Wednesday, August 27, 2008

scones & rave wands

So I dropped R30k yesterday.

I have never:
1)Dropped that much money in my life
2)Imagined dropping that much money in my life
3)Imagined thanking a credit card

And there I was. The proud owner of two flights to Buenos Aires for me and my father (happy Christmas for the rest of your life Dad), and a flight to Rio de Janeiro for me.

I'm conquering Rio by myself. Toute seule. Just me and Peas. Alone. Fucking terrifying, but also unbelievably exciting.

So that's booked and paid for.

Now I can focus on Greece.

I went to see an old school mate of mine last night, E3, for dinner, lots of wine and swapping old raver albums. I just don't see her enough, and yet there was a part of our lives when we spent so much time together.

She, like me, just wants to travel and do important stuff while the going is still good. We're both pretty much at the exactly same points in our lives.

E3 introduced me to The Big City when we were at school. At half term, she and the rest of the Joburg girls would come back and talk about the amazing time they had at these big nightclubs, with all the boys and the music.

Peas, being a Midlands girl, spent her half term riding her bike and, like, eating cheese.


They would educate me in all the hip and incredibly cool stuff from the big city of 'Joburg', which I'd just embrace with glee:
'What are those?'
Jeans Peas.
'Jeens?'
'Yes. Instead of shorts, you can wear these, see.'

E3 taught me a lot about the ravey vibe back in the 90s. She's a knowledgeable and experienced girl. It's fascinating; always has been.

So she was telling me stories about the old ESP in town last night. Before it moved to Randburg. Way before.

Now I grasped much of what the late 90s rave culture of ESP was about, and I always wanted to go there, but by the time I ended up here after Cape Town, it was all over.

But she told me stuff that went on downstairs in the ESP basement that had me reverting back to my small town Natal Midlands mindset:

'What?'
No seriously, look at the pictures. This is what happened down there. Sacrificial.
'You can't be serious.'
Look. Listen.
'Never!'
It's a herd mindset, but way more diabolical than meets the eye, Peas.
'But it doesn't make sense!'
But it does, look.

Wow. E3 was a girl that embraced rave culture back then in the purist of ways, so I believe her, frankly. I wasn't streetwise at 16. My childhood just didn't allow it, and I am thankful for it. E3 and I were mates even though we had diametrically opposite childhoods.

I got to milk cows, ride my bike through paddocks, and eat scones. That won't happen again until I'm retired [in Provence.] Let's face it.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

I am so jealous. I would kill to go to South America. MAtes of mine did a 3 month trip there a couple of years back. I still hate them a little.

Peas on Toast said...

Billy - my head is still in the clouds I must say, it's happening it's really really happening!

Three months, phew hey - I'd also hate them a little :)

kyknoord said...

Credit cards are great, aren't they? I'm sure Tito is really annoyed at you, though.

Mich said...

LOL.. people dont have time to milk cows anymore in the Midlands peas they sneak off to parties in howick!! I know HOWICK!!! even little ol'PMB is looking all big city like.. true story!!

Peas on Toast said...

Kyk - Tito will love me once he sees interest incurred.

Love the interest rate. NAWT.

Elle - hahahahaha, oh hilarious. Howick?? I've never heard of the place. Is it nice there?
;)

Anonymous said...

Don't leave us in suspense dude. What did they do in the ESP basement?

Peas on Toast said...

Glad you asked Matt.

Apparently it was deep, dark and hectic down in that basement. Sacrificial animal slayings or something like that. Satanic rituals. To the music.

I thought that kind of stuff only happened at AC/DC gatherings.

Mich said...

lol.. it's hicksville that's what it is!

Peas on Toast said...

Elle - no, surely not? Are there swamps and shit there?

Mich said...

there might as well be... the biggest attraction this place is a waterfall that I am convinced is drying out!

Unknown said...

Did Slipknot play at ESP?

Peas on Toast said...

Elle - you DO know I'm from Howick right? :)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

PS: The waterfall is lame.

Peas on Toast said...

Billy - that's EXACTLY what I asked E3 last night. 'Was ESP actually a Slipknot music festival?'

Who'd a thunk it hey.

Anonymous said...

Seriously okes - I'm finding it hard to believe there were animal sacrifices in ESP. That place was all love and stuff, c'mon. I want proof. Take it to the next level Peas - publish the photos.

Peas on Toast said...

Whale, you cheeky little shit.

Get back to work. And please make me cup of coffee; one sugar.

x

Peas on Toast said...

Mini - yeah babe, I know. About the roof opening, and the general vibe and culture. I have the original ESPs and somewhere an EP volume as well - just can't find it, which sucks balls!

Mich said...

HAHAHA!!! I know I thought the better picture I paint the better people will get your point on not knowing what jeans were... no but seriously the waterfall is like drying out!!

I still get out there for tea sometimes.. :)

Peas on Toast said...

No ways Elle, seriously? It's probably because I'm not around to tube on the river anymore. The law of displacement and all :)

Cam said...

ESP...jeasis fuck the place was like HECTIC!
Had these cookies you could eat called 'disco biscuits', made it feel like the walls were caving in...

Peas on Toast said...

Yes, but did you ever go down to the basement?

Cam said...

Not that I can recall...would the goat be welcome?

Nessers said...

I remember ESP - they never had the animal slaying and rituals when I was there - sigh

Peas on Toast said...

Ches - whatever you do don't take your goat down there!

Nessers - I will investigate this satanic ritual vibe, it doesn't sound kosher (on any level)