Word is working fine
Glad you enjoyed Kensington Place, IMO one of the best hotels in the world, and far preferable to large hotels anywhere. Cant wait for the next installment.

Thanks, Matt. I will continue to plug away in spare time..forgive me if it is a little slow....

I agree about Kensington Place and wonder why it is not more popular with posters here...

Our first full day in Cape Town was a Sunday. Our guide Charlie picked us up at our hotel and we headed to the Waterfront mall to use the ATM and to shop for certain items that were needed, since my friends’ luggage was left in Amsterdam and would not arrive until the night of the following day. Without going into too much detail, let me just say that prune juice is apparently unavailable in Cape Town and an opportunity exists for some enterprising entrepreneur.
We spent some time in the excellent Exclusive Books which is well-stocked with volumes on Africana and all other subjects. And of course we ducked into the upscale Woolworth’s on our prune juice hunt, and had a look at the food displays which is a favorite pastime of mine in foreign countries. (Have to stock up on rooibos tea and take a look at exotic items like boerwoers and smoked snook which were in good supply since National Braai Day was coming up.)

Lunch that first day was at Beluga not far from the Waterfront in a renovated metal foundry. Knysna oysters followed by grilled calamari and my new love, lime and soda.
Note that Beluga has excellent half-price oyster specials during the week.

www.beluga.co.za


Next stop was the Sunday African market in Greenpoint. This market bears the closest resemblance to an African handcraft Markey that I saw in Cape Town. Strings of stalls overflow with all types of handcrafts and manufactured items from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zaire, and other countries. Lots of wooden items along with terrific scavenger art which turns vinyl records into handbags and metal bottle tops into radios that actually work. Not to mention paint and metal collages depicting township scenes.
If you are not venturing further into Africa, this market is a must. I wish I had stocked up on more gifts but came back to the hotel with only a wonderful batik tablecloth from Zimbabwe and a length of kuba cloth from Zaire. Bargaining is fast and furious and the vendors are friendly and fun to chat with..there is absolutely no hassle or pressure to buy.

Dinner that night was at the Afrika Café which was probably our least favorite restaurant of the trip. The menu is set and features samplings of foods from many African countries. Malawian fritters of chick pea and cheese (?) were probably our favorites but I felt that nothing was outstanding. The décor is imaginative, with a fantastic chandelier crafted of used bottles hanging over the stairway The music, which had been one of the draws for us, was non-existent as the café had recently discontinued entertainment during dinner. For the non-adventurous diner who wants a safe introduction to African cuisine this place would be fine. I felt that the 217 Rand per person, one of the highest prices we paid for dinner, could have been much better spent elsewhere.


http://www.africacafe.co.za/

Before my memory grows even dimmer, I will write this brief report on my trip in late September/early October, 2007. Although I had made several previous visits to North and West African countries, and one safari trip to Kenya about 15 years ago, this was my first trip to Southern Africa. I was accompanied by two friends, a married couple, who were making their first foray to Africa. One of my friends is a train buff so the Blue Train was at the top of the list, along with CapeTown, the Winelands, Sabi Sands, Victoria Falls, and Botswana. Our trip lasted 3 weeks and began in New York; we flew from JFK to Amsterdam and on to CapeTown on KLM. The trip was planned by Liesl Matthews, a principal of Southern Destinations in Cape Town, with lots of input from us. Liesl was a delight to deal with and we had frequent contact prior to the trip, by phone and by e-mail. Our budget was generous but we specified small hotels rather than the famous names, in Cape Town, in J’Burg and in Franschoek. We booked restaurants in Cape Town and in the Winelands in advance of our arrival..we gave Liesl our ideas and she made the bookings for us. IWe each give Southern Destinations our highest recommendation.

www.southerndestinations.com


As expected, the flights (I was in coach) on KLM were long. KLM does not allow booking seats until 90 days out and the seat-booking process, entailing many phone calls to Northwest and to KLM in Amsterdam, was horrendous. Although I called one minute after midnight 90 days out for each of the 4 legs of the trip, I was not able to secure a decent seat, even with “elite” status on Flying Blue. I was given a good seat, or so I thought, and when I called to check, was told that the seat was not available. And on and on.

Well, enough of those woes. We arrived in Cape Town and were met by Charlie Ratcliffe, who was to be our guide for the next week in CapeTown and in the Winelands.
Charlie was utterly wonderful and I recommend him highly. He can be contacted through Southern Destinations, or by e-mail: trout@universe.co.za


KENSINGTON PLACE was our hotel and base for 6 nights in CapeTown. We loved this hotel! It is a small property, a cross between a guesthouse and a boutique hotel, located in the Gardens district. Rooms( ask for rooms on the second floor, which have great views of the City Bowl), are very large and contemporary, with luxurious bathrooms and each room has its own computer with free internet. A lovely breakfast with many choices is included in the room price.

www.kensingtonplace.co.za





Our first full day in Cape Town was a Sunday. Our guide Charlie picked us up at our hotel and we headed to the Waterfront mall to use the ATM and to shop for certain items that were needed, since my friends’ luggage was left in Amsterdam and would not arrive until the night of the following day. Without going into too much detail, let me just say that prune juice is apparently unavailable in Cape Town and an opportunity exists for some enterprising entrepreneur.
We spent some time in the excellent Exclusive Books which is well-stocked with volumes on Africana and all other subjects. And of course we ducked into the upscale Woolworth’s on our prune juice hunt, and had a look at the food displays which is a favorite pastime of mine in foreign countries. (Have to stock up on rooibos tea and take a look at exotic items like boerwoers and smoked snook which were in good supply since National Braai Day was coming up.)

Lunch that first day was at Beluga not far from the Waterfront in a renovated metal foundry. Knysna oysters followed by grilled calamari and my new love, lime and soda.
Note that Beluga has excellent half-price oyster specials during the week.

www.beluga.co.za


Next stop was the Sunday African market in Greenpoint. This market bears the closest resemblance to an African handcraft Markey that I saw in Cape Town. Strings of stalls overflow with all types of handcrafts and manufactured items from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zaire, and other countries. Lots of wooden items along with terrific scavenger art which turns vinyl records into handbags and metal bottle tops into radios that actually work. Not to mention paint and metal collages depicting township scenes.
If you are not venturing further into Africa, this market is a must. I wish I had stocked up on more gifts but came back to the hotel with only a wonderful batik tablecloth from Zimbabwe and a length of kuba cloth from Zaire. Bargaining is fast and furious and the vendors are friendly and fun to chat with..there is absolutely no hassle or pressure to buy.

Dinner that night was at the Afrika Café which was probably our least favorite restaurant of the trip. The menu is set and features samplings of foods from many African countries. Malawian fritters of chick pea and cheese (?) were probably our favorites but I felt that nothing was outstanding. The décor is imaginative, with a fantastic chandelier crafted of used bottles hanging over the stairway The music, which had been one of the draws for us, was non-existent as the café had recently discontinued entertainment during dinner. For the non-adventurous diner who wants a safe introduction to African cuisine this place would be fine. I felt that the 217 Rand per person, one of the highest prices we paid for dinner, could have been much better spent elsewhere.


http://www.africacafe.co.za/




The following day was devoted to the Cape Peninsula. I should say here that I have traveled extensively and do not think that there is any city in the world (I have not been to Australia) that can compare with Cape Town for scenic grandeur, both in the setting of the city and its environs. The entire day was an “oooh” and “aaaaah” fest, with a different awesome view around every turn, beginning with Camp’s Bay. In my next life I will be ensconced in a villa here for several months of the year. Or perhaps the villa will be in Llandudno..I have not yet made up my mind.

