In South Africa recently, we stayed at the 12 Apostles Hotel and Spa in Cape Town. Finding ourselves in a mild state of inebriation after numerous drinks at the Leopard Bar, we were in the mood for anything. Fortunately, the casual mention of a gin-making class prompted us to book a session with Angus van Aarde, the resident mixologist.

It turned out that he was free that afternoon; and this class on the first day of our stay ended up being one of our most enjoyable experiences in South Africa. Moreover, we became gin lovers forever.

FORAGING AT 12 APOSTLES

Angus van Aarde, officially bar manager but in reality part chemist and part entertainer, met us at the bar. We had just enough time to change clothes. So from seasoned flyer wearing yoga pants and a black shirt on an overnight Singapore Airlines flight, I’d metamorphosed into fashionable traveler in a slinky dress. I was ready for sunset cocktails on the terrace of of one of the best bars in Cape Town.

“I hope those shoes are comfortable for walking,” Angus said, by way of greeting, glancing at my sandals. I’d brought these precisely because they seemed perfect for a stylish summer in South Africa.

HOW TO MAKE GIN

“Aren’t we making gin?” I asked, confused. He nodded and said, “But first we must gather the ingredients for the gin, and they’re all on the mountain.”

Backtracking out of the bar, we climbed the walking trail winding around the base of the 12 Apostles mountain range. “We’re going to pick some of these fine bush plants to flavor your gin,” Angus said, identifying the edibles and clipping the branches of random plants as we walked along.

DANCE LIKE NO ONE’S WATCHING IN CAPE TOWN

Foraging is surprisingly satisfying. Yes, paradise can be a rocky terrain of edible foliage. After 30 minutes I was skipping up and down the mountain in my cocktail outfit. There is something about picking one’s own food that fuels creativity because I’d suddenly found my zone.

While we were on the mountain, the Leopard Bar team created a scene out of Architectural Digest for the next part of our private master class.

The center table facing the outdoor terrace featured glasses, bottles of gin, and plates of dried fruits and leaves displayed like art, along with our freshly harvested herbs. To top things off, the sun was setting at exactly that time and a local band was playing feel-good songs; it made me think of the colorful houses of the Bo-Kap neighborhood on a summer weekend.   

Then we were off to botanical nirvana, right there in the Leopard Bar. To start us off, Angus pointed to several ingredients and said: “We usually put these in our gin. But actually you can create new flavors for yourself.” We spent a good hour engrossed in experimenting with flavors; I wanted to capture the feeling of this perfect day in a bottle to take back home.

FLAVORS OF SOUTH AFRICA

Our original gin mixes completed, we headed to the Azure restaurant for a gastronomic dinner cooked by Chef Christo Pretorius and his team. The restaurant is known for its inventive cuisine of local ingredients and stylish plating and we were not disappointed.

We began with a platter of Saldanha Bay oysters and yellowfin tuna tartare. The chef partnered these with intriguing side dishes such as spaghetti of pickled sea lettuce and edamame beans. The Azure sommelier was ready too with glasses of Bouchard Finlayson sauvignon blanc reserve 2018 to wash down our seafood.

Then we had ostrich smoked in rooibos tea and drizzled with buchu herb oil and blackberry vinaigrette. Next came a duck that was served three ways: crispy duck breast, duck leg confit, and roast duck broth accompanied by slow roasted tomatoes and broccoli.

LAMB FROM THE KAROO REGION

The finale was a superb lamb loin inspired by the arid Karoo region, with harissa barbecue glaze and turmeric couscous on the side.

“We had a wonderful dinner,” I said to the maitre’d as we walked out of the restaurant at the end. “This can easily become a hard habit to break.”

The maitre’d smiled and replied: “Well, please make sure to join us for breakfast then. The weekend breakfast at 12 Apostles is a beloved Cape Town tradition.”

WEEKEND BRUNCH AT AZURE RESTAURTANT 

Intrigued, we heeded his suggestion and started our Saturday just like well-heeled locals in the know. When we reached the Azure restaurant, the terrace was already full save for a table in the shade because a local’s life here is meant to be lived under the sun. Fortunately, coming from bright lights and a big city, any table with a view was fine with us.

