Friday 4th to Monday 7th July
Friday.
We find ourselves in an Uber on a very wet and rainy afternoon, heading to the Rovos Lounge at Capetown Station. Being Gail, we are the first guests to arrive and are soon sipping bubbly and frantically catching up on last minute admin. Being Neil, we are about to embark on an epic 15 night train journey all the way to Dar es Salaam. Being Rovos, we trust they will get us there despite crumbling third-world infrastructure and with much logistical hoop-jumping.
The train is beautiful with restored wooden carriages. The cabin is "cosy" but well appointed. The staff are all lovely. The meals are delicious. The bar is always open.
With all it's bumps,rattles and jerks; sleeping on a train takes some getting used to.
Saturday
We take a quick stroll through Matjiesfontein before breakfast. The train rolls on all day through the the unusually rainy Karoo. There is wifi on the train but the use of cell phones is discouraged in the public areas of the train. It's great not to have to listen to all the other passengers' video calls, podcasts or music but it means we don't take many photos.
Dinner attire is formal. I'll try and remember to get photos of us one night!
Sunday
We choose not to take the excursion to the Kimberly Big Hole. Progress is slow hereafter. Cable theft of overhead powerlines means long delays and switching to diesel locomotives numerous times. The train has to wait for the Transnet technicians to clear the lines.
Monday
We haven't even made it to Potchefstroom by sunrise. Finally at about 11am we are able to get onto busses for the 3+ hour journey from Potch to Pretoria. Hopefully the train will catch up with us later. A late lunch and a tour of the Rovos facility but no time for the Pretoria city tour. It's already dark when we stop briefly at the Union Buildings. Our busses start heading West and we arrive in Randfontien just before the train pulls in. A late dinner on board and so just a few of us make it to the bar for a nightcap.
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