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It has been a freezing cold day and snow is forecast for tomorrow. I've just been watching a reality T.V. programme based on the training of a group of 'C' list celebs to become rangers on a game reserve in South Africa called 'Shamwari.'. I can't believe that it was only a week ago that Dennis and myself were there, staying at their exclusive 'Eagles Crag' lodge, venturing out with our ranger Milton twice a day to experience all the African wildlife up close in their natural habitat. The two game reserves we stayed at highlighted the end of a wonderful introduction to South Africa, having flown in to Cape Town a couple of weeks earlier, travelling in to The Winelands and then following the coast Eastwards along the Garden Route to Port Elizabeth.
We took it easy for the remainder of our first day there, strolling around the waterfront, laying by the pool and eating in at the hotel restaurant. The following morning our rental car for the duration of the holiday was dropped off; a Renault Megane 1.6 which wasn't exactly an inspiring drive, particularly when trying to overtake uphill at 90 m.p.h. with a lorry fast approaching in the opposite direction (!) but all the same it was either that or a Kia, and so the Megane became our trusty companion for the coming two weeks. The following morning we took off to explore the coast Southwards towards the famous Camps Bay and beyond. Being the weekend, the Capetonians were all out in force jogging along the promenades, on the beaches and filling the waterfront bars and restaurants. Of prime location, the large houses of Camps Bay juggled for position along the seafront and the foothills of the impressive mountain range inland known as 'The Twelve Apostles', a dozen hills stretching along the coast to Llandudno. The sea was wild and foaming, crashing against massive boulders strewn along expansive white sandy bays. The terrain was weathered by the strong winds blowing from the Cape of Good Hope, and the hardy vegetation a reflection of the maritime climate. Exposed for the first time to the extreme elements, unbeknown to us, we suffered harsh sunburn. Yes, in those two photos above taken that same evening, that lobster red glow was the true colour of our faces! The traditional 'tablecloth' of cloud often shrouding the flat top of Table Mountain hadn't 'been laid' the following morning, and so we decided to take advantage of the tremendous panorama on offer and took the cable car to the top, with Dennis's new knee being the only reason that we chose not to take the arduous mountain path! Unsure of the drive to the base of the mountain, we opted for the hotel's complimentary chauffeur to take us there in the dark green BMW 750. He politely dropped us at the front of the queue with an appropriate pass to get us to the top with the minimum of fuss. The city of Cape Town lay to our West, with the Cape of Good Hope stretching South in the far distance. Meandering paths allowed us to stroll over the mountain taking in the marvellous views.
Again, purely on medical grounds, we took the cable car down and left the mountain path for the exclusive use of the mountain joggers. Having already dined in at the hotel for the first two evenings, we opted to try a popular restaurant on the waterfront and within walking distance of Cape Grace. Named 'Belthazar', the venue was renowned as the World's largest wine bar, celebrating the fabulous local South African wines form the vineyards just 45 minutes away, inland. The restaurant specialised in both steak and fish dishes, and the portions were massive! The place was packed and buzzing, and this was our first real introduction to both local food and wine. The waitresses were delightful and eager to educate us on the hundreds of wines on offer. With each glass served came a name tag for us to retain to help with future ordering! (we came away with an awful lot of tags!) Cape Town is blessed with an array of superb restaurants and we were encouraged by the hotel to get out and try them. However, having enjoyed our meal at 'Belthazar' so much, we booked to dine there the following night too, after a busy day travelling around the entire peninsula of The Cape of Good Hope.
Under the hot Summer sun, the Atlantic sea crashed on to the deserted beaches that edged the wild terrain of gorse bush and rock. Wild ostriches and baboons scavenged in the undergrowth. Our drive took us through designated National Parks and past coastal towns until we reached the Southern tip of the Cape. We parked up, took a photo, got back in the car before the baboons invaded, and 'having been there, done that', headed off back to Cape Town, following the western coastal route. Already we were finding our bearings driving around the city, which was really quite compact. We found driving to be a pleasure, with a surprisingly good infrastucture of well made straight roads and a distinct lack of parking meters and speed cameras! Back at the restaurant 'Belthazar' again for our evening meal, we continued our wine tasting to complement the T bone steaks that hung off the edges of our plates! We decided to take our first excursion in to the Winelands the following morning, even though we were moving there in a couple of days to our next hotel. It proved to be a memorable day. The motorway out of town commenced just a few hundred yards from West Quay Road, our hotel's location, and we decided to first head for Stellenbosch. We were soon driving besides open fertile countryside with impressive mountain ranges in the far distance. The scenery was a complete contrast to that of the Southern Cape which could be compared to the Yorkshire Moors in the sun (with a few wild ostriches thrown in for good measure!) We were now, just an hour's drive inland, enjoying scenery that reminded us the beautiful Napa valley in California. The quality of the road network surprised us; perfectly maintained straight empty routes under a glorious Summer's blue skies as we drove alongside manicured fields of vines begged for us to be in something slightly better than a Renault Megane 1.6. If only the car rental firm had offered us something more suitable like a Bentley Continental! Nestled in the valleys were graceful Dutch manor houses dating back to the 16th century, surrounded by fields of vines, sloping to the foothills of the dramatic mountains that kept cooler weather at bay. In the heat of the perfect still early Summer's morning, the sun was slowly burning away the cloudy haze that lingered over the craggy mountain tops. We stopped for a stroll around the town of Stellenbosch, but were particularly keen to search out a vineyard in Franschhoek named 'Grande Provence'. Over Christmas we had received a card from an hotel we visited in New Zealand called Huka Lodge; a very special former fishing lodge besides a trout river by Lake Taupo. They told us of their new venture in South Africa, the Dutch owner having recently acquired the old Grande Provence winery. They have since created beautiful gardens, a dedicated wine tasting bar, and superb restaurant for guests to enjoy, plus a 5 bedroomed house, available for the exclusive use of between 2 and 10 guests. As we drove down the valley we saw the name of 'Franschhoek' embedded in to the mountain side in white stone. Helped perhaps by the glorious weather, we decided that it was one of the most beautiful places we had seen in the world. The mountains created a horseshoe completely encompassing the valley. Grand vineyard estates lined the only road in to the picturesque and quaint village of Franschhoek. We spotted the entrance to 'Grande Provence' and entered the long driveway lined with white rose trees. The cluster of traditional Dutch buildings were shaded by an old oak tree and beautiful gardens of contemporary latticed design; perfect lawns, trickling ponds and water features and small private dining terraces whose tables were already laid for lunch. However, being on an established working vineyard, we commenced the day appropriately with a spot of wine tasting, sampling their 'Angel's Tears' range of wines. Formerly ignorant of South African wines, we quickly started to appreciate their quality. Many vineyards are relatively small. There are about 100 private cellars in the area plus another 100 estates and co-operatives. What a perfect way it was to prepare for a light lunch, chatting to a lovely local lady guiding us through their fine wines amidst stunning scenery, as illustrated in the following photos.
Following a delicious lunch complemented with their chardonnay wine, the manager of the 'Owner's cottage' JJ Pieksma, kindly gave us a tour of the property. The house itself stood well away from the restaurant enjoying total privacy and set in lovely gardens complete with large pool, jacuzzi and sunbathing terraces. The venue was ideal for families, a group of guests of up to 10, or simply perfect for anyone wishing to enjoy complete privacy in the most wonderful setting. Their recent clients had included Jude Law and Prince Edward and his wife Sophie and children. Below illustrates the house and surrounding valley.
After lunch we browsed around the boutique hotels, restaurants and shops that lined the main road of Franschhoek, wanting to particularly call in to see 'Le Quartier Francais', a well known 'Relais & Chateaux' hotel, famous for it's cuisine. With other outstanding places to both dine and stay, such as 'Le Petit Ferme' and 'La residence' we soon became aware that this area was a gourmet's paradise, and we were really looking forward to our next destination in Paarl, having chosen to stay at 'La Grande Roche' and experience their 'relais gourmand' restaurant , 'Bosmans', rated as the best in South Africa and within the top ten of the world. Things were looking good! We returned to Cape Town mid afternoon and again had a super dinner on the Victoria and Alfred waterfront as the sun set out to sea, casting Table Mountain in an orange glow. With bags packed and loaded in the car, we retraced our steps the following morning, again picking up the nearby motorway for the Winelands, heading for Paarl, with expectations high. Our experience at Franschhoek and in particular 'La Grande Provence Estate' was going to be difficult to beat, but as we turned in to the grounds of the hotel, following pristine manicured lawns leading to the outstanding gardens fronting the Dutch manor house, we just knew it was going to be good, and it was! The atmosphere was of complete calm and the view from the hotel dining terrace over the gardens and vineyards towards the distant mountains was magnificent. The formal dining room and lounge occupied the principal house whilst guest accommodations were scattered amidst the fabulous gardens and grounds behind, sloping gently up to the vineyards. Take a look at the location on the following photos.
After lunch on the terrace we relaxed by the pool for a while and wanting to try and work up an appetite for the evening dining extravaganza, I took one of the hotel's mountain bikes for a ride down the main tree lined street of Paarl, lined with graceful gabled houses, many offering bed & breakfast. Our bedroom suite comprised of a thatched cottage overlooking both the gardens and vineyards, with a shaded balcony draped in an old vine trained along the wooden beams. Our regret was that we had only booked for one night here. Such was the beauty of the Winelands we would have happily spent several days touring the region. The Sommalier of the Grande Roche was holding a wine tasting session before dinner which we were keen to join. Hosted by Frida Domnauetc, a lovely Swedish girl, we really enjoyed her enthusiasm for the local produce and we are now fans of many of her recommendations including Black Oystercatcher sauvignon blanc, Vonderling petit blanc, Rijks shiraz and Fairview pinotage. Thankfully, we tasted and then disposed of each sample rather than swallowing the lot. We at least wanted to start dinner in a relatively sober state! The meal was an occasion, truly living up to their 'relais gourmand' status. Frida supplied us with an appropriate glass of wine to complement our differing courses and I chose the Cape menu degustation, featuring local meat dishes. Every flavour was memorable, yet we didn't leave the table over-stuffed. Quality not quantity, which, nowadays, is how we like to eat!
Waking to yet another hot sunny day, we reluctantly said our goodbyes to the wonderful team at 'Grande Roche', with a tight schedule ahead as we had an afternoon appointment with several great white sharks by Cape Agulhas in Gansbaii, having pre-booked an excursion out to sea, shark cage diving. We were heading South East across country down to the coastal town of Hermanus, famous in season for whale watching. Well, the whales had departed for the year having calved in Walker's Bay, but the sharks were still around, searching out their next meal! Our route took us once again along the valley to Franschhoek and up the mountain pass and in to the Overberg region. Within a morning's drive we passed through three distinctive landscapes, the Franschhoek pass forming a stark barrier between the lush and fertile valleys of the vines which we left behind at the summit of the pass, driving in to an immediate contrast of almost Scottish Highland scenery of rocky barren mountains, open plains, and lakes surrounded by plantations of pine. As we headed towards the coast, we crossed vast open countryside set aside for large scale agriculture, and as we spotted the ocean and miles of deserted beaches in the distance, the terrain changed to sandy dry grassland. Our hotel for the night was 'The Marine' at Hermanus, a long established colonial house fronting Walker's Bay. The village had a typical coastal holiday atmosphere, with tourism based on Hermanus's status as one of the world's best land based whale watching spots. We quickly dumped our bags at the hotel, had a coffee, and collected our instructions for the 45 minute drive along the coast to Gansbaii for the afternoon boat trip out to the sharks. Again sunny and hot, the wind was really blowing, as it tends to do most of the time along this coast, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. We found the skipper's house on the beach, looking out to a rather angry sea as the waves crashed ashore and swirled around a natural rocky inlet where the boat was to be launched. Designed to take 15 passengers, the catamaran style hull helped maintain a rigid stance in the otherwise sloppy water in the bay where we would be anchored for the next 4 hours, enticing the man eating great white sharks in for 'afternoon tea'. We were all briefed on the basics, i.e. where to be sick (!) No not in the toilets, but over the side and make sure you're not up wind to the other passengers! The boat was launched down the slipway, we boarded and prepared for a bumpy ride as we slammed in to the oncoming waves. Arriving at our designated anchorage, we tied up and the crew started throwing the 'chum' in to the water to start attracting the predators. It wasn't long before an ominous black shadow and familiar fin appeared around the boat, and so it was time to launch the cage. We donned our wet suits and the five of us immersed ourselves into each of the slots in the cage. With just inches of space to breathe above the waterline, the cage lid was closed and as a shark approached we were instructed to hold our breath and dive down. We were issued with masks but not snorkels or tanks, so breathing normally became an option! It seemed a case of 'if the shark doesn't get you, you'll probably drown anyway!'
The lookout spotted the approaching sharks, enticing them right up to the cage with a large chunk of fish on a rope, and we went down in the water to eyeball them directly. One particularly large Great White became quite aggressive, thrashing his tail in front of the cage, as shown in the photo above right. The sharks circled the cage, their sinister black eyes following us as they swam past, just inches away. Within the four hours we remained out at sea, all the guests were given plenty of opportunity to observe the sharks underwater, and enjoy the complimentary ham sandwiches in between! (We had all taken sea sickness tablets beforehand, just in case!) Well, it was a great experience and a complete contrast to the start of the day when we were enjoying the calmness of the still warm morning from the breakfast terrace at The Grand Roche in Paarl. We headed back to 'The Marine Hotel at Hermanus for the evening, relaying our experiences to the friendly staff there over dinner. Already well in to our holiday, we were now following the coast Eastwards along the Garden Route, a magnificent stretch of coastline encompassing mountains, rivers, lagoons, lakes, beaches and the indigenous rainforests of the Tsitsikamma National Park. Our destination for the next couple of days was the Tsala Treetops Lodge by Plettenberg Bay. The day's drive initially took us inland along dead straight roads traversing plains of wheatfields, until we joined the coast at Mossel Bay. Inland lagoons were surrounded by mountainous rainforests, reaching right down to the miles of white sand beaches. The forests echoed with the calls of monkeys and exotic birds and we'd watch numerous birds of prey circling their territory below. The N2 road traversed deep ravines and gorges with fast flowing rivers carving a route through the dense tropical forest. Our hotel was located within the forest, the individual lodges balanced on wooden stilts above the canopy of trees, linked by raised walkways to the dining areas and lounges. Designed to be in harmony with it's surroundings, our lodge was constructed of wood, with exterior plunge pool, sunbathing deck and exterior shower. Inside, the stone fireplace was a central feature joining the open plan lounge to the bedroom. Our observation terrace overlooked the forest whose treetops were shrouded in an afternoon mist. We could hear the baboons rustling through nearby trees, and we were warned by the staff to keep door closed at all times to prevent the monkeys from raiding the mini bars and trashing the rooms!
'Well, why else would they put a bag of monkey nuts in the mini bar if it's not to feed the monkeys?!' said Dennis. The following morning we were woken to the sound of loud activity on our roof. A clan of monkeys had invaded and waited expectantly on our terrace, the leader of the pack leaping across on to the door handle, trying to gain access! Despite being told by the staff not to feed them, we did, only because two of the monkeys were holding their hungry babies up at the window to get our sympathy vote. So, there's Dennis in the photo above right dispensing the peanuts, followed by biscuits and a bowl of fruit.