We were scheduled to travel the Chapman’s Peak Drive but it was closed that day for a reason which I do not remember. Our first stop was Hout Bay where we took a touristy cruise to see the Cape Fur seal colony. The boat trip was quite rough..I do not normally mind any kind of water travel but I have to admit I was a bit frightened at the rocking of the boat. The entire trip took about an hour and we saw many many seals, mostly hanging out on the rocks and swimming. The cruise cost 50 Rand per person. Try to board early to secure a good seat on the front deck.

Next stop were the famous penguins at Boulder’s Beach. The beach itself, the boulders, the color of the water..this is a photographer’s delight, not to mention the adorable, adorable penguins strutting along the fynbos-rimmed sand and under the wooden boardwalks. An absolute must! I had fun taking photos because each time I would focus on one I thought was particularly cute, he or she would waddle away and pass underneath the boardwalk and thus underneath my feet and out of sight. Terrific!

We had a nice lunch at the seaside Seaforth Restaurant adjacent to the parking lot: Fried calamari (fair) and a “line-caught” stumpnose, a local white-fleshed fish, with aioli (good). The clientele appeared to be a mix of tourists and locals. Lunch for one with non-alcoholic drink was R135.

http://www.seaforthrestaurant.co.za/

After lunch we continued on to Cape Point, passing along the way ostriches with their heads in the sands and eland grazing on the hillsides, for the requisite photos of the (almost) southernmost point of Africa and the views..the views..

Dinner that night was at Ginja, a well-reviewed place tucked behind an unprepossessing alleyway in a converted old building. The ppalce was packed on a Monday night at 7:30 when we arrived. The menu spans the globe, with many Spanish, Indian and SE Asian influences. Dishes were a little complicated but I thought the food was excellent…I cannot find notes on what I ate. Dinner for one, with wine was R245.

Yet again I am having trouble with the malfunctioning editing system. I meant to write that Ginja was located in the Bo Kaap, and to post their website. I also could not correct a few typos above, so forgive me, please:



http://www.ginja.cjb.net/

Yet again, I could not edit. My dinner at Ginja was comprised of Tasting Spoons Around the World, an array of bites served on white china spoons, and their wonderful Char Shui Lamb, reminiscent of the Chinese dish. Very very good!

I see that I posted part of this report twice..please bear with me. The editing malfunction is driving me crazy!
FODOR'S EDITORS, PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!!!!!

You can see their menu on the website, linked above.

Before I continue, I will say here that we did NOT visit what are probably the top two attractions in Cape Town. Having neglected to book tickets to Robben Island in advance of our arrival, we were unable to do so once in the city, as all places were booked for the next 3 weeks. So if you are planning to visit the city and want to tour Robben Island, as we did, make sure to confirm bookings well in advance.

Our trip to Table Mountain did not materialize because when we arrived at the site, about 10am Tuesday morning, the parking lot was filled with cars and tour buses. This was a school holiday and frankly, we did not want to wait on the long lines for the cable car. So we drove the short distance to Signal Hill and enjoyed the spectacular views (including that of Robben Island), the City Bowl, and Greenpoint. In contast to the scene at Table Mountain, there were very few other people around. Next time I would get a much earlier start to insure that I was at Table Mountain at 8:30 when I believe the cable cars begin running.


Missing these two mandatory sights did not bother us too much, as there was so much else to enjoy. After Signal Hill, we drove to the Mt, Nelson Hotel to take a peek inside this colonial gem, and on to Constantia, where we made a stop at Groot Constantia to marvel at the precious Cape Dutch manor house and outbuildings. If there is a more winning style of architecture in the world, I have not yet seen it. Next stop was Klein Constantia, where another handsome exterior concealed the tasting room. Muscat-based dessert wines are the forte here and I bought the requisite bottle of Vin de Constance. (ab out 42 USD)

Lunchtime found us at Constantia Uitsig’s restaurant, a lovely room overlooking the gardens (try to snag a window table). The Italian- and French-accented menu included excellent fried calamari and cobb, a local white fish, tucked into a parchment pouch and served over julienned Asian vegatables in a lemongrass broth.

The total with no wine, was 170 Rand for one.


http://www.constantiauitsig.co.za/constantia_uitsig/uitsig.html

We devoted the remainder of the day to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, spending a few hours wandering along the paths.

Dinnertime that night found us at Panama Jack’s on the Cape Town docks where we devoured local kingklip and a platter of large Mozambique prawns and langoustine. Panana Jack’s is a huge barn of a place with no décor to speak of, just suberb, unadorned seafood. They have a discount lunch menu and I would have returned (several times) if we had had the time:


http://www.panamajacks.net/site1/panama_jacks.htm#




The next day the winds had died down and we made the drive, along the glorious coastline to Hermanus for the requisite whale watching. We saw many, many whales from our perch along the Cliff Walk. If you have time, walk past the town of Hermanus and to the residential area whee the Cliff Walk is less crowded and the shoreline greenery is more abundant.

Lunch was at Burgundy, an adorable restaurant in the center of town:


http://www.burgundyrestaurant.co.za/index.php





Dinner that night was at Savoy Cabbage, a striking two-level contemporary restaurant located in a restored industrial building that retains the original brick interior walls and exposed beams. We enjoyed our dinner (I had a lamb dish) but what remains embedded in the memory were the desserts: The ethereal butterscotch panna cotta may well have been the best dessert of the trip.


http://www.savoycabbage.co.za/menu.html

bking for later

hi, ek,

I'm really enjoying this. such a shame you didn't make it up the mountain though. we were sooo lucky as there were no queues the day we went - our first in CPT. there have to be some advantages to travelling in July.

although I loved the Raddison where were stayed, it was a bit out of town. if we went again I'd like to be somewhere like the kensington palace - how much was it as their web-site is a bit coy about prices!

keep it coming,

regards, ann

Ann, I am glad you are enjoying. Pardon all the changes in typeface and the repetetive posts..I will plug along with this as fast as I can. It IS a shame we did not get up the Mountain! But we had so many other great activities that I guess I just have to use that as an excuse to return (as if I need an excuse!).

By the way, I just finished a fantastic book on SA that I highly recommend: "Are We There Yet: Chasing a Childhood through South Africa," by David Smeidt.

More soon......ek

Six weeks before the start of our trip, one of my travel companions had had a pulmonary embolism which resulted in her having to take a daily dose of Warfarin (Coumadin). This medication requires a regular blood test, so the first stop Thursday morning was a clinic attached to a Cape Town private hospital. No less than 20 minutes later, very impressed with the efficiency and the kindness of the clinic staff, she was finished with the required test (she would receive the results a few hours later by phone) and we were on our way to some shopping in the CBD. We walked around Greenmarket Square, filled with vendors hawking tourist souvenirs including scavenger art pieces. (I bought a few bracelets made from safety pins and tiny beads. At 35 Rand these proved to be a superb purchase and I wish I had bought a dozen more for gifts)

Near Greenmarket Square, on Long Street and adjacent sidestreets, are a clutch of upscale shops selling all manner of Africana: Cameroonian salad sets, Congolese kuba cloth pillows, Kenyan necklaces, Zulu beaded aprons, Shangaan tapestries, Ivoirian painted wood figures, Malian masks, Ethiopian Coptic crosses..and on and on and on. (You can find shops similar to these in the Waterfront mall as well…the goods sell for multiples of the price in their home countries but some of the wares are truly stunning)

