Traffic jam

 On Friday I expected a group of seven guests for the big house which I manage. I went up and stocked up with toilet rolls and soap and put out tea bags, coffee, sugar and milk sachets for the guests. They duly arrived at 16h00 using the pin drop directions to their destination. Florence lives on the property and usually meets the guests, shows them the sleeping arrangements and turns on the gas. 

After I left the big house, I popped into The Bunker. I needed to replenish the fruit bowl; I had baked goods to set out and the ubiquitous chocolates on the bed. 

All ready for the guests' arrival 

The guests, a young couple from Johannesburg, were due to arrive at 18h00. I always arrange a drop box for the key; they already have a pin direction and photos of the entrance to the property.  I ask the guest to phone me when they arrive at the gate, then I use the remote on my phone and open for them.(from my cottage 20km away!) 

At 4pm, the guests phoned me to say they were being held up in a traffic jam. This was on a pass about two hours from their destination.  

At 6pm (18h00, their original ETA), they sent me a photo of the hold up.

My guests who were still hours away from checking in! 

Long story short (and after hours of us communicating via WhatsApp on their NON-progress!) they finally phoned me and said they were at The Bunker gate. I opened, they drove in, found the key and let themselves into The Bunker. It was 10pm!

A trip which should have taken four hours and 20 minutes, took them more than eight hours. 

On Saturday morning, I awoke feeling like I'd been through a mangle. I had felt the whole journey with my guests!