Head north

[Kevin Peacocke]

Well, we actually began heading south by air, my wife Tessa and I, to Johannesburg. The first short journey north was to the delightful little village of Dullstroom, famous for it's trout fishing. It was a celebration of my daughter and niece's 30 th birthdays and we spent two wonderful evenings by log fires with good wines and single malts. Two particularly good finds were a tobacconist where I got a sachet of Rhodesian Blend tobacco, just for the delicious smell I remember as a boy as my step father loaded his pipe. They also had a first edition copy of Ruark's Uhuro which came home. The second find was one of the best beers, have ever tasted, Old Bull Bitter at the Hops Hollow Brew Pub, worth a trip just for that as I have encountered it nowhere else.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Back in Johannesburg for a quick shop to pick up an Akubra hat and on the way to the historic and beautiful Rovos Rail station in Pretoria. We fell in love with the place immediately, the grand old age of fine travel is alive and well ladies and gentlemen and the sparkling wine and canapes set the mood perfectly for this epic mini-adventure, destination Victoria Falls.
You may recall some time ago that there was a trip planned that was to have begun in Walvis Bay, then by freighter to Cape Town, then the Wine Route, Rovos to Victoria Falls and finally a double rifle buffalo hunt in the Landies. Well it has proved to be so daunting to organise consecutively that we decided to break it up into sections. The buffalo hunt to the Save came first, which I wrote up recently, but because the buff gave me the slip there will have to be a sequel! Next leg was the Rovos Rail trip that is the subject of this report, and in the future the water part will probably be down the Nile on the Steam Ship Sudan, made famous by the Agatha Christie novel Death on the Nile. Somewhere inbetween will be the Cape Wine Route.
Anyway, on with the story. After parading one of their glorious steam locomotives the main train was shunted in and we boarded in the late afternoon, settling into the spacious suite. There are three classes: Pullman, Deluxe and Royal, we chose a Deluxe and it was just perfect with a huge double bed, mini lounge and bathroom. What a change from the school boy train travel I remember, probably worth waiting the sixty interveneing years for.
one is expected to dress formally for dinner, and pre-cocktails are served in the rear lounge adjacent to the open observation car. It was pretty cold on the deck in the evening and my suggestion of a fire pit raised an eyebrow or two!
Dinner is a four course event, excellent food as you would expect and servings just right for me, although Tess requested half portions. The emphasis was on hearty rather than too fancy and I liked that, i fact prawns only arrived once. What was particularly special was the wine pairing, they got it right every time.
The train ambles along at a very relaxed pace, taking four nights to reach Vic Falls, and it stops every night somewhere for a solid night's sleep.

 

[TwoTracks]

You sir, get bonus points for the use of the word sachet. A highly underutilized word.

Trout fishing, log fires….. sounds like a great trip. Now I need to go and dig up a Ruark book for this weekend.

 

[Phil Giordano]

It's very pleasant to see that elegance and class still exist

 

[shotgungibbs]

Sounds wonderful. Thank you again for sharing.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The first night was spent on the train in South Africa in a place called Pyramid, and by midday we were traversing the Soutpansberg. What beautiful scenery, the tracks follow the course of a river through a gorge and it is spectacular; sheer rock formations with alloes clinging on for dear life. As the country opened up a bit what struck me was the game fences, neat, tidy and well maintained. On the one side of the tracks there would be messy human habitation in the frequent villages, and on the other side an orderly fence, we even saw impala and Nyala in their pristine bush containment. Can you imagine the chaos without those fences?
On the north side of the Soutpansberg one starts to encounter baobabs and the typical Limpopo veld looks so very inviting for a stroll with a double, this would be great buffalo country. This is the time to be out on the observation car in the open warm air, G&T in hand making new acquaintances. A few of my new friends were outdoors people, but surprisingly not a single hunter. Bankers, lawyers, a pilot, a few professional artists and a wonderful elderly retired British couple who had been on about thirty ship cruises, but only two trains. The old boy was a bit on the portly side and found the passageways a real challenge. Then there was the mysterious Lady Sophie with her young daughter, just touring Africa perhaps to get away from the tabloids.
lunch and dinners are heralded by a gong and it is a very relaxed affair watching the world go by over a gently rocking glass of chardonnay.

 

[shotgungibbs]

I'm enjoying "travelling along with you".

 

[WAB]

Rovos has been on our ‘to do’ list. Your report is moving it up the list!