Table secured, we inspected the buffet, impressed by the feast that awaited us, including oysters in champagne buckets, plates of fresh berries, and sparkling wine to start. We had triples of everything and then we ordered Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon — our own beloved tradition for breakfast in every city we visit.

“We could make a tradition out of this, you know,” I said to my companion, without going into details because all at once I meant everything and anything, including the wonderful breakfasts, the movie nights at the hotel’s cozy theatre room, floating in the salt bath of the spa, and afternoons spent reading books by the pool. And until our next visit, we have our bottles of gin to remind us of this hotel by the sea in Cape Town.

Read more articles about traveling around Cape Town in Travelife Magazine.

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“This is a local favorite,” the waitress said, setting an elaborate stand of afternoon tea treats in front of us as we sat under the sun with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. She added: “Our chefs created originals — you won’t find these elsewhere.”

We had just landed in Cape Town that morning and from the airport we’d driven straight to the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa for an early afternoon tea on the outdoor terrace without bothering to check in first.

SUMMER IN CAPE TOWN

The day was so fine and the ocean was calling out to us so we set aside the formalities for later. Also, we were eager to sit by the sea and to start our wonderful holiday at the edge of the world with a proper toast.

This was South Africa, after all, land of amazing nature and excellent wine, so drinks should always be within reach. Luckily a table was available; and soon flutes of sparkling wine and an ornate tray of treats arrived, just too beautiful to eat.

This experience, aptly named “Tea by the Sea” by the 12 Apostles came highly recommended and we were grateful we heeded someone’s advice.

AFTERNOON TEA AT THE 12 APOSTLES HOTEL & SPA

Even now, it gives me an adrenaline shot to write about this moment full of expectations at the very start of three amazing weeks in Africa. Everything was just perfect. The skies were clear and the sea was an intoxicating cerulean hue, and all around us were happy people celebrating something on a Friday at noon.

Perhaps they all had birthdays or anniversaries; or maybe Cape Townians do this all the time and need no excuses for a mid-day party ahead of the weekend. In any case, their joy was infectious, so by the time we’d put away our mobile phones, made the exuberant toasts and were ready to eat, I felt on top of the world in spite of the fact that I was geographically at the bottom of it.

AVOCADO SANDWICHES AT THE 12 APOSTLES

To break the ice between us and our elegant afternoon tea tray, from the tantalizing selections we chose the avocado sandwiches covered in crushed almonds. Perfectly formed, the initial mouthfuls of goodness left us wide-eyed with wonder.

The taste is simply impossible to describe; but we were in heaven and I’m sure the location had something to do with our elation as well.

We savored these rich finger sandwiches — crunchy on the outside and all mushy with avocado inside — as slowly as we could manage between sips of bubbly; and then we quickly ordered another round.

“Life is short and when else will we ever have these again?” My companion said, in the form of a rhetorical question. We both knew that I felt exactly the same way, and this is how we threw our calorie counts to the wind that afternoon at the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa.

CLASSIC HOTEL BY THE SEA IN CAPE TOWN

There are many lovely places to stay in Cape Town, but the 12 Apostles Hotel & Spa is one of a handful that directly take you not only to a hotel of luxury, but also to a time of genteel and unrushed travel for a proper holiday. It’s a destination hotel full of quirks and personal touches; including winding corridors and narrow stairs that lead to picture-pretty landings.

Meanwhile, the interiors are about classic furniture, memorable art, stripes and flowery prints that create a country house atmosphere. Everything slowly grows on you so that eventually you feel like calling this hotel a home. Not a few guests return every year for this familiar and wonderful holiday.

DRIVING ALONG CHAPMAN’S PEAK

The main attractions are the ocean views, the famous 12 Apostles mountain range, and the nearby Chapman’s Peak Drive, one of the loveliest road trips in the world. These alone, along with the hotel’s wild garden of botanical, offer the perfect combination for down-time in Cape Town.

Here, you will wish for a book or sketchpad; or at least a playlist of your favorite music; once you sit down, you won’t want to get up, let alone go to the V&A Waterfront.

The need to have a busy sightseeing list will turn into a distant memory. Most guests at 12 Apostles purposely want to leave the world behind. So they end up enjoying what is in front of them instead of following the tourist trails around the city.

Read more about luxury hotels in South Africa in Travelife Magazine.

