2018 - January - Tonteldoos trip

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. 

After lunch, we drove the 30 km to Tonteldoos.

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. 

After 4pm it stopped and quickly the braai was lit for a boerewors dinner.

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 6^th 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 ….

2016 - February - Tonteldoos, Dullstroom

2016 February 24

On a whim, at the beginning of February, we decided on a weekend away .. somewhere in or around Dullstroom.  Hein suggested the Dullstroom Inn (where we’ve stayed before), but the room they offered was only a bath and it’s not self-catering.  After a few detours around the Net, we found this little cottage.  On a farm, 30 km outside Dullstroom, in the littlelest town of Tonteldoos (Tinderbox).  There are a few cottages, but ours were the best (for us).  It was small, only sleep 2 and was open-plan bedroom-kitchen-lounge.  With a bathroom with shower, toilet and basin.

http://www.rivermancabin.co.za/

It had a small undercover patio overlooking a dam.  It has a fireplace inside and right next to us, a fenced area with goats (some with bells on their necks), sheep and a lovely donkey Maria.  We’ve fed Maria a Granny Smith apple the first day and the second day, Maria came to the fence ... patiently waiting.

Thursday 4 February 2016
We arrived on the Thursday, just after 4pm.  Barely unpacked and we had a hailstorm of note!  (Apparently it hasn’t rained in that area for a year!)  The road from Dullstroom to Tonteldoos is part gravel and horrendous!!  But luckily we were warned so we took my 4x4 Terios.  But she didn’t like it one bit!  The hail didn’t do damage to the car, but a braai was out of the question.  A box of Tortillas with sauces were handy.  Made mince, heated the tortillas in microwave, added the sauces and served it with smooth cottage cheese and guacamole.  It was deeeelicious!!!!!

Cellphone signal was poor and there was no TV, so we stoked the fireplace and settled in with our Ipads, reading mysteries.  A scratching was heard in the roof ... some bats playing pool with mothballs.  The bats refuse to find another home, apparently.

Although we normally pack a small medicine case, we needed something different, so Friday off we go to Dullstroom.  Ugh.  That road is seriously horrible!  Dullstroom is now expanded with all kinds of shops, stores and even a Seattle Coffee Shop!  Yeah!!!!

  

I bought a cappuccino take-away and Cranberry and Chocolate Chip cookie.  Deeevine!  Hein walked around the farm with a dog tagging along.  But mostly we just recharged our overcharged batteries.

Saturday 6 February 2016
Saturday  morning we planned to braai boerewors.  Then I saw this cute round ‘toeklap rooster’ (bbq roster – sorry don’t think there’s a proper english word for that) and decided ... pizza.  Hein braaied the wors, I spread sauce on tortillas, sprinkle cheese in-between 2 tortillas, sliced up the braaied wors and we made ‘quesadillas’ or ‘braai pizzas’.  

It was something different and fantastic!  The rest of the day we just lazed around.

On the premises are a restaurant, mostly open only on weekends.  Saturday we had lunch there.  Hein had a jalapeno cheese stuffed burger!  It was really yummy and the fries!!!  I had a French Toast stuffed sandwich (with ham, cheese and tomato) and fries.  The couple managing the restaurant and cottages, invited us to a bring-and-braai that evening.  One of the local pub owners are leaving for George.  I made a salad, we took our braai stuff and the weather was just fabulous.  No rains.  The place was rocking!  So many local Tonteldoos people!  We met some really interesting people and had a good time.

Sunday 7 February 2016
Sunday morning we packed and returned home.  It was just such a fabulous relaxing weekend!

You may be wondering what the heck is this ... only just one of the most perfect combinations in Joburg ... The Grind Coffee Company (https://thegrindgreenery.co.za/) in Melrose Arch serves these ... Grinding Cone.

I saw ... I want ... I tasted ... I’m in love.

A small (about 10 cm long) sugar cone.  Coated inside with hardened dark chocolate.  Filled with a Macchiato coffee.  For R40, yes.... a bit extreme, but oh dear!  Sooooo worth it!  The bottom of the cone is solidly filled with hardened chocolate. Do look out for these mini chocolate coated cones ... I've seen them in our Pick 'n Pay in  Johannesburg.

Joburg has had a few really sweltering hot days!  Like clammy on the neck hot days!!!!  But most of the evenings we were rewarded with a lovely cool rain shower.

Oh yeah ... remember my quest for jeans?  Well, I found one.  It’s buttoned in front (a first for me and I really have to remember to not just button the top one, but all the ones under it too!!!!!!) and sits really nice.  Where?  Uhhhh.... let’s call it a china shop.

Enough chatting.  Have a fabulous month!