Vonderful vistas very close to home!!!

 

It is hard to imagine that you are just 3 hours away from the great metropolis of Johannesburg when you are staying at Marakele National Park (telephone 014 777 1745) just the other side of Tabazimbi.

We headed out on the road to Warmbaths but a deviation on the highway sent us off to the directions of the ever faithful Garmin and we ended up on the R511- this turned out to be a much more interesting route! About 32kms past Brits we came to a< href=”http://www.beestekraalstasie.com/”>Beestekraal Stasie Restaurant</a>  (tel 012 2771297) the old station house converted into a restaurant and coffee shop.( closed on Mondays We only had a coffee here but the meals coming out of the kitchen looked hearty if not nouvelle cuisine and we decided next time we will leave Johannesburg before breakfast and stop there for eggs and bacon!

There are four choices of accommodation in the Parks board reserve but we always plan our nature getaways around tented camps so checked in to Tlopi Camp. Ten tents set along the banks of a beautiful little dam make up this camp. We were so excited to arrive at our designated tent- tent barbet, equipped with a kitchen, deck and spacious en suite bedroom tent. We always find the National Parks tented camps really well appointed and equipped and a pleasure to stay in. This camp is fully serviced and after a morning drive it is a great to get back to a clean and tidy camp!

TT1. If you can, book tent 10 – the last tent that means it has slightly more privacy. Called Lourie it faces the other way and has a large tree over the deck. Our ten, tent 9 or barbet, was lovely in winter but would be extremely hot in summer as there is no shade on the deck. My second choice would be tent 8 that also has a tree over the deck.

TT2 The monkeys are a real nuisance so take a trunk or lockable cooler box in which to store food- they even opened the small cupboard and stole a packet of dried fruit.. from then on we stored our dry foods in a cooler box that we secured shut with a piece of wire.

TT3 You must take charcoal and wood and we took a coffee plunger as none are provided!

TT4 We always travel with a ball of string, knife sharper and champagne glasses!

TT5 The water is fine for drinking and as they now say bottled water creates 600 times more CO2 than tap water and South African water is rated the third cleanest in the world don’t take bottled water but do take anything else you want as the small shop at the entrance has no food items.

 

Make This a Destination!

On the local road to the Malelane Gate into The Kruger National Park you pass a small cluster of buildings- in days gone by not much to make you stop or even notice but things have changed! Now Hamilton’s nestles on the corner looking as if it has always been there. This certainly must be, if not the most beautiful restaurant I have ever seen, then one of the top- with stonework and wooden windows it is elegant and inviting! Named after the first game ranger in the Kruger National Park, Stephan Hamilton, this is the first real restaurant in the area and one that is sure to become a destination. With outstanding decor and food created by a well known chef remember to make a booking at this very popular spot! Try the well-matured sirloin steak served rare with roasted baby potatoes and don’t miss the Chocolate Nemesis – a very wicked version of “death by chocolate”. And remember to pick up any deli items that you might need for the rest of your stay in the area from their deli fridges! (Phone: 013-790 3421)

 

Legend in The Sun

Oh kitsch and over- the- top it might be but we love to spend a few days at The Palace of The Lost City in the Pilansberg. An age-old legend tells of a king from North Africa whose beautiful palace is destroyed by an earthquake and this hotel is that palace recreated. With intricate carved furniture and endless attention to detail from bronze monkeys on the lights to enormous tusks holding up ceilings you do feel you are in a special place. Actually the whole resort of Sun City is a fun place for a short stay.
TT1 If you are not staying at The Palace then at least book for breakfast or afternoon high tea in The Crystal Court which gives you a chance to see this really amazing large hotel.
TT2 We also enjoy staying at The Cascades especially if you can book a room with a balcony

 

Best Biltong!

Ok not sure how many of you will get a chance to use this next tip but just in case you are ever traveling by car from Upington to Johannesburg here it is
TT1 As you pass through the little “dorp” of Olifantshoek, about an hour from Upington, stop at the butchery on your left situated right next door to what is called the China shop for excellent biltong and tasty chili bites and very friendly service.

 

Take the Low Road

The last 50 km to the entrance post of the Park- Twee Rivieren, is on a sand road that can best be described as bad!
TT1 If you are in a vehicle that has a high enough clearance take the donkey track that more or less runs parallel to the official road- it is a much smoother ride and has the added attraction off feeling like you are on the Dakar Rally!
TT2 Be prepared for a slow and dusty trip, on occasion we had to stop completely because the dust was so thick it was impossible to see.

