Kruger and Southern Africa

[Gem56]

Some interesting personal stories.




Another interesting display is a copy of a newspaper article reporting how many people had been reclassified from one race to another during the previous 12 months. Sorry, I don’t have a photograph.

The following is an extract from Wikipedia which explains the test for classification really well.

The pencil test involved sliding a pencil or pen in the hair of a person whose racial group was uncertain. If the pencil fell to the floor, the person "passed" and was considered "white". If it stuck, the person's hair was considered too kinky to be white and the person was classified as "coloured" (of mixed racial heritage). The classification as coloured allowed a person more rights than one considered "black," but fewer rights and duties than a person considered white.

An alternate version of the pencil test was available for blacks who wished to be reclassified as coloured. In this version, the applicant was asked to put a pencil in their hair and shake their head. If the pencil fell out as a result of the shaking, the person could be reclassified. If it stayed in place, they remained classified as black.

 

[Gem56]

Last stop for the day was at the Hector Pieterson memorial.



This young boy was the youngest to die on that dreadful day of the Soweto uprising when the students from the schools in Soweto protested against the medium of instruction which was to be Afrikaans. Hector was only 12. Their protest was met with police brutality and the official number reported to have been killed was 176, however apparently the number was more like 600. This day is now marked as a public holiday and is called “Youth Day”.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thanks to my +1 for her thoughts and photos on Soweto, the museums, etc.

So Gabriel dropped us back to the Holiday Inn at Rosebank. Initially I had booked a second night at the IC at the airport. Then I decided that it would be handy to be in the city for our last night as we needed to catch a train the following morning. So I rebooked at the IC at Sandton. Then, I found a better rate at the Hilton, so we cancelled the IC and booked the Hilton.

Finally, the week before our flight, the HI popped up on PointsBreak for 5,000 points; that was enough to convince me (always up for a bargain).

The HI Rosebank was fairly typical. We received a voucher for 1 free drink (had to buy the one for +1). I used the voucher for a glass of CabSav. Now while there are some very nice wines in South Africa, this was not one of them. Absolutely horrible. If there had been a sink nearby I would have poured it out.

As it had been a big day and we were still suffering jetlag, we headed off to bed.

 

[Jacques Vert]

As it turned out the HI Rosebank was a good choice. We were heading to Johannesburg Park Station and according to The Man in Seat 61 the best way to get there is on the Gautrain:



From the HI, you walk out the front door, turn right and walk about 30 metres and there is a lift (situated on the footpath outside of KFC). Down in the lift and you are at the ticket office.

On board:




One stop and you are at Park station. Heading towards the exit barriers:




Along the passageway towards the escalators to ground level:





All clean, relatively new and safe (at least during daylight hours; no experience after dark so can't comment).

 

[Jacques Vert]

From the top of the escalators you veer left and follow the covered walkway about twenty metres to the entrance to Johannesburg Park Station:



All very easy and ample police and security guards keeping an eye on things.


Our reason for going to Park Station was to catch the Premier Classe train to Cape Town:




There's a separate lounge where you check-in and have morning tea while the porters load your bags onto the train:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Our Train:





All up there were 22 carriages:




but the "operational" part of the train consisted of 3 sleeping cars (this is our compartment in day configuration):




followed by a lounge car (non-smoking):




and a restaurant car:




then there were two kitchen/stores carriages, another restaurant car, another lounge car (smoking) and three more sleeping cars. Following that were some freight cars, car carriers, etc.

 

[Jacques Vert]

We left exactly on time (10-30 A.M.) Pity I can't say the same about our arrival in Cape Town but I'll save that for a later post.

Once underway we all gather in the lounge car to meet our train manager, Mr Paradise and our barman, Eden.




and enjoy a welcoming glass of bubbles and nibblies:




Paradise explains times for lunch, dinner, breakfast and morning tea (did I mention the journey is schedlued to take 26 hours?). He also advises there will be five stops of 20 to 35 minutes each and we can get off and stretch our legs if we wish (he will blow the whistle to let us know when to get back on - how thoughtful).



All meals are included so we only have to pay for our drinks (credits cards accepted).

So we settle in to meet our fellow passengers (should that be adventurers), share a glass or two and enjoy the view.




Then it was time for lunch:



Salmon for the starter. We were busy talking to our table guests and enjoying the views (and the wine) and forgot to take photos of the rest of the meal. For the record the main was chicken, followed by desert, tea/coffee. Set menu, no choice, but very tasty and no complaints.

