There is something to be said about sleeping in a bed that is so large you can’t reach both sides at once no matter how far you stretch. And when you plop back into a soft couch, surrounded by tastefully classy furnishings and breath-taking artworks, wearing a puffy white dressing gown while watching wild animals drink from a water hole outside your huge patio.
Add to that world class game viewing with a friendly, knowledgeable safari guide, sundowners with a spectacular African sunset as a backdrop and a spread of the finest cuisine served by friendly and attentive staff hell bent on making sure you have the time of your life.
This is what attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe to visit our malaria-free Eastern Cape game reserves and we were delighted to visit Founders Lodge to discover for ourselves where and how it all began.
When I turned 21, my parents gave me the most beautiful silver heart locket. This gorgeous little symbol of love has embraced my neck through most of my life. It has witnessed much adventure and travelled to many places, a constant reminder of my love for my family and my heritage.
I lost my heart to Trennerys – somewhere between the pitch black Wild Coast sea sand dotted with paintbox cows, the rolling green Transkei hills, the mirror glass water of the Qolora lagoon, the ruggedly spectacular beach, the enchanting wooden deck winding between the dune forest and our charming little luxury thatched rondawel.
I only realised my heart was missing when its silver chain slithered to the floor with no locket on in our hotel room as we arrived back from a full day of adventure. Although by no means would I have chosen to leave my heart behind, I actually could not imagine a better resting place for my special little totem.
Sardinia Bay beach (affectionately known as Sards) is our absolute favourite Port Elizabeth beach. It is naturally beautiful, wild and unspoilt and we love to walk our dogs along it’s long shores, snorkel in it’s crystal clear water, play in it’s sand dunes, ride it’s crashing waves and end the day watching the most incredible sun set in every shade of red. Kini Bay is a sleepy village about 15 kilometers West of Sardinia Bay. Although we love both locations, we had never before done the hike between them. We couldn’t find much info online as to how long the hike was, and what the terrain would be, so it was with a bit of apprehension that we tore our reluctant teens from their PlayStation and organised a lift to Kini Bay early on Sunday morning.
We packed lots of food and water, sunscreen and good walking shoes and off we headed.
Guest post by Tracy Wynter.
There are some things that money simply can’t buy: the ticking of your vehicle’s engine right after you’ve switched it off after reaching your holiday destination, just before you start unpacking, in that happy moment knowing that you’ve finally arrived; the deafening silence of a Karoo afternoon, holding its breath as the clouds gather, teasing with the promise of rain; the deliciously grassy fragrance of a horse’s breath, tickling your nose as your lean your head against its face; the reflection of the flickering fire on a half empty glass, when everyone is fed, tummies are full and all the problems of the world have been solved around that very fire ….
This is one of those moments. A moment when all is still, save the occasional call of an unidentified drab little bird, and the persistent buzzing of a hopeful fly. The Tankwa Karoo provokes reflection and introspection – this is not a place for the restless and easily bored, those who need to keep moving and ticking boxes in order to have their holiday dreams fulfilled. It may lack the drama and flamboyance of the Tsitsikamma, the showiness and overabundance of Addo and the gentleness of the grassy plains of Cradock. This is a place that somehow seems a little reluctant to share its magic; until you’re still, that is, and start to appreciate it for its spartan, rugged beauty.
Glamping, a combination of glamorous and camping, is a classic oxymoron. What on earth is glamorous about camping? Although it can be argued that there is a primal allure to stumbling around in the dark with a torch strapped to your head, cooking your food on open coals, zipping yourself into a canvas tent and smelling like a campfire, it is quite simply as far from glamorous as you get.
But when you start from such a low base, each creature comfort you add into the mix starts to transform this primitive way of holidaying into something entirely more desirable. A stylish starting point is not having to erect your own tents. Add to this some dazzling electricity, a glitzy bush kitchen, opulent real beds, a swanky hot shower, elegant en-suite toilet and some posh privacy and voila – glorious glam!
We were thoroughly delighted to discover that Bergrivier Eco Estate, located only 30 minutes’ drive from Port Elizabeth, ticks all these oxymoronic boxes, in a completely unique albeit very rustic way. Although Bergrivier offers a few different styles of accommodation, it was their vintage ox wagons that immediately caught our eye.