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Last March, we took the Blue Train of South Africa from Cape Town to Pretoria. It’s a relaxing two-night journey on beautiful train. If you have the time, this is the best way to get to Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, from the Western Cape. Moreover, you get to see Kimberely, the capital of the beautiful Northern Cape as well.

I’ve been on the Blue Train twice and every moment has been interesting and also relaxing. I love the long meals and the cozy cabins, and the endless amazing views.

EXPERIENCES ON THE BLUE TRAIN

The Blue Train is elegant and old-fashioned. The private suites are spacious and each suite has an ensuite bathroom. In the day, the suites function as comfortable living rooms where you can sit and read, or watch the passing scenery. I so enjoy doing this, and I never tire of the views of South Africa.

Meanwhile, while guests are enjoying a delicious three-course dinner, the train butlers are busy turning the suites into cozy bedrooms. It’s amazing how well planned the suites are because the bedrooms on the Blue Train are just like hotel rooms. In fact, I have had some of my best sleep on this train.

FOOD ON THE BLUE TRAIN

The food on the Blue Train deserves special mention, especially as I have taken this journey twice now. The quality on both trips has been the same.

Breakfast is a nice elaborate meal that invites you to relax and enjoy the morning. It starts with sparkling wine, if you wish, and fruits and cold dishes on a sideboard in the restaurant car. Then you can order your hot dishes from a menu. It’s a wonderful way to start the day on a train.

LUNCH ON A TRAIN

Lunch is also relaxing, and you can choose to sit with other passengers or to have a table to yourselves. Again, it’s a three-course meal accompanied by wines and digestifs at the end. The train is usually moving during lunch so it’s really a nice experience to view South Africa from an elegant restaurant car while having lunch and lots of good South African wines.

SIGHTSEEING IN KIMBERLEY

On this last trip, we arrived at Kimberley, the capital of the Northern Cape, just after lunch. So we had the afternoon to explore the town. The Blue Train organised an interesting excursion to The Big Hole, which is the famous diamond mine of South Africa. It is perhaps the top attraction in Kimberley, if not in the entire Northern Cape.

The Big Hole in the Northern Cape used to be owned by the De Beers diamond company and now it is a museum. You can also still buy diamonds from a shop on the premises in Kimberley.

RELATED CONTENT : THE BEST WILDERNESS RETREAT IN AFRICA

DINNER ON THE TRAIN

We returned to The Blue Train after sightseeing in the Northern Cape just in time for afternoon tea. The bar car is set up prettily for afternoon tea with cakes, fruits and scones. Then there’s just enough time after tea to relax a bit and then start dressing up for dinner.

Dinner on The Blue Train as it passes through the rest of the Northern Cape is formal so most of the guests come in elegant attire. The men are in suits while the ladies are in dresses or long gowns. The meal is formal as well, and everything is delicious.

READ ABOUT THE LAW OF ATTRACTION IN HUNGARY

After dinner, you can retire to the lounge for drinks and music, or head on to the end of the train where there is a quiet sitting area and a casino that uses play money. Making bets at the casino was surprisingly enjoyable — after all, how many people can say they gambled on a train?

WHERE HAS ALL THE TIME GONE?

All too soon, the journey on The Blue Train comes to an end. At the start of the trip, some guests worry about making such a long trip on a train.

“What will we do with all this time?” They say to each other. But time really goes so quickly and soon the train is pulling up to its final stop and passengers are all bidding each other farewell and safe journeys.

Read more stories about traveling by train in South Africa in Travelife Magazine.

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It’s been two years since I rode the Blue Train across South Africa, from the capital of Pretoria to the beautiful city of Cape Town, living a #Travelife.

Nevertheless, I still remember every moment of it, from the excitement of arriving at the old-fashioned train station of Pretoria to the fancy brunches and dinners onboard the train, to sitting in the viewing carriage at the end of the Blue Train to marvel at the loveliness of this part of the world.

On the day of departure, we woke up early at our hotel in Johannesburg to take a car to Pretoria to catch the Blue Train to Cape Town.

The distance between Johannesburg and Cape Town is about 1600 kilometers, and by airplane, from Johannesburg airport, which is the nearest airport for Pretoria, it will take you just under two hours.