With another full day to explore the region before travelling to our first Game Reserve, we visited an elephant camp, experienced the vast wilderness of the rain forest in Nature's Valley which proved to be any ornothologists' paradise, and explored the Groot river and lagoon in a little motorboat that we rented for the afternoon. The 5 h.p. outboard motor restricted our speed to a sedate couple of knots as we motored up the river bordered by towering gorges dense with thousands of years worth of untouched trees and vegetation. Leaving Plettenberg Bay the following morning, we followed the N2 through Tsitsikamma National Park and across Storms River bridge, heading for Port Elizabeth. By now we had learnt the importance of always carrying as much fuel as possible as petrol stations could be few and far between. Leaving behind endless miles of rainforest, the landscape again became more pastoral with livestock grazing on the lowlands backed by mountain ranges. The roads were straight and uninterrupted allowing for fast driving, or as fast as the Renault allowed! By lunchtime we entered Port Elizabeth, dominated by it's large commercial port. Miles of empty beaches and dunes lined the coast as we headed out in to the deserted countryside in search of our next venue, 'Shamwari' Game Reserve. We were on the lookout for a turning on to a dirt track having left Port Elizabeth half an hour ago. We spotted a sign for 'Eagles Crag', our chosen lodge within the park, and travelled for a few miles over the rugged terrain of 'Shamwari', the Eastern Cape's largest private game reserve, covering 140 sq. kms. The park consisted of undulating bushveld countryside within the catchment area of the Bushmans River. Passing entrances to smaller reserves en-route, we finally arrived at Eagles Crag, a family of wild boar suddenly leaping out on the stony road in front of us. The main lodge was very chic and contemporary; cool neutral colours, stainless steel balconies and large open plan lounge areas under a high pitched thatched roof. The staff greeted us with a refreshing drink and cold towel, suggesting that we had some lunch as dinner wouldn't be until after the late afternoon run out with our ranger. Our thatched house was placed discreetly in the lush undergrowth along a raised decked walkway linking the accommodations. The large open plan bedroom featured a bathing area overlooking our decked terrace and plunge pool. Monkeys leapt from nearby trees. In the sultry afternoon heat, the air conditioning was welcome. We planned to meet up at the main lodge at 4.p.m. for our first trip out on safari. A fleet of open multi seated Land Rovers congregated to take the guests out animal spotting. 'Shamwari' was the only game reserve in this malaria-free area to feature the Big Five (elephant, rhino, buffalo, lion and ..I'm unsure about the last one!) and we were fortunate enough to also see hippo's, zebra, giraffe, and numerous antelope species including kudu, impala, and springbok. The variety of bird life was outstanding too.
The reserve of 'Shamwari' evolved after an Adrian Gardiner bought a ranch in the hills near Paterson as a private retreat years ago. Over the years, several neighbouring farms were incorporated and the wild-life re-introduced, having been hunted to extinction many years before. The reserve's abundant vegetation has provided a natural habitat for all the species who roam freely within the park. Our Ranger, Milton, looked after us really well on our twice daily excursions out in search of the animals. He was extremely knowledgeable on all the species. For instance, do you know that dry elephant dung is a great cure for chest infections when smoked? The perfect cure for an upset stomach? Extract the juice from the fresh dung and drink it! ( On second thoughts, I think I'll stick to Immodium!) Towards dusk we stopped for a 'sundowner' before returning to base for the evening meal.
The wildlife all appeared totally at ease with our vehicle as we observed them at very close quarters. However we were told to remain in the vehicle at all times, and Milton carried a high powered rifle with him for safety. Also, before dawn and beyond dusk we were required to be escorted from our lodges by armed guards as the animals often passed by Eagles Crag. The dirt tracks meandered for miles over the park. We would have been easily lost on our own but the rangers knew the terrain well. Our early morning wake up call to once again get out in the bushveld came at 4.30 a.m. just as light was appearing in the sky. During this cool period of the day, the animals were active and therefore more readily spotted, before settling down in the heat of the day. Watering holes, and also the large Bushmans River provided plenty of opportunities for the animals to drink, and the landscape was surprisingly lush for them to feed off, whilst the lions had the antelope to chase for their supper. Early one morning we came across a pride of young lions sleeping contently by a water hole. On the photos they look so docile and Dennis was sure they'd welcome a lift back to Eagles Crag for a breakfast treat, but Milton assured Dennis that HE would be the treat, and not a plate of eggs and bacon!
The pictures above illustrate 'Eagles Crag' and our thatched lodge house. Such luxury in such wilderness! The following day was Dennis's birthday and Milton served a nice chilled glass of champagne to celebrate during our dusk run out. Also, the chef presented a cake during the evening meal which was a traditional barbeque in the 'boma', a circular outdoor dining area with tables arranged around a camp fire. It was a fantastic end to a wonderful experience at 'Shamwari', made all the more enjoyable by the superb staff there.
With an 8 o'clock flight to catch from Port Elizabeth to Joannesburg the following morning, we left 'Eagles Crag' at dawn. Our destination and final hotel of our holiday was the famous 'Boulders' lodge at 'Singita' in the Kruger National Park, a couple of hundred miles West of Johannesburg. Connecting with a light twin aircraft to drop us off in this privately run reserve on the Western border of the Kruger, we made a dramatic landing having run the gauntlet through midday thunderstorms and flashes of lightning. The pilot nonchantly took snapshots of the nearby bolts of lightning as the plane was tossed around. He casually remarked that he'd taken direct hits on several occasions in the past! We dropped down to the lowveld plain, landing on 'Singita's private runway, with Andre, our Ranger, and Lawrence, our Tracker for the next couple of days, sitting in the Land Rover and waving wildly to greet us. Located besides the Sands River, the lodges of 'Ebony' and 'Boulders' are two of four lodges comprising the World famous 'Singita' private game reserve. As 'Shamwari', and several other reserves in the area, 'Singita' is a member of 'Relais & Chateaux', providing luxurious accomodation, service and food within the natural habitat of The Kruger, one of the World's oldest and largest wildlife reserves. The thunder rumbled away and the sky opened up to hot sultry sun. We arrived in time for lunch and to settle in to our lodge before the late afternoon trip out in search of yet more wildlife. Our room overlooked the sandy river with decked sunbathing terrace bordering our private swimming pool. The accomodation was open plan with large lounge leading in to the bedroom area and on to an interior and outdoor bathroom. Floor to ceiling windows ensured a full panorama of the immediate wild landscape. The roof was thatched, much to the delight of the monkeys who revelled in pulling pieces of straw out. Old knarled and knotted logs of wood propped up the awnings and roof. Mosaics of coloured natural stone formed patterns on the floor of the lodge. Furniture had been sculptured from massive tree stumps, forming beautiful shaped benches and tables.
The eight guest lodges were linked by wooden decked pathways that led down to the 'Boulders' saloon, a large open plan lounge under steeply pitched thatched roof supported by ancient tree trunks. Cosy chairs and settees casually filled the room with a variety of decked terraces shaded by trees leading off to the dining areas and open air bar. Beyond, paths led to the spa, gym and swimming pool. Soon after a late lunch, we were ready for the first of four game drives with Andre and Lawrence. Dennis continued his idea about occasionally feeding the big cats as an odd treat now and then, but the rangers didn't pick up too readily the idea! With Andre driving the Land Rover and educating us on all the wildlife, Lawrence specialised in tracking animals from clues left behind, in particular their footprints on the sandy terrain, which proved of great use when searching out a cheetah, known as the ghosts of the game reserves.
