Smalkloof Guest Farm, Volksrust

Golden Light

I am increasingly drawn to simplicity, and a farm stay brings a certain groundedness to a work travel trip which I really appreciate. Smalkloof Guest Farm, just outside Volksrust, is the perfect antidote to business stress. This is a place of golden hay bales, sheep and big skies. I drive up the long drive and stop to admire a large herd of sheep. It is dinner time and they come closer, stop, stare and then I can see one of the sheep saying to the others “Play it cool, guys, but I don’t think she’s the one who usually brings us our supper.” This is of course followed by collective panic as they all run bleating away as fast as there little legs can carry them. As I said, it’s good to be on a farm, where things are simple and real.

It seems that most of the rooms have entrances out to the beautiful farm, with plentiful outdoor seating areas. The room in which I choose to stay has its own verandah with table and chairs. Inside it is warm – with glowing orange art and cushions and an indoor fireplace. It is a cold night and I am pleased to settle in front of the fire. The en-suite bathroom is well equipped and I leave the bedroom door open to enjoy both bath and fire.

Accommodation Experience

Even the richest person on earth can’t do much better than warm, buttery toast and tea, appreciated outdoors with sunny skies and a view. I make a mindful cuppa and take it outside to the table under the big tree to enjoy. I am joined by all 5 the Jack Russel dogs, who share my enthusiasm for tea and the great outdoors.

I catch myself gulping big breaths of fresh air as my eye keeps being drawn to the open skies and golden fields with awe and gratitude.

Rhino Walking Safari, Kruger National Park

CSI Kruger

This post by Characterstays was recently published on Africa Geographic: www.africageographi.com/blog/a-rhino-walking-safari/.

We had a lot of anticipatory anxiety about our Rhino Walking Safari. Every day for several weeks we asked each other a new question, like “When they say Rhino Walking, do you think they actually try to get close to rhinos?” There were a lot of “What if?”s. The night before we depart on our walking safari our fears peak and we secretly hope for torrential rains that we might be spared from this adventure, all the while being able to complain loudly about the unfair weather. Finally dawn breaks crystal clear and a red sun rises over the dewy plain. Douw.

Nothing can quite prepare you for the experience of walking out in the wilds of Africa. Every sense lights up in primal re-awakening. Senses you never even knew you had become foregrounded in puckered awareness. I jump at every whisper and waft. One of the guest’s stomach growls and I almost hit the ground.

Then a funny thing happens and I quite quickly start to relax. A thorough assessment of our guide, Doug, and tracker Amos reassures me of their professionalism and respect for nature. They stay out in open areas and avoid the thickets, such that they may see far into the veld and avoid any potential danger. I start to enjoy the light, sounds and smells of the great outdoors. I use my newfound sensory awareness to appreciate every texture of the bush.

Doug and Amos are passionate about their environment and bring us into their world by creating 4 dimensional reconstructions of the events as told by the living crime scenes of our surrounds. They explain which type of animal left its trail, when it passed by this particular spot, in which direction it was headed, its size and gender. Even the sounds at different heights in the bush take on meaning and can alert one to past, present or future action. I begin to look at animal scat with new appreciation, as Doug seems to have majored in the subject. Both guides are footprints experts and can also point out nests and hollows were different birds and beasties spent the night. It is thoroughly enjoyable and informative and I almost forget I am out on foot in untamed Africa.

Suddenly Amos lifts both his hands, turns and motions in silence towards a quiet sound in the bush. We follow his gaze and see a mother and baby rhino to our right. “Shall we try to get closer?” says Doug. Well, I guess that’s one question answered. As I open my mouth to form a diplomatic reply, another guest nods enthusiastically and I close my mouth thinking “OK I had a whole different answer planned.” If there’s one thing for which I have a healthy respect, it’s for a mother with baby animal in the wild. We creep up downwind towards the mother and baby.

Once again I quickly become more confident and start snapping away happily with my camera. Then the smallest gust of wind swirls in a different direction and four things happen in quick succession. 1 The mother hears my camera shutter snap. Gulp. 2. She turns to look directly at us. Double gulp. 3. Doug holds up his hand, hisses “stop shooting” and 4. we all freeze. Time stands as still as we do, none of us even breathing. But with her phenomenal powers of hearing and smell, she is onto us, fully aware of our presence. With a snort and thrust of her head she moves between the baby and us, and then thankfully, they turn and trot off light footedly (and with surprising speed) into the bush.

No sooner have they turned than we realize that there are four more rhino moving towards us from the left. We have all been unaware of each other’s presence. We crouch down and pray that the winds don’t change. The four rhino move unconcerned past us, munching grass as they go. We slowly let out a long breath.

“Wasn’t that fantastic?!” exclaims elated Doug. “Errrr exhilarating” I reply, walking on wobbly legs until gradually I once again relax and with a spring in my step feel proud that we tracked our quarry so successfully.

To book for a Rhino Walking Safari, visit www.isibindi.co.za. 

Augusta de Mist Country Retreat, Swellendam

Ordinary Miracle

I was beginning to feel a bit bored with luxury accommodation – spoilt by too much of a good thing I guess. I was on the search for something exceptional. I needed art. The moment I opened the delightful website of Augusta de Mist Country Retreat in Swellendam I knew I had found it. In fact, don’t even bother reading the rest of this review – really, I won’t be offended at all – just click straight on www.augustademist.co.za.

A sense of humour and creative flair pervades every aspect of this beautiful 1802 manor house. Augusta de Mist was named after diary-writing teenager Augusta de Mist, who travelled through Swellendam with her father, a Dutch commissioner. This is one of the oldest buildings in one of the oldest towns in South Africa.

The gardens are lush, with lots of secret hideaways and paths to discover. There is a pool with elegant handmade loungers made by a local company from used wine barrels. The gardens are quiet and one feels far out in the country, even though the guesthouse is right in the centre of Swellendam, near the Drostdy Museum. It is within easy and safe walking to excellent local restaurants, even at night.

The integrity of the original homestead has been beautifully preserved, with original Yellowwood doors and beams. And now each room has been turned into a living art installation, with dramatic décor and gorgeous furniture. Sage and soft blues meld against the meter-thick walls. A show-stopping silver couch and feminist South African art work draw the eye in the lounge.

Apart from your own indoor and outdoor seating areas, there are at least 3 different dining areas inside the main lodge – one off the kitchen, out front on the “stoep” (verandah) and at the back patio – such that one may follow the sun around the building at all times of the day.

After much nail-biting deliberation (and a few backwards and forward emails), I choose to stay in the Buchu Suite, a freestanding cottage at the top of the garden and edge of the forest. It has large sash windows, a stable door as well as another set of double doors facing out onto the woods. In the lounge there are two funky upholstered armchairs and a fireplace.

I would be hard pressed to choose between my favourite room in this cottage – the lounge, bedroom or bath. The heavenly bed has white linen, a quilt and cushions of Dutch settler Jan van Riebeek. It is one of the most comfortable I have ever slept in. There is a deep, shuttered window at the head of the bed.

A glorious bespoke Livingstone bath is set up against a high window. There is a spacious shower and double basin. Cool screed floors and reed-and-open-beam ceilings bring the modern fittings perfectly back into context.

Accommodation Experience

Discovering this place feels like one of Sarah McLachlan’s “ordinary miracles”, bringing hope and creative inspiration at a time when I need it. I have a fun afternoon bounding around taking photographs of the main lodge and my loveliest of suites, enjoying the textures and colours which come with good decorating and an historic building. 

Finally I settle into an armchair, doors on both sides of my lounge opened wide to let in the breeze. As I enjoy a richly flavoured coffee, admiring the artistic room and the way the light comes in from the forest views, I realise that what is at the end of the rainbow is so much more than what one expected to find, if we are open and awake to the ordinary miracles of life. 

Phelwana Game Lodge, Hoedspruit

High Tea with Hippos

Put me next to a waterhole in a game reserve and I am happy. Put me next to a waterhole in a game reserve in a luxury tent and I am a supremely ecstatic little camper. I sit drinking my coffee on my deck overlooking a dam where mother and baby hippos splash about. I may soon join them for an afternoon wallow in my own plunge pool - there is a certain permissive sloth and appreciation for life that they impart. 

Phelwana Game Lodge has been taken over by enthusiastic new owners who understand a girl like me. Creamy floors, white linen and cream curtains are perfectly balanced with wooden and leather safari style chairs and an old travelling trunk. The waxy green central wall adds flair to this calm and spacious tent.

This is glamping in true style, with airconditioning and a spacious glossy bathroom with double basin and vanity, indoor and outdoor shower and modern fittings. 

Meals may be taken at one’s own tent, complete with white table cloth, silver service and romantic oil lit lamps and candles. The main lodge has a large dining area and freshly upholstered lounge looking onto a fireplace.

Accommodation Experience

High tea at Phelwana is a sumptuous affair. A layered cake stand is brought out to the lapa overlooking the dam, and is filled with freshly baked scones, carrot cake (with the good icing), koeksisters, tartlets, sandwiches and deviled eggs. While I am eyeing out the lavish spread, two hippos come closer for a look – not 10 meters from the lapa in the water below. I have never been so close to hippos within such safety and decadence. I can almost count the chin hairs on the hippo’s broad jaw as he yawns. This is a high tea I will always remember with excitement, as a great serendipitous privilege.