Johannes, our gardener, lives outside of Swakopmund, in the so-called locations. This is what the favelas in southern Africa are called. They are simple, often self-built houses or huts that – at least in Swakopmund – have running water, a toilet and electricity.

Many of the residents work in Swakopmund or Rössmund. In order to get from their place of residence to work, they rely on a means of transport. Some come with a shared taxi. Others, like our gardener, come to work by bike or on foot. It takes Johannes over an hour on foot to get to Rossmund, where he tends to the garden for four parties. And he was recently threatened with this because his bike was stolen. Without one, he cannot do his work regularly or earn any money.

So, we asked where bikes could be bought. At Cymot we found one made in China for less than CHF 100.–. I sat on the (hard) saddle to test how it rides and felt like I was transported back to my youth. Like back then, this bike has no gears and you brake by moving the pedals backwards. A dynamo for the lights is missing, as is a stand to park the bike. But it serves as a means of transport from A to B!

We have rarely seen Johannes as happy as he was last Saturday when we gave him this «Chinese horse» as an early Christmas present.

PS: I remember pictures from Beijing 60 years ago, when millions of Chinese people were traveling on bicycles!