I will shush now...



You need big muscles to make bread in this... Har har har! It is a mould for making GOLD bars...



They made soap and candles from animal fat, nothing went to waste. It looks like cheese but this is soap... the candle moulds are on the shelf above.


Here we have  a small potjie (pot) for making meals (still used today!), a very large pot for the smelly job of turning animal fat into soap, a kettle to call the pot black, and a coffee bean roaster.



A leather working station - like I said, nothing went to waste...



The houses were made from mud mostly, with a reed roof, I nearly went wild when I sniffed the floor (Hey! I AM a dog you know, I sniff things...) It was CATTLE DUNG!!! Like I keep saying, NOTHING went to waste! Peach pips were used for both decorative purposes and also traction... dry cow poop is slippy stuff!



Two things every good family had: A bible (the ONLY book in the house) and bottomless coffee...



This one is dated 1699... around the time Fi was born, har har har.... oops, that was 1969!



Bath time:



An original ToyVoyager!



A model ox wagon that a little boy would have played with...




A.... drool.... "dolosse" (knuckle bone)...drool... ox wagon... who'd REALLY notice if one row went missing? II have the creepy feeling someone is staring at me...



A little embroidered bonnet. They were high fashion at the time, and served to protect from the harsh African sun.

Now for the Victorian part.

Some children were playing outside, they were seen but not heard! Their toys were a bit of a step up from the last lot, no?



We dropped in a calling card and the lady of the house granted us permission to enter... snooty...



Wow! What a lot of stuff!



Fi says she lived in an old house once that had the same pressed tin ceilings.



Aah! His master's voice!



Now we move on to the Edwardian side were it was a little easier on the eyes. Fi says this is a South African classic, you ought to read it.  (Jock of the Bushveld - a wonder dog much like myself). It is not easy on the eyes - you will need a few tissues.



A little rest, it is hard work posing all over the place you know. Fi is actually learning to crotchet and she is making the same cushion cover, in less vivid colours! I got caught up in it and she asked if I thought I was a cat.... hmm, I haven't seen a cat yet.



See this lady? She has a short hairstyle and less restrictive clothing. She has been through the First World War. Whilst the men were away fighting on the side of the English (being a colony at the time) the woman became a little more independent, much like the women in Europe and America at the time.



Wanna see her a little closer? She is reading, she read us a few pages, then put some music on for us to listen to.






Apparantly the Art Deco period didn't skip South Africa!



Say hi to Shirley Temple!



These must be friends of Bokkie!



The museum has quite a nice ceramic collection too. These are the children who represent the days of the week. I am Wednesday’s child, but I just LOOK full of woe, really I am a happy little guy...



Oh, we have come to the end of our tour! This is the Mayor of Johannesburg, Amos Masondo, the crest and a map of the different regions that make up Greater Johannesburg.



We signed the visitor’s book to prove we did indeed visit!



Fi did her usual postcard shopping (fine lines may be getting crossed, MrsC!), then we said goodbye to Carolina.

Outside we spotted these mine carts and had to investigate...



Fi said she would show us a mine dump so we went for a little drive around the neighbourhood.