Bridezilla's Trip Report- Vic Falls, SA, Mauritius
Oct 25th, 2006, 01:20 AM
#22
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A brand new, flaming red Volkswagen City was our weapon of choice. Not that such a small car would do that much damage, but what with all the nervous left-lane driving, the blanking out at intersections as to what the hell direction to look in for oncoming traffic, and me trying to co-pilot my husband yet being unable to tear my eyes away from the spectacular scenery, we were an accident waiting to happen. More to come later on accidents and our vehicular adventures in Mauritius, where everytime he engaged the turn signal, the windshield wipers would come on full speed and where we got rear-ended.
Out of Cape Town, we took the M6 southbound past Camp's Bay, the Twelve Apostles, winded our way down to Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak (where a toll must be paid) and then over to the False Bay side of the peninsula to Fish Hoek, Simon's Town and Boulder's Beach.
It was at Boulder's Beach that we made a stop to see the penguins. With their wide-legged walk they look like slouchy old men in tuxedos. You pay a nominal fee to get in and can access the beach via an elevated, wooden walkway. The penguins are all around and despite their goofiness, they are very photogenic. The beach is gorgeous and looks like what I imagine a beach in the Seychelles to look like with big, massive rocks and turquoise water. In the distance, we were fortunate to see slivers of a whale's back as it made its way across the horizon.
Describing the scenery along the peninsula can't be done in words, and even the pictures don't render the sheer vastness of the ocean, the power of its waves, the drama of the cliffs or the intensity of the colors. It is absolutely breath-taking.
As we neared Cape Point and entered the park, our drive was made even more exciting (and tricky!) by baboons and ostriches crossing our path and blocking traffic. The baboons got so bad at one point that a ranger had to fire his slingshot at them to get them off the road.
We reached Cape Point and took the cable car up to the lighthouse and lookout point. The slogan “where two oceans meet” is misleading here, as this is not actually the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. This happens further east towards Cape Agulhas. However, it is the site of numerous shipwrecks over the centuries due to the strong winds and unpredictable currents.
We made our way back down by cable car and proceeded on to Cape of Good Hope, the most southwesterly point of the African continent. The crashing waves and ocean spray hanging in the air made for a very dramatic backdrop to our pictures.
Our drive back up the peninsula took in the towns of Scarborough and Kommetjie on the Atlantic side, which offered absolutely stunning views. Here again we encountered a large group of baboons along the road and in among the houses. Unafraid of cars, some were lazily grooming themselves while others just sat there watching the world go by; one had even fallen asleep with his body laying on the shoulder of the road and his head resting directly on the road.
We barely made it back to Avis minutes before closing time (6pm) and were offered a ride back to the hotel.
Safari-bound, the next day started with an early wake-up call for our flight to Johannesburg and then on to Hoedspruit to the Timbavati Reserve. Today would be our first day on safari.
To be continued, King's Camp...
Out of Cape Town, we took the M6 southbound past Camp's Bay, the Twelve Apostles, winded our way down to Hout Bay and Chapman's Peak (where a toll must be paid) and then over to the False Bay side of the peninsula to Fish Hoek, Simon's Town and Boulder's Beach.
It was at Boulder's Beach that we made a stop to see the penguins. With their wide-legged walk they look like slouchy old men in tuxedos. You pay a nominal fee to get in and can access the beach via an elevated, wooden walkway. The penguins are all around and despite their goofiness, they are very photogenic. The beach is gorgeous and looks like what I imagine a beach in the Seychelles to look like with big, massive rocks and turquoise water. In the distance, we were fortunate to see slivers of a whale's back as it made its way across the horizon.
Describing the scenery along the peninsula can't be done in words, and even the pictures don't render the sheer vastness of the ocean, the power of its waves, the drama of the cliffs or the intensity of the colors. It is absolutely breath-taking.