However, by the Blue Train, it takes about 30 hours to travel from Pretoria to Cape Town or vice versa, passing through almost the entire length of the wild and remote Northern Cape.

But the journey is the experience in itself.

In fact, it’s an experience like no other — especially in this modern age when everything is instant and people are so impatient to get to their destinations as quickly as possible.

On the Blue Train, it’s all about the voyage, and the people you meet, and the things you see outside your windows as you travel across South Africa at a leisurely pace, just like in the old days.

It was a wonderful way to see a country I’ve grown to love.

I’ve been on several luxury trains before, so I’m quite used to the configurations for these old-fashioned carriages. None of them are spacious enough compared to a hotel suite, for instance, but the luxurious ones are good enough.

And I have to say that the Blue Train is among the most comfortable trains of this class.

The cabins are spacious, the beds are heavenly, and the ensuite bathrooms are positively palatial by train standards.

That’s the ensuite bathroom of the Blue Train

The company onboard is the other attraction.

You really meet very interesting people as most people who take the Blue Train are very experienced travelers with lots of stories to tell.

We met so many nice people on this train.

In fact, we sat next to one British couple by chance at the very first meal — and we liked them so much that we arranged to sit with them at every meal.

This is what brunch was like on that first day, by the way, as we rolled out of Pretoria and past Johannesburg, on our way to the Northern Cape, living a #Travelife.

We began with very nice pink champagne.

Then, anyone who wanted pastries or fruit could have some, as it was brunch.

Within the rather strict confines of this luxury train, a fruit and pastry buffet had been set up very nicely on one side of the Blue Train and passengers could just help themselves after enjoying a glass of bubbly.

For an appetizer, there were several choices but most of us chose the smoked salmon. It was a very nice way to start brunch and an omen of good things to come.

We enjoyed our conversations with this British couple so much that the result was that our table took the full course at each meal and lingered on way past everyone else had left.

We literally took hours to eat every meal, and happily so.

We were easily doing three hours for each meal, accompanied by lots of good food and wonderful wines, journeying across South Africa, and living a never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.

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Yesterday I ate at a restaurant that very much reminded me of Test Kitchen in Cape Town, which is considered the best restaurant on the African continent. 

Test Kitchen is run by a talented chef named Luke Dale Roberts.

TEST KITCHEN IN CAPE TOWN

Interestingly, the Travel Companion actually took me for dinner at Test Kitchen during a very nice holiday in South Africa two years ago, and we’d had a very memorable 13-course degustation.

At that time, Test Kitchen was pretty new but Chef Luke was already well-known, and the Travel Companion had booked this restaurant for us on one of our evenings in Cape Town.

Our dinner at Test Kitchen in Cape Town

In those days, I still remember how everyone in the know whom we spoke to in Cape Town was very impressed we even knew about Test Kitchen — and some people didn’t even know about it yet.

As in, “Test…what?”

But of course, we’d done our homework and made it a point to book all the best restaurants in South Africa for our trip.

 

FIVE HUNDRED IN JOHANNESBURG

Aside from Test Kitchen. two of the restaurants we went to were so new that they were not on anyone’s radar yet then except for the really serious foodies.

We ate at Five Hundred in Johannesburg four days before it opened.

Celebrity chef David Higgs gave us some champagne in his open kitchen and then he had to serve us dinner in a venue next door because so many things were still in boxes.

CAMPHORS AT VERGELEGEN

Then we ate at Camphors at Vergelegen in Somerset West just about two weeks after it opened, and this was also very lovely as well.

The executive chef of Camphors at Vergelegen

Both Five Hundred and Camphors at Vergelegen have since joined Test Kitchen in the roster of the best restaurants in South Africa.

Talk about good teamwork there, between the Travel Companion and myself.

 

The action at Test Kitchen on the night we had dinner there.

 

A REALLY NICE TRIP TO SOUTH AFRICA

We were in these restaurants first, ahead of most of the pack.

And every time I think about this particular trip with the Travel Companion to South Africa, I just have to smile because we had such a good time.

That’s one our courses at La Colombe

As for the others in the top ten list that we visited, these include the lovely La Colombe in Constantia, The Tasting Room in Franschhoek, and Rust en Vrede in Somerset West.