 

[Lungshot202]

Enjoy yourselves.
I will give this a try when i am in Pretoria

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

The crossing into Zimbabwe over Beit Bridge probably happened during dinner, it was totally painless - passports just magically got stamped, I could get to love rail travel. The night stop was in Gwanda and a few hundred metres off in the dark night a three stamp mill lulled us to sleep with it's rythmical kadunk kadunk kadunk. The ka is the is the cam contacting the tappet to lift it up and the dunk is the shoe crashing down onto the die below with the hopefully gold-laden rock between. The bush night is very seldom silent; where there is humanity you either hear their toils or their celebrations when the toils are occasionally successful. And where there are no humans the wild animals do much the same.
Rolling into Bulawayo there is no mistaking that this was the principal rail hub in a byegone era, the track multiplies into two, then four, then umpteen lines, some disappearing into huge sheds that must once have serviced steam locos. And everywhere derelict wagons that once hauled cattle, people and minerals. It still happens of course, but this is the age of eighteen wheelers, not bogeys.
After yet another delicious lunch parked in the clean station we were bussed to the Motopos hills for an afternoon of culture. The rock paintings were brought to life by our excellent guide Ian Harmer whose knowledge of the San is vast and meaningful. I mention his name specifically because Ian is worth getting in touch with if you come to Zimbabwe on safari, and he may still hunt I think. More importantly he is a Series Land Rover man and his Series 2 is probably the best example in Southern Africa. Sorry, I cant resist showing it to you:

Next up was the visit to Rhode's grave, I have been many times before, but Ian added a new dimension to this; did you know Rhodes was buried not looking south over his beloved World's View, but feet north, because that was where he was going, "to Cairo".

 

[zip4644]

you sir, are obviously living your best life, love to read about your adventures.....looking forward to your next installment.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Another wonderfully described adventure Kevin. Thanks for taking us along!

 

[Red Leg]

Back in Johannesburg for a quick shop to pick up an Akubra hat and on the way to the historic and beautiful Rovos Rail station in Pretoria. We fell in love with the place immediately, the grand old age of fine travel is alive and well ladies and gentlemen and the sparkling wine and canapes set the mood perfectly for this epic mini-adventure, destination Victoria Falls.
You may recall some time ago that there was a trip planned that was to have begun in Walvis Bay, then by freighter to Cape Town, then the Wine Route, Rovos to Victoria Falls and finally a double rifle buffalo hunt in the Landies. Well it has proved to be so daunting to organise consecutively that we decided to break it up into sections. The buffalo hunt to the Save came first, which I wrote up recently, but because the buff gave me the slip there will have to be a sequel! Next leg was the Rovos Rail trip that is the subject of this report, and in the future the water part will probably be down the Nile on the Steam Ship Sudan, made famous by the Agatha Christie novel Death on the Nile. Somewhere inbetween will be the Cape Wine Route.
Anyway, on with the story. After parading one of their glorious steam locomotives the main train was shunted in and we boarded in the late afternoon, settling into the spacious suite. There are three classes: Pullman, Deluxe and Royal, we chose a Deluxe and it was just perfect with a huge double bed, mini lounge and bathroom. What a change from the school boy train travel I remember, probably worth waiting the sixty interveneing years for.
one is expected to dress formally for dinner, and pre-cocktails are served in the rear lounge adjacent to the open observation car. It was pretty cold on the deck in the evening and my suggestion of a fire pit raised an eyebrow or two!
Dinner is a four course event, excellent food as you would expect and servings just right for me, although Tess requested half portions. The emphasis was on hearty rather than too fancy and I liked that, i fact prawns only arrived once. What was particularly special was the wine pairing, they got it right every time.
The train ambles along at a very relaxed pace, taking four nights to reach Vic Falls, and it stops every night somewhere for a solid night's sleep.
View attachment 478436View attachment 478435View attachment 478437

I have suddenly concluded that you may have married far above your station. You both look grand.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

I have suddenly concluded that you may have married far above your station. You both look grand.

Dont tell her that...

 

[WyoBull]

I have suddenly concluded that you may have married far above your station. You both look grand.

Kind of what I was thinking Red Leg. I believe most of us have outkicked our coverage in that department.

 

[VertigoBE]

Thank you for taking us with you on this adventure Kevin! Your wife and you both look lovely. Quite a change though to see you switch the safari jacket for a dinner jacket

 

[Sourdough]

@Kevin Peacocke Ahhh, trout, steam trains, luxury cars, slow unhurried travel, and a great report. Thank you. Looks like it only could have been better if the locomotives had been steam.

I have a love of trains and have looked at Rovos as well but hadn't actually put it on the list. It is now. Thanks.

 

[Happy Myles]

Wonderful, Kevin. Keep them coming. Your photo of Rhodes grave brought back a rush of memories of my visit there as well as The ancient ruins, Rorkes Drift, Isandlwana, and Ulundi. Please keep them coming we will never tire of them. The formal attire for dinner is very classy. My father used to say, “every good event deserves at least one gentleman”.

 

[MontanaPat]

Great story, look forward to reading more!!

 

[Hank2211]

Dont tell her that...

If my experience is anything to go by, she already knows . . .