As we neared Cape Point and entered the park, our drive was made even more exciting (and tricky!) by baboons and ostriches crossing our path and blocking traffic. The baboons got so bad at one point that a ranger had to fire his slingshot at them to get them off the road.
We reached Cape Point and took the cable car up to the lighthouse and lookout point. The slogan “where two oceans meet” is misleading here, as this is not actually the meeting point of the Indian and Atlantic oceans. This happens further east towards Cape Agulhas. However, it is the site of numerous shipwrecks over the centuries due to the strong winds and unpredictable currents.
We made our way back down by cable car and proceeded on to Cape of Good Hope, the most southwesterly point of the African continent. The crashing waves and ocean spray hanging in the air made for a very dramatic backdrop to our pictures.
Our drive back up the peninsula took in the towns of Scarborough and Kommetjie on the Atlantic side, which offered absolutely stunning views. Here again we encountered a large group of baboons along the road and in among the houses. Unafraid of cars, some were lazily grooming themselves while others just sat there watching the world go by; one had even fallen asleep with his body laying on the shoulder of the road and his head resting directly on the road.
We barely made it back to Avis minutes before closing time (6pm) and were offered a ride back to the hotel.
Safari-bound, the next day started with an early wake-up call for our flight to Johannesburg and then on to Hoedspruit to the Timbavati Reserve. Today would be our first day on safari.
To be continued, King's Camp...
Oct 25th, 2006, 12:35 PM
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You have some beautiful water and sunset shots. The ostriches along the coast are great. What a sight!
Some nice game viewing in Timbavati. Good rhino shots.
Did you visit any cheetahs at Spier's? I saw a couple of Spier's pictures. What did you do there?
There has been somebody posting questions about King's Camp. You would make a good source on it with 4 days there.
You look just like I had pictured you!
Some nice game viewing in Timbavati. Good rhino shots.
Did you visit any cheetahs at Spier's? I saw a couple of Spier's pictures. What did you do there?
There has been somebody posting questions about King's Camp. You would make a good source on it with 4 days there.
You look just like I had pictured you!
Oct 26th, 2006, 12:12 AM
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Atravelynn:
If you look real real close, tilt your head and squint your eyes you can see in the photo that that's me petting the cheetah at Spier's.
I have better footage on video!
It was amazing! I didn't want to leave. He was so soft, but the girl assured me that that was because of all the pampering and special treatment the cheetahs receive at the center.
His name was Joseph and he was BIG, but purring just like a kitty.
If you look real real close, tilt your head and squint your eyes you can see in the photo that that's me petting the cheetah at Spier's.
I have better footage on video!
It was amazing! I didn't want to leave. He was so soft, but the girl assured me that that was because of all the pampering and special treatment the cheetahs receive at the center.
His name was Joseph and he was BIG, but purring just like a kitty.
Nov 3rd, 2006, 03:11 AM
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The Italians call it “mal d'Africa”. In the sense of “mal d'amore” or “love sickness”. It is the sickness lovers of Africa are typically left with after their first trip. A bittersweet feeling that is at once fulfilling, heartbreaking, exhilarating, frustrating and mysterious. Like love. And just like love, it has you coming back for more. Yet returning to Africa, they say, only leaves the afflicted with an even greater longing and, alas, even sicker than before. There is no cure for mal d'Africa and it is a condition that never leaves you.
I caught the bug during our stay at King's Camp.
It wouldn't be enough to tell you all about the fantastic food we ate, the thoughtful service we received, or the beautiful surroundings we enjoyed. Nor would it do justice to share our experience as a chronicle of the species seen or not seen (I'm not that knowledgeable) or of the pictures taken or missed (I'm not that methodical). What I can say is that a safari is a special experience, at least it was for me. What other activity is so all-absorbing and thrilling? Ok, except maybe bargain shopping.
