"We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right"
...Nelson Mandela
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March 08 family from Atlanta |
Steve:
We had planned on sending you a report on the trip. Your recent email promted us to get it done.
Feb 28 arrival We were met by a person hired by Cedarburg. He helped us get
luggage into the long term storage downstairs. That worked out famously. We of course then proceeded to the Birchwood.
He gave us a spiral notebook from Cedarburg with trip details in it to the extent Cedarburg had
something to do with it. The notebook was a nice touch. The person was a nice man. He did a good job.
Feb 28-29 Birchwood. The people at reception were very nice and helpful. The room we were given (Room number was in the 600's) was old, in need of repair, dark and smallish. We were somewhat disappointed, but were too tired to worry about it.
The resturant we went to at the hotel was ok, but we dont need to rush back. It
is on the second floor above one of the convention centers. Our plane was at 7:20AM the next day , and Birchwood's first bus/van was scheduled for 6:30 AM The hotel would not make a special run to the airport for us at 6 in the morning. These folks are not flexible. We felt that in a strange airport, we should be there early. So we left in the Taxi
at 6 AM. Got there at 6:15 The airport was a zoo, and it took us a while to find out where to go and to get to the right place . Signage is poor. All went well.
Feb 29 Mar 2 Venda This was a great experience and the highlight of our trip. Traugott is a good host
and a great guide. He showed us a lot of the venda region and gave us a good taste
of the people, how they live, the culture , the clash or interface with modern society, etc.
Leaving on March 2nd was just fine. Two days in Venda was enough to get a good flavor.
Traugott took us back to Polokwane. He noted that we were about a 2 hr drive from the Djuma game reserve. Too bad we couldn't have gotten a van or driver to take us over or have gotten Chilli Peper
to pick us up at Polokwane and take us to the landing strip by Djuma. I t would have been a lot easier and I expect cheaper than flying back to Jberg and then up to Hoekspruit.
March 2 Djuma We flew back to Jberg and then back to Hoeckspruit.. and then Chili Peper Air to
Djuma strip.
SA Airways managed to lose my luggage. The counter lady at Hoekspruit located it in JBerg
and arranged for it to be sent up the next day. Either SA was to drive it over or Chili Pepper Air was
to get it to the strip and arrange for Djuma to get it.
` Our mistake was not insisting on getting the phone numbers from the SA Air lady at
Hoeckspruit to call to follow up. I asked and it was not given.
At Djuma we immedately asked for assitance and was told it would be handled. The head man, Jimmy was off. So we dealt with the assistant who had the first name of "Life." Prom I ses were made to follow up. Game drive was Successful
March 3 Djuma Game drive in AM was Successful, but it rained hard. While driver handed out
ponchos, the seats of the vehicle got wet and so all of us were wet from the waist down. Drinking morning tea in the rain while cold and wet was a bad idea. Nonetheless, these folks are not flexible.
So we stood there while wet and while rain came in and out wondering why this was fun. This was something that could have been better anticipated with better rain gear, with putting some kind of temp roof on the jeep, or
the like. It cant be the first time. Djuma people were not really prepared and it was handled poorly.
Thom got the flu late morning on this day. Fortunatley one of the other guests was a doctor who checked to determine what
was the problem. She gave him some medicine that helped control the symptoms.
No Luggage arrived. Shirley continued to ask Djuma staff for help to get luggage. In retrospect, it appears they simply ignored her. March 4 Djuma Thom with the flu.all day. After much f o llow up and Thom getting up from sick bed to talk to Jimmy, and a call from you, Djuma helped get
Thom's luggage.
It arrived about 10:30 PM .
Our comments about Djuma: The staff did not pay attention to Shirley. They helped with luggage recovery ONLY after T h om
got up and made a huge deal about it. They also handled the rain
event poorly. Being wet and cold is a turn off. Not their fault that it rained.
but they were not ready to deal with it, and the grey sky was pretty clearly suggestive. As a result we would not return or recommend this lodge.
Food good. Accommodations , Good.. Bed very comfortable. Bathroom was surprisingly well done. Lost hot water one day, but they fixed it. Propane tank went empty.
March 5 Travel We left at 8 AM. Djuma gave us a take away breakfast. Very nice.
All connections on time.
At Jberg, a guide picked us up and took us to Pratoria. His first name was Sahid
He was excellent. A walking encylopedia. Dropped us off at the Rovos Rail after lu n ch with him. We had plenty of time.
Thom still with the flu, but recovering. March 5 Rovos Rail Fantastic experience. Quiet, comfortable, outstanding food, outstanding staff.
R elaxing. A true highlight of the trip. Would do it again.
March 7 Commodore Arrived at 6 PM. A little mix up on transport to the Commodore.
Capetown Rovos has a staff member who is tasked to obtain info on where each passenger is going and how they are going to get there upon arrival at the train station in Capetown.
Some distance out when there is cell coverage, the staff person on the train called ahead to confirm our arrival time and to confirm
that the peroson to pick you up will be there. We didn't know how that pick up was working. Your info was not clear. So
the staff person called the Commodore and the Commodore Concerierge sent a car to pick us up. However, you had arranged for a Wildro tour person to pick us up. We saw the Wildro person first.
Went to Commodore with him. Commodore driver sat there for about an hour. It took a nice tip to calm down the Hotel Conceriege.
Commodore room very nice. Very close to water front. Good choice. It has an
associated hotel across a courtyard that was less expensive and appeared
to be pretty nice.
March 8 Cape Tour Wildro Tours for cape tour. Nice van. Tour guide was Rodney.
Tour was so - so. Rodney was not very talkative. He told us the name of communities we were driving through as we drove south, and some background. but not a whole lot more. We had to pull info out of him by asking lots of questions. A nice man, but tour guiding was
not his forte. It was scenic to be sure, but we dont know much about what we saw.
We asked to go to Harbor House for lunch.. But Rodney timing was such that we couldn't reach it for lunch.
Transfer to the Best Western
March 9 Best Western We did table mountain in AM
Family arrives.
March 10 Wine and cheese and chocalate tour thru Stellenbosch
Terrence was a Great tour guide, and helpful. Since Paul's
Mother went to school in Stellenbosch and has relatives there, she was a challenge for Terrence, and he handled it like a diplomat. Great Job.
March 11 Van Delivered. Went to the Aquarium and craft market. Toured parts of of Area where Paul's mother lived and got married etc.
March 12 We went to Kirstenbosch. Fantastic
March 13 Garden Route Checked out and drove to Swellendam. Found a really nice B & B
March 14 Drove to Sedgefield. Paul's mother has a vaction place here
We stayed in a B & B called the Pelican. IT was great. March 15 Sedgfield Doing things.
March 16 Port Eliz Drove to Port Eliz and Stayed at a super B & B. Visited family
March 17 Visit family
March 18 Travel Fly to JBerg. Personal arrangments to get to Birchwood
Birchwood Much nicer room in the 1000 series
Lunched at their other restaurant and it was very good.
March 19 Soweto We had arranged for a 5 hr tour through Cedarburg The tour driver 's name was Lucky He lived in Soweto So he knew it as his home . He took us to the obvious places;
but he also took us to his mother's house and arranged for us to walk through. We also
got to walk through part of one of the shanty towns.
We also took us to a school for orphans; and we isited other sites in the area. It was worth it. The shanty town visit is an eye opener to be sure. Luckywas great.
March 19 Travel Delta Home.
Testimonial: We found the Venda tour to be a wonderful experience. The local people were friendly, warm, and happy to see us. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to learn about the people, who they are and what they do. You can see the clash of the old culture with modern society if you look. Traugott is a superb guide.
Rovos Rail is a great experience. Would do it again. The wine.cheese and chocalate tour in the Capetown region was great.
A beautiful country. A great trip.
Comments: We never had a bad bed on the whole trip. Even at Djuma.
We learned from some relatives of Paul's cousin who live up near Polokwane and who know the owner
of Djuma, that the Djuma owner moved back to Polokwane because of something connected to schooling
for his children. They say that the lack of on site supervision is telling. And they know of others who
have not had a great experience because the camps need a little more direct supervision.
Because there were not helpful or responsive in connection with luggage, and were otherwise not in a position to deal with a sick person, and couldn't deal with rain well, we would
not recommend Djuma.
Capetown was a great city to visit. Felt totally comfortable there. Ate at variuous places on the waterfront. While all was good, it seemed to be
a bit pricey.
Table mountain park is a nice half day adventure. The aquarium would have been nicer if it had not been overrun with many school children and
a ton of senior citizens on some adventure . We must have picked a bad day.
The van was great. We got mixed up on when to turn it in. My fault. So We had to pay for an extra day (ouch)
Kirstenbosch was really a great experience
It would have been nice if you could have given us an itemized cost breakdown. I still have no idea what various things cost.
Example, I have no idea what the Rovos rail trip cost. etc. While it may be that it is in some respects not relevant, it helps to
understand the values. It would be nice if you would do that next time.
You put together a great trip for us. We thank you very much. The country seems to be full of hope and promise. But most are realistic and understand it will take a long time to recover.
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