This evening I arrived at the Grootbos Resort. This is also an outstanding hotel. But in comparison with both the other hotels I have been in more a hotel than a game reserve. I have also a house for my own. It’s more some kind of a family suite. A nice house to stay in. And the view over the landscape to the coast, the waterfront and the sea is just wonderful. But at the other hand I was sitting alone at my table while in the other hotels I always had lovely people to eat and chat with.
This day started already very early. I had a 3 hrs drive from Ants Lodge to Jo’burg Airport. But this tiny, nice Toyota Corolla made at least 160km/h, downhill 170, so it was no problem for me to be at the airport in time, to give the car back to Avis and to check in.
The flight was ok, just a little bit of storm short after Jo’burg. But we started with a little delay: We needed a new first officer. The other one was sent home: his family happend to be victims of an armed robbery. So we started delayed but thanx to the winds we where in Capetown in time.
At Avis I got a VW Polo. I thought the Toyota is something you don’t really need twice. But the Polo is even worse. The gears go in very hard, the seats are even less comfortable and the motor is making a noise… well, I can give you a hint when going to South Africa and hiring a car: always take a SUV. With economy you will have problems. Especially on the gravel roads.
I took the Coast Road from Sommerset down to the sea. It is just marvellous. You get some awesome, outstanding views you will never forget. The wind is kind of stormy. But the views on the coast, the houses, the architecture, the landscape. It is really wonderful here.
In the hotel I was not expected to come. Well, this is Africa. The other hotels knew I was coming. This one not. But nevertheless I got this nice suite. At dinner I told the one lady I would like to follow the wine recommendations to the different courses. But then the wine waiter came and told me some stuff, but I repeated that I would like to follow the wine recommendations to the soup and to the Kudu, the main course. Anyway, I got the white wine to the tomato soup. That was fine. But to the main course I had nothing but my water. The wine waiter has been somewhere else. And the other service staff just took notice of my dish, not of my empty glasses. After the kudu has been in my stomach – by the way: it is a really amazing meat, like beef, but more tender – the wine waiter came and asked what I like to drink… Well, I took a glass of Merlot that was good for the time waiting for the desert.
So, for beeing short: the staff is friendly and nice. But do not expect that everything works just like in Germany.
I am open to new adventours: tomorrow I will go see a township, the landscape and a forrest around here and perhaps a football project they have here. And I hope it works to see the wild animals in the sea: whale, white shark, penguins, dolphins and many more.