We arrived at King's Camp around lunchtime and just in time for our late afternoon drive. Daily drives are at 5:30 am and 3:30 pm. It was our first outing and the very first animals we came across was a large herd of buffalo. Following the tracker's indications, our driver made his way toward them, ruthlessly crushing and snapping bushes and branches in his path. We slowly inched closer and closer to the buffalo until we were virtually in the middle of the herd. Some stood still staring at us while others quickly propped themselves up ready to flee if necessary. They were acutely aware of our presence. Our driver turned off the engine and I was afraid to breathe. Ok, I thought, so this is the part when one buffalo gets spooked and the rest go charging after him, trampling us and reducing our jeep to a tangle of metal, dust, horns and human limbs. Great. Needless to say, the buffalo did no such thing (after all I am here writing about this) and as soon as they had concluded that we were of little threat to them, they nonchalantly resumed their chewing and lounging. And I resumed my breathing. I even mustered up the courage to raise my camera and take a picture. Rest assured, during our subsequent wildlife encounters, I was considerably more relaxed. In fact, in no time at all I started to feel excitement and anticipation for the next encounter. Never have I gotten up at 5 in the morning with such brio!
During our twice daily drives we saw zebra, wildebeest, warthogs, impala, giraffe, springboks, lions, leopards, elephants, baboons, hyaena and countless birds of all sizes and colors.
Our encounter with the hyaena occured on one night drive. And it was amazing. Night had fallen suddenly over an orange and violet sunset and a female hyaena was laying in the bushes nursing her pup. How our tracker and driver found her remains a mystery to me; apparently they saw the reflection of her eyes against the track light. The scene was so endearing and lovable for an animal with, frankly, such a bad rap, that we just sat there captivated. The mother simply laid there while the puppy couldn't decide whether to latch on or run and hide, uncertain what to make of our presence. Every time the puppy pulled away to hide in the nearby hole, the mother would raise her head and look up quizically, but when the hungry puppy would emerge from the rut and bury its head in her belly she would lifelessly plop her head back down on the ground.
We witnessed more mother/child interaction with a pride of lions. This was on the second morning. We were following a single file of lions (grandmother, aunt, mother and two young males) that was headed somewhere very intently. The two young males however had other priorities. They were busy playing and consequently sorely lagged behind the group. When the mother realized the long absence of the two little lions, she suddenly stopped, turned around facing us, looked at us, then looked beyond us, and called out to them, the tip of her tail straight and parallel to the ground. I was literally terrified. She was so close. She called out again and nothing. Her repeated calls only caught the attention of the aunt, who joined her in the calling. Surely enough, after what seemed an eternity, the little ones came hopping merrily along, their games interrupted, and joined the rest of the pride. With the young ones in tow, the females turned back around and resumed their walk.
One option guests are given after the morning drive is a bush walk back to the camp. The trek is usually about 45 minutes long and gives you a chance to see some of the details of the surroundings. On foot, we were instructed to follow our guide in a single file. We inspected the different tracks, the animals' feces and the flora. We did not encounter any animals on our walks except for a group of warthogs in the distance. One thing that especially amazed me were the huge termite mounds. The inner workings of the termite community are fascinating and we were told that although huge, the mountain you see on the surface is only about 1/3 of the achievement, the remaining 2/3 is all below ground. On the walk, we also had a chance to see up close the havoc elephants are wreaking on the area's trees. Everywhere there were uprooted trees, slabs of bark peeled off, limbs and trunks snapped in half. It is amazing to see the power of an elephant's trunk and jaws reduce to mere shreds thick, and apparently juicy, logs.
King's Camp itself is terrific. We stayed in room 10, the last in a series of bungalows facing the open bush. Only a few rows of electric wires separate you from the wildlife. If you see the various photos hanging in the library (and posted on their website) of a leopard casually roaming the camp grounds, you'll realize I use the term “separate” very loosely. This factor in no small part contributed to my apprehension when we were pleasantly informed that as a special treat for the newlyweds, we would be served a private dinner for two outdoors on the patio. The patio that faces the open bush. The open bush that contains potentially ferocious wildlife. Ah, very romantic. I'm ashamed to say that I ate the fantastic four-course dinner at lightening speed.
