Finding a safe place to put your head down when cycling or walking around the world is not always the easiest thing. Personal safety is top priority, then safety of equipment, and lastly how comfortable it is going to be.
Yes, comfort and a peaceful sleep are generally last on my mind, because I have invariably broken myself during the day and know that, unless a predator surprises me in the night, I am pretty much assured of sleeping like the dead.
Before I get into places that make great safe havens, I’d like to share a story from my 1997 cycle tour across South Africa. I set out from Cape Town with accommodation planned (kindly sponsored) for the first ten days. Great stuff indeed! Makes such a difference knowing that one has a shower and a ‘proper’ bed.
After nights at police and petrol stations through the Eastern Cape, I was keen to find a bed again… And so pushed my luck when I arrived in some towns. I made it into a small town called Smithfield late one evening (sun had already set) and set out to explain what I was doing to a lady standing next to a twirly dairymaid sign.
“Blue house on the right” is all she mumbled to me while making some gesture with her hand, indicating towards a gravel side road.
I slowly strolled, pushing my bicycle alongside me, and spotted a lavender house… Close enough to blue I thought. Leaving my yellow bicycle (aptly named Buttercup) at the gate, I walked up to the front door, unsure of how warm the reception would be.
It wasn’t long before an elderly gentleman opened the door and I explained my story to him and said that I was looking for a safe place to camp for the night. As I finished his wife came down the passage way and I explained it all once again.
They looked at each other, looked at me, looked at each other… Then proceeded to give me keys to the house! HUH!? That’s not normal! It turns out they were going to a friend’s birthday party, so decided to give me keys so that I could settle in and get myself setup while they were out.
I obviously accepted the invitation to sleep in a proper bed again and made the most of their hospitality. As it turned out later, they knew who I was! They’d seen an article about me in a magazine and so had, apparently, felt comfortable letting me into their house. Lucky me!!
Toll Plaza (N1 Bloemfontein-Johanesburg):
Cycling along the N1 between Bloemfontein and Johannesburg is a nuisance in terms of accommodation! Towns are either too close or too far apart for a comfortable day in the saddle, so I’ve used Verkeerdevlei Toll Plaza as my place of rest on two occasions. Once I slept in a tent, the other time I didn’t even bother and slept on the tiles outside the front door.
Police Station (Pniel and Joubertina):
I’ve done this three times now… Pitching a tent at Pniel (between Paarl & Stellenbosch) and Joubertina (Eastern Cape), while in Humansdorp (also Eastern Cape) I found myself being locked in the charge office as it was “unsafe to sleep on the grounds”. Yes, a police station that had lost a few vehicles due to theft… From their office parking area! Oh, I should also mention that the building surrounds the parking area in three sides! Here, however, I had running water, electricity and even a kettle!
Railway Siding (Karoo):
Frequently used during my walk at the end of 2009 where I followed the railway line through the Western Cape and into the Karoo, this certainly isn’t a quiet place to rest. They do, however, offer wind and rain protection… As well as good shade! Many of them are now in ruin, due to the demise of the rail networks.
Dam Wall:
Only once have I slept on the wall itself, as I usually prefer the shores. But, sudden and drastic change in weather left me horribly exposed and the pump house seemed like a good spot to seek shelter. Not bad at all, although a grassy bank with some trees would have been preferred…
Petrol Station (Queenstown):
24hour petrol stations are generally not conducive to sleep!! Whether outside under a tree, round back against the building or in the restaurant that is closed, be sure that you won’t sleep much. Best spot, if the establishment has one, is the kiddies play room! Yes, they’re generally closed at night… And are seperate from the action. Queenstown’s Shell Garage is a great example!!
Power Substation:
These, like railway sidings, offer a great level of elemental protection. Walls and shelter are standard, and some even have taps for fresh(ish) water. Long-drops are a common feature, offering a nice change from having to squat.
Butchery:
No, don’t worry, I didn’t sleep inside or amongst the raw meat! Whilst looking for a safe place to sleep, we were offered the grounds surrounding the local butcher… As the property is ‘securely’ locked at night, with high razor wire fences. The problem here is that you are restricted by operating hours 🙁
Roadworks Compound:
It’s now three times that I have slept at a roadworks compound… and I have admit that the second two didn’t live up to the high expectations as set by the first. The smell of tar and the never ending dust cloud didn’t help the comfort levels of the second two experiences, but at least I was safe and could relax knowing that my kit was still going to be mine in the morning.
Ok, so maybe I was exaggerating just a little when I wrote the title… but, in some cases, I’ve slept better in these places than I have in top hotels!
The point I’m trying to make is that while it really is nice to spread yourself over some crisp bed linen and enjoy the luxuries of hot running water and a clean flushing toilet from time to time, the real adventure is not knowing where your next bed may be made”¦ and what surface it may be on. And, it’s not always as bad as one thinks”¦
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