Drawn in by the window displays, we paid a visit to ZULU AZANIA on Church Street, #56A, with a splendid collection of Zulu pots and beaded wares along with antique and new items from southern Africa. All of these shops can arrange shipping. (We ended up sending a cardboard carton apiece from PostNet; the price per carton was 250 Rand and the estimated arrival time in the US is within 3 months; air freight was available for a higher fee)


http://www.postnet.co.za/index.php


Our next destination was Camp’s Bay, where Liesl Matthews of Southern Destinations, who arranged our trip, treated us to a fantastic seafood lunch at The Codfather. You can choose here from sushi displayed on a rotating conveyor belt, or make your way to long glass cases piled with heaps of fish and shellfish. Choose from the raw selections, and watch as they are weighed. If you approve of the final price, the fish and/or shellfish is grilled and presented at the table accompanied by your choice of sauces. This is an excellent way to sample a variety of local line-fish and shellfish..you can choose as little as one prawn or a large platter piled with everything from tiger prawns to yellowtail to marlin to langoustine. My prawn/crayfish combination platter ranks up there with one of the best dishes of the trip. Thanks again, Liesl!



http://www.dining-out.co.za/member_details.asp?MemberID=1054

That afternoon we walked around the newly revitalized De Waterkant area, filled with many little shops and eating places. We continued on our shopping rounds with a stop at the showroom of Cape Cobra in Greenpoint. This firm is known for beautiful accessories made of ostrich skin..belts, wallets, handbags, etc. The quality is exquisite and prices, while high, are far less than you would spend on the equivalent in the US or in Italy.

http://www.capecobra.co.za/index.htm


Dinner that night, at The Showroom, was wonderful. This terrific restaurant is white, shiny and glitzy with transparent Ghost chairs, an open kitchen and a glass wall looking into ..guess what?..a showroom..of automobiles!

Chef Bruce Robertson draws on Asian and Cape Malay influences for his elaborate dishes. I began with escargot frikadelle, wrapped in a mousse of chicken livers. My main course was the best non-seafood dish of the trip: Pork belly with Peking sauce. Dessert: A sublime molten chocolate and mint “After 8” cake. My meal, with my share of a bottle of wine, cost 243 Rand. If you want to watch Chef Robertson and the other chefs work their magic, request a table close to the open kitchen. The restaurant is noisy when full so try to reserve early if this is a concern. If you have one upscale meal in the city, I would recommend The Showroom.



http://www.theshowroomrestaurant.co.za/

We spent the next morning walking around the Bo Kaap district and visiting the Gold of Africa Museum, which has a fabulous collection of gold jewelery and artifacts, mostly from West Africa:



http://www.goldofafrica.com/

The District Six Museum proved to be a moving finale to our 6 days in the city; be sure to allot at least two hours here because although the space is relatively small, there is a lot to read and to absorb:



http://www.districtsix.co.za/frames.htm




After leaving the museum we said goodbye to beautiful Cape Town and headed for the Winelands, where we were booked for three nights at Akademie Suites Guesthouse in Franschhoek.

Akademie Suites proved to be an excellent choice. The property is beautiful and the location is ideal—about a ten minute walk along quiet streets to “downtown” Franschhoek. The owners, Arthur and Katherine, were delightful and we wished that we had had more time to hear their stories about life in SA. (A native of J’Burg, Arthur had been mayor of Franschhoek). The 3 of us shared Oortuiging, one of four cottages set in glorious gardens that comprise the property. This 1860s Cape Dutch house has two en suite bedrooms..one single and one double, as well as a living room, full kitchen stocked with wine, fruit and snacks, and a private patio with table and chairs in the backyard. The furnishings are a lovely mix of antiques and new and beautiful paintings by Katherine’s father adorn the walls. Even these excellent photos of our cottage do not do the place justice:


http://www.aka.co.za/oortuiging.htm


Akademie Suites is listed in the Greenwood Guide and I would recommend looking through their listings of guesthouses, B&Bs and small hotels when planning a trip:

http://www.greenwoodguides.com/south-africa/

Our first meal in the Winelands was lunch at Guardian Peak. The handsome dining room overlooks the surrounding vineyards through vast expanses of glass. The food (I had the pork belly, again) was very good.


http://www.guardianpeak.com/restaurant.htm

Dinner that night was in Franschhoek, at Bouillabaise. Most of the seating here is at the counter in front of the cooking stations. If you want a table, make that known when you book. I began with an excellent duck salad and followed with steamed prawn spring roll, which was only fair. The menu features plates of varying sizes so you do not have to have a full, large meal; in my case this was a good thing because our 3 days in the Winelands were one long eat-and-drink-fest and we were just beginning.

http://www.seafooddeli.co.za/bouillabaisse-menu.htm

On Saturday we headed to Stellenbosch and strolled around the outdoor market for a couple of hours (I believe it is held every Saturday). Stellenbosch has lots of antique shops and we planned to return to the town after lunch, which we did, only to find the antique shops closed after 2pm. So if you want to shop here, make note of the abbreviated weekend hours..

Lunch that day was at the Tokara Wine Estate, another triumph of contemporary architecture in stone, steel and wood set amidst rolling vineyards. The structure is so handsome that I would recommend stopping by just to see it, even if you do not plan to taste, or to dine. I had the saddle of lamb and my lunch, with wine by the glass, cost 197 Rand.

http://www.tokararestaurant.co.za/

After lunch we returned to Stellenbosch and, since the antique shops were shut tight, we stopped into Oom Samie se Winkel, an old general store stocked with everything from racks of dried fish to gum ball candies to commemorative porcelain to mampoer. We then wandered through Stellenbosch for a couple of hours, admiring the handsome Cape Dutch and Georgian buildings in this historic town, which is one of the prettiest and most pleasant I have seen in my travels.

Finally, we returned to Akademie Suites to change for dinner, and walked into Franschhoek, to Reuben’s. (There are no taxis in the town, we were told, so consider this when choosing your accommodations if you have no transport; we had a guide and car during the days, but not at night)

Reuben’s is a local favorite but I was not overly impressed by my Chili Squid with Aioli appetizer. Service was exceedingly slow on this Saturday night when the place was full. I have forgotten the details of the rest of the meal, which cost 185R for one.


http://www.reubens.co.za/Eng%20Temp/menu_1.htm



I will return to this report soon with an account of our last day in the Winelands and our journey on the Blue Train.

Hi ekscruncy,
Have read every word of your report and saved it for a similar trip we will take at the end of Feb. We too used Southern Destinations and it appears that they did a good job for you -- any advice before we go? Any restaurants in CT or in the winelands that you wish you had tried?
Jeri

Hi lexia,

the most memorable meal we had back in July was at the cape of good hope in the "two oceans restaurant".

it wasn't haute cuisine, but it was well cooked and tasty, in a stunning setting with very friendly service.

it's well worth worknig it nito your schedule.

regards, ann

Lexia: I am glad you are using Southern Destinations. who is the agent you are working with?

Sorry I am taking so long with this report but I promise to have it finished long before you leave! I don't think there is anyplace I regret not trying. Oh, maybe Bread & Wine in the Winelands. I think I would have skipped lunch at Guardian Peak and tried that one. And I would have liked another meal at Panama Jack's or the Codfather!

http://www.moreson.co.za/default.asp?page=main.html


Stay tuned, because we will be on the Blue Train soon..and all does not go exactly as planned!

Sunday September 30 was our last full day in the Winelands. My friends rented bikes, arranged through Arthur at Akademie Suites guesthouse. The bikes were delivered to the guesthouse and the pair of them took off for a morning’s ride on the roads around Franschhoek. The weather was glorious.

I opted for conveyance of the 4-wheeled variety, so Charlie and I drove first to Boschendal to visit the manor house, a quintessential example of Cape Dutch architecture in a calendar-worthy setting. Note that you can order a picnic at their restaurant and have it brought to you at your selected site on their beautiful lawns. This appeared to be a very popular lunch spot and the grounds were quite crowded with families when we were there on a Sunday morning.

www.boschendal.co.za


Paarl was our next stop. This town, founded in the 17th Century, is less prettified and tourist-oriented than Franschhoek and it was a treat to drive along Main Street past the shops and houses in a panoply of architectural styles. We paid a quick visit to the Hout Street Gallery which shows the work of local artists and craftspeople and where I bought a print of Table Bay that I saw later that day, priced much higher, in a Franschoek gallery:

www.houtstreetgallery.co.za


The famous stone goat’s tower and its four-footed residents marks the entrance to Fairview winery, makers of Goats du Roam and a host of reds, whites and dessert wines. There is a Tasting Room for wine and one for the goat cheeses and olive oils produced on the winery. This place was crowded and it was a little too commercial for my own taste, so I did a quick wine tasting (standard tasting 15 Rand; select tasting 30 Rand) and we were off again, bound for La Petite Ferme where I would meet up with my two friends over lunch.

www.fairview.co.za


Set on a hill near Franschhoek, La Pettie Ferme proved to be a lovely lunch stop. I had the Eggplant and Feta “gateau” , followed by slow-cooked lamb. The view from the window table, and from the sloping lawns, which overlook the valley beyond, was probably more memorable than the food. The menu on their site has changed since I was there, to reflect the change in season:


http://www.lapetiteferme.co.za/restaurant_main.html

Lunch for one, with one Lime and Soda and an espresso, cost 103 Rand after tip.

Winelands..continued:



After an afternoon strolling through Franschhoek, we were ready for our next meal (!) at Le Quartier Francais in the center of town. Their main restaurant, The Tasting Room, provided us with one of the best dinners of the entire trip. I had concerns about the atmosphere being stuffy but these were dispelled as soon as we entered the dining room. Three of us each got the set dinner comprised of four courses (the smallest option; 340 Rand per person, since raised to 380 Rand) so we were able to sample many things. Highlights were the Foie Gras appetizer and the roasted Veal Tongue. Desserts were divine. And the service here was the most professional of the trip thus far.


http://www.lequartier.co.za/cuisine/the-tasting-room




THE BLUE TRAIN


On the following day, our guide from Southern Destinations, Charlie Ratcliffe, picked us up about 9am and drove us from Franschhoek to the Cape Town Railroad station and the dedicated lounge, separate from the rest of the station, for passengers of the Blue Train. After coffee and breakfast snacks in the lounge, our names were called and we were each led to our compartments by the designated “butler” who would be assigned to us for the overnight journey.

The Blue Train is gorgeous: Wood paneled corridors with cabins on one side and windows on the other open to the suites, of which there are two types: Luxury and Deluxe! The suites themselves (I had the smaller of the two types and found it very roomy for a single person; I am sure it would have been fine for two as well) are handsome and comfortable, lots of burl paneling and signature blue upholstery as well as an adjacent bathroom with stall shower (The larger suites contain bathtubs!) The beds are dressed with crisp white linens and are very comfortable. White terry robes hang in the wardrobe and toiletries sit on the bathroom shelf.

In the front of the train, the Club Car contains a bar flanked by sofas and cocktail tables stacked with books on various Africana. Smoking is allowed in this car, but not in the suites themselves. Adjacent to the dining car, the Lounge car contains another bar as well as comfy sofas which line the windows on both sides. I was smitten as soon as I boarded!

Virtually everything, with the exception of imported Champagnes, is included in the price of the journey, even Cuban cigars.

We pulled out of CapeTown station, bound for Pretoria, on what was to be a journey of 27 Hours, shortly after our scheduled 11am departure time. But we were soon halted, still within the station, on the first of several unscheduled stops that would plague the trip. (Note that the departure times are to be 8:50am in both directions as of 2008) As a consequence, we had lunch while still in Cape Town station, and the sun was setting when we approached the Hex River Valley, one of the scenic highpoints of the journey. (But we crossed the Winelands, near Paarl, in daylight, as well as part of the desolate Karoo, the next morning.)

Everything about this trip was excellent: The service, the food and wines; the varied scenery, all of it. I could have remained onboard for several nights. Unfortunately, out trip was cut short by the problems with the signals en route. Our fellow passengers were an interesting mix. Australians were probably the best represented. There was also a small South Korean contingent, a few British couples, a few New Zealanders, and four Americans besides ourselves. The ages ran from the 30s up through the 70s, in my guess.

Each of the two overnight runs between Cape Town and Pretoria includes one side trip; ours was to be an excursion to Matjiesfontein, but the delays precluded this, as it would be dark before we arrived at the scheduled stop. I was so happy to be onboard that this glitch passed almost unnoticed.

The food, as I mentioned above, was very good. My lunch included (there was a choice) rack of Karoo lamb, and lobster tails were my selection at dinner. I passed much of the time on the journey relaxing in my suite and hanging out with my fellow passengers in the Bar Car, with regular forays to the Club Car in front. Many of the passengers were bound for the game parks, so there was lots of excited anticipation and exchanging of itineraries.

Be back soon with the rest of what would prove to be an abbreviated train journey, and arrival in the Sabi Sands.



http://www.bluetrain.co.za/default.htm

The editing function DOES NOT WORK so please forgive this early draft...I was unable to correct many of the errors contained within...

Making note here that the package I sent from CapeTown through PostNet has arrived...2 months after it was sent by sea mail.

Early the next morning, after a great sleep, we awoke to learn that the Blue Train had not made up any time during the night and was still running 5 hours behind schedule. We were told that we would have to debark at 8:30am in Kimberley, where we would be placed on a flight to JBG. From JBG we would be driven to Wonderboom Airport in Pretoria, where we would board our flight to Nelspruit. And thisis what we did. The Blue Train handled these arrangements smoothly, even sending an employee with us on the flight to JBG. We were very disappointed not to have been able to complete the entire train trip, but we later learned that the train arrived in Pretoria 7 hours late, which would have meant arriving at Lion Sands late at night and missing the day’s game drive.

Leaving the train early meant that we were on schedule. We completed the flights and were met in Nelspruit’s beautiful airport by the driver who would ferry us to Lion Sands. It was an exciting ride: Between the Sabi Sands entrance gate and the lodge, we saw rhino, giraffe, buffalo, zebra and elephant. Before even reaching Lion Sands! We were thrilled!! Remember, this was the first time any of us had been in Southern Africa, and my two traveling partners had never been on any sort of safari before.

We arrived at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge about 4pm. My reaction, upon reaching Tawny Cottage, which was to be my home for the next 3 nights, reads in my notebook: “Speechless and wordless. WOW! WOW! WOW!” Nothing I had heard prepared me for the sheer over-the-top luxury of the suite, which was comprised of a bedroom and bathroom area, separated from the living area by an outdoor patio with plunge pool facing the river. Furnishings were whites, ivories, and black and the taste level was very high. Absolutely incredible, if a bit incongruous in this setting.

We had 3 fantastic nights at Lion Sands Ivory Lodge. We had our own vehicle for the game drives, the first of which took place soon after we arrived on that first day. We saw lion feasting on a rhino carcass not 15 minutes after leaving camp and it just got better and better after that. We had several sightings of leopard, including a mating pair, and several of lion as well.
More rhino, hyena fighting off vultures at the rhino kill, lappet-faced vultures, lots of giraffe and zebra, large herds of buffalo, hippo in the river, many elephants… the thrills just kept on coming. Our ranger at Lion Sands was Marnus and our tracker, Million. At only a few sightings were there other vehicles and never more than one at one time. Having our own vehicle was absolutely fanastic.

Guests at Lion Sands Ivory have meals at their own table so we did not meet any of the other guests, of which there seemed to be only a few. I was surprised at the young age of most of our fellow guests..I would guess that a few were honeymooners. The food was disappointing.

After 3 nights at Ivory Lodge, we flew from the Sabi Sands airstrip to Nelspruit, and on to JBG where we transferred to Ten Bompas for the overnight before our flight to Livingstone.

EKS, We have communicated on the Europe board mainly about food and restaurants. We are planning a So. Africa trip and Lion Sands appealed to us for our splurge part of trip. What was so dissapointing about the food? For that kind of money we would want the food to be at the same luxury level as the rooms. Thanks.

The Blue Train must be something if even the delays did not dampen your enthusiasm for it. Are delays like you experienced common?

What a fantastic trip report, that is amazing, and sounds like you have had a wonderful trip. A couple of helpful hints....

Always book a day tour of Robben Island ahead of time, any good operator will advise you of this, and include it in your package and book it for you before you get there so that you are assured of not missing it. The good news is that you will just have to go back to South Africa to see it, Cape Town is always a nice visit. I agree Kensington Place is delectable and Sasha is such a great host, we are always chatting as we were pregnant and had babies at the same time.
Your restaurant reviews are spot on, the cod father is out of this world for seafood and Panama Jack is also delicious, the only place that actually beats them for seafood is Muisbosskerm on the west coast and of course if you go to Mozambique where you can actually pick dinner while swimming!

The Blue train...well well well....I must be honest I do not share your entusiasm, I was so dissapointed in the Blue Train and yes delays delays delays, however I think that is part and parcel of train travel as Rovos Rail from Victoria Falls was also delayed for ages and we got in almost 9 hours late on Rovos, the difference on Rovos is that you can actually go and sit in fresh air while the train is moving and you are not in permanant air conditioning like on the Blue Train.

Lion Sands Rooms are wow wow wow, how was the game? I find there are better areas for game up in the kruger with also wow wow wow....
I have to tell you all I was at Kirkmans the other day and the rooms are gorgeous and the game is wonderful, but my best treat..... int he middle of the game drive they set up and ice cream palour in the bush... we came around the corner, all hoppped out chose our ice-creams and toppings and then back on the vehicle to see a lazy leopard...it was unbelievable!!!

Lets hear about Zambia now...

SCFPhoto: I expected great food at Lion Sands and the place did not deliver. First of all, on the first night we were met by the chef who tod us that he would prepare anything we wanted, even if it was not on the menu. Not knowing what WAS on the menu, we did not ask for anything special except, perhaps, for some seafood. (I actually had the nerve to ask for Prawns but I did it in a lighthearted way not as an absolutely serious request).

Breakfasts were great..all the usual suspects: Eggs, yougurt, fruit, etc.

Lunches, and this was true of all the camps we stayed at, had food that I consider heavy for lunch in a hot climate: Pastas, meats with sauces, etc. I thought the food was kind of boring at lunch.

Dinner was the real disappointment. Game was on the menu and it was invariably cooked until dry. One night we had a braii with various game dishes, overcooked fish in foil packets, and a bobotie-like dish. There was an excellent grilled quail dish that saved that dinner.

I finally wised up on the last day and decided to be more vocal in my requests. Ivory Lodge makes much of the privacy of the suites and of the possibility of having dinner in the suites. since it was 3 of us and we were not crving privacy, I did not see the appeal of this but the lodge made such a point of it that we decided to try on our last night. they told us we should work out the menu in advance, we could order anything we wanted, etc. At breakfast when I attempted to plan the menu with our "butler," I was brushed off with the suggestion that we just look at the menu later that afternoon and order from it, or tell them what else we might like.

We came back later to do this and I put in a request for fish. "Not possible." OK, what about the quail from last night's braii (which was excellent)? Is there any left? "No..nothing left," And on it went like that. We finally settled on the steak, one of two choices on the regular menu, and asked that the sauce be left off.

By that time we had scaled back our expectations regarding food. But nothing prepared us for the piece of not-very-good meat that appeared naked on the plate...no garnish, no veg, nothing. the butler offered to return for these, but it was pouring that night so we just wrote it off.

I loved Ivory Lodge but they really must work on their food. To be honest, I found the food less-than-superb at each of the 3 lodges we visited and am not sure if it is a result of the isolation of the properties (but Lion Sands gets supplies from Hazyview which is not so far off) or just lackadasical kitchen skills. But aside from the initial let-down, the food just became a non-issue for us. I guess I was expecting too much.


Atravelynn: I got various responses when I asked this question about the Blue Train. A couple of staff memebers told me that it was very unusual for the train to run that late. They blamed the delays not on the train itself but on some problem with the railway signals. But I heard from others that the train had run very late on a trip the previous week
so I suspect that delays are not unusual. Frankly I would have welcomed the delay had we had extra time built into our schedule. I was disappointed to miss so much scenery in daylight hours and to have a shortened time aboard. Looking back I wish that we had had one full day in JBG; in that event we would have been ble to stay on the train until the last stop. So possible delays ought to be considered by anyone planning to ride either of these trains, Rovos or Blue Train. (We considered Rovos but my friend the railroad buff wanted to ride the legendary Blue Train and also objected to the fact that the Rovos trains are stationary at night; I think I agree with that last part. I believe there is a third option, Premiere Class, but I don't remember the story with their trains)

I am glad you are enjoying this rather slow-in-coming report. I felt that no one was reading it since it does not have the details on the game watching that most others do. I will try to add more for future installments. But please remember that we are beginners in this realm. We were excited to see giraffe! I don't have much to compare it to, but I felt that the game watching at Lion Sands was great..there were no long rides without any sightings. And few, if any, other vehicles at a sighting. The ranger and tracker were very good but again, I had nothing to compare them to at that point in the trip. I was hoping to see the small cats and for this I will have to return (!). We did see many dogs in Botswana, and I will report on this soon..

Stay tuned for 2 nights at Islands of Siankaba in Zambia.....and thanks for reading and commenting!

SCFPhoto:

I hope I am not putting you off my my criticism about the food at Ivory Lodge; I just read your post again and see that you are considering it for your splurge. I wrote a detailed commentary about the place to my travel agent who forwarded it to them and we did receive a response. I think if you go, you should make your needs and wishes known in advance of arrival and reiterate them when you arrive. Come up with a short list of what you like to eat and present it. To be fair, we were asked that first night about special requests and did not take full advantage of this possibility. I guess we did not want to seem like picky tourists! With that out of the way, I can think of no other downsides to the lodge. I would certainly return and would not want to dissuade anyone from going. Also you should know that I am very food oriented so might be more critical than the average guest. One more thing..I was in Tawny cottage and my friends were next door (lots of space between!) at Sandpiper. The view at the latter was marginally better, with a bit less brush obstructing the views of the river. (Views at both were excellent, though) One of the highlights of our stay there was watching large groups of elephants splashing and playing in the water in the afternoons...marvelous!!

Call me a Grinch* but I do not want an ice cream parlor popping up in the middle of a game drive.

Now the leopard sighting after that would enthuse me.

*reference to a US cartoon character who is a grouch. The Grinch that Stole Christmas has been a popular cartoon on TV for years.

I am also one of those people who would not notice if anything appeared "naked on my plate" without a garnish. I might not even notice naked vehicle-mates since I am intent on what's out there and not on my plate or in my vehicle. In fact I'd rather my vehicle-mates be naked than late.

Enough about me, back to your report.

EKS, Thanks for the info on Lion Sands food. We are in the planning process for this trip and the diversity of all the choices of camps and what they offer is overwhelming. We would like to have one splurge camp among the other camps that would be chosen for the game, wildlife and scenery regardless of the food and luxury level. We do not expect Paris 3 star food at a safari camp. However food is very important in our travels, in Europe we plan the day starting with the restaurant, not always gourmet but we do try to find the best we can in whatever class of dining we choose, then figure out what is nearby for the sight seeing for the day. Not everyone is like this but from your posts I think you are, and I respect your opinions. The "luxury camps" in Sabi/Krueger area are very expensive some like Lion Sands $1200 pppn.
So when all the game viewing is over sitting down to an excellent meal is important to us and we want to choose a camp that can deliver in this regard as well as the luxury accomodations and game viewing. If anyone has input for us it is very welcome. Thanks.