Our camp was also given a special suprise one night with a bush dinner set up around a huge bonfire, complete with drum playing and an open grill.
The rooms are decorated with exquisite taste and no detail is overlooked. We were pampered and taken care of to no end. Rose-petaled evening baths, champagne and sherry, welcome notes and heated beds: the stuff, indeed, of kings. One especially great touch is the outdoor shower, which I used at night under a thick, bright blanket of stars.
It was truly a memorable experience.
Next up, Mauritius...
I caught the bug during our stay at King's Camp.
It wouldn't be enough to tell you all about the fantastic food we ate, the thoughtful service we received, or the beautiful surroundings we enjoyed. Nor would it do justice to share our experience as a chronicle of the species seen or not seen (I'm not that knowledgeable) or of the pictures taken or missed (I'm not that methodical). What I can say is that a safari is a special experience, at least it was for me. What other activity is so all-absorbing and thrilling? Ok, except maybe bargain shopping.
We arrived at King's Camp around lunchtime and just in time for our late afternoon drive. Daily drives are at 5:30 am and 3:30 pm. It was our first outing and the very first animals we came across was a large herd of buffalo. Following the tracker's indications, our driver made his way toward them, ruthlessly crushing and snapping bushes and branches in his path. We slowly inched closer and closer to the buffalo until we were virtually in the middle of the herd. Some stood still staring at us while others quickly propped themselves up ready to flee if necessary. They were acutely aware of our presence. Our driver turned off the engine and I was afraid to breathe. Ok, I thought, so this is the part when one buffalo gets spooked and the rest go charging after him, trampling us and reducing our jeep to a tangle of metal, dust, horns and human limbs. Great. Needless to say, the buffalo did no such thing (after all I am here writing about this) and as soon as they had concluded that we were of little threat to them, they nonchalantly resumed their chewing and lounging. And I resumed my breathing. I even mustered up the courage to raise my camera and take a picture. Rest assured, during our subsequent wildlife encounters, I was considerably more relaxed. In fact, in no time at all I started to feel excitement and anticipation for the next encounter. Never have I gotten up at 5 in the morning with such brio!
During our twice daily drives we saw zebra, wildebeest, warthogs, impala, giraffe, springboks, lions, leopards, elephants, baboons, hyaena and countless birds of all sizes and colors.
Our encounter with the hyaena occured on one night drive. And it was amazing. Night had fallen suddenly over an orange and violet sunset and a female hyaena was laying in the bushes nursing her pup. How our tracker and driver found her remains a mystery to me; apparently they saw the reflection of her eyes against the track light. The scene was so endearing and lovable for an animal with, frankly, such a bad rap, that we just sat there captivated. The mother simply laid there while the puppy couldn't decide whether to latch on or run and hide, uncertain what to make of our presence. Every time the puppy pulled away to hide in the nearby hole, the mother would raise her head and look up quizically, but when the hungry puppy would emerge from the rut and bury its head in her belly she would lifelessly plop her head back down on the ground.
We witnessed more mother/child interaction with a pride of lions. This was on the second morning. We were following a single file of lions (grandmother, aunt, mother and two young males) that was headed somewhere very intently. The two young males however had other priorities. They were busy playing and consequently sorely lagged behind the group. When the mother realized the long absence of the two little lions, she suddenly stopped, turned around facing us, looked at us, then looked beyond us, and called out to them, the tip of her tail straight and parallel to the ground. I was literally terrified. She was so close. She called out again and nothing. Her repeated calls only caught the attention of the aunt, who joined her in the calling. Surely enough, after what seemed an eternity, the little ones came hopping merrily along, their games interrupted, and joined the rest of the pride. With the young ones in tow, the females turned back around and resumed their walk.
