After nearly 3 weeks exploring southern Africa, we were about to spend our last day on this amazing continent.   We awoke at 5:30am and finished packing for our arduous flights back to Toronto.  But before leaving Victoria Falls we still had some unfinished business to attend to.  To this point, we had visited a total of 5 countries - South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Botswana.  Since we were spending our last day in Victoria Falls, at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, we decided to visit one more country before we left.  
 
After being informed the night prior that you shouldn't walk around on the streets in the evening due to the "animals being on the move", we decided to take a cab from the Rainbow Hotel at 6:30am to the Zimbabwe/Zambia border.  On route the driver stopped at the Old Tree in Victoria Falls which is said to be 1000 to 1500 years old.  We arrived at the Zimbabwe border at 6:45am and went through immigration to get our exit visa stamped.  We walked across the bridge that spans the Zambezi River through "No Man's Land” on the way to the Zambian border.  At the border we went through immigration to get our entry stamp into Zambia.  After passing through immigration we checked out the price of the  park entrance on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls.  While the cost was only 10.50 USD per person, it was a lengthy walk so we opted not to proceed as we had a very limited amount of time.  We walked back through immigration and got our exit stamp from Zambia.  In total we spent about 15 minutes in Zambia before walking back across "No Man's Land" to take some pictures from the bridge.  Kim bought a bracelet and teak elephant from an entrepreneurial Zambian 'artist' who also moonlighted as a tour guide.  We then crossed back into Zimbabwe where the border control officers were humourous and friendly, noting that we had exited Zimbabwe 3 times in 2 days. In total, the walk from Zimbabwe to Zambia and return, including border checks was about 1 hour.  

​We took a cab from the Zimbabwe border to the Victoria Falls Hotel where we walked though to the Jungle Junction restaurant for a buffet breakfast that was $25.00 USD per person.  This was a much better buffet with far superior service to what we received at the Rainbow Hotel for $20.00 USD the day before.  The view and ambiance of this location are unsurpassed in Vic Falls as the terrace overlooks the rainforest that borders the banks of the gorge a short distance from the falls.   We finished up our breakfast that included Eggs Benedict (Denis), omelette (Kim), bacon, sausage, baked tomato, home fries and then topped it off with a waffle with strawberries and whipped cream (for sustenance).   It would be several hours before we would have a chance to eat again and that would be on an airplane.  

​After breakfast we walked back through town to the Rainbow Hotel (20 minutes), picked up our suitcases and checked out.  Our driver, Handsome, picked us up at just after 10:00 AM and we headed towards the Botswana border, about 45 minutes away.  En route, we spotted a venue of vultures picking at a large carcass just off the road.  A short distance further down the road, Handsome spotted a male lion resting in the shadow of a tree.  Just a regular day in Zimbabwe. 
 
We arrived at the border crossing shortly after 11:00 am.  We went through Zimbabwe customs to get our passport stamped.  This was the 2nd time we had exited Zimbabwe in the span of 4 hours.  After getting our exit stamps, Handy drove us a couple of hundred meters to the Botswana border control where we moved our luggage to a Botswana vehicle and then went through immigration to get our passports stamped once again.  On exiting the customs building, we again walked through a dissinfecting solution that looked like a muddy puddle to clean our shoes as a precaution against foot and mouth disease.  We then boarded our Botswana vehicle with a new driver who took us to the airport in Kasane, about 20 minutes away.  

​We arrived at Kasane International Airport just before noon.  The Kasane Airport consists of a single tiny modern terminal.  As you enter through the main door, there is a small coffee shop/restaurant with 4 or 5 tables on one side and a ticket and check-in counter for South African Airlink on the other.  The electronic flight board showed a single international flight (ours) departing at 2:00 pm and a single domestic flight departing at 10:30 am.  No other flights for the day were displayed.  After checking our bags we went to the cafe and each ordered a glass of wine.  At about 12:30, the line at the Airlink counter was finished and the attendants all left.  Only a handful of passengers remained in the terminal so we went through security (in record time) and waited a few minutes in the gate area before being escorted across the tarmac to our waiting Embraer 190 that would whisk us to Johannesburg for our connecting flight through Paris and then on to Toronto.
 
While we had been away from home the better part of a month, and we were anxious to get back to Canada, we felt a sense of melancholy at having to end our African journey.  We have both travelled extensively for business and pleasure over the course of our lifetimes, and this was the most fascinating adventure thus far.  

Would you like to visit Africa? Contact us for expert advice and assistance with your Africa trip planning.

As our 3 week trip to Southern Africa was winding down, we were about to embark on our last 2 safaris - our fifth on land and our first water safari.  We awoke early and had a fulsome breakfast at the Rainbow Hotel in Victoria Falls before being picked up by our driver for our 1 1/2 hour drive to Chobe National Park in Botswana.  We were accompanied by a group of 5 Australians who had just completed a trek to see the mountain gorillas in Uganda. 
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As we headed east out of Victoria Falls through Zambezi National Park on our way to the Botswana border we spotted small herds of elephant and several giraffe browsing the trees along the roadside.  After about an hour we reached the Zimbabwe/Botswana border where our driver escorted us to the Zimbabwe customs office to have our passports stamped. We were then driven a few hundred yards to the Botswana customs office where we had our passports stamped once again and then walked in single file through a narrow boardwalk and stepped into a shallow tray of disinfectant to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease.

​Once we were settled on the boat, we left the pier and motored slowly along the Zambezi shoreline in anticipation of what we would spot first.  We did not have to wait long.

Within a few short minutes we spotted a herd of over 40 elephants strolling down the sloping bank on our port side towards the water.  Our pilot cut the boat’s engine so we drifted quietly along the shoreline to watch the first few elephants enter the water and begin their long swim across the river to the opposite bank.  Only a few minutes later a massive herd of buffalo appeared as we rounded a bend in the river.  We were able to drift in right to the shoreline with unobstructed views of the buffalo only a few yards away.  Dotted along the shore were numerous crocodile basking in the morning sun. ​

​As we meandered around the Zambezi, crossing from shoreline to shoreline we had many more up close encounters with elephants, buffalo, hippos, crocodile and a variety of birds.  Compared to the other parks that we had been to, the water safari at Chobe presented us with the largest number of wildlife that we spotted in a single safari.

​We returned to Chobe Safari Lodge where we enjoyed a well-presented buffet lunch and the company of our Australian travelers.  After lunch, we boarded an open safari vehicle to begin our afternoon land safari in Chobe National Park.  We trekked along the sandy slopes dotted with acacia trees and patches of grassland that led to the banks of the Zambezi River.  We covered much the same area that we had in the morning by boat, only this time we were following the river from the shore.  This gave us an opportunity to get up close to some of the wildlife that we hadn’t been able to see from the water.  

​Hidden amongst a group of small trees, we pulled alongside a pride of 4 young lions who were resting comfortably in the shade of the acacias.  Not far from the lions, a herd of impalas was scattered across the grassland.  As we travelled back toward the park entrance we encountered several groups of impala, zebra and giraffe making their way methodically towards the water.  

We exited the park and stopped for a brief water break before we changed vehicles to go back to the Botswana/Zimbabwe border for our journey back to Victoria Falls.  Once again, we had our passports stamped as we re-entered Zimbabwe, a process which took a considerable amount of time due to the number of people in the queue.  
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We were dropped off at our hotel to have a refreshing swim then prepared for our African themed dinner at the Jungle Junction Restaurant in the elegant Victoria Falls Hotel where we met up with our Tasmanian friends with whom we had travelled on the Shongolo journey from Pretoria. The restaurant is an open air venue with a superb buffet offering a variety of cold and hot foods.  Several carving stations offered up meats such as kudo, beef and crocodile while other stations featured curries, seafood and sushi. Live entertainment was provided by costumed tribal dancers and singers who performed energetically throughout the meal.  

​As the evening wound down and we were ready to go back to the Rainbow hotel for our last night in Africa, we realized that it was time to say goodbye to our vivacious and fun-loving Tasmanian friends Helen, Tina, Merv and Julian. They had provided us with constant companionship and endless conversation and entertainment over the past few weeks for which we are eternally grateful.  While it was difficult to say goodbye, we look forward to spending time with them again when we visit New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania in 2021.

​Are you considering a trip to Zimbabwe? Contact us for expert advice and assistance for your trip to Zimbabwe.

​Continue to the Final Day - click here

Across the gorge on the Zambian side, is Devil’s Pool, a natural infinity pool that spills into the gorge. A group of people were sitting in the pool right at the edge of the gorge.  ​

​The walk back along the rainforest path was extremely humid as the noon sun was beating down through the mist.  We were drenched by the time we reached the park entrance where we decided to eat at the only restaurant within the park gates (appropriately named Rainforest Cafe).  We managed to find the only table that was available in the outdoor, open restaurant that is covered by a domed thatched roof.   As we ate, a couple of infant baboons watching from a nearby tree would scamper down and snatch scraps of food that had been left at an unattended table.   

​Over the next half hour we were mesmerized by the spectacular colours as the sun slid from the sky and slipped into the Zambezi River.   This was the perfect end to our incredible and unforgettable Shongololo train adventure.

We decided to go for a walk to a local variety store, but when we asked the concierge for directions we were advised that it was not wise to walk around at night.  This seemed odd to us since we had earlier been advised that there was very little crime in Victoria Falls, especially with respect to tourists.  It turned out that it wasn’t crime we needed to be concerned about, but rather wildlife.  Victoria Falls is inside Zambezi National Park and wildlife, particularly elephants and lions, are often crossing through the town at night.  The IT manager for the hotel offered to escort us to the variety store which was about a ten-minute walk from the hotel.  
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It was nearly 9:00pm when we got back to the hotel and we went directly to the restaurant to eat a late dinner before retiring for the night.  The meal was buffet style and while there were various options, it was a bit of a letdown after the wonderful dining that we had enjoyed on the Shongololo Express. Nevertheless, we were still exhilarated from our sunset cruise and we were looking forward to spending the next day in Botswana.