That's a big bull elephant top left. They eat 140 kilos of vegetation a day, which no doubt means there's plenty of dung to cure a lot of bad chests! We didn't realise just how destructive they can be. We watched this elephant casually fell a large mature tree and use it's trunk to strip the upper branches of their foliage. Meanwhile, those young male lions do look rather cuddly. Leo and Lenny above were interested in a bird of prey in a nearby tree, and Dennis was certain they wanted their tummies tickling! Back at 'Boulders' by sunset, we had time for a quick shower before joining Andre for the evening meal. By now we were converted enthusiasts of all South African wines which helped wash the meal down admirably. Our early morning call came at 5.a.m. for the dawn run out across the reserve. With the sun barely rising, already it was hot, with temperatures expected to exceed 40oC by midday. The night guard escorted us to the 'Boulders' lounge for morning coffee before setting out with Andre, Lawrence, and other guests. Rangers kept in contact with each other by radio on discovering anything interesting. We came across a herd of buffalo quenching their thirst by a waterhole. One decided to give our Land Rover a valeting by licking the front end! On the evening run out later that day, a great find was a leopard who had made a kill and dragged the carcass up a tree to eat it. Having finished, it came down to relax in the sand of a dry river bed, just yards away from us.
Our neighbours back at Singita told us how they'd found a young leopard on their terrace the day before. The rangers thought perhaps their mother, in the photos above, could have led her young there for safety whilst she went out hunting, and indeed the following morning Lawrence spotted her tracks near to our lodge, 'Boulders'. With the morning drive over, we sat on the open terrace overlooking the gently flowing Sands river enjoying breakfast, whilst a giraffe gracefully plucked leaves from a lofty tree on the far side of the water. It was going to be a stifling day so we simply relaxed around the shaded terrace of our lodge house, taking regular dips in the pool to cool off. With the sun still scorching hot, we sprayed ourselves with mosquito repellent, swallowed the daily anti- malaria tablet, and once again hit the road in search of more of the wildlife during our late afternoon excursion in to the bush. As already mentioned, the highlight was spotting the leopard, with the only animal yet to be seen anywhere being a cheetah. Maybe tomorrow! The staff at 'Boulders' had prepared a wonderful barbeque 'Boma' evening for us all that night. We all met up sometime after 8 p.m. around a camp fire under the stars as the heat of the day subsided. The meat and fish dishes were sizzling on the charcoal, and the South African wines again poured freely! Tables were laid in groups around the edges of the circular outdoor dining room, and after the feast was over, the staff team congregated and proceeded to entertain us with an outstanding traditional song and dance performance. The men and women sang to the beat of a drum and percussion, their harmonies outstanding, whilst individuals danced vigorously to the hypnotic rhythm. It was a truly memorable end to a fantastic day.
Despite a late night, the call was just as early the following morning for us to join the rangers on our final trek out in to the Kruger Park. 'What would you like to see today?' Andre asked. 'A cheetah!' we replied and as you can see from the top two photos above, we came across one of those beautiful 'ghosts' of the game reserve. The rangers knew her favourite vicinity but she wasn't initially anywhere to be found. Another tracker located her and contacted us by radio. There she was, serenely relaxing in the cool of the morning, not a care in the world, making for us a befitting end to the most wonderful of holidays. What an experience this initial visit to South Africa had been for us. We found the country to be of outstanding beauty, the hotels and game reserves to offer superb luxury, the food and wines incredible, and the weather just glorious. However, what will always remain as the most enduring memory for us will be the warmth and hospitality of the very proud South African people that we met on our journey through their country. Will we be back? Well, if Dennis doesn't acquire his very own private game reserve, I wouldn't say no to a nice manageable vineyard over there, if only to escape this miserable English Winter weather each year!! Best wishes to everyone, Colin & Dennis. |