One option guests are given after the morning drive is a bush walk back to the camp. The trek is usually about 45 minutes long and gives you a chance to see some of the details of the surroundings. On foot, we were instructed to follow our guide in a single file. We inspected the different tracks, the animals' feces and the flora. We did not encounter any animals on our walks except for a group of warthogs in the distance. One thing that especially amazed me were the huge termite mounds. The inner workings of the termite community are fascinating and we were told that although huge, the mountain you see on the surface is only about 1/3 of the achievement, the remaining 2/3 is all below ground. On the walk, we also had a chance to see up close the havoc elephants are wreaking on the area's trees. Everywhere there were uprooted trees, slabs of bark peeled off, limbs and trunks snapped in half. It is amazing to see the power of an elephant's trunk and jaws reduce to mere shreds thick, and apparently juicy, logs.
King's Camp itself is terrific. We stayed in room 10, the last in a series of bungalows facing the open bush. Only a few rows of electric wires separate you from the wildlife. If you see the various photos hanging in the library (and posted on their website) of a leopard casually roaming the camp grounds, you'll realize I use the term “separate” very loosely. This factor in no small part contributed to my apprehension when we were pleasantly informed that as a special treat for the newlyweds, we would be served a private dinner for two outdoors on the patio. The patio that faces the open bush. The open bush that contains potentially ferocious wildlife. Ah, very romantic. I'm ashamed to say that I ate the fantastic four-course dinner at lightening speed.
Our camp was also given a special suprise one night with a bush dinner set up around a huge bonfire, complete with drum playing and an open grill.
The rooms are decorated with exquisite taste and no detail is overlooked. We were pampered and taken care of to no end. Rose-petaled evening baths, champagne and sherry, welcome notes and heated beds: the stuff, indeed, of kings. One especially great touch is the outdoor shower, which I used at night under a thick, bright blanket of stars.
It was truly a memorable experience.
Next up, Mauritius...
Nov 3rd, 2006, 07:10 AM
#29
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Your account of King's Camp is a wonderful description, especially the mother and young interactions.
Now I know what I caught over in Africa; it's Mal d'Africa. Thank you Dr. Bridezilla for diagnosing and describing it just perfectly!
I asked about the bushes we often drove over in pursuit of an animal. I was told that as long as the vehicle does not stop and back up over the bushes again, that they shoot right up without damage. I even got several demos of the brush coming back to life which made me feel better.
Excellent report!
Now I know what I caught over in Africa; it's Mal d'Africa. Thank you Dr. Bridezilla for diagnosing and describing it just perfectly!
I asked about the bushes we often drove over in pursuit of an animal. I was told that as long as the vehicle does not stop and back up over the bushes again, that they shoot right up without damage. I even got several demos of the brush coming back to life which made me feel better.
Excellent report!
Nov 3rd, 2006, 11:41 AM
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"The Italians call it “mal d'Africa”. In the sense of “mal d'amore” or “love sickness”. It is the sickness lovers of Africa are typically left with after their first trip. A bittersweet feeling that is at once fulfilling, heartbreaking, exhilarating, frustrating and mysterious. Like love. And just like love, it has you coming back for more. Yet returning to Africa, they say, only leaves the afflicted with an even greater longing and, alas, even sicker than before. There is no cure for mal d'Africa and it is a condition that never leaves you."
Beautifully put.
Here's how my companion, Ruth, responded to my email yesterday when I expressed "wanting" to go back to Africa, and soon (to Zambia--Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa--where we became afflicted with our mal d'Africa, and so many other places yet to be discovered).
"It's more need then want. To go back. There were all these chasms that were unopened; actually unknown, in myself. They not only were opened, flooded, and new ones opened to hold the reserve---but there remains still a place in me, begging for more."
Jim
Beautifully put.
Here's how my companion, Ruth, responded to my email yesterday when I expressed "wanting" to go back to Africa, and soon (to Zambia--Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa--where we became afflicted with our mal d'Africa, and so many other places yet to be discovered).
"It's more need then want. To go back. There were all these chasms that were unopened; actually unknown, in myself. They not only were opened, flooded, and new ones opened to hold the reserve---but there remains still a place in me, begging for more."
Jim
Nov 3rd, 2006, 07:03 PM
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Bridezilla, So glad you've continued! I so enjoy your reports, more than many of the guidebooks purchased as we plan our first visit to Africa! Based on your initial postings, we are now hoping to add a visit to Zambia (Livingstone) to our itinerary. Can't wait for your next post to see if there are additional tips to improve our trip!
Ellie
Ellie
Nov 7th, 2006, 07:05 AM
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After four days on safari, we reluctantly headed off to Hoedspruit to catch our afternoon flight to Johannesburg, from where the next day we would fly to Mauritius.
Our tour operator booked a room for us at the Garden Court Hotel in Sandton, a shopping and business-oriented area of Johannesburg.
The hotel in itself was average, but the service was downright awful. We immediately got the feeling that the people at the reception had no idea what they were doing; they seemed to be busy bustling about, but accomplishing, in fact, very little. This feeling was further confirmed the next day as we waited and waited to check out and even more so when we were told that the breakfast boxes we had ordered the evening before were not ready. We later opened the boxes to find that they had thrown in whatever happened to be within reach, apparently hardboiled eggs and Coke, among other things.
The Sandton area has a vast selection of shopping malls and restaurants. Before leaving King's Camp, the kind manager at King's Camp had asked us where we were headed and upon telling him Sandton he quickly recommended the Vilamoura restaurant. However, by the time we found it and realized how posh it was and that we'd have to go back to the hotel to change into something decent, we passed. After wandering around a bit, we finally decided on a seafood restaurant in the Nelson Mandela Square that was very good.
The next morning we were ready to surrender ourselves to the tropical, beach portion of our honeymoon. Honestly, we needed the rest; hopping on and off of planes was taking its toll.
A 6-hour flight and voilà we were in Mauritius.
From the plane the lush green mountains below resembled very little the dry woodland of Limpopo. Directly below you could see field after field of sugar cane and in the distance calm ocean waters in a tie-dye of blues and greens.
We were shuttled to the town of Belle Mare, where we stayed at the Beau Rivage. The ride gave us a glimpse of the villages and the locals, largely of Indian descent, and not Creole as we had imagined.
Our little bus rocked in the wake of huge trucks charging past us bursting full with sugar cane and barely grazed past women walking along the narrow road wearing saris of all colors of the rainbow.
Arriving at the hotel we were enveloped in tropical lushness and vanilla-scented air. It was another world.
The hotel is a large complex of thatched-roof buildings with beach-front balconies that wrap around the pool area and the beach forms two half-moons of powdery white sand just beyond the pool.
Beau Rivage offers various activities free of charge such as snorkling and glass-bottom boat excursions, water skiing, paddle boating and kayaking. We passed on the water skiing. However, we really enjoyed snorkling in the coral reef; it was literally like swimming in an aquarium. In the spot where we swam the reef was intact, but further upshore the ocean floor was a cemetary of broken coral. A real shame.
Not ones to overdo it on the beach activities, our main activity was relaxing on the beach and soaking in the sun. The hotel employs roughly 450 staff members, so there was always someone on hand to straighten your beach towel, offer you juicy pineapple (yum), a glass of vanilla water (refreshing) or a face misting of Evian water (heaven).
The service is 5-star all around and the hotel gives complimentary t-shirts and sarongs in the hotel's signature saffron yellow.
As in Cape Town, here too we were given a free rental car for a day. The island is fairly large and can't be traveled in just one day, so we had to decide whether to head north, where the island's tourism is most concentrated, and go to the capital Port Louis or do the more virgin, unspoilt south. We chose the south.
