As you may or may not know, last night I had a job interview in another part of the country. Because I was in a silly mood and wanted something to do while waiting for my flight to be called at the airport I decided to tweet the whole adventure. In case you missed it on Twitter and Facebook, here it is for your enjoyment, now with added commentary and pictures (for some reason my picture tweets didn’t want to go through – captions with pictures are as I remember the original tweets, but probably not the same at all) and including replies on Twitter and Facebook.
As there won’t be any blogging today I thought I’d live tweet my job interview adventure.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
Will probably be terribly boring. Not as if I can tweet during the actual interview. Will mostly be travel related.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
We’ll start with airport breakfast an a quiz: how does one beat jo’burg traffic?
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013


Give up? Leave two hours earlier than logic dictates and bring a book. You’re gonna be at least an hour early.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
Let me explain: the airport is 200km from my house, which normally means about two hours’ drive. I had to be there at eight, so if I leave home at six it should be fine. I left at four-thirty and arrived there at seven. Had I left at five, half an hour later, I would have been there at nine, if I was lucky. As it is I got through just ahead of the morning rush hour traffic.
A fellow traveller just had to remove her dictionary for inspection at checkpoint. Couldn’t be identified on scanner.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
Frankly, I’d also be suspicious of a large solid rectangular block if it showed up on the scanner. Actually the security staff were quite friendly and they did not strip-search one person while I was there.
On a plane for the first time in 8 years. Can’t remember if I’m afraid of flying.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
OMG! There’s something on the wing. We’re all gonna die! Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013

And I’m back on the air…scratch that…ground.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
Because I was off the air while I was in the air. Get it?
Aside from sitting uncomfortably close to strangers, occasional turbulence and constant mind-numbing terror, flying’s quite relaxing.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
To which Miss Tiffany replied on FB, “Yep, that just about sums it up.” She recently crossed the Atlantic (twice), so she should know. By the way, the “mind-numbing terror” is a joke. It’s funny because of the juxtaposition with the word “relaxing”.
Trying to get used to rental car. Seat almost as snug as airplane’s. Also feels weird not to dodge potholes the whole time.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
This was NOT tweeted while driving. NEVER tweet or text while driving. It’s not only incredibly stupid, but also dangerous and illegal.

The Hyundai Atos. I didn’t like it. It had less legroom than my bakkie – even with the driver’s seat all the way back I couldn’t straighten my legs. And the music on the radio sucked, though technically that’s not the car’s fault.
@KokkieH waar ry jy rond??
— Melanie Thirion (@MelanieThirion) September 16, 2013
In case this one confused you, quickly read this before you continue. The reply is a friend in Cape Town expressing surprise that I’m driving around in her area. Sadly I didn’t have time to drop in for coffee. She makes great coffee.
Here at last. Took almost as long as driving would have and cost about the same.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
The only difference is I only drove for four hours instead of fourteen, so I probably shouldn’t complain.
Town is gorgeous. And it even has potholes – little bit of home. Now a nap so I don’t sit yawning through the interview.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
The town is also very small. The church is in Church Street and the school is in School Street. And it isn’t on Google Streetview. Here’s a picture from where I stayed:


This gorgeous lady checked in on me every few minutes to see if I needed anything and when I returned from the interview escorted me from the parking area to my room. Now that’s service.
@KokkieH Luck!
— Emma Kroese (@EM2118) September 16, 2013
You can go check out Emma’s blog here.
@KokkieH Waiting is the worst part. Hope you get it 🙂
— Emma Kroese (@EM2118) September 16, 2013
The meeting where the whole church board will sit to decide the appointment is only in October. My poor nerves. I think it went well, though. I’m reasonably happy with my responses and their reactions…
Darn it. Just thought of something great I could have said in the interview. Don’t you just hate it when that happens?
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 16, 2013
…as long as I don’t overthink it.
On the road again, ALL the way back home.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
Back at the airport. Adieu hyunday i10. Parting is not sweet sorrow. Merely sweet.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
I really don’t like that car. I can’t even remember or spell its name right.
Guy at security checkpoint is giving me the evil eye. Better try not to act suspiciously.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
No, they didn’t give me a cavity search, but I did have to go through the metal detector twice.
Strapped in and ready to go. Wonder if this plane can also flap it’s wings like yesterday’s… — Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
During take-off I get this incredible urge to throw my hands in the air and shout “Wheeeee!” — Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
I don’t cause I’m afraid they’ll stop the plane and ask me to get off. — Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
And I don’t know if they give you a parachute first.
Seems like I have an entire row to myself. I’ve heard of this happening. Thought it was a myth.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
Shoot! Jinxed it. Just got neighbours.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
It always works like that, doesn’t it? And the row in front of me was completely empty. And my neighbours were assisted boarding passengers, so I got to disembark the plane last (I had the window seat). At least they were nice. The lady offered me sweets.
Apparently there was a pensioners’ special for this flight. I’m sure all these walking sticks pose a hazard.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
Seriously. The baggage bin above my row had three walking sticks and one set of crutches. In the three rows of which mine was the middle one there were four assisted boarding passengers.
And here we go. Wheeee!
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
I compromised and tweeted it. Next time I’m doing it for real.
@kokkieh Glad to hear that you arrived safely. Hope to see you on board again soon.
— kulula (@kulula) September 17, 2013
I can highly recommend this airline. They usually hire comedians to do the in-flight announcements, though on today’s flight it seems a regular flight attendant did them.
Here’s hoping my car is where I left it. It is jo’burg after all.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013

I was really glad to see my own car again. And thus began the final 200km back home.
Home at last. 36 hours and 4000km for a 1 hour interview. I sure hope it was worth it.
— Herman Kok (@KokkieH) September 17, 2013
Best of luck – hope you have some good news!
Apropos ‘Tweety’ – looks like the same model as my sister’s! It’s a Ka, isn’t it? Hers isn’t yellow though.
LikeLike
It is a Ka, yes. Used to be my sister’s. We bought it from her when she bought my step-sister’s Honda Jazz. Keeping it in the family 😉
LikeLike
Enjoyed reading, I hope you hear soon and it’s good news…the village sounds lovely 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
While I love the luxuries the city affords, like cinemas and theatres and restaurants and bookshops, I don’t like the atmosphere of cities, constantly rushing and rarely connecting with another person along the way. This town offers quiet and community and plenty of nature, and I can always buy books online 😉
LikeLike
Hopefully they get back to you within 6-8 weeks…
LikeLike
Is that what they keep telling you? How’s it going, by the way? You’re very quiet.
LikeLike
No. That was a snarky comment about how so many places here never get back to applicants at all.
Meanwhile, things here have been busy of course. I got volunteered to help someone move…
LikeLike
Don’t worry. I’ve had that experience as well.
Helping someone move is always fun…
LikeLike
oh I hate waiting. Hope you hear the answer you’re after!
LikeLike
Thanks. I also don’t like waiting, but I’m good at compartmentalising, so it’s now been moved into a back drawer in my head. If I hear something, then great. If I don’t, at least I don’t constantly obsess about it. At least I try 😉
LikeLike
And then I was like ‘hey! That’s me!’
But what happens if you get it? Are you moving to Cape Town? Still crossing my fingers for you ^_^
LikeLike
Not to Cape Town, but a little village, pop 5000, about 160km north of Cape Town nestled in the mountains. It’s primarily a citrus farming community, and all the people I met were incredibly nice. It would be tough being so far from our folks, but we also hope I get it.
LikeLike
Wow what an awesome adventure! I’m so annoyed I missed all your tweets when this was going on, so I’m glad you decided to put them on a blog post. 🙂 This really made me chuckle, especially the relaxation of flying part, lol.
Good luck with hearing back from the job!
P.S. I totally want your yellow car.
LikeLike
I love my yellow car (though it’s actually my wife’s). Her name is Tweety.
LikeLike
Aggghh that is the PERFECT name! After the cartoon I presume?
LikeLike
Yep. It was my sister’s car. The name was so apt we decided not to rename it.
LikeLike