OPINION PIECE - Now that I've got your attention thinking you're going to get all of the latest gossip in my personal life, it's time to get down to the business side of things – why is it so hard to dry your laundry in Knysna in the winter?
I really do not mean to be a wet blanket, but Knysna for all its deserved beauty and lure is seriously a tough place for folk who either don't have a tumble dryer or whose washing lines aren't in direct sunlight in winter.
To be frank (I feel like I'm really getting into this Frank character now), my washing line isn't necessarily in direct sunlight in summer either, but it does at least get a ray or two of sunshine during the day. However, in winter, I have to kiss those sweet rays of sunshine goodbye as my washing line is positioned at a point where it is shroud in complete darkness and ice-cold conditions.
Okay, I might have exaggerated a bit there, but it really is almost in a world of its own. I have to gauge when I can and can't do my laundry, purely based on the temperature Knysna will be at during the day.
For instance, if it's about 20° and the sun's out, then I can't do my washing because the air is too cold and full of moisture. But, as soon as it climbs to about 25/26/27° then I'm in with a shot of being able do my laundry and have it dry on the same day.
Then you get those winter days when the sun's out, nice and bright, and it is deceptively cold. Man do those days grind my gears. You hang up your washing in the morning because you think it'll warm up throughout the day and dry your clothes. WRONG. You'll get home from work and find that it's been cold all day and your laundry is still wet. Ridiculous.
Well here's to hoping... Photo: Blake Linder
I used to do my washing by hand, which meant no machine spin cycle to ensure the clothes aren't absolutely drenched when I hang them. Luckily though, my upstairs neighbour has allowed me to use their washing machine when I need to do my laundry (thanks Jacques), and this has brought my laundry-drying time down from roughly two to three days (depending on how cold and damp it gets at night) to same-day drying. It's basically like changing your shipping order from basic to premium because you REALLY want same-day delivery on your package.
My point is, Knysna is not very friendly to people who aren't lucky enough to own tumble dryers.
If you are reading this and are thinking of moving to Knysna don't let this put you off simply because you prefer your laundry dry, instead just invest in a tumble dryer or buy a few foldable clothing racks that you can set up around your house.
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