On the way, we visited the Eureka colonial home and its beautiful falls and gardens, Chamarel with its land of seven colors and waterfalls, a massive, lake-side Hindu temple and zig-zagged through green mountains and lots of sugar cane, sugar cane and more sugar cane.
Originally, sugar cane, along with vanilla, were the main exports of the island and the reason for the massive importation of indentured servants from India. Sugar cane in particular was the industry that brought in the most wealth, but with the rise of beet sugar, the industry and the island as a consequence fell on hard times. The vanilla industry suffered a similar fate thanks to the widespread of artificial vanilla extract. Now, tourism and textile are the prominent industries.
It was on our way back in the late afternoon, through rush-hour traffic, that we were rear-ended. Nothing major, but a nuissance nonetheless. We were stopped at a stop sign and a 4x4, fooled by our false start, rammed right into us. By pure coincidence, as we were getting out of the car to assess the damage, the general manager of the Avis office in Port Louis happened to be driving by, recognized the car, and immediately called a representative to help us back at the police station with all the formalities. Great service.
Once everything was smoothed out and once they'd had a good chuckle at the fact that a lawyer had gotten rear-ended (hubby didn't see the humor), they handed us over a new car and we headed back to the hotel.
This incident seemed to have been the only glitch in a picture-perfect trip. But, unfortunately, it wasn't.
Just a few days ago, we got a call from the credit card company saying that our credit card had been cloned and that several transactions (totalling 3,000+ euros) had been made at various points in South Africa. Luckily, today we found out that only one (for 1,000 euros) successfully went through, so the damage has been limited.
But I don't want to end my report on a bad note, this could have happened anywhere.
So let's focus on the positive and give credit where credit is due. To this end, I've compiled a short list.
For the best organizational skills and a level of punctuality high enough to put the Swiss to shame: the Zambians
For the most understated royal treatment: King's Camp
For the most over-the-top breakfast buffet: Table Bay Hotel
For the most gentle demeanor: the Zambians
For the best overall food: Himler, the flamboyantly gay and super-talented chef at King's Camp
For the most newlyweds per square meter: Beau Rivage
For the sweetest laugh: the waiter Derrick at King's Camp
For the most diversity: the Capetownians
And the first, blue-ribbon prize for best travel companion goes to: my hubby!
Thanks Fodorites for taking the time to read my report and thanks again for all your help, suggestions and encouragement with planning this trip to Africa, one of hopefully many more to come!
Mauryn
Our tour operator booked a room for us at the Garden Court Hotel in Sandton, a shopping and business-oriented area of Johannesburg.
The hotel in itself was average, but the service was downright awful. We immediately got the feeling that the people at the reception had no idea what they were doing; they seemed to be busy bustling about, but accomplishing, in fact, very little. This feeling was further confirmed the next day as we waited and waited to check out and even more so when we were told that the breakfast boxes we had ordered the evening before were not ready. We later opened the boxes to find that they had thrown in whatever happened to be within reach, apparently hardboiled eggs and Coke, among other things.
The Sandton area has a vast selection of shopping malls and restaurants. Before leaving King's Camp, the kind manager at King's Camp had asked us where we were headed and upon telling him Sandton he quickly recommended the Vilamoura restaurant. However, by the time we found it and realized how posh it was and that we'd have to go back to the hotel to change into something decent, we passed. After wandering around a bit, we finally decided on a seafood restaurant in the Nelson Mandela Square that was very good.
The next morning we were ready to surrender ourselves to the tropical, beach portion of our honeymoon. Honestly, we needed the rest; hopping on and off of planes was taking its toll.
A 6-hour flight and voilà we were in Mauritius.
From the plane the lush green mountains below resembled very little the dry woodland of Limpopo. Directly below you could see field after field of sugar cane and in the distance calm ocean waters in a tie-dye of blues and greens.
We were shuttled to the town of Belle Mare, where we stayed at the Beau Rivage. The ride gave us a glimpse of the villages and the locals, largely of Indian descent, and not Creole as we had imagined.