​Continue to Day 18 - click here

A sobering thought flitted across my mind shortly after our alarm shattered the silence in the pre-dawn of September 16th - today would be our 2nd to last day aboard the Shongololo Express, signifying that our incredible train journey through Southern Africa was coming to an end.  This melancholy thought was quickly replaced by a more motivating and uplifting realization - we would be spending the full day on safari in Hwange National Park.
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After an early continental breakfast, we descended from the train just before 6:30am onto a short, concrete platform with a small shelter that served as the train stop in this rural area in the northwest corner of Zimbabwe, near the Botswana and Zambia borders.  Our open safari vehicles were lined up and waiting for us against the backdrop of a spectacular African sunrise.  We boarded our vehicle and were greeted by our very pleasant and engaging driver/guide, Shamiso.  Once we were settled into our seats, she started the vehicle and we headed into the park.  

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest wildlife area covering 1,462,000 hectares (14,600 square kilometers), and is roughly the size of Belgium. It contains a variety of animals and bird species, but is best-known for its prolific lion population. Hwange attracted international attention in 2015 when its most famous lion, Cecil (named for Cecil Rhodes), who was being studied and tracked by University of Oxford, was hunted and killed by an American dentist.  While I won’t dwell on the controversy caused by this event, you can read more about it here.
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Entering the park, we noticed immediately that the terrain was significantly different from the other parks we had visited in Southern Zimbabwe and South Africa.  Much of the landscape was flat and consisting of fragile grasslands with clusters of low lying trees and brush.  Shallow waterholes were scattered every few kilometers and supported by man-made irrigation - a necessity to preserve the wildlife through the dry seasons.  

​After a brief stop here we continued along again until we observed a herd of zebra amongst a group of grazing buffalo.  Also along the way we came across a herd of elephant that we watched crossing the road. After just over an hour in the park we had been treated to a wealth of wildlife including a variety of vibrantly coloured birds.  The best was yet to come.

​Shortly before we were scheduled to break for lunch, and after driving for nearly 20 minutes since our last stop, Shamiso stopped the vehicle and stood up, gazing to a crop of trees about 300 metres away.  In the sky, above the trees we could see a small kettle of vultures circling the trees. We could also see that there was a venue of vultures perched on several of the trees just below those that were circling.  Shamiso settled back into her seat, started the vehicle and turned in the direction of the vultures.  As we approached the crop of trees, she slowed the vehicle and continued to proceed very slowly.  When we were within about 20 metres of where we had seen the perching vultures, Shamiso brought the vehicle to a complete stop.  A short distance away were several female lions, resting in the shade beneath the trees.  We could now see what had attracted the vultures.  Beneath one of the larger trees was a male lion, protecting the carcass of a baby elephant that the pride had recently killed.  

​The bloated male, full from his recent feast, was lying beside the carcass and staring down a group of hyenas that were waiting anxiously for their turn at the kill. Not far from away a female lion was fretting as she tried to position herself into a comfortable lying position. It was obvious that she was in distress, presumably injured by the elephant during the kill.  She stood up several times and tried to limp to a new position but was unable to move for any distance.    We stayed and watched this scene for nearly half an hour and while the sight of the partially eaten elephant was quite graphic, it was another reminder of the circle of life and death in the natural order of Africa.

​We returned to the base camp where we were provided with a boxed lunch consisting of wraps, cheese, potato salad and a brownie.  We lingered after eating for about 45 minutes and then returned to our vehicle to begin the afternoon trek.  

​In the first hour of our afternoon drive we spotted quite a few giraffe in small groups as well as wart hogs, water bucks, jackels and wildebeast.  We then crossed a large stretch of flat, dry grasslands through which we drove for nearly an hour without any sightings.  The afternoon was very hot and there was not much wildlife activity.  Shamiso turned off the road and followed a trail through the grasslands for several more miles until we arrived at a large, shallow watering hole.  There was a large group of buffalo grazing a short distance from the waterhole.  Scattered amongst the buffalo were several dozen zebra and elephants bathing and playing in the water.  At the edge of the waterhole was a group of 60 or 70 baboons. Some were squatting by the water while others were drinking or bathing.  Young baboons were frolicking and chasing each other near the waters edge. 

​A narrow sand apron surrounded the circumference of the waterhole.  Every few meters along the sand crocodiles were stretched out basking in the sun.  In the water, what appeared to be a dozen or so dark, oblong islands turned out to be hippos.  They would pop their enormous heads out of the water every few minutes to take a breath of air.

​As the afternoon sun slid slowly across the sky, we began our trek back to the Shongololo Express. We arrived just after 4:00pm and in time for afternoon tea.  Following a bit of relaxation in the observation lounge, we returned to our cabin to prepare for dinner.  

As this was the last dinner on the train, the dining car was lavishly decorated with ornate runners on each of the tables and beaded placemats at each table setting. We were served a shrimp scampi with rice and a decorative dessert.  ​

Following the meal, the entire train staff paraded through the dining car and received loud applause from the appreciative guests.  Given the tiny confines of the train, we were amazed at how well we were serviced throughout our 13 day journey.  One of our suitcases had been severely damaged on the flight from Paris and would not survive another flight.  The service manager on the train took our bag to the maintenance crew who repaired it for us so we did not have to buy another suitcase before returning home.  
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After dinner we were invited to the bar car which had been decorated with streamers and balloons where we were offered complimentary cocktails.  We spent the rest of the evening in the observation car enjoying drinks and lively conversation.   It was quite late when we retired to our cabin but we went to bed having enjoyed another great day with some of the most magnificent wildlife in Africa.

​Continue to Day 17 - click here

We awoke on our 10th day on the Shongololo Express near the city of Bulawayo in South Western Zimbabwe.   Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe with an estimated population of 1.2 million.  It was founded in 1840 by a Ndebele King and was captured in 1893 by soldiers from the British South Africa Company in 1893.  The Ndebele besieged the city in 1896, but in doing so neglected to cut the telegraph lines into the city.  As a result, the British were able to send for reinforcements and the siege ended in 1897. Bulawayo has historically been the industrial centre of Zimbabwe, producing cars, electronic products, furniture and food products.  As such it is nicknamed “kontuthu ziyathunqa"—a Ndebele phrase for "smoke arising" because of the smoke stacks from the coal powered electricity generating plant in the city center.

We left the train at 9:00am and drove for about 20 minutes from Bulawayo before arriving at the entrance to Matopos National Park.  Once we were registered at the park office, we were loaded onto our open safari vehicles - a fleet of aging, but well-maintained Range Rovers.  One was a vintage 1960’s model and it was amazing that this vehicle that was more than a half-century old, was able to handle the rigours of everyday use, surviving the African heat and “barely-there” roads.  Apparently, Range Rovers are used by this company because of their reliability and easy maintenance.

As we drove through one area of the park that was relatively flat and covered in grasses and low-lying bush and trees, our guide stopped the small convoy of land rovers near a pair of armed uniformed men.  These were anti-poaching rangers and they were protecting a herd of Rhinos that were in the area.  Our guide instructed us to turn off our phones, as poachers are known to track tourists’ cell phones to determine current locations of rhinos and elephants. 
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We disembarked from the safari vehicles and followed our guide and the rangers off the road and into the grasslands.  

​We walked in silence for about a kilometer, traversing from the grasslands into a bushy area and proceeded for about another 500 meters.  Finally, we came to a stop and our guide pointed to a group of small acacia trees about 20 meters away.  Just behind the acacias, was a group of 5 White Rhinos.   While this wasn’t our first sighting of Rhinos on our African adventure, it was the first time that we weren’t sitting in a safari vehicle and viewing from a relatively safe distance.  What an awesome experience!

​We stayed with the Rhinos for nearly half an hour before making our way back to the main road.  As we headed back to our vehicles, our guide revealed to us that most parks will remove the horns of adult rhinos (which grow back over a period of time) on a regular basis.  They do this in a way that doesn’t harm the animals.  This is to try and prevent poachers from killing rhinos in order to harvest their horns.  The horns that are removed by the parks are stockpiled.  Many African countries have been lobbying to allow the sale of the stockpiled horns in an effort to curtail the prevalence of poaching. Creating a legalized market for horns and tusks that have been humanely removed would satisfy the black market since there are hundreds of tons currently stockpiled.  They argue that the proceeds from the legalized sale of horns and elephant tusks could go back into the preservation of diminishing rhino and elephant populations.  So far, the western world has resisted those proposals.

​When we returned to the vehicles, we continued our drive through the park and moved into hillier terrain as we approached our destination - a visit to one of the many spectacular bushmen caves that are dotted in the Matobo Hills.  We parked in a small opening and dismounted the vehicles. We walked along a stone path, lined by thick bush and vegetation, that led upwards to an opening in the side of the granite hill.  The cave opening was large and led into a natural, amphitheatre-like room.  The curved ceiling was nearly two stories high at its centre.   The walls and ceiling were covered in faintly-coloured paintings that depicted the life of the San (bushmen) who had last occupied these hills more than 2,000 years ago.  Relics, clay ovens and other artefacts have been found in the hills that date back to the Pre-Middle Stone Age around 300,000 years ago.