SCFPhoto: I am also interested in the response to your query. I will say that in all other ways I think that Lion Sands would fit the bill for a splurge; the suites were absolutely spectacular. Even the bathtub area could grace the cover of Architectural Digest, not to mention the bedroom and separate living room. And there is a telescope set up so you can gaze out day or night. Just one of so many incredible details. Shame about the food, but if you do the advance planning I would guess you will have an entirely better time on that front.

As for the game sightings: As I mentioned above, we saw almost all of the "main" predators with the exception, of course, of cheetah and dogs. No small cats, either. But so much else! We saw "action" around the rhino carcass; we visited this over the course of 3 days. The animal had apparently died a day or two prior to our arrival in a battle with another rhino. Lions were around at all times, feasting the first two days and resting nearby after that. Vultures, including the lappet-faced vulture, dripped from the trees nearby and, by the second day, approached the kill, only to be scared off by the hyena. We saw a few interactions between the hyena and the vultures and between the hyena and the lions.

We had several leopard sightings. One morning we were close enough to watch the mating ritual between two leopard; I was amazed at how close the animals come to the vehicle. Leopard were so close we could have reached out and touched them more than once.

Having a private vehicle was the experience of a lifetime, but I wish I had realized that this meant that we could stay out way past the usual morning game drive times...as it was, we left camp and returned more or less on schedule, as we had no idea that this could be modified for us since we had our own vehicle. There is so much to learn the first time. ot the least of which concerns packing. You do not need ANY dressy or remotely dressy clothing at the camps! Many people we saw (and we saw very few at Lion Sands) just wore the same clothes to meals as they wore all day. Of course I am eager to return and will feel much better prepared on my next trip, which I hope will be before too long!

Ekscrunchy,

Great point about the private vehicle allowing you extended hours. It is part of what you pay for and you should take advantage of that if you want.

What are your thoughts about a return, since you mentioned it?

Atravelynn, since game viewing is your priority on safari and seem to have been on a few. For Sabi Sand area what would your reccomendations be from best game viewing perpective? We are also going to Linyanti and delta in Botswana. All comments welcome.

SCF:

Are you going to King's Pool in Linyati? That was our last stop so I will write about it soon..

EK we are still undecided except for the general areas we want to go to. Similar to your trip except skip the Blue Rail and Vic Falls. But CT, winelands, Kreuger/Sabi then two different camps in Botswana a water based camp in delta then a land based in either delta or Linyanti area. I should probably start a seperate thread with our criteria listed to get advice and not steal your trip report. There is just so much choice and diverse opinion out there it gets quite confusing and this would be a big trip for us.

Dear SCF Photo

For a splurge in the Sabi Sands, I would far rather look at Rattrays on Mala Mala, Londolozi or Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge, the game viewing is far better and the lodges are spectacular!

SCF: I would love to help!

Doogle: Everyone says that those lodges have better game viewing. But I am not sure how it could be much better than what I saw at Lion Sands, where we were seeing animals almost all of the time.

Since this was my first experience I would like to understand this. After all, we were adjacent to Sabi Sabi while on the Lion Sands land..

Dear Ekscrunchy

Without going into the entire history of the Sabi Sands and typing out a thesis, the basic principle is as follows:

Londolozi, Mala Mala and Sabi Sabi are the oldest game lodges in the Sabi Sands, they are the pioneers of game lodges in South Africa. Their father, grandfethers, great grandfathers and great great grandfathers were all on the land and it was owned by their families. They have journlas of animals and their territories that they have marked and like the famalies that have lived there the animals have had their territories and their areas. They have grown aclimatized to the vehicles they are less skittish and the rangers and famalies know the history of the Leopard famalies, the lion, the cheetahs, the elephants, so it is like visiting an extended family. Unless you have experianced both areas and both camps, you will not see any difference, however when you have stayed at a Mala Mala, Sabi Sabi or Londolozi you can definatly see the difference.

Once at Londolozi I was on an early morning game drive with a ranger and we got our the vehicle to track an elephant on foot in a rverbed, as we walked down the riverbed she came out, the ranger knew this elephant so well that he knew her nature was curious and not destructive and that she would not harm us unless she felt threatend, a little back tracking to the vehicle and she followed the vehicle all the way to the bush breakfast and enjoyed her leaves a way off while we ate breakfast. This is the difference.

Come back to South Africa stay at one of these lodges and then decide on difference, there truely is one!

Thanks, Doogle. I hope I will be able to come back in a year or two and will definitely stay at one of the places you mentioned. For a newcomer, the ranger/tracker at Lion Sands were great, but indeed, I did not experience the depth of knowledge regarding the animals that I read about with regard to Mala Mala and Londolozi. Or perhaps they did not share that knowledge with us as we were newcomers and so obviously awed by the things that more experienced safari goers might find usual...

Here is another question: What is the thought about Singita with regard to the rangers/trackers/game drives? Is Singita just thought of as the place for rich American tourists to take rose petal baths? They are so much more pricey than the other prime places.. (Two couples on the Blue Train were bound for Singita Boulders and, pardon this comment, but they were part of the designer- khaki, make-up at all hours of the day crowd...)

Thanks for answering these questions...


Anyway, here is a bit more....




Ten Bompas provided a wonderful interlude. I liked this hotel very much and was sorry we did not have a full day in which to explore the city using the hotel as our base. My room was huge, with sitting room, stocked mini-bar included; one large bathroom; large bedroom; and a half bath. Due to our late arrival, and the heavy traffic from the airport (this was Friday night) we had no time to leave the hotel. Dinner that night was at the Ten Bompas restaurant, Side’s. I had smoked salmon salad followed by duck confit..the food was excellent and the restaurant was crowded with both guests and outsiders. I would eat there again even if I were not staying at the hotel.

Breakfast is included with the room rate. I recommend the oatmeal with Amarula! And the egg dishes. Excellent stay!

www.tenbompas.com


Next morning after breakfast we were picked up by the transfer company, RNS Tours and Transfers, and driven to the airport for our flight to Livingstone. Before we checked in, we shrink wrapped one bag each and left them in the luggage storage area in the basement of the terminal. The price per bag, I believe, is 40 Rand per day and luggage is stored in wire cages behind the “office.” The OR Tambo domestic terminal itself is a hectic place and we found it a bit overwhelming at first.

Hi there

What to say about Singita, it is indulgent, it is for the wealthy, it is beautiful and unbeliavable, but as far as game goes, same as Londolozi, Mala Mala and Sabi Sabi. The lodge itself is inbelivable, the staff to guest rtio is spot on, Luke Bales has got it right on so many levels that he validates the cost and as long as people pay it he can charge it, if I was booking a holiday and I could do 3 nights at Singita or 6 nights at Mala Mala...

I would do 6 nights at Mala Mala.

The fact is you can have a 6 day safari at 2 camps for the price of 2 nights at Singita.

I agree with you on 10 Bompass it is outstanding those rooms were made to live in and their food is gorgoeus.

When you come back you must go do a wine tasting evening at 10 Bompass and do book an addittional day in Johannesburg, if you want a really interesting day do a "Spear of the nation" our woth Robin Binckes it is so interesting!!!

Hi ekscrunchy

I have been to Lion Sands a few times, but the last visit was December 2005 so obviously something has changed, as the food was fabulous! Not that I travel to South Africa for the food - as long as they feed me I am very easily pleased! The rooms at Ivory are stunning but the price is just ridiculous now and I am one who definitely thinks MalaMala has the best gameviewing, and as gameviewing for me is top priority, I no longer go elsewhere. Singita was another property I visited, last time December 2005, and the place to me, needed an uplift and once again the price is just too ridiculous for words, though again, the food and service were great!

If a need the luxury break, then in the middle of my trip to MalaMala Main Camp, I head off to Rattray's for 3 or 4 nights, so I still get my top gameviewing, but I also get the luxurious change in my room.

Lynn, I can't remember who mentioned the ice-cream thing, but how bizarre! What will they think of next! I can't begin to imagine the mess I would be in after an icecream with the heat of the day! And I would prefer my fellow vehicle guests to be on time and dressed!

Kind regards

Kaye

Hi kaye

It was me that mentioned the ice-cream and I promise do not knock it till you try it.....imagine the scene....

Afternoon tea on the verandah, delicious coffee/tee/cakes overlooking the African bush, discussing your game drive ahead...off you go... drive out of camp..you stop to admire the little warthogs sprinting across the dirt, tails in the air, carry on you stop to watch a Kudu Bull watching you, carry on Waterbuck, Impala, cheetah...wow.... spend time watching them and move off....mad chattering going on in the landrover about the cheetah...vehicle stops, we all look, a ice cream trolly in the middle of the road, we all hop out, what would you like normal cone, sugar cone or cup, vanilla, choclate, strawberry, lime or frozen mango yoghurt, make it all up, hop back on the vehicle drive for five minutes, stop and eat delicious mango frozen yopghurt in between 100 buffalo...an hour later sundowner drinks and biltong...as the sun sets over a beautiful african sky.... what could be better...another day in Africa...

Hi Doogle

Sorry I will stop you - as I am one who doesn't want to stop and waste time having afternoon tea to begin with!

I love icecream - but not in a gamevehicle! Who does this?

Do you live in South Africa? How often do you visit the Sabi Sands?

Kind regards

Kaye

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=4&tid=35091957

Hi Kaye,

Check out the thread ..... may give you some answers.

Rgds,
Hari

Hi Kaye...

Yip I live here and have had a baby recently so have not gone to the Sabi Sands for a while but genrally I was going on average twice a year!

Hari not sure what you meant by that thread, just giving advice!

Not even tea Kaye...no you have to eat at some stage!

Here is the link for the day tours in Jbg that you mentioned; I know that most people here try to bypass Johannesburg but I would like to stay for a day or two net time:


http://www.spearofthenation.co.za/Tours.asp?Operator=Key&Type=Special

Hi Doogle,

No, not even tea - during summer that is what the middle of the day is for - do not even want to waste a minute eating when I can be gameviewing - same for sundowners - do not really care to stop for them either, if gameviewing is good then we should be gameviewing! Clearly I am speaking for myself, not for all guests as many seem to think sundowners a necessity, I don't!

Congratulations on your new baby! I also like to go twice a year - if I lived in South Africa, I think I would be going a lot more but the 30 odd hours flying is a little offputting!

Kind regards

Kaye

Hi Hari,

Sorry must be late, as I didn't get it either!

Two weeks tomorrow when I leave - so will be gameviewing Sunday two weeks! Am already wondering what that first gamedrive will bring!

Kind regards

Kaye

ISLANDS OF SIANKABA/ZAMBIA:




We flew to Livingstone on Nationwide. Make certain that your Zambian hotel has arranged a visa waver for you so you do not have to pay the high fees. When you make your way up the long line/queue and reach the immigration officer, you will be given a loose-leaf book to look though and locate your visa waiver form. Since we could not find our forms, we each had to pay $100. US. (The money was refunded to us upon reaching our hotel, as it appeared that there had been some oversight somewhere along the line regarding filing the forms.)

Outside the immigration area we were met by the hotel driver and driven the half-hour or so to Islands of Siankaba, where we were booked for two nights.



http://www.siankaba.net/Facilities.htm




I liked this hotel. While I would not call it luxury, (certainly not in comparison to Lion Sands!!), it was a lovely spot to relax in fixed teak-and-canvas “chalets” facing the Zambezi which were fitted with all comforts including excellent mosquito-netted bed, freesanding bathtub and separate shower, and a deck with comfy chairs facing the water. The cabins are linked to the dining area/bar by a pair of swinging rope bridges which gives the place a quintessential jungle-lodge feel. The staff are very friendly and eager to please. The food is fairly good and dinners are taken with the other guests which, when we were there, were mainly interesting Brits and Australians.

After our arrival we boarded the lodge’s flat-bottomed boat for a sunset cruise, complete with drinks (Note to provision-person: please use Roses’s Lime juice and not carbonated “lime” soda!!) , snacks, hippo ears poking up out of the water, and a good number of birds. The boats are at your disposal all day so you can plan your own itinerary: cruising on the river, bird watching, etc. The lodge also offers a nature walk and a visit to adjacent Siankaba village, home to many of the staff. With only two nights, we lacked time, as we had a Victoria Falls day trip planned for the following day and we also wanted to see a bit of Livingstone itself.

topping for mistik321; soon I will write the section about our day trip to the Falls/lunch at Vic Falls Hotel and a short visit to Livingstone..

Our planned visit to Victoria Falls the next morning began a bit later than I would have liked. We were driven in the Siankaba van to a rendezvous point in the parking lot of the Royal Livingstone Hotel, where we were to meet the Zimbabwean guide who would transfer us across the border and to the Falls. It appears that there is an issue with Zambian guides and vehicles making the crossing, or at least this is what we were told. En route to the hotel from Siankaba, we saw many giraffe along the road and stopped to take a few photos. We arrived at the RL parking lot but our Zimbabwean guide was nowhere to be found. We waited almost an hour before he finally arrived, so that by the time we actually reached the border a few minutes from the hotel it was close to noon. The border crossing was very easy and it took only minutes to exit Zambia and enter Zimbabwe. Contrary to reports, we paid nothing to enter Zim. We walked across the bridge and watched the bungee jumping activity for a few minutes (no one actually jumped; one tourist who was all kitted out became too frightened and I cannot say that I blamed her!) We sanpped some pictures of the Welcome to Zimbabwe signs and then drove the very short distance to the entrance to the Falls.

A few words of advice: Try to arrive as early as possible, not only for the photographic light but because by the time we arrived it was scorching hot; I would guess at least 100F in early October. Also, make sure to bring water on the walk. There are one of two water faucets along the route where we saw vendors filling up plastic water bottles..take care if you plan to purchase these on site.

Victoria Falls is everything you have heard and read. While there was almost no water on the Zambia side, there was plenty on the Zim side. Our walk along the trail which connects a string of viewpoints took a bit over an hour. We had the company of many monkeys and a fair number of tourists. The haze combined with the height of the sun did not bode too well for our photos, but none of us are avid photographers so that was not a real issue. (We did get some incredible views and photos from the Kasane-bound plane the next day) We also had a discussion about the political situation in the country with our guide which really brought home the unfolding tragedy of Mugabe’s rule.

Close to 2pm we arrived at the storied Victoria Falls Hotel and were shown to a table on the shaded verandah. The fish (bream) here was quite good but the prices are high; three of us spent close to $100US for lunch which included lime and sodas, three fish entrees, two coffees and one dessert. Payment must be made in foreign currency and they do take credit cards. After lunch we wandered around the Hotel looking at the old photographs on the walls, and then headed for the lovely swimming pool. I swam for about an hour, showered and dressed in the changing room, and we were off back across the border to Livingstone. This being a Sunday the Livingstone Musuem was closed but we spent some time in a small food market before heading back to Islands of Siankaba.

Before dinner we were serenaded by a chorus of staff members; this was magical as well as being great music. Then, dinner and our last sleep in Zambia before heading to Botswana.

Hi ek,

how lucky that my DS didn't know about the bungy jumping at Vic falls.

it was bad enough having to watch him do it once!

what do they jump off and into at the falls? on the garden route they jump from the special walk-way under a massive road bridge across a huge gorge. you could watch from a viewing area or on TV. Even watching was difficult for me.

keep it coming,

regards, ann

Ann: They jump off the side of the railroad bridge which crosses the Zambezi between the two countries.

