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SUMMER has finally arrived and, inevitably, with it will come stinking, drinking, photo-snapping, loud, arrogant tourists.

Yes, people, it's that time when the Mother City's pimps ? performing under the somewhat clever guise of tour operators ? make her seem more illustrious than ever. And we all know she?s not shy at all. She loves the attention, flaunting her mountains, oceans and bright city lights.

But where does this leave us locals? At home, at braais at friends' places, and perhaps going in-land in the hope of escaping the madness... and the over-inflated prices of everything at this point of the year.

Gone are the days when Cape Town was a well-kept secret. Gone are the days when all we had to put up with the odd "Vaalies" who drifted this way on the N1. Gone are the days when we could really call this place our very own.

Now we have to get up before the crack of dawn to get a good spot on the beach ? before all of the tourists arrive. One would think they'd learn their lesson and stay away from the beach. But no. Each year they spend hours in the African sun, only to turn into sun-dried tomatoes. They fill up our restaurants. With so many conversations around us in foreign European languages, we feel like outsiders speaking our native tongue.

Then, of course, there are all of the international films being shot here.

I stumbled across a set the other day. The movie makers were shooting a blizzard scene. Why, oh WHY could they not have done that where it actually snows? This on a hot summer?s day. It forced me to take a long and unpleasant detour to get where I was going.

But I suppose we do need them here. They come with money; a much needed commodity in this country. And, I suppose, being as desired as we are, it gives us all bragging rights.

But I do think it's time we take back our town. We need to stop feeling insecure and intimidated by them.

Instead of wasting the summer away on the couch, adding even more cellulite to our bottoms, we need to go out and enjoy ourselves.

These people have paid thousands of rands just to get here; we live here.

We should be out there on the beaches ? wobbly arms, beer boeps and all. We should be enjoying all of those sundowner events. We should go on mountain hikes, attend church bazaars, scream till our throats hurt on carnival rides, have picnics in the park.

And hell, if you feel like taking your pot of breyani with you, why not?

We should all be tourists in our own city. We should all try something new each week.

Now stop reading, and get out there. You only have three months left!

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