But these are already great dining institutions in the Western Cape.

Sunday lunch at Rust en Vrede, living a Travelife.

 

 

But back to Test Kitchen in Cape Town. 

I heard it’s almost impossible to book Test Kitchen these days.

But two years ago, it was difficult but not impossible with something like two months’ notice. It’s in an industrial suburb of Cape Town, so it’s quite a distance from the CBD, but it was full when we were there.

Dinner at The Tasting Room in Franschhoek

 

 

 

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So in Cape Town last month, living a Travelife, there we were having a pretty amazing breakfast at the One & Only Cape Town on a lazy Saturday morning, with the kind of sunshine and weather that makes you think nothing can ever go wrong in the world.

The breakfast had something to do with it, as well.

We were having freshly-shucked oysters and champagne for breakfast.

And as people who know me well will tell you, that’s one easy way to make my day: start it with fresh plump and juicy oysters, and very cold champagne.

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We were both on our iPads, and I was trying to read the FT Weekend while answering emails and posting photos on Facebook, as well.

The companion looked up from his iPad and said to me: “So, are you coming along?“

Just like that. Out of the blue.

It took me awhile to get what he meant. 

The beautiful One & Only Cape Town with Table Mountain in the background

But finally I remembered that he’d made an appointment with a real estate agent to look at some fancy apartments in Cape Town.

Yes. He’d never been to Africa, and he’d just come along with me for two weeks because I just wouldn’t stop talking about Africa and he had nothing else he wanted to do more for those last two weeks of January.

And 48 hours into a stay in Cape Town, he’d decided he wanted to live there.

Actually, he didn’t really plan to live there. He just wanted to have an apartment.

This is my favorite suite in the whole world, by the way. And it’s in South Africa.

I tried to talk him out of it by telling him how much easier it is to stay in a beautiful suite in a luxury hotel with twice-daily housekeeping and 24-hour room service than to go home to your own place and have to set it up each time.

But his ego was set on owning a piece of beautiful Cape Town.

This is the bathroom of my favorite suite. I spent hours here in November 2012, just dressing for dinner.

He added: “Besides, the South African rand is so cheap that it makes everything look like a fire sale.“

So basically, this was a punt he was making with some extra dollars he had.

Unfortunately, I’d already booked myself a Bastien Gonzalez pedicure at the One & Only Spa.

I was so looking forward to this as this was supposed to be the best pedicure in the world.

Besides, I didn’t really think he was serious about the apartment.

But when we met up again at lunch, there he was, practically holding the keys to a three-bedroom penthouse flat with an infinity hot tub and an amazing view of the sea.

Five days later we were in the general Stellenbosch area, which is the heart of South Africa’s food and wine country.

And there he was again, practically in seventh heaven, in love with the place and looking for a vineyard to buy.


Stay tuned to this blog for how this story ends.

How’s that for a never-endingly eventful Travelife?

The post How someone bought an apartment in Cape Town while I had a pedicure at the One & Only Cape Town. appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

This morning, in South Africa living a never-ending Travelife, I woke up in the most perfect place possible.

It’s called Birkenhead House, in a picture-pretty town called Hermanus, along the coast of Western Cape.

If I could have a house by the sea, this would certainly be it.

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It’s just like coming home — or visiting a friend at home.

There are no particular rules, everyone knows who you are, and you can basically help yourself to what you want, do what you please, or simply do nothing.

There’s a full complement of spirits on a table in the living room, the mini bar is free, and there’s always something yummy to eat by the buffet.

And just in case nothing on show strikes your fancy, the kitchen will try and whip something else up.

The staff at Birkenhead House are just wonderful.

Everyone is happy to do something for you, or to do what they can.

I’ve put in all kinds of requests during my time here, including my usual raw vegetable juices, a foot massage by the infinity pool, and a couple of other things besides.

Nothing is too much of a bother for the super friendly and professional staff here.

SOUTH AFRICA

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I happen to know of this house very well, because I’d stayed in Birkenhead’s sister property in Franschhoek about 14 months ago.

That hotel, La Residence, blew my mind away the minute I set foot in it, and I went on to write about the beautiful La Residence for Travelife Magazine. 

No one in Asia really knew about it back then, but I’d booked this for our stay in Franschhoek on my first trip to South Africa because it seemed like a truly interesting hotel.