Our little bus rocked in the wake of huge trucks charging past us bursting full with sugar cane and barely grazed past women walking along the narrow road wearing saris of all colors of the rainbow.
Arriving at the hotel we were enveloped in tropical lushness and vanilla-scented air. It was another world.
The hotel is a large complex of thatched-roof buildings with beach-front balconies that wrap around the pool area and the beach forms two half-moons of powdery white sand just beyond the pool.
Beau Rivage offers various activities free of charge such as snorkling and glass-bottom boat excursions, water skiing, paddle boating and kayaking. We passed on the water skiing. However, we really enjoyed snorkling in the coral reef; it was literally like swimming in an aquarium. In the spot where we swam the reef was intact, but further upshore the ocean floor was a cemetary of broken coral. A real shame.
Not ones to overdo it on the beach activities, our main activity was relaxing on the beach and soaking in the sun. The hotel employs roughly 450 staff members, so there was always someone on hand to straighten your beach towel, offer you juicy pineapple (yum), a glass of vanilla water (refreshing) or a face misting of Evian water (heaven).
The service is 5-star all around and the hotel gives complimentary t-shirts and sarongs in the hotel's signature saffron yellow.
As in Cape Town, here too we were given a free rental car for a day. The island is fairly large and can't be traveled in just one day, so we had to decide whether to head north, where the island's tourism is most concentrated, and go to the capital Port Louis or do the more virgin, unspoilt south. We chose the south.
On the way, we visited the Eureka colonial home and its beautiful falls and gardens, Chamarel with its land of seven colors and waterfalls, a massive, lake-side Hindu temple and zig-zagged through green mountains and lots of sugar cane, sugar cane and more sugar cane.
Originally, sugar cane, along with vanilla, were the main exports of the island and the reason for the massive importation of indentured servants from India. Sugar cane in particular was the industry that brought in the most wealth, but with the rise of beet sugar, the industry and the island as a consequence fell on hard times. The vanilla industry suffered a similar fate thanks to the widespread of artificial vanilla extract. Now, tourism and textile are the prominent industries.
It was on our way back in the late afternoon, through rush-hour traffic, that we were rear-ended. Nothing major, but a nuissance nonetheless. We were stopped at a stop sign and a 4x4, fooled by our false start, rammed right into us. By pure coincidence, as we were getting out of the car to assess the damage, the general manager of the Avis office in Port Louis happened to be driving by, recognized the car, and immediately called a representative to help us back at the police station with all the formalities. Great service.
Once everything was smoothed out and once they'd had a good chuckle at the fact that a lawyer had gotten rear-ended (hubby didn't see the humor), they handed us over a new car and we headed back to the hotel.
This incident seemed to have been the only glitch in a picture-perfect trip. But, unfortunately, it wasn't.
Just a few days ago, we got a call from the credit card company saying that our credit card had been cloned and that several transactions (totalling 3,000+ euros) had been made at various points in South Africa. Luckily, today we found out that only one (for 1,000 euros) successfully went through, so the damage has been limited.
But I don't want to end my report on a bad note, this could have happened anywhere.
So let's focus on the positive and give credit where credit is due. To this end, I've compiled a short list.
For the best organizational skills and a level of punctuality high enough to put the Swiss to shame: the Zambians
For the most understated royal treatment: King's Camp
For the most over-the-top breakfast buffet: Table Bay Hotel
For the most gentle demeanor: the Zambians
For the best overall food: Himler, the flamboyantly gay and super-talented chef at King's Camp
For the most newlyweds per square meter: Beau Rivage
For the sweetest laugh: the waiter Derrick at King's Camp
For the most diversity: the Capetownians
And the first, blue-ribbon prize for best travel companion goes to: my hubby!
Thanks Fodorites for taking the time to read my report and thanks again for all your help, suggestions and encouragement with planning this trip to Africa, one of hopefully many more to come!
Mauryn
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