​We walked back down the hillside toward the parking area and entered a small block building that served as a museum and housed many of the artefacts that had been discovered in the surrounding area.  After a brief visit, we climbed into the Range Rovers and drove further down the hillside eventually coming to a road that followed a meandering river.  We drove along the river to a camp site surrounded by a group of large trees.  Tables had been set under a couple of the larger trees and hot and cold buffet dishes were spread across the tables.  We helped ourselves to the food and found a spot in the shade to sit while we enjoyed our lunch.  

After lunch, we boarded our vehicles and drove to Malindidzimu, the hill on which Cecil Rhodes is buried.  The hill is also a traditional indigenous burial ground and the legendary place of benevolent spirits.  This is where Rhodes used to rest and dream of his beloved Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). His grave, and several others from his era, are dug into the granite at the top of Malindidzimu, surrounded by giant granite boulders.  ​

​There is a magnificent 360-degree panoramic view of the mountains and valleys that surround this hill. While the graves are quite simple and their location not easy to get to, the trek is well worth it.  He once described the view from this hilltop as “the view to the world” - after being there, we would wholeheartedly agree.

​We left the gravesite in mid-afternoon to return to the train which was about a 1/2 hour drive away. We capped off another wonderful day in Africa with a traditional gin and tonic in the observation car before preparing for our meal in the dining car.  

If you are considering visiting Zimbabwe, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 16 - click here

We woke up on the 9th day of our African train trip in the city of Gweru situated close to the middle of Zimbabwe.  Gweru is the 6th largest city in Zimbabwe with a population of approximately 150,000.  It boasts the largest University campus in the country.  Britain’s influence on the education system in Zimbabwe has led it to being the most literate country in Africa.  According to our guide PJ, from 1980 to 2001 the syllabus for Zimbabwe universities was controlled by Cambridge University.  One of the fascinating ironies of Zimbabwe is despite its high level of literacy and long-standing focus on education, it remains one of the most impoverished countries in Africa.

After taking breakfast in the dining car, we left the train and boarded our bus for the short 20-minute drive to today’s destination - Antelope Park.  The park is set in over 3000 acres of open savannah grassland and is a unique game reserve that is home to the world-famous African Lion and Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) lion rehabilitation programme.  ​

Following our musical welcome, we gathered in an open grassy area where we were served tea, coffee and pastries and given a briefing of the park, its purpose and the impact of the ALERT lion rehabilitation programme.
  
ALERT is a multiphase lion conservation initiative that is working to ethically re-introduce the offspring of captive-bred African lions back into the wild.  The first phase of the initiative is rehabilitation, where cubs born to captive-bred parents are hand-raised in a controlled environment. Part of the rehabilitation involves the cubs being taken on human-led walks in their natural habitat between the ages of 3 and 18 months.   The second phase of the initiative involves releasing the lions as prides into fenced, managed game reserves, where they live as a wild pride – hunting and breeding naturally without human interference.   During this phase they are monitored closely to determine how they are interacting socially as a pride.  The final phase of the program is reintroduction where cubs born to parents that were acclimatized to their natural environment in the second phase are reintroduced to the wild in national parks and reserves that are seeking to restore lost, or augment declining lion populations.
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After our briefing we were given an overview of the activities that were available for us throughout the day.  While there were a wide variety of activities offered by the park, including canoeing, game drives, horseback game viewing, elephant interaction, bird-watching cruises and carriage rides, the one that we had been excited about and most looking forward to since we first started planning our African adventure was the Lion Walk.  While the Lion Walk was our top priority, we had nearly 2 hours before it was scheduled to start so we also booked the Lion feeding, and then a couple of activities that we would do in the afternoon -  elephant interaction and afternoon game drive. 

​The lion feeding is a spectacular, albeit disturbing event, that gives a glimpse into the ferocious nature of lions competing for food in a quasi-natural setting.  Unlike zoo lions that are fed measured amounts of food at the same time every day, lions in nature will eat only when they make a kill and will gorge themselves on that kill as it may be several days to a week or more before they make another kill.  The lion feeding at Antelope Park attempts to demonstrate how lions would feed in the wild.  A group of 4 male lions are released from a living space into a large rectangular fenced area where an animal carcass has been placed near the fence at the opposite side to where the lions enter.  The lions rush towards the carcass, roaring ferociously, attacking it and competing for the best portions of the meat.  Each group of 4 male lions is fed this way once a week. Spectacular, dramatic and quite disturbing.

​The Lion Walk was the highlight of our day at Antelope Park, and quite frankly, one of the highlights of our trip to Africa.  It began with a safety briefing explaining the do’s and don’ts of the lion walk. For instance, it is important not to run or panic - this is a sign of weakness and identifies you as prey. Don’t crouch down - again a sign of weakness - standing tall above the lion is a sign of dominance.  It is also important to always be alert and know where the lions are.  They are stalkers and will watch and stalk you if you are unaware.  It is also important to stay in the group.  When you are walking with the lions in a group, you are part of their social pride.  

​Once the safety briefing was given, we were each given a long, thin stick to carry with us.  While totally useless as a weapon, raising the stick over your head and speaking firmly at the lion exudes dominance in the event that it is paying too much attention to you.  With our sticks firmly in hand we walked as a group for nearly a kilometre to the massive enclosure that represents phase 1 of the alert programme. We went through several gates to the controlled, natural environment, and once we were through, a park ranger led 3 lions - one male and two females, towards our group.  

​The engagement with the lions was surreal.  We walked with them, in their natural habitat for over an hour.  At times they would sit and we would take turns approaching them from behind and petting them gently.  Like family cats, they are social animals and seemed to enjoy the attention.  At other times they would pace impatiently around the group.  At one point, a petite woman in our group was being stalked by one of the lions and a ranger reminded her to stand tall.  

​At one resting point there was a dead acacia tree that the lions played on for several minutes until one of them noticed a herd of impala in the distance.  At once, all three lions spread out in front of us and stood perfectly still, staring at the prey.  The herd eventually moved on and we, along with the lions headed back towards the park.  

This was a truly amazing experience - check out a quick video of ​our walk here:

​We returned to the lodge where we had lunch in the outdoor restaurant.  After lunch a safari vehicle took us out to the park where we spent about half an hour with 4 magnificent elephants.   Elephants have always been one of my favourite animals and I have never been so up close and personal to them as I was on this excursion.  We had the opportunity to stand beside them, touch them and feed them. I was amazed at how massive they are, particularly their heads, yet they are so gentle and patient.  Equally impressive was how nimble and dexterous their trunks are, grasping peanuts delicately from the palms of our hands.  

​We returned to the train for our red-carpet welcome before we boarded and headed to the observation car for a gin and tonic cocktail.  Then off to the dining car for a risotto appetizer followed by a rack of lamb served with rice and cauliflower with pecan pie for dessert. 
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Another excellent day in Southern Africa!

If you are considering visiting Zimbabwe, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 15 - click here

Following a full day and night of train travel on our way through Zimbabwe, we were looking forward to an excursion into the countryside.  We started with a hearty breakfast at 7:00am in the dining car and at 9:00am left the train at the Oreti Siding and boarded our bus for the drive to the Great Zimbabwe Monument.  Today’s drive was just over an hour long, but the time passed quickly as we sped through the impressive granite hill country in South Central Zimbabwe as our guide PJ, described some aspects of life and conditions in Zimbabwe.

​Zimbabwe is comprised of 10 provinces and has a total population of just over 16 million.  Harare, with a population of 1.4 million, is the capital of Zimbabwe and lies in the north west part.  At the time we were visiting Zimbabwe, there was a travel alert for Harare due to the disputed election results that had taken place in July.  Protests and rioting were prevalent in the capital and fortunately for us, Harare was not on our itinerary.
 
The majority of the people, nearly 85%, are Christian while approximately 14% follow African traditional religions and the remaining 1% are Muslim.   As a result of the British education system that had been established during colonial times, there is a 90% literacy rate in Zimbabwe, which is one of the highest in all of Africa.  
 
One of the most disturbing statistics that PJ provided was that the life expectancy in Zimbabwe is only 49 years.  Life expectancy is actually declining in Zimbabwe primarily due to the rise in poverty, economic crisis and organized violence perpetrated by government. It is hard to imagine that a country that was once rich in natural resources like gold and diamonds could have such a devasting economic outlook.  It is estimated that it will cost about 30 billion USD to revitalize Zimbabwe’s infrastructure.   

​Listening to PJ describe the socio-economic conditions as we travelled through the stunning landscape toward the Great Zimbabwe Ruins seemed surreal. After all, the Great Zimbabwe Monument and the surrounding area was where ancient people lived and mined gold and silver.  It is the legendary location of King Solomon’s Mines that brings forth images of wealth and prosperity.  The ruins themselves are a hugely celebrated monument which is the largest precolonial monument south of the Egyptian pyramids.  It is situated on the southeastern edge of the central plateau and is an ancient city built by the Rozwi people.

​We arrived at the entrance to the ruins shortly after 10:00 AM.  The sun was already getting high in the sky and we could feel that this was going to be a scorcher of a day.  As we gathered in preparation for our climb to the top of the monument, we were divided into 2 groups.  One group would take a minibus around the ruins and meet the remainder of the group at the lodge for lunch.  The other group would walk up the ancient steps that wound up and around the ruins to the top of city.  Needless to say we joined the second group.  

​The climb was steep and the footing on the ancient steps was sometimes unsteady. The path wound in and around a mountain of granite.  At times, the granite walls formed narrow halls that we had to squeeze past in order to make our way through.  We took several breaks on the arduous climb, but the end result was well worth it.  We arrived at the top and wandered around the various stone rooms of the ancient city.  This was where the king lived.  The view from the top was breathtaking.  In the distance was another ancient walled village made of stone. While the king lived in the ancient city on top of the mountain, his wives and children lived in the village below.  

​As we started back down the mountain on the opposite side from where we came up our guide pointed out a concave hollow in the mountain facing the village below.  Our guide explained that if you stood in the hollow and spoke very loudly, the sound carried all the way down to the village below.  The hollowed cave acted like a natural megaphone. It was here that the king would stand and shout down to summon one of his wives when he wanted companionship.  
 
It took nearly 2 hours for us to walk up to the ancient city and make our way back down to the walled village where the kings family and people lived. As we entered the village, there was a grouping of several rectangular shaped stones in a large open area.  In ancient times, this served as a sundial for the people of the village.   After our walk around the village we visited the museum on the way back to the entrance to the ruins.  The museum contains a variety of artifacts including pottery, art, spearheads and jewellry that help to portray how the Rozwi lived.

​Following our tour of the museum, we re-boarded our bus and drove about 10 minutes to the Great Zimbabwe lodge where we were welcomed to a grand outdoor buffet on the grounds in front of the lodge.  We found a table that was partly shaded by a massive oak tree and after a filling lunch we changed into our swim suits (or bathers, as our Tasmanian friends referred to them), and enjoyed a refreshing swim in the outdoor pool.  

It was nearly 3:00pm by the time we left the lodge and we arrived back at Oreti Siding just in time for afternoon tea (or for us, afternoon G & T)!  As we settled into the observation car, the train started up and began its trek to our next destination - Somabhula.

If you are considering visiting Zimbabwe, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 14 - click here

On our 7th day on the Shongololo Express the train started to pull away from our overnight stop at 7:00am as we continued our journey north through South Africa on our way to Zimbabwe.  This would be our most leisurely day on the trip as we would be travelling through Limpopo province to the Zimbabwe border where we would clear customs.  Because this was a non-safari day, we lingered in our cabin until just after 8:00am and then made our way to the dining car where we were served a full breakfast.  After our relaxing breakfast, we walked to the back of the train to our usual spot in the observation car to take in the beautiful scenery and our final glimpses of South Africa. 

​Limpopo province is in the north of South Africa and shares borders with three other countries: Zimbabwe to the north, Mozambique to the east and Botswana to the west.  As such the province is known as the gateway to other African countries. The Limpopo landscape is vast and various changing from tropical forests, bush and shrubs to semi-desert areas with small trees, bushes and mountains to large areas of flat lands.  During our full day of travel we would see life along the tracks - we had an intimate look into the homes of the area, small sparse towns and people travelling on foot everywhere. This was a vantage point not afforded by the usual road travel and gave us an appreciation for the reality of the African's rural life.

Since we would be travelling for most of the day, with no outings or excursions, a lecture had been planned by our South African guide PJ.  He shared with us his perspective on the unique cultural and socio-economic conditions of Southern Africa.  While he spent nearly two hours passionately detailing life and times in Africa, I will cover only the highlights here.  

According to PJ, China is becoming the new colonial master of the continent.  China extended a $64 billion dollar investment in South Africa in August of 2018. Almost all of the new structures being built in Mozambique are financed by China.  As a result of previous government corruption and dealings with colonial overlords, Africa is hundreds of billions of dollars in debt and has sold off a good deal of its natural resources with very little in return to the peoples of Africa.  China has taken a different approach by forming partnerships with African governments it invests money with and insisting that 15% be used for social development as a condition of the investment.  As a result, Africa is benefitting with improved infrastructure such as running water, proper sewage and sanitation and reliable electricity.  Despite the benefits, Africa may be losing control of much of its remaining resources to China.

By the time the lecture was over it was nearly 1:00pm and the train had stopped at the border town of Beitbridge, Zimbabwe where we needed to clear customs before proceeding.  Lunch was just about to be served, so we went back to the dining car and enjoyed duck salad, cucumber rolls with cream cheese and raspberries with chocolate ice cream for dessert.   After lunch we disembarked from the train and walked along the platform at the station where we could see baboons jumping around on the tracks.  The station building is an old, long and narrow structure that has multiple sections. One particular oddity is the segregation of waiting areas and washrooms.  Whereas most public transportation areas usually have separate waiting areas for business and regular class, Beitbridge has 4 separate classes of waiting areas and washrooms ranging from 1st class to 4th class.  1st and 2nd class are close to the centre of the building were roomier and much cleaner than the 3rd and 4th class areas which were near the far end of the station.

While we were waiting at the station we took the opportunity to visit parts of the train that we had not seen before.  Up until now, because of our daily excursions off the train we had spent most of the time in the observation car, lounge, dining car and our cabin.  
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While the original steam locomotives have been replaced by diesel or electric engines for reliability, the coaches are original early 20th century cars that have been meticulously restored.  Shongololo captures the romance of a bygone era in the detail and elegance of its wood-paneled coaches which offer a simultaneous experience of luxury and efficiency.  Public areas included two lounge cars, two dining cars and the observation deck. While the cabins are small, they offer everything you need including private bathrooms with showers, full size beds with luxurious linens and pillows and surprisingly ample storage.  

​During our stop at Beitbridge we had the chance to visit some of the other cars on the train that were not accessible while we were travelling.  We visited the laundry car and were amazed that this tiny space was able to service the needs of nearly 100 passengers and crew.  Equally incredible was the galley at the front of the train.  This tiny but efficient space was used to provide meals for the entire train in a very strict timeframe.  After surveying these working areas, we had a renewed respect and appreciation for our train crew who provided the same level of service that we would expect at a 5 star resort, but under far more restrictive conditions.

At 4:00pm, tea was served in the lounge and we found ourselves in the observation car for our now routine afternoon gin and tonic.  At 4:30pm, all of the clearance processes were completed and the train once again resumed our trek northward.  We settled in for dinner at 7:30pm, where we enjoyed a hearty beef and vegetable stew. 

As we were entering Zimbabwe where wifi service was not available on our data plan, we purchased a local SIM card for $1.00 US.  We were able to add data to the card for $2.00 US per 24 hour period which included 2 Gigabytes of data.  This allowed us to keep in touch with family back home at a reasonable price and keep us connected for the last leg of the trip since our phone plan did not offer service in Zimbabwe.

We had a quiet evening and looked forward to our stop planned for the next day.

If you are considering visiting Zimbabwe, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 13 - click here

The 6th day of our trek on the Shongololo Express found us waking up early at 4:30am as we prepared to embark on the 2nd of our 5 game drives in Southern Africa. Today we were heading to Kapama Private Game Reserve in the north eastern part of South Africa where we would spend the morning on safari and the early afternoon exploring the Hoedspruit Endangered Species Centre.

After a quick continental breakfast in the dining car, we boarded the bus and took the short 20-minute drive, in pre-dawn darkness, from Hoedspruit Train Station to the entrance of Kapama.   At the park we left the bus and climbed onto open Safari Land Rovers that were waiting for us.  As our driver, Rowan, checked us in at the park entrance we covered ourselves with the safari blankets that were on our seats.  Even though the temperature was forecast to be in the mid-20’s (Celcius), early morning weather in South Africa in September is quite cool.
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The park is privately owned and covers nearly 13,000 hectares in Limpopo Province.  It is named for a Swazi king who’s tribe inhabited and hunted in the area in the late 1800’s.  We began our journey into the park just after 6:00am and as we headed east, we saw the sun just breaking over the horizon, creating a spectacular sunrise as if to proclaim our entrance to Kapama.  Our early morning start meant that we would catch the stirrings of the various wildlife as they were beginning (or ending) their day.

​About 20 minutes into the safari we had our first spotting - a lone zebra grazing by the roadside.  We meandered along the dirt road for about another 30 minutes before we came across a pair of white rhinoceros.  From that point on our sightings became much more frequent.  First, a magnificent male giraffe towering over the brush and grasslands.  Next we came across a dazzle of zebras, the adults grazing while the younger ones frolicked in amongst the group.  

​Our most impactful moment came when we arrived at a small, secluded watering hole near a crossing of two of the parks dirt roads.  Lying blissfully beside the watering hole were a pair of young lions.  Rowan maneuvered the Land Rover off the road, carefully and slowly, to a position about 10 meters from the pair of lions. After positioning the vehicle and turning off the engine, Rowan pointed to a small acacia tree a short distance from the watering hole where another pair of young lions were lazing in the shade of the tree.  A few moments later he pointed to a grassy area just beyond the acacia where an adult female, the mother of the adolescents we were watching, was keeping an eye on her pride.  We watched in amazed silence.   The lions seemed quite oblivious to our presence and one of the two under the tree joined the pair by the watering hole and began playing, teasingly with its sibling. We continued to absorb this incredible living portrait of a family of lions in their natural habitat for another 20 minutes before reluctantly moving on.

​Our lengthy stay by the watering hole had left us behind schedule and we had to hurry to meet up with the rest of our group at a base camp where coffee and light refreshments were being served.  After our brief stop, we headed back towards the Kapama main gate about 45 minutes away. En route, we came across a group of female white rhinos, and a single, massive male a few meters from the roadside. We stopped to take some photos before continuing to on our way out of the reserve.

​Back at the Kapama entrance we disembarked from the Land Rover at the Hoetspruit Endangered Species Centre (HESC).   The Centre is self-described as a unique African wildlife facility focusing on conservation and the sustainability of rare, vulnerable and threatened species. According to its website, the centre is actively involved in research; breeding of endangered animal species; the education of learners, students and the general public in conservation and conservation-related activities; tourism; the release and establishment of captive-bred cheetahs in the wild; the treatment and rehabilitation of wild animals in need (including poached rhinos); and anti-poaching initiatives on the reserve.   Cheetah Conservation is one of its core disciplines and a hallmark of the Centre.

​Our tour of HESC included a brief film that talked about its origins and goals, focusing on the holistic approach to its conservation activities.  Following the film, we boarded the now familiar open safari vehicles for a drive into and through the individual enclosures where we observed rhinos, lions, cheetahs, wild dogs and leopards.  At both Kruger National Park and Kapama Game Reserve, we had heard countless heartbreaking stories about the devastating impact of human encroachment and poaching on the African wildlife population that are driving some species towards extinction.  HESC deserves credit for its efforts in education and wildlife preservation and in continuing to follow its mission to be a unique African wildlife sanctuary which focuses on conservation and the sustainability of rare animal species.

​Our early morning start coupled with brisk touring at both Kapama and HESC had left us feeling a bit tired and hungry as we drove back to the Hoedspruit Train Station to board the Shongololo Express for a late lunch.  After lunch we organized our visa paperwork as we were about to leave South Africa for the last time and venture into Zimbabwe for the next leg of our journey.  We settled into the observation car to watch the stunning landscape of Limpopo province fall behind us as we chugged towards Zimbabwe.  The train stopped at 4:00pm to replenish our water supply.  At 6:30pm it started up again as we prepared ourselves for the 7:30pm dinner call.  On this particular evening we were served vegetable risotto followed by a main course of salmon with asparagus and red cabbage and finished off with apple crumble and cheese.  As usual, our after dinner routine consisted of lively conversation and reminiscing with our Tasmanian companions in the observation car to the soothing clickety-clack of the steel wheels rolling along the track.  The train came to a stop at 11:00pm which meant tonight would be a restful and uninterrupted sleep.

If you are considering visiting South Africa, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 12 - click here

While our itinerary said we were going to be spending the day in Swaziland, it turns out that King Mswati III, one of the world’s few absolute monarchs, had renamed the country to Eswatini in 2018 during his 50th birthday celebration (which coincided with Swazi’s 50th year of independence).  The name Eswatini means “land of the Swazi” and it was apparently changed from Swaziland because the King implied that wherever he went people referred to his kingdom as Switzerland. 
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The official languages in Eswatini are Siswati (similar to Zulu) and English.  The population of Eswatini is estimated at 1.5 million and it is geographically, the third smallest country in Africa.  The borders of the kingdom were defined after the Boer War.  The King owns the lands of Eswatini and has 20 Royal Residences scattered throughout his kingdom.  While there are approximately 3600 roads throughout the kingdom, only about 1000 are paved.  As with other African countries that we visited, China is investing heavily in Eswatini’s infrastructure and economy, although the unemployment rate is still quite high at over 25%.

​Culturally, the country tends to follow its African traditional roots.  Approximately 18% of the population uses traditional healing methods.  Polygamy is legal and accepted with the King boasting 14 wives (although not as many as his father who had 125!).  His youngest wife is 16 years old.  The biggest health issue in Eswatini is HIV and it is estimated that 27% of adults 15 to 49 years old are living with it, with more than 40% of pregnant women in the country carrying the virus.  As a result of the high incidence of AIDs related deaths, the life expectancy for men is only 54 and 61 for women.

​After spending time in the village and getting a chance to explore the huts and talking to the villagers who live there, we were escorted to an outdoor amphitheatre where we were entertained by dancers and singers in brightly coloured traditional dress.  The dances were interpretations of different rituals and customs, including a courtship ritual.  Each dance was accompanied by traditional African drumming that set a primal beat to each performance.  The dances were loud, passionate and vigorous - full of energy and life.  This was as much an exhibition of athleticism as it was a cultural performance.

​Following our cultural experience at Mantenga Village, we drove a short distance to Mantenga Lodge, a boutique resort that overlooks Shebas Breasts Mountains, the same mountains we saw from the cultural village and the legendary site of King Solomon’s Mines.  The most prominent peak is known as Execution Rock, so named because criminals and those accused of practicing witchcraft were forced at spear-point, to walk off the cliff to their death.  It was against this surreal backdrop that we enjoyed a lovely lunch on the patio of Mantenga Lodge.

After a relaxing time at the Lodge we reboarded our bus for the 90 minute drive back to the train.  As we drove back through the peaceful Ezulwini (which means ‘place of Heaven’) Valley, we learned that 10% of Eswantini is allocated to Nature Reserves.  We also learned that, unlike many of the other African countries where nature reserves abound, there is virtually no poaching in Eswatini.  The reason?  Quite simple - poachers can be shot on sight with no consequences to the shooter.  A rather extreme, but effective deterrent.

We boarded our train (after the usual red-carpet treatment and welcome back drink, of course) at 4:00 pm and the train left promptly at 4:30pm.  We took our usual spots in the dining car at 7:30pm, where we enjoyed venison pot pie and French beans.  As we were eating, the train stopped at the South African border control and remained stationary until just after 9:30pm.  When it continued its journey, it travelled until 3:30am, a stretch that included quite a bit of jarring because of the condition of the rails in this part of the country.  Nonetheless, we had experienced another fabulous day in Africa.

If you are considering visiting Swaziland, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 11 - click here

We woke to another gorgeous, sunny morning in Southern Africa on our 4th day since leaving Pretoria on the Shongololo Express.  Our overnight transit from Kruger National Park in South Africa had brought us to the magnificent train station in Maputo - the capital of Mozambique.  We had our usual breakfast at 7:00 am and disembarked the train on the platform of the grand and historic Central Railway Station, just before 9:00am, to begin our city tour of Maputo.  The station was built in the early 1900’s in the Neoclassical Beaux Arts style and has frequently made the top 20 list of the world’s most beautiful train stations.  

​After spending a few minutes admiring the architecture and grandeur of the station, we began our walk through the inner city on our way to the market.  Since it was Sunday and still somewhat early, the streets were eerily quiet which made for an easy 20 minute walk to the market building.  The buildings in the downtown core were an interesting mix of old and new with many of the newer buildings seeming to have been left unfinished, a reflection of the struggling economy in Mozambique.  

​The market building, officially called Mercado Central de Maputo, is set off a main street and adjacent to a parking lot. Like the Central Train Station, the Mercado Central de Maputo was built in the early 1900’s and the exterior has a very grand and distinctive style.  We spent the better part of an hour walking amongst the rows and rows of vendor stands inside the building.  Mounds of fruits and vegetables, trays of meats and fish and islands of assorted sundries filled the entire width and length of the market.  One of the most fascinating areas in the market was a series of narrow hallways on one side of the building.  Human hair extensions filled the walls of each booth along these hallways.  What was fascinating is that these seemed to be the busiest booths in the market.

​It was still early when we left the market area and walked a few blocks towards the municipal government buildings and the church square.  On our way we passed by an art gallery which was closed.  We were able to peer through the wrought iron fence and view the dozen or so sculptures that were scattered around the grounds of the gallery.  What was unique about these iron sculptures is that they had been made from decommissioned weapons and military equipment left over from 2 brutal wars.

​Just past the art gallery is the sprawling Praça da Independência (Independence Square) featuring a large statue of Samora Machel, the first President of Mozambique.  The statue is flanked on the north by the neoclassical city hall and on the east by the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, a beautiful Art Deco structure featuring a towering white spire at its front.  As it was Sunday, there was a mass celebration taking place in the church and we could hear the upbeat African-Christian music resonating from the open front doors.

​After spending some time in and around Independence Square our group gathered near city hall and boarded the bus for a quick drive to the Natural History Museum located a few hundred yards from the Indian Ocean.  While some of our group chose to visit the museum, we decided instead, to walk across the street to the Hotel Cardosa and bask in the sunshine with a drink on the poolside patio that has magnificent views of the Indian Ocean.  As we gazed out over the lapping waves crashing on the beach we could see several islands in the distance that run parallel to the shoreline.  According to our guide, the Chinese have purchased these islands from Mozambique and are connecting them with a series of ultra-modern tunnels.  The islands will eventually become a series of luxury resorts for wealthy Chinese and foreign tourists. 

​Following our brief retreat at the Cardosa, we once again boarded our bus and made our way to a small fort that overlooks the old fishing port in Maputo.  The Fortaleza de Maputo was initially established as a small wooden fortress in the 1700’s by the Dutch from South Africa but has since been overtaken and rebuilt several times by the British, Austrians and Portuguese.  It remains as a smallish, square structure built from reddish stone.  There is a single gate which serves as both the entrance and exit that leads into a large open space.  The perimeter of the fort contains various rooms filled with historic military relics and were once used for munitions, barracks, dining areas and cells. Outside the entrance to the fort is a large garden that separates the structure from the street.  As we were leaving the fort, a large wedding party was gathering in front of the entrance for photographs.  The men were dressed in smart suits and the women wore brightly coloured dresses.  They sang and danced in a group as we watched and cheered them on.

​Our next stop was to a lavish resort overlooking the Indian Ocean.  We were escorted through the lobby to a grand dining room with high vaulted ceilings and large arching windows which filled the room with lots of natural light.  A smaller room to the side had been set up with a splendid buffet lunch that included a variety of meats, vegetables, salads and delicious Portuguese deserts.  After the enjoyable feast, we left the dining area and went outside to the gardens that led out of the hotel to the pools and beach.  We strolled through the gardens and marveled at our lavish surroundings.  As we looked up the beach towards the north we could see dozens of new resorts being built, funded by the Chinese.  While we appreciated the beauty and splendour of our surroundings we also wondered at just who would be benefitting from all of this investment - and what the real costs would be to the people of Mozambique.