 

Feast Your Eyes

Leaving Upington we set off for the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park-a result of the 1999 unification of South Africa’s Kalahari Gemsbok Park and Botswana’s Gemsbok National Park- the road is long and straight and you can see for as far as it is possible to see! Passing through what the map indicates as permanent dunes the landscape is barren and dry and extremely beautiful. We found it very indicative of how isolated it is when we saw a road sign informing motorists that the next petrol station was 160 km away.
TT1 Stop at this petrol station in Askham, merely a small collection of small houses around the petrol station that doubles as a post office, supermarket and coffee shop-I was pleased to be able to buy stamps and post my postcards.

 

A Long and Lovely Road

As we set off for the Kalahari to the strains of Paul Simon’s Gracelands how could we not be excited when the map I was reading had notes that said” Beware of Kudu” along our route! We didn’t have to heed this warning but did see a mass of flamingoes on the lake as we came into Kimberley-so look out for a pink haze of flamingoes as you approach the historic diamond town.
TT1 Break this long journey with a night at The Kimberley Club -steeped in tradition this is a stay in a bygone era
TT2 I would not spend more than one night in Kimberley and then just to experience the club but it is worth visiting a beautiful small art gallery The William Humphrey’s Art Gallery before resuming you trip
TT3 Marvel at the wide open barren spaces-totally amazing to look for mile and miles and only see very beautiful hills and open landscape
TT4 If you blink you will miss Griekwastad but plan to fill up with petrol in this little “dorp” and do have a very good coffee and homemade rusks at Tip Top-a local “kofee winkel”, located in the row of dingy shops alongside the garage, that offers Nescafe or Ricoffy or filter coffee all at the price of R5!
TT5 We spent two nIghts in Upington in order to visit The Augrabie Falls and stayed at La Boheme-ignore the unusual décor and you have an extremely hospitable and well run bed and breakfast with a lovely outlook-you do not feel that you are in a town or suburb but isolated with a beautiful view.The owner’s attention to hospitable detail makes this a very nice stay
TT6 Don’t expect cuisine but book at Le Must for dinner-reputably the only good restaurant in town we had a pleasant enough meal there and do think it is really your only choice
TT7 On the drive to The Falls – about an hour from Upington, look out for Vergelegen Guesthouse,it is on your right as you pass through Kakamsa. A surprisingly good little restaurant and guest house- we did not stay there but looked at the rooms which are very nice and had a good coffee on their terrace. A group was eating breakfast there and that meal certainly looked delicious-a true local find!
TT8 If you are stocking up for a few days in the park both Pick & Pay and Spar (local grocery chains) are open 7 days a week until 8 at night! I do suggest starting at P&P as it seemed better stocked-do not expect special deli items but all basics are certainly available.

 

Vibrant Soweto

About half of Johannesburg’s population of roughly 8 million live in Soweto- Soweto standing for south western township. As our charming guide, who is a resident of Orlando East- the oldest suburb of Soweto, told us there are 4 distinct social classes in Soweto-upper class, middle class, lower class and the informal sector. You will visit 4 main points of interest-Freedom Square, Regina Mundi Church, Nelson Mandela’s first house and Hector Pieterson Museum.
TT1 Be prepared to see a well organise, vibrant urban space
TT2 Try to take a private tour and with a resident of the city- you get a much more local experience if you are not in a large crowd and if your guide actually lives there!( e-mail this blog for the details of our guide)
TT3 Do have a meal in Soweto- Wandie’s is the most famous restaurant and where we had an excellent lunch but there are many places to eat!
TT4 Do try the samp-and-beans..so delicious
TT5 Our guide showed us a very beautiful B& B and this was a great opportunity to meet local residents and to see inside a home
TT6 As you drive to Nelson Mandela’s house be aware that Vilakazi Road is a unique – being the only road in the world to have two Nobel Prize winners as residents- both Nelson Mandela’s home and Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s home is on this street!

 

Ocean View

For an olde world experience try The Beverly Hills Hotel at Umhlanga Rocks for lunch. The hotel is about 20 minutes from Durban and right on the beach of the Indian Ocean so the view is beautiful and we did enjoy the whole dining experience.
TT1 Make a reservation

 

18 carat

We stumbled across a divine little coffee shop last time we were in Durban and it is now a firm favourite of mine! Situated at the top of Florida Rd, on the corner of Innes Rd(469 Innes Rd) is Mark Gold- a jewellery shop serving very good coffee and small snacks on the verandah of the shop. The coffee used is “100%” and this is a true indication of the experience!
TT1 do be tempted by the delicious Belgian chocolates that come with the coffee