When We're Not Afraid by Leonie Katekar

Author:Leonie Katekar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Melbourne Books

Olvidé. Hoy es domingo. Todo cerrado! (I forgot. It’s Sunday. Everything is shut!)

I arrive at Cafayate at about 5.00 pm on Saturday 12 October. It is a hot day and I did 135 kilometres, and besides the water shortage, it was easy riding with no big hills or winds. At Hostal Tinkunatu in Cafayate, I give some attention to Gitana. Over the last few days, because of that slow gooey leak, I am finding that I have to pump the tyre up every morning. Now, as per usual, when I am worried about Gitana’s welfare, my top priority when I arrive somewhere after finding a hostal, is finding the bike shop.

I look around for a bike shop. The town is small. Having its Spanish grid it is easy for me to make a thorough search. The main square is full of tourist trinket shops, bakeries sporting shelves of alfajores, restaurants with outside tables and lots of Cerveceria’s (breweries). But I can’t find a bike shop on foot or on Google. Of course, I should have checked before I left Salta. What’s more, today is Saturday, tomorrow Sunday, and I find out that Monday is a public holiday here so the shops will not be open for three more days. I was planning to have tomorrow as a rest day, but not Monday too.

The lady at the hostal told me there is a bike shop in a casa roja (red house) on the street behind the hostal. I go there and knock on the door a few times over the course of the next day, Sunday morning, but no luck. No one answers the door. It’s just an ordinary house like all the others on the street so I am not even sure I am at the right place.

I head off to a local winery for lunch. When I arrive, they tell me that the Piattelli Winery Restaurant is booked out. It is huge. It is also empty. It is a bit weird that they won’t serve me a meal in this empty place. Eventually they decide that it is okay for me to sit at the bar, and having a bar meal is fine with me. It is empanadas, wine and a fine chocolate mousse.

While enjoying this delectable small meal, I start musing on my own life so far. So many different places, so many people, and I don’t know any of them or what their struggles are – I can only guess. Am I happy with who I am and what I’ve achieved? Absolutely! I’ve four fantastic children who I am proud of. They are all different personalities with a broad spectrum of views and priorities and interests.

Workwise, I’ve had some fantastic jobs. Some have been difficult, some more enjoyable than others, but always I’ve been committed to my work emotionally and intellectually to the extent that work has always been so much a part of my daily get-up-and-go, and my identity.

I order another drink, look around at the

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