Our bus turned back towards the downtown area and we drove along the coastal road back to the train station. While some of our group went into the station museum, Kim and I lingered on the platform to enjoy the soothing rays of sunshine cast by the late afternoon sun.  We were given the all-aboard at 4:30 and managed to get settled into the observation car at the back of the train just before departure at 5:00 pm.  The train left the station and after a few kilometers through Maputo we reached the suburbs.  For the next 90 minutes we passed through the townships.  Rows and rows of sheet metal shacks in small yards that contained tiny square, roofless outbuildings.  It didn’t take long to realize that these roofless outbuildings that we could look down into from the train served as the family toilet.  What a striking contrast to the extravagance of the oceanside resorts just a few kilometers away.  For mile after mile we saw children playing only a few feet from the railway track and then crossing the tracks to wave and smile at us as the train passed them by.  We continued to ramble through the townships and eventually into the countryside where we left Maputo behind us, but not the images of its contrasting socio-economic culture.  

If you are considering visiting Mozambique, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 10 - click here

Our next big adventure on our South African trek was a visit to Kruger National Park, one of the largest game reserves in all of Africa, and home to hundreds of birds and mammals including the Big Five (the most feared animals in Africa): lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffalo.  To say we were excited about this particular excursion would be an understatement - we had talked about it for months before our trip even started.  Needless to say, we were up early (5:00 AM), showered, dressed and in the dining car just after 6:00 AM.   Following a hearty breakfast, we disembarked the train and walked across the platform to the waiting  Toyota Land Cruiser open safari vehicles that would take us through the park.  Each vehicle held up to 10 passengers plus the driver - 3 bench seats behind the driver could seat 3 people each and there was a seat beside the driver.  We had 7 passengers in our vehicle which made for a relatively comfortable ride with 2 passengers on two benches and one with 3 passengers.  Once we were all loaded, our convoy of  7 vehicles left the train just after 7:00 AM and drove for about 20 minutes through a light drizzle to the Malelane Gate at the southern tip of Kruger National Park.

​When we arrived at the park entrance, we waited for approximately 1/2 hour while our driver, Chrisman, registered us at the park office.  Once all of the formalities were done, we passed through the entrance and continued on the dirt road leading into Kruger.  At this point, each vehicle in our group went in a different direction along various routes through the park.  The terrain was quite flat, the dirt road rutted and bordered on both sides by the iconic bushveld of Southern Africa.  My heart was racing at the thought of finally being on an African safari! 

​Less than 10 minutes into the park we saw our first herd of impalas at the side of the road.  Chrisman stopped briefly for us to take some photos.  As he started to pull away, there was some grumbling in our group as we wanted a bit more time with them.  He laughed and told us that there were over 250,000 impalas in the park and that by the end of the day we would have seen so many that we wouldn’t even notice them.  

​After driving another 10 minutes, Chrisman stopped the vehicle at the side of the road and pointed to a bushy area about 20 yards from us.  There, scattered under the shade of an acacia tree were 5 lions - 4 young males and a female. What a sight!  We sat quietly in awe and admired the majesty of these beautiful cats.  After a few minutes Chrisman focused our attention to a group of vultures perched on a tree about 50 yards up the road and on the other side from where the lions were.  (By the way, a group of vultures is referred to as a venue when they are roosting on trees and a kettle when in flight - see the list of what other groups are called at the end of this post).  Chrisman inched the vehicle slowly towards the commotion that was happening under the tree where they were perched.  As we got closer, we were able to see a number of hyenas pacing back and forth beside the carcass of a buffalo, the victim of the lions we had just been watching. The larger hyenas were feasting on the carcass while the younger ones were waiting their turn and keeping the vultures at bay.  Over the next 2 days this unfortunate buffalo would be food for dozens of other animals and provide testimony to the Circle of Life.

​We watched this amazing display of nature taking its course for another 15 minutes before continuing on into the park.  We had driven another kilometer or so when Chrisman again pulled the vehicle over and stopped.  This time we all noticed the movement in the acacia trees to our right as a group of elephants made their way slowly and deliberately towards the road just a few yards in front of us.  It took a couple of minutes for them to reach the road as they stopped to eat from the acacia trees.   It was breathtaking to see these huge beasts crossing nonchalantly just a few paces in front of us.  What we had initially thought was a small group of a dozen or so turned out to be a large herd of more than 40 elephants of all ages and sizes.

​We again began to trek further into the park and within a couple of more minutes we could see a large herd of buffalo in the distance.  As we were gazing at the buffalo, Chrisman pointed to some large boulders between the buffalo and our vehicle about 50 yards away.   He pulled over and as we watched intently in the direction of the boulders we realized that they weren’t boulders at all, but rather 5 white rhinos. They were standing perfectly still, but every few seconds we could see their ears and tails twitching.  We had only been in the park for about 45 minutes and we had already seen 4 of the Big Five!  Chrisman explained that we were extremely fortunate - the early morning start combined with the light rain had meant the temperature was relatively cool and so the animals were a bit more active than normal.

​We spent the next couple of hours exploring different trails and were amazed at the number and variety of wildlife in their natural habitat.  We spotted several hippos and crocodiles at one large watering hole.   The hippos were floating in the middle of the pond and the crocs were basking around the edge.  Not far away were zebras, antelope and impalas grazing on the grasslands.  Further along as we drove, we spotted a beautiful male kudu displaying its elegant curly horns.

​Because of the time of day and the fact that the animals weren’t quite as active, it was nearly an hour before we spotted anything we hadn’t already seen.  On the road in front of us was a majestic male giraffe sauntering with elegance, his head higher than the acacia trees at the side of the road.  He looked back at us briefly and then headed off into the bush where he nibbled at a nearby tree.  Not far behind, a female and her calf browsed on some brush by the side of the road.  A bit further along, we came across another large herd of buffalo.  Nestled among the buffalo were several dozen zebra.  Not long after, we spotted 8 wart hogs grazing at the side of the road and then a little further up the road, a waterbuck. 

​It was finally time for us to start heading out of the park and back towards the train.  We had been told to be back at the train by 4:00 PM and we still had nearly an hour from our location in the park to the train.  We needed to hurry to make it back in time.  As we started in the direction of where our train was waiting, Chrisman spotted a venue of vultures in some trees about 100 yards ahead of us.  He slowed the vehicle and proceeded cautiously towards the trees.  On the left side of the road, about 10 paces from the vehicle was a dead impala being picked at by a few of the vultures.  The vehicle now stopped, Chrisman stood up and peered along the brush on both sides of the road.  He raised his hand slowly and pointed to a spot on the opposite side of the road from where the carcass lay.  There, camouflaged in the grasses and brush, was a beautiful female leopard, staring intently at our vehicle.  She sat perfectly still for several minutes before scooting off behind some trees.  

​Chrisman started up the vehicle and continued down the road towards the entrance gate.  A sharp crackle emitted from the truck’s 2-way radio followed by a male voice asking Chrisman where we were and how much longer would we be.   It was just past 4:00 PM and we still had another half hour before we reached the train.  We were going to be late getting back but that last brief stop had been well worth it.  Because of that stop, on our very first game drive, we had been extremely fortunate and seen all of Africa’s Big Five!  
 
Even though ours was the last vehicle from our group to pull up to the train platform (a 1/2 later than anyone else) we were still greeted by the train crew with the traditional red carpet reception including warm wet towel, a glass of champagne and liqueur!  We boarded the train and headed to the lounge car for our daily gin and tonic and reminisce about our fabulous day before getting ready for dinner.  It turns out this became our daily ritual for the group of us who had spent the day together in Kruger - Kim and I, our 4 Tasmanian friends (Helen and Merv, Tina and Julian) and our engaging American priest, Chris.   

After our drink we freshened up for dinner and waited for the xylophone call (which came at precisely 7:20 PM) to let us know we could proceed to the dining cars where we enjoyed an appetizer of coconut carrot soup, an entre consisting of shrimp, fish and mussels followed by a poached apple dessert.  We retired to our room and sunk into bed after an exhausting day.  
 
I have to say, it was extremely difficult writing this blog post because it is so hard to put into words what we experienced that day in Kruger.  Being in one of the world’s most famous game reserves and seeing animals that are on the endangered species list in their natural habitat was visceral.  A list of the wildlife that we spotted in Kruger is noted below.  

Spotted hyena
Giraffe
Hippo
Crocodile
Heron
White back vulture
Wooded vulture
Lappet faced vulture
Lion
Guinea fowl
Leopard tortoise
Nest of red billed buffalo weaver
African fish eagle
African buffalo (48,000 in this park)
Scope owl
Impala (250,000 in this park)
African elephants (12,000 in this park)
Grey Go Away bird
White rhino
Blue wildebeast
Crested francolin bird
Waterbuck antelope
Kudu
Warthog
Blacksmith Plover
Burchell starling
Tree squirrel 
Dwarf mongoose
Klipspringer
Red billed hornbill
Yellow billed hornbill
Brown snake eagle
Lilac breasted roller
Chacma baboon
Tawny eagle
Nyala antelope
Yellow billed kite
Plains zebra
Red billed woodhoope
Leopard
Swainson

Pronouns - 
Zodiac of Dazzle of Zebra
Journey of Giraffe - while travelling
Tower of Giraffe - while standing
Rank of Impala
Sounder of Warthogs
Parade of Herd of Elephants of if a smaller group breaks off it is a clan
Crash of Rhinos
Vultures when flying are a kettle
Vultures when sitting are a venue
​
If you are considering visiting South Africa, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

Continue to Day 9 - click here

After our first night on the Shongololo Express we woke up early at 6:00am and admired the scenery as we continued along the tracks towards our next destination. We went for breakfast at 8:15am.  We finished up in time to board the bus en route to Pilgrims Rest at 10:00am.  Our tour was supposed to start at 9:15am, but because the train did not arrive at Nelspruit Station until after 9:30 we were late leaving.   Nelspruit is the capital of Mpumalanga province and though it goes by its original name, the city is now officially called Mbombela.  Mbombela is a city in northeastern South Africa situated on the Crocodile River, is 110 kms west of the Mozambique border and 80 kms north of the Swaziland border.  Because of its location between Johannesburg and Maptuto, Mozambique on the Indian Ocean, Mbombela is a major route.  The population is approximately 60,000 with a racial mix of 49% white, 42% black with the remaining 9% being coloured and Asian.  The main industries are agriculture, coal mining, lumber (paper mill) and the export of Macadamia nuts. 

