It was all for you - this will blow your mind
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A number of you have been writing in asking for a follow-up on my earlier article entitled Johannesburg Undercover. I mentioned that I had a secret mission and was not able to divulge the entire story at that point. I needed a few things to unfold before this moment. The reason was that I was attending a fine car auction held by Sotheby's in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

The one lot at the auction was the number plate. "CA 3." I had previously mentioned to a friend of mine living in Europe (who has cars in storage in Cape Town for when he is here) that it would be the biggest salute to the 2oceansvibe lifestyle and mantra "Work is a sideline, live the holiday" if he were to give me the go-ahead to bid for the number plate and win!

I mean, imagine that! Imagine going to a fine car auction and bidding for a number plate and being in with a good chance; made all the more exciting with the foreknowledge that a well-known and respected wealthy Cape Town businessman and fine-car-collector was adamant of winning and would stop at (virtually) nothing to obtain Cape Town's rarest number to ever go on auction, ever.

Ever.

Now let's just back this up a bit. The last time I saw this number plate was eight months ago on a lady's car in Mouille Point (who lived in the block next to my office). My European friend who was in town at the time had just purchased his new (substantial) Cape-Town-car and we were taking a look at it in front of the hotel he was staying in. He is a smooth gentleman and certainly lives the absolute maximum 2oceansvibe lifestyle.

Acknowledging his vibe I suggested that the number plate CA 3 would take his car to new levels previously unknown to mankind. I explained that there were personalised plates around town (which end with the letters "WP") of which SOME were cool, but those in the know knew that the CA plates are more about stealth-wealth; in a sort of new vs. old money kind of way (The Kennedy's vs Footballer's Wives). He knew I wasn't fucking him around and agreed for me to leave a letter in the car's wipers offering to purchase the number plate for a healthy sum of money.

I wrote the letter and luckily the car window was open, as I placed it next to the gear lever.

I never heard another word for eight months when suddenly, out of the fucking blue, I was called by the family who own the number plate, saying that they had found the letter and the number plate was going on auction on Monday (this was on WEDNESDAY)!

The hamsters in my head were going MENTAL at this stage. The first thing I thought of was you. I NEED to make this happen for the 2oceansvibe readers. They WANT this. They NEED this. Christ, Africa needs this!

I pumped an email through to my buddy, saying that I had to go and get it for him. He agreed and POEF! I was off to Johannesburg to bid for CA 3, against one of the BIG GUYS. Would that not be what YOU, my precious readers would want? YES! YES IT IS! That is EXACTLY what you would want!

I went with The Jo'burg Attaché and we won!

I know!

And it was GRUELLING. Head to head with the other guy bidding over the phone!

Mental!

Hysterics aside, we walked out and were swamped by reporters asking what planet we had come from. I hadn't planned this part and suggested they call me in the morning as my heart was going about Mach-8.

I called our boy and told him we had won. He was pleased and, regarding the reporters, agreed that his name should be omitted and this was a 2oceansvibe moment to please the readers. Seth Rotherham could prove, once again, how much he you adores you - using mainstream media! The ultimate prize!

And so, my sweets, THAT is why I have taken so long to report back. I couldn't pass this up.

And so, in completion, I have it for you in print and radio.

Click here for The Times article.

And click here to download the Cape Talk interview - MP3 format 3Mb. (Right-click and "Save target as").

(I don't think I need to point out that you will need sound on your "computer" for this).

Did you enjoy that?

I hope so. It's all for you..





I'm exhausted.
  

Seth Rotherham
Editor
2oceansvibe.com
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