 

[Jacques Vert]

After lunch we settled in to enjoy the passing scenery:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Some shots as we pass through the Karoo.

 

[Jacques Vert]

After a five course dinner, drinks and more socialising, we returned to our compartment to find our seats had been converted to beds so we tucked in for a good night's sleep. At this stage things were going well but then the train came to a prolonged stop. Apparently the signals had failed and our driver had to walk some distance to get a mobile phone signal so he could get in touch with the control room before we could proceed.

The next section should have taken three hours but ended up taking six and a half as the train stopped and started, wheels squealed and things generally banged and crashed through the night.

We awoke to more views of the Karoo:




Another long stop:




Then breakfast:




and more views of the Karoo:




and finally the scenery begins to change as we approach some mountains:

 

[Jacques Vert]

We move further into the mountains:

 

[Jacques Vert]

We then enter a series of tunnels, the longest being 13.5 kilometres, before emerging in the winelands:








The staff must be used to running late as they have an (unscheduled) lunch organised:




After which we continue on through some picturesque valleys:

 

[Jacques Vert]

And finally, some 30 hours after leaving JoBurg, we approach Cape Town:

 

[Jacques Vert]

We enjoyed the trip on the train. Only problems were that the air-conditioning failed after lunch on the second day and the lounge car became unbearably hot; much cooler to stand in the corridor of the sleeping car with the windows open. And of course the late arrival into Cape Town. We were advised that there is a brand new train to take over this journey and it is currently undergoing testing. Hopefully this will solve the air-conditioning problem.

The late arrival could be the bigger problem; apparently it has been known to be up to 12 hours late so you wouldn't want to book anything much for the evening of your arrival. In our case we had a rental car booked and only had about an hour to spare before the Avis depot closed. +1 stayed at the station while I went to get the car; being Friday afternoon the roads in Cape Town CBD were a car park and it took more than an hour for me to return to the station.

By that time the station was closing and the security guards and train staff at the station advised +1 that is was not safe for her to wait outside the station by herself. So one of the train people waited with her until I returned with the car.

 

[Jacques Vert]

So in summary:

We found the Premier Classe train to be a thoroughly enjoyable way to get to Cape Town allowing you to see the scenery between the two cities. Scheduled at 26 hours with all meals included. Drinks are extra (beer R20 and wine averages R90). Sleeper cabins with shared bathroom facilities (two toilets and one shower per carriage, each carriage having 5 double and 2 single compartments for a maximum of 12 persons).

Complimentary sparkling wine and nibblies on departure. It's quite a social occasion chatting with other passengers from various countries.

The train is notoriously late arriving into Cape Town. It's certainly not the TGV or Bullet Train but still enjoyable and we didn't have to go to work the next day

 

[Flying mermaid]

Gabriel stopped outside one of the shanty towns and asked if we would like to take a tour through the village. I felt quite uncomfortable, thinking that we would be intruding, however Gabriel said that they welcome strangers, so that others can see how they are living. I think the pictures tell the story sufficiently.


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Long drop toilets


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The numbers on these shacks indicate their place in the queue for a government house.

This living area is just one of hundreds in South Africa.

the saddest thing about the way these people are still living is that Zuma and his government continue to pillage the wealth of the country I assume you plan to visit Robben Island in Cape Town?

 

[Gem56]

the saddest thing about the way these people are still living is that Zuma and his government continue to pillage the wealth of the country I assume you plan to visit Robben Island in Cape Town?

Yes FM, wouldn't go home without doing that, plus Table Mountain... weather permitting of course.

 

[Jacques Vert]

After retrieving +1 and the bags from the station we drove to the Double Tree in Woodstock for our first night:





Rooms were nice and the rate quite reasonable if you watch the prices and keep re-booking if, and when, they fall.

Due to our late arrival we decided to eat in at the DT.

I had the Cajun Calamari (as good a calamari dish as I have ever had) followed by a curry and rice which was also good but not exceptional like the calamari:



Our deserts:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Next morning we had a slow start before moving to the Hilton, where we were upgraded to a nice suite:

 

[Jacques Vert]

The concierge suggested that as the weather was good a drive to Simon's Town, Chapman's Peak and the Cape might be in order, so off we went....






Of course, I can't mention Simon's Town without a couple of photos of the Penguins: