Monday 1 January 2018
Spending New Year's Eve 2017 at Pivot Hotel was a great choice. Luckily the fireworks weren't close enough to be a bother.
Monday morning - a new year - the 1st day
After coffee on the balcony of our Pivot Hotel room, we showered,
dressed, packed our bags and walked down to the restaurant at 8am for
breakfast. WE WERE THE ONLY ONES! Although a variety of breakfast
items were displayed, I wasn’t impressed. The hash browns were soggy, the
muffins and pastries all looked ‘industrial’, not homemade. But we had a
leisurely breakfast, our waitress was really good, coffee was black and strong
and slowly people started to arrive. Time for us to book out of the hotel
and return home.
At home, we prepared for our mini-breakaway the next day.
I printed my list of things to pack, washed everything and decided not to
iron Hein’s shirts – surely the chalet will have an iron.
Tuesday 2 January 2018
The cattery opens at 7h30. Sadly we lost our other cat-daughter, Minx, mid December 2017. She had kidney failure - 15 years old.
Our plan was to shower at
6h30, leave our house (with our cat girl Sammy) at 7h00 … to arrive at the
cattery at 7h30. Sammy woke me up at 5am. Working from my list and
without checking the clock, I packed our crates (packing and unpacking is my
job) and when all was done, I stepped into the shower and it was … 6h30.
Packing everything into the car (together with Sammy in her carrier – yowling a
bit), we opened our gate and it was … 7h00.
Dropped Sammy at the amazing hotel – I mean cattery –
Katmandu in Lammermoor (http://www.katmandu.co.za/
) and onto the road. Stopped at Steers for take-away toasted sandwiches
and coffee at the Mugg and Bean-on-the-go and our road trip started.
After a few hours, we stopped at the Shell N4 West petrol
station for coffee. I walked past a guy and thought … do I know
him? I actually turned around but thought – nah. Onto Café Fego,
where I ordered this amazing COCONUT MOCHA CRUNCH coffee. The baristas
were slow, so I turned around and spotted …
Michelle Perrow. My boss (and then owner of The
Difference Engine Woodmead) from 2001 – 2004 and her husband, Mike Esterhuysen
– the guy I thought I recognized! Now they stay in Kyalami
Johannesburg…. Yet I haven’t seen either of them in 14 years! Until at
this ‘out of the way’ spot – we on our way to Dullstroom, they on their way
with their kids to Mozambique. Small world.
Just before 12 we arrived in Dullstroom. Tonteldoos is
another 30 km (but you NEED a 4x4 and even then, it’s not a pretty road!) and
we can only book in at 2pm.
My goodness, the fog was so heavy – and stopping at
Dullstroom Inn for lunch, it was actually raining! In Dullstroom Inn pub
they have a fireplace that has been kept ‘burning’ for more than 20
years! A huge log was burning slowly in the fireplace.
Arriving at Riverman cabin (http://www.rivermancabin.co.za/) we
checked in and where I thought our cabin was Brown, it was actually Golden
Cabin (for Golden Trout). An open space with double bed, 2 comfy chairs
facing the Jetmaster fireplace and equipped kitchen (just not an oven).
Separate bathroom with shower, toilet and basin. Patio under a thatch
roof, small table and 2 chairs and an open area with braai. But the best
part … right in front of the cabin is a big pond.
We unpacked everything and just thereafter, the heavens
opened! It rained, it HAILED and it was quite magic. Started a fire
in the fireplace and sat and watch the rain and hail.
Luckily I packed our slippers as well as long-sleeved tops …
even Hein who’s normally quite brave in all weathers, wore his warm top and
slippers.
For 3 days we just sat at the edge of the pond with coffee,
staring at the crabs, tiny fish and bird life around the pond. The
fireplace inside kept us warm, we read, braaied every day (sometimes twice a
day) and generally just relaxed.
Lots of Willow trees gave shade and in the pond some
bamboo-ish plants were home to weavers.
Cellphone signal? No way. For that you had to
walk 500 metres to the restaurant onsite.
The restaurant is only open
over weekends. There are a few cabins, some only sleep 2 (like Dragonfly
and Golden), but some sleep more. There’s also a wedding facility and
they cater on site. I suggest for a small wedding (no more than 30
guests), it will be perfect. The roads are really not made for ‘quickly
buying a bread in the shop’ outings.
Leaving the Saturday 6th January, we decided not
to drive via Dullstroom, but via Stofberg. It’s only 24 km to
Stofberg. My golly, it took us an hour!!!!! That road is seriously
bad … even with a 4x4.
And that was our December and January ….
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