Corona and golf around the world.

Resumé of the tour so far.

We have now been in South Africa for about 102 days, we have been free to play golf for 45 days. We have played 19 golf courses. We have been in quarantine for about 57 days.

We have been driving from Cape Town, along the coast to Durban, from Durban to Leopard Creek and from Leopard Creek to Pretoria. All the way with detours to different golf courses and scenic places. For golfing we have been driving an estimating 3.600 km.

For each golf course we have played we have been driving an average of about 180 km.

When the lockdown started we got on a domestic flight to George, was picked up by Eza’s sister, Lilla, and her husband and drove to their place in the mountains close to De Rust where we stayed in about 38 days.

Then we got a message from the Danish Embassy in Pretoria that we could get on a flight to Copenhagen via Doha the 5^th of May. We got in Lilla’s car the 4^th of May and she drove us to Pretoria with a half way stop for the night in Bloemfontein. A total distance of about 1.200 km. In the evening, at the hotel in Bloemfontein, we got a message from the embassy that the flight was cancelled. Apparently due to some disagreement between the Qatar Airways and the South African authorities. Negotiation was taking place . . . . . .

So now should we turn around and go back to De Rust or drive to a place closer to the airport in Johannesburg. We called Joe and Tersia, our friends from TorreMirona who are running a conference facility and restaurant in the outskirts of Johannesburg. Now closed due to the lock down, but with the help from the Danish Embassy we got permission to stay as private guests.

Now we have been staying with them in about 19 days. In those days, for a variety of reasons, uncertainty about flight permission and bureaucracy with regard to bookings we have missed 3 flights to which we had tickets.

But now – the 28^th of May – it should be sure. At least all formalities with the South African authorities, the Danish Embassy and Qatar Airline seems to be in place. Tickets are booked and confirmed. We are instructed to meet at the Qatar Embassy in Pretoria the 28th at 14:00, from where we will be transported by bus to the airport for a departure to Doha at 19.15.

Cross your fingers.

Next step – rescheduling the trip

• So what now?

In according to our schedule we should have been playing golf in Australia from the end of March to the end of April, and the first 3 weeks of May we should have played courses on King Island and Tasmania. Around the 20st of May we were scheduled to go from Tasmania over Melbourne to Wellington.

In my notebook I have noted: Remember Wairakei Golf and Sanctuary. Went to Google Earth to refresh my reason for the note. Looks fantastic – check it out yourself.

Anyway, now it depends on when things are opening up again, on the price of the flight ticket and finally the weather. If we are following our original schedule with 2½ – 3 months delay, we will end up in Nova Scotia and 14 days later in Whistling Straits in the winter

Therefore we definitely need to make a new touring route. But be sure, we won’t make any move before we sit in the plane on our way from Doha to Copenhagen.