​We finally arrived at our first destination along the Panorama Route - Pilgrim's Rest - the first gold mine located in South Africa. This mine was established in 1873 by Alex Paterson, known as the “Wheelbarrow Man” (because he brought all of his belongings with him from the Cape by wheelbarrow - a distance of 1600 miles!).  This started the biggest gold rush the world had ever seen  It was a huge resource and the town grew up around the miners and their workers. The mine was officially closed in 1974 however the town has remained as a heritage site and the original buildings are still maintained for visitors. Due to the remote location, there is a high rate of unemployment in this town with the locals doing what they can to survive. Many individuals can be seen carrying macadamia nuts in boxes on their heads to sell to tourists.  As well, residents will come and clean vehicles for a small fee. We strolled along the main street of town, visiting the museum and had a coffee and milkshake at a small cafe. Then were back on the bus to our next destination for lunch. 

​We left Pilgrim’s Rest and drove for 20 minutes arriving in Graskop where we went directly to the suggested restaurant for lunch only to find it was an overcrowded with the large group from the bus.  We decided to walk around the town first and browse in the shops. We were convinced by a starving artist on the street to purchase one of his wood carvings - he was very persuasive.  Much of the town has very lovely flowers along the sides of the streets and we admired their colour and varieties. Afterwards we found a pancake house to have lunch and shared a minced meat and cheese crepe and a cheese and tomato crepe. 

​The next location on our stop was the Blyde River Canyon that sits at 1730 metres above sea level. The area has 7 waterfalls with the tallest at 92 metres. The Canyon spanning 57 kms is absolutely stunning. The jagged rocks and ragged walls make for a wonderful sight. The canyon had a natural river at the bottom and even though it was quite hazy you could see the stunning natural sculptures of the canyon with the different coloured rock and the rounded shapes from years of windy weather. 

​Once we had admired the Canyon we boarded the bus again towards our next stop - Bourke's Luck Potholes. Another mining location - Tom Bourke found a small amount of gold in this area and staked a claim however someone else found gold on the other side of ridge which turned out to be a bonanza.  So Bourke actually didn't have much luck.  This area is an incredible natural wonder where crevices have been created by the natural erosion of the earth where the rivers Blyde and Treur converge. The setting is really beautiful with man-made bridges spanning from one side to another. The pools (or pot holes) at the bottom make for breathtaking scenery. It was a long walk down to the bottom but very worth it to see the rock walls with the variations of color and the waterfalls cascading from one level to another. We were informed that the Northern Sutu is the native tribe in this area and there were many women in their traditional dress wandering around the area as well.  

​Approximately 1/2 km away from Bourke's Luck is God's Window looking over the valley to  Hazy View. While this would be an incredible view overlooking the valley, it was unfortunately very hazy with smoke rising from the villages below.  We tried to capture the beauty of the rolling hills and grassy slopes but it was difficult with the hazy conditions. 

​After all our sightseeing for the day we had a 2 hour drive back to the train in the dark. It was a tricky drive along with winding mountainous roads and made even more difficult with the numerous lumber trucks that our competent driver passed along the way. 
 
We arrived back at the train at 7:00pm and quickly rushed to get ready for dinner at 7:30pm.  We enjoyed a sweet potato cake as an appetizer and springbok with vegetables and rice.  
 
The train left at 7:30pm and travelled until 11:30pm.  This provided a much more restful sleep than we had managed on our first night.

If you are considering visiting South Africa, please contact us for expert advice and assistance.

​Continue to Day 8 - click here

I have to admit, as much as I was looking forward to our train adventure on the Shongololo Express which we were about to embark on, I was really sad to leave the wonderful palace that is the Orient.  We managed to wake up early (6:00am) even after our decadent and leisurely dinner at the Mosaic.  As we were getting dressed and our final packing done, we could hear Surprise setting our table on the balcony outside our bedroom.  At precisely 7:00am our lavish “continental” breakfast, was waiting for us to enjoy.  We lingered over coffee and tea as long as we could as we admired the rising sun over the backdrop of mountains before reluctantly leaving for our 7:30am pick-up that was taking us to Rovos Rail Station in Pretoria. 

​The 30-minute ride from the Orient to Pretoria took us from the foothills of the Conservation area into flatlands where the countryside is dotted with plantations and agricultural communities.  As we approached Pretoria the landscape became more urban with mostly industrial and strip malls.  What was of peculiar interest to me were the large number of used car part dealers and scrap yards, old BMW’s, Mercedes and Volkswagens, some dating more than 20 years, were lined up in lots next to the road.  Dealers offering to buy and sell used suspensions, drive trains, bumpers and engines were all along the main road. 

We eventually turned into the Rovos Rail entrance and drove up to a well maintained Colonial Railway Building with its adjoining rail yard.   Our driver pulled up to the front of the grand building where a kiosk was set up just outside the main entrance and a concierge was checking people in.  We gathered our luggage from the van and went through the brief check-in process, dropped off our bags and were led into the main room of the rail house where we were offered a glass of champagne.  We had arrived just after 8:00am, and were scheduled to board a bus for an excursion to Soweto and Johannesburg at 9:00 am, so we milled about the rail house and the expansive patio on the rail side where we enjoyed tea and biscuits in the brilliant sunshine.  We watched as an old steam engine idled on the tracks and occasionally blasted out its sharp whistle.  

​At precisely 9:00am, we were informed that our bus was ready to board and we shuffled out the front door and on to one of the 2 luxury coaches for our tour to Soweto.  Each coach held approximately 40 people so there was plenty of room for the 60 or so passengers that were booked on this edition of the Shongololo Express.  Our tour guide, PJ, introduced himself and informed us that over the next 12 days, as we trekked across Southern Africa en route to Victoria Falls aboard the Shogololo Express, the two coaches would follow along and be used to transport us from the train to the various destinations along the way.  Each day we would board the same coach.  PJ and the other tour guide for the trip, Wilhelm, would alternate buses every other day.

​After the brief introductions, the buses pulled out of the station and started the 1 hour drive southwest towards Johannesburg.  It was a short drive through the streets of Pretoria to the main highway to Johannesburg and then on to Soweto.  As we were passing through Johannesburg, PJ informed us that the downtown area, once a vibrant business hub, was now nearly 90% unoccupied.  Most of the office buildings and condos have no residents above the ground floor.   A short distance from the highway we could see a thick cloud of black smoke enveloping an area around 2 tall office buildings.  Orange flames shot out the broken windows near the top of the buildings. PJ told us that the fire had broken out in one of the buildings and spread to the other the day before. There was no attempt to douse the burning buildings - they would be left to burn themselves out.  PJ explained that during the mid-1980s most of the wealthy whites who controlled the businesses in Johannesburg left South Africa as Apartheid was coming to an end.  As a result many of the businesses collapsed and have not recovered.

​Soon after passing through Johannesburg, we arrived at Soweto.  Soweto is a township of the city of Johannesburg comprising of approximately 2.5 million people, making it the largest black urban settlement in Africa. The name itself is an acronym derived from (So)uth (We)st (To)wnship.  It was initially settled in the 1930’s when Africans, who came to Johannesburg to work in the gold mines, were forced to live in the township to be kept separate from the whites living in Johannesburg.  Today it is a sprawling, vibrant community made up of patchwork shacks and dwellings.  Like much of South Africa, the economy in Soweto is suffering.  The unemployment rate is said to be at 60%.  During our visit, the township was in the middle of a garbage strike and rubbish was stacked everywhere along the streets.  On one of our stops at a large street market there was a boulevard at a busy intersection that had a large mound of garbage which had been set aflame and was still smoldering.  All around it street vendors had barbeque pits set up and were selling food to the passersby.  The street market was several blocks in length and ran along a pedestrian street that was parallel to the main road we had driven in on the bus.  The bus had dropped us at one end of the market and we walked to the other end where it picked us up.  In between there were dozens and dozens of vendors selling every kind of ware and food item.  

​Leaving the market, we boarded the bus and travelled a short distance to Vilakazi Street - the only street in the world that was the home to 2 different Nobel Peace Prize winners - Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.  Their houses are only a few blocks apart and while Nelson Mandela spent a few nights at his house (now a museum) after his release from prison in 1990, Archbishop Tutu still resides here.  The area around the Nelson Mandela museum is a thriving tourist spot with restaurants and shops, a sharp contrast to much of the rest of Soweto.  

​Not far from Vilakazi Street we arrived at the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum which commemorates the boy who was shot and killed at the age of 13 by police during the student uprising on June 16, 1976.  I remember vividly, as a University student in Canada watching the news clips of heavily armed police shooting into crowds of high school students who were staging a peaceful protest against the mandatory use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction in black secondary schools.  PJ, our guide, who was 7 years old at the time, was present during the protests.  The museum is a modern building consisting mostly of black and white photographs, news reels and artillery that provides a stark journal of the horrific events that occurred that day.  