After staying in La Residence, it became one of my favorite hotels in the world.

And, of course, its sister properties went onto my bucket list for hotels. 

Now that I’ve stayed at Birkenhead, I have just one more property to go.

The suite I stayed in at La Residence, which is known as the Elton John suite, is also one of my favorite hotel rooms of all time.

It just happens to be the best suite in the hotel, although every suite here is impeccably beautiful.

Then — guess what.

Three months ago, La Residence was named the best hotel in the world.

Travelife was probably the first magazine in Asia to feature La Residence in a major way because it’s so out of the way and it was still so under the mainstream radar in 2012.

You heard it from us first at Travelife Magazine.

Of course, now everyone wants to stay here, as it’s the best hotel in the world, and La Residence is on the travel plans of every luxury hotel junkie on the planet.

Well, Birkenhead House is its slightly more understated sister.

It’s small and intimate, and on the casual side, but in an ever so stylish way.

Everything about it is perfect.

The companion doing yoga by the beach…

The companion woke up early to do yoga by the beach with a private trainer.

Meanwhile, I sat by the pool answering emails and drinking my favorite rooibos tea.

Then, mid-morning, I went to get a massage at the spa.

This was one of the most amazing massages I’ve had in recent memory, in a never-ending Travelife full of massages and spa treatments.

Midway into my massage, the companion burst into my massage room without even knocking. I’d left him fiddling with his iPad by the pool, you see.

“I’m going surfing,” he announced. “Sean’s taking me down to the beach.”

I guess he went to tell me this so that I wouldn’t look for him after my massage. Sean is one of the staff working at Birkenhead House.

Apparently, while I was getting my massage, they’d started talking about surfing.

Then Sean had suggested they go out for a ride.

The companion had done lots of surfing in Hawaii in a previous lifetime, you see, way before he went into global investment banking.

It was really nice of Sean to take him out to surf. But that’s the service at Birkenhead House, for you.

It just makes you want to keep coming back.

Or actually, it just makes you want to never check out. Even in a never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.

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Breakfast on board the beautiful Blue Train, as it crosses the country from Pretoria to Cape Town and back, is an elaborate and elegant affair.

It’s just like in those period movies, really, except the food is probably much better on the Blue Train.

Moreover, it’s a beautiful vintage train, but it’s got every modern convenience, and onboard WiFi to boot.

But going back to that elaborate production for breakfast, it’s really a wonder to think how the Blue Train team manages such a meal, considering it’s a moving train with obviously very limited space.

It’s literally breakfast with “the works.“

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Passengers can dine in the dining car at their leisure, between 7 and 10 AM.

They can also basically sit where they wish, and with whom they wish — or else dine by themselves, too, if they wish.

We chose to share a table with the same British couple we’d been sharing a table with since the Blue Train rolled out of Pretoria Station.

I was the first one to the table, as I was hankering for a pot of rooibos tea early in the morning. Then I set up my laptop to try and do some work until the others arrived.

For breakfast, there is a very nice buffet spread of pastries and fruits, and some cold cuts.

Again, you marvel at the fact that you are staring at two buffet spreads on both sides of a narrow train carriage, as it rolls along 140-year-old train tracks.

After you’re done with the cold foods, you can order hot foods from the menu.

When I opened my breakfast menu, I got very hungry just looking at everything.

It was also quite a novelty to have a leisurely breakfast onboard the Blue Train, so I decided to have three hot courses.

There was nothing on my schedule after all, except to gaze out at the scenery until we  reached Cape Town. So I had breakfast with “the works.”

After my fruit plate and some bread, I had eggs benedict, but with salmon instead of ham.

If you read this blog regularly, you’ll know I love eggs benedict with a passion and I have it almost everytime I see it on a menu. At almost every hotel I stay in, everywhere in the world.

But I especially love ordering this in South Africa, where I have yet to find a badly made eggs benedict.

Then I ordered French toast, just because I haven’t had French toast in such a long time.

This was delicious as well.

Finally, I ordered savoury scones with cream cheese, cheddar cheese and lashings of bacon, just because I’d never had this before and it looked interesting.

It was so good, and breakfast ended up a two-hour affair, especially with all my orders.

And then sooner rather than later, we were rolling into Cape Town, to begin another adventure in our never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.

The post Breakfast onboard the Blue Train, from Pretoria to Cape Town appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to take the Blue Train.

Living a never-ending Travelife, I’m up for all sorts of adventures.

I especially like trains and cruises — and how lucky, then, that I’m doing this wonderful train journey in South Africa, and also a two-week cruise somewhere in the world, over the next four weeks.

Yes, I literally have 24 hours between my trip to South Africa, and the cruise trip somewhere else in the world.

It’s truly a never-endingly eventful Travelife.

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And tomorrow, I’m off to explore South Africa’s Garden Route, after several blissful days of going around the wine country.

But for now, let me share with you some details of the Blue Train experience.

It’s really an old-fashioned way of traveling — and I mean this in a nice way.

The attire is casual most of the time, save for dinner, when the gentlemen actually don tuxedoes and the women wear fancy dresses and good jewelry.

I decided to wear a colorful but casual long dress, with a hint of Africa on it.

The meals are all elegant, whether it is breakfast or dinner.

Each table setting has a full complement of silverware and each course is plated beautifully and served on porcelain.

Wine — and there is lots of this to accompany every course — is poured into crystal goblets by formal, uniformed servers.

You would think you were not on a train, traversing a desert.

And did I already mention that the food’s delicious?

Meanwhile, the cabins of the Blue Train are among the most comfortable train cabins in the world.

They are very tastefully decorated and quite spacious, especially in the context of a vintage train.

It’s not a hotel suite in terms of size — but when you think that you are on a train, the cabins are quite remarkable.

Each cabin has either a double bed or two twin beds, and either way, the beds are wonderful.

It has flowers, a writing table, adequate storage space, and even a television with on-demand entertainment.

The ensuite bathrooms on the Blue Train are surprisingly large, as well, especially compared with other specialty trains. These are well-appointed, and each has a picture window looking out.

And, while shower stalls are the norm, some cabins even have proper bathtubs.

Best of all, perhaps, especially for me, is that there’s free onboard WiFi. None of these pay-per-minute WiFi systems found on many cruise ships — which often leaves you stuck with a ridiculously high bill, especially if you like to surf the Net.

However, I have to say that the onboard WiFi is intermittent at best. It is a moving train in the middle of nowhere, after all.

Still, it’s way better than having nothing for 30 hours.

I loved our Blue Train experience — so much so that I can’t wait to do another train experience again, sometime sooner than later, in my never-endingly eventful Travelife.

The post The Blue Train experience in South Africa appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.

Eggs benedict at the Steenberg

Over the weekend, I was sifting through my photos of my trip to South Africa last year, when we went to Johannesburg, Cape Town and the Sabi Sabi Game Reserve in Greater Kruger National Park.

This was such a wonderful trip.

Smoked salmon at the Steenberg

Then I found some very nice photos from this trip, which I promptly sent off to the Travel Companion, to remind him of what a happy time we had.

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This sparked a bit of an exchange, and I ended up sending him a very long message via my Blackberry.

He replied: “That must be the longest BBM in history.“

I had to agree.

Anyway, I took lots of food photos on our trip to South Africa last year — way more than on our trip to Tanzania this year, in fact — because we had so many delicious breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

So I thought I’d share with you what breakfast was like at the Steenberg, a five-star luxury hotel in the suburbs of Constantia, which is about 20 minutes from Cape Town.

Bananas and blueberries at the Steenberg

It’s the oldest working farm on the Cape, and it’s been voted one of the best luxury experiences in Africa.

I have to say that if you get booked in the Khoi Khoi Suite, which is probably their best suite, it most certainly is.


It’s like having a very nice duplex apartment.

Sparkling wine with breakfast

Breakfast here was excellent, as well.

The Steenberg has a lovely cold breakfast buffet set-up.

And on the menu for hot breakfast items was a Cape Malay omelette, which we decided to try.

It was spicy and so very good.

Cape Malay Omelette

Even now, I remember how wonderful it was.

This was my last proper breakfast, by the way, on this particular trip to Africa, living a never-ending, and never-endingly eventful Travelife.

The post Breakfast at the Steenberg in Constantia, South Africa appeared first on TRAVELIFE Magazine.