The woman who was all dressed in the harness was a honeymooner from UK who I had, coincidentally, met the day before on the immigration line at the airport. She had never been on an airplane before that day!! And here she was ready to take the plunge in Zambia! (I asked her why she decided on Zambia and she said her travel agent told them it was a great place for a honeymoon!!)

We watched (along with a line of others) for about 15 minutes while she vacillated back and forth with her new husband and with the bungee guide-person..she was terrified and eventually decided not to jump. They also have other activities..there is some sort of a cable that you dangle from and cross the river..(maybe that is the "absailing") and all sorts of other things I had never imagined!

Hi ek,

sounds as if she'd had enough excitement for one holiday with just the flight.

i think that the cable crossing is called a "flying fox"; absailing is when they lower you off the top of a cliff towards the ground on a rope and you walk backwards down the cliff-face. I say "you" as I've never done it and never likely to.

my family say that i had a removal of all my "intrepidity" at an early age. Can one be "trepid"? DS must have got it from someone else!

regards, ann

So you got a full dose of the falls from the Zimbabwe side, even though you stayed on the Zambia side. I'm with you on the intrepid stuff. No bungee jumps for me.

Yeah..I guess we three must fall into the "trepid" category!

I will say that, as much as I liked Siankaba, if one's primary interest is in the Falls or in those activities for the INtrepid, the Zim side, or the Zambian side closer to Livingstone, would put you much closer to the action. I thought Livingstone itself was worth a half day. (We had a few hours there the next morning, which I will write about soon...)

Islands of Siankaba is kind of a destination in itself, with the Falls as a side trip. At Siankaba you do have the option of taking the boat trips on the River and one of our fellow guests who was an avid bird-watcher stayed out the entire day on one of the boats. I think you can also fish. And there are lots of hippo in the River. They also offer the nature walk and the visit to the nearby Siankaba village, where most of the lodge staff members live.

Hi ekscrunchy-

I have some questions for you about Charlie Ratcliffe. My husband and I, both 31, have 3 full days to spend in Capetwon and are debating between a private tour guide or group tours through Ilios---we are open to other tour companies though. I am confused about Charlie operates-----I e-mailed him directly and he responded saying that he could work with us on the dates we are traveling to SA in August 2008. I know that he works for Southern Destinations---does he do this private stuff on the side or through Southern Destinations? Also, what was your experience with him? We are debating between the group vs private tours b/c we are not sure that we want to have to "entertain" a provate driver vs being on a group tour where we can talk with each other. Any thoughts? We are looking to do a full day Winelands Tour, a full day Cape Peninsula Tour, and a half day Table Mountain/City Tour. Thanks so much!

hi, enlehman,

i know I'm not the OP, but what the 'ek, I'm butting in.

IMO, you don't really need a tour guide for a lot of what you have planned - there are hop-on hop off buses [2 routes] that do circular routes that take in Table Mountain and the city sights.

if you hire a car you can easily do a tour of the winelands and a trip down to the cape yourselves.

regards, ann

Sorry I did not see this earlier..I am siting in a cafe in Hoi An, Vietnam and took a minute to log onto...guess what..Fodors!

Anyway, Charlie works both independently and with Southern Destinations..I cannot speak highly enough of him; he is fun, easy going, considerate, etc..the kind of person I would love to have as a friend. And we felt like we were friends touring with him..there is no way you have to "entertain" him..think of it more like visiting the sights with a friend of a friend..he is in your age range and was born and has lived in the Capetown area his entire life..

I am not weighing in on the guide vs independent issue..I am sure that both would be fine, but if you do use a guide, I cannot imagine that you can find better than Charlie. By the way, he has worked in Botswana as well and is also knowledgeable about that country so perhaps something to consier if you are also headed that way..

I can virtually guarantee that you will have fun with him..he is a cool guy who really knows the area. Please tell him hello from me in New York, to identify me, just say that I traveled with the couple whose cans of prune juice were temporarily lost..

Have fun whatever you decide to do and please report back..I never did finish this report..there did not seem to be much interest and I am now off on another adventure but would love to answer any and all questions and help however I am able..

topping in response to recent query about eating in CapeTown..

thanks EK. for all this info....you do get around...

ekscrunchy, I am planning a trip to S.A. next spring and your posting has really gotten me excited. I am going to use a lot of this in my planning. Thank you so much for your detailed posting!

I am happy to help, Laurie.

One of these days I will get around to finishing this report with details about our morning in Livingstone (Maramba market; museum) and our thrilling visit to Botswana: 3 days at Stanley's Camp in the Delta, and two nights at King's Pool in the Linyanti.

Can't wait to hear about the rest!

topping for Landlcochran...

One of these days I will get around to finishing the Botswana portion of this report.

Meanwhile, I was delighted to learn that our terrific CapeTown guide, Charlie Ratcliffe, will lead a small-group tour for Southern Destinations this summer.

The 10-day tour visits Manyeleti Game Reserve, Thonga Beach Lodge in KZN and And Beyond Phinda.

I am mentioning this here because Charlie was THE best guide I could ever imagine!! We had asked him if he would ever guide outside Capetown.

I only wish I could go to SA again!!


Here is more information:

http://www.southerndestinations.com/tours/safaris/on_safari_with_charlie/

EKS-can you be more specific about the location of the Kensington Place hotel in Capetown? I am wondering how difficult it is to get to the waterfront area. We only have 3 days and I was expecting to get something centrally located but your description and the website make it seem quite lovely.

It IS lovely but it is not within walking distance of the Waterfront. But taxis are inexpensive. Frankly, we ended up taking those taxis every night so it would not have mattered much where we stayed. (I would not have chosen restaurants at the Waterfront).

Kensington Place is close to Kloof Street, which has many small shops and restaurants. But since we had Charlie, our guide, and his car, every day, we did not have time to explore that area.

I would not choose to stay at the Waterfront. It reminded me of one of those new "wharf" shopping malls in the US, with better scenery!

We also stayed at Kensington Place a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. It was an inexpensive cab ride to the Waterfront and Kloof Street is an amusing place to wander. The views from the rooms are great.

I have to add this food note:

I bought a bottle of Rozendal vinegar in Stellenbosch, on the recommendation of our guide, Charlie Ratcliffe. This vinegar is so wonderful that, when I ran out, I wrote to the company and asked how to purchase more (it is not sold in US retail shops). I received my 6-bottle carton last week and now rest assured that I can continue making terrific salads:

I bought the green label vinegar, below:

http://rozendalvinegar.com/canada/?page_id=3

Ordering information for US residents is:



vinegar@esedona.net

With shipping the price was just over $100US for six bottles.

Thanks for the tip. Our S.A. trip begins in a week. I took your advice and have been working with Liesl, who is just fantastic. So I will also try the vinegar. 2 questions: do you know what is the difference between green and blue labels? And how did you pack your bottle so that it wouldn't break on the return trip?

DC: I am so glad you are letting Liesl plan your trip!

I always bring some bubble wrap along with me for breakables. But they can pack it for you as well. Also, with the help of Charlie, the guide that Liesl arranged for us, we each sent a package home from a shipper in Capetown. Everything arrived safe and sound.

The vinegar I have has the green label. From the description next to the photos, it looks as if they are the same, but if you look at the actual label in the photos, they are a bit different.
I very rarely order foods by mail, but this was so fabulous that I went through their site and got the e-mail for one of the owners in the US. I would like to try the other one someday, too!

Please let me know if you have any other questions..you have a delightful trip ahead!

I just found this link that explains a bit more:


http://www.rozendal.co.za/farm/vinegar.html

ttt

Ek, loved the report and will quiz you in july if we meet up with gpanda..

bob

I had better steel myself!!!