​Every Thursday throughout 2018, the 100th birthday of Nelson Mandela, there is free admission for kids to all museums in South Africa.  As our visit to the Hector Pieterson Memorial was on a Thursday, the venue was packed with students all proudly wearing their school uniforms and colours.  Despite the large number of students who were laughing and rambunctious on the grounds outside the museum, once they entered, their behaviour became sombre and respectful.  After leaving the museum to board our bus and head back to Pretoria, we too succumbed to silence and retrospection that lasted for some time into our trip.  

Our first stop was the Voortrekker Monument which commemorates the Pioneer history of Southern Africa along with the history of the Afrikaner and is situated on a hilltop just south of Pretoria proper in a nature reserve.   We had a quick lunch at the cafeteria style restaurant at the monument and then explored the inside of the massive monument. 

​Once at the station, we were served champagne and escorted to seats that had been set up in rows facing a podium at one end of the great room.  After everyone was seated, each passenger was called by name and Mr. Vos, the owner of Rovos Rail, welcomed each person individually.  Once all of the introductions were done, we were invited aboard the Shongololo Express which was waiting for us on the platform. We were taken to the car where we found our cabin and then given some time to unpack and freshen up.  A short time later, our hostess, Merica, knocked on our door to introduce herself and let us know that she would be taking care of us until the end of our trip.  After settling into our cabin, we proceeded to the end of the train and found the lounge car where we each had a drink as we waited for our call to dinner.  I was surprised at how reasonably priced the cocktails were.  I had a vodka martini and Kim had a gin and tonic each for R60 (less than $1 CDN).  

The train had expected to leave the station at 6:00pm, but because Rovos uses the national rail system, they are subject to delays based on congestion.  We left just after 9:00pm and travelled until 1:00am.  Our first night was a little unrestful because of the many starts and stops which resulted in rattling and jolting from time. Once the train stopped for the night we were able to finally get some sleep and prepare ourselves for our next excursion.

​Continue to Day 7 - click here

Having spent 4 fabulous days in and around Cape Town, it was now time to head off on our next adventure in South Africa.  Our destination was an exotic boutique hotel just outside of Pretoria where we were planning a day of relaxation before our 12 day train trek to Victoria Falls.  We left our apartment in downtown Cape Town at 5:00 am, taking an Uber (approximately $22 CAD) to the airport and arrived at 5:25 for our 6:30 flight.  There is only 1 terminal at Cape Town airport and at this time of the morning there was little traffic and no crowds.  We checked in at a kiosk upon entering the terminal then dropped our bags off at the Mango Airlines counter (owned by South African Airways).   We proceeded to Security where we stood in a long line which was a bit worrisome until we realized that Security was not yet open.  Once it did open, the line progressed quite quickly.  We had no issues taking our 4 bottles of unopened wine through security which we found out is the norm for South African domestic flights.  We had a short wait in the gate area and then when boarding commenced, we loaded into buses which drove us to our bright orange Mango plane, a Boeing 737.  
 
The flight was very quiet, mostly because the majority of passengers were business people who slept on the flight.  There was a cash snack service that was offered mid-flight, and to our pleasant surprise, we had both been given a 750 Rand ($7.50 CAD) food voucher as part of our boarding pass which we were able to use to offset the meal.  Our flight had left right on time at 6:30 am, and was scheduled to land at 8:30, but we ended up arriving 15 minutes early. We deplaned on the tarmac of Lansaria Airport and walked into the tiny terminal where we collected our bags after a short wait of about 15 minutes.   We had chosen Lansaria airport over the much larger and more popular Johannesburg airport because it was slightly closer to where we were staying near Pretoria and because it was a smaller airport.   I have to say that this was a remarkably stress-free flight experience from start to finish which served to confirm that our choice of Lansaria was indeed the right one. 

We were met outside the baggage area by our driver Corato who drove us from Lansaria to our hotel through mostly rural countryside which took about 30 minutes.  We turned off the main road onto a local road and drove another 2 kilometers then turned into the Francolin Conservancy where we drove about 500 metres and then turned into the grand main entrance of our destination - the Orient hotel - an exotic boutique hotel set on a sprawling property in the Francolin Conservancy.   The whole property is surrounded by a brick wall approximately 8 feet high with razor wire on the top.  After passing the main gate, we continued on the interlocking brick lane that winds towards the hotel for about 1 kilometer.  We drove through another gate into the front courtyard and parked at the hotel entrance.  ​

We were met by 2 porters who unloaded our bags and then as we were about to enter the hotel, the manager met us at the entrance, introduced herself and welcomed us to the Orient.  We had previously arranged to arrive early because we needed to leave the hotel early following morning and wanted as much time as we could to enjoy the wonderful facilities the hotel had to offer.  Our intention was to drop off our bags and spend the day just lounging around until our room was ready at 3:00pm.  To our surprise, we were told our room was ready and we were welcome to freshen up and have breakfast.  

​The manager took us to our room(s), the Marrakesh Suite, which is one of the nicest suites in the hotel.  She introduced us to Surprise, who was our personal concierge for the day. Surprise asked us what time we would like to have our breakfast which would be set for us on our balcony which overlooked the mountains in the background.  We indicated that we would need about 15 minutes.  In the meantime, the manager continued to show us around the suite which included a separate day-room immediately beside the balcony and had a sitting area, a separate room with day bed and its own ensuite.  Our main suite had a king size bed, writing desk, minibar and antique armoire.  Being a corner suite it also had 4 large windows overlooking the mountains on one side and the valley on the other.  Our large ensuite had two sinks, a free standing roman tub, padded bench, bidet, large shower with rainfall shower head and a separate room with a toilet.

​After our quick tour of the room, we took about 10 minutes to get organized and were called to breakfast on the balcony.  As we were seated we were presented with a delicious and floral herbal tea.  Our breakfast consisted of 4 courses including bread, meat with fruit pieces and a selection of mousse custard and yogourts.  There was a choice of 2 entrees.  I chose the salmon and poached eggs served with Hollandaise sauce.  Kim chose the poached egg.  To top off this fabulous brunch, we were able to enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains and valley from our private balcony.  The patio pool was situated just outside our suite and below our balcony.

​After breakfast, we changed into our shorts as the day was beginning to warm up.  There are 2 walking trails that wind through the expansive property - one is approximately 1.5 kilometers and the other is approximately 2 kilometers.  We decided to do both, although by the time we were part way through the second it was approaching noon and the temperature was in the 30s.  Along the trails are several marked stopping points that represent areas of interest. The property is lush in vegetation and wildlife.  There are beautiful gardens spread across the property amongst the natural habitation and landscape.  Along one part of the trail is a large, magnificent Buddhist meditation garden and temple with streams, waterfalls and small ponds filled with coy.  The valley, mountains and natural beauty that surrounds this well-kept garden add to the calming experience.

​After our lengthy walk, we arrived back at the hotel, changed into our bathing suits and went down to the pool.  Upon our arrival, Surprise had brought us each a large, cold Gin and Tonic to quench our thirst and cool us down.  We spent most of the afternoon in and around the pool and enjoyed another gin and tonic.

Towards the late afternoon (5:00pm) we decided to go up and get ready for dinner which was being served at 7:30 sharp.  Kim opted to relax and take advantage of the Roman tub and a luxuriating bath.  I took a short stroll in the garden at the front of the hotel and watched as a small herd of impala were browsing in the trees nearby.  After a few minutes I returned to our room, had a shower and got dressed for dinner.  As it was approaching sunset, I ordered a couple of glasses of champagne to be delivered to our balcony so we could watch the sun set over the mountains.  ​

​The sun set just around 6:30 which was perfect timing to proceed to the main lobby for the pre-dinner cocktails and canapes.  We sat next to a couple (he was from Pretoria and she was from Switzerland) who have an interesting long-distance relationship. They meet up in different cities around the world several times a year to travel together.  At 7:30 we were called to dinner and escorted to our table in the Mosaic Restaurant.  Mari, the hotel owner brought us the menu and gave us an overview of the options which consisted of 3 main menus - vegetarian, regular and grand.  We chose the Grand Degustation which was an 8 course meal accompanied by the Connoisseur Collection of wines for pairing with each course.  Chantel, Mari's daughter, and the head chef of the Mosaic Restaurant, also came by and provided more detail on the evenings offerings.  The menu included specialities such as scallop, mackerel, rabbit, risotto, suckling pig, capretto, and sea bass.  Each course was beautifully seasoned with complementary flavoured bread tastes that matched the upcoming course. It is difficult to describe in words what it is like to spend an evening at the Mosaic because it is an experience that involves all of the senses. Each dish is a work of art enhanced with tiny colourful edible flowers and prepared with painstaking intricate detail.   It is not surprising that the Mosaic is one of South Africa’s top restaurants and Chantel, one of the preeminent chefs.  This was truly one of the best dinner experiences we have ever had.  

​We finished off our day of relaxation and pampering at the Orient with a final glass of wine as we chit chatted and looked out at the stars from our balcony. When we entered our bedroom, our bed had been turned down, there were 2 Ferraro Rocher chocolates sitting on an open book, along with a sprig of lavender.  A beautiful poem was written on the open pages of the book by Chantel. A plush teddy bear sat between the pillows and was a gift to us from the hotel.   I can’t say enough about the quality of service and attention to detail that we enjoyed while staying at the Orient.  It was the perfect way to spend a relaxing day prior to the hectic pace we were about to embark on over the next 12 days.

​Continue to Day 6 - click here