There is nothing quite like the feeling of setting off on that first morning with the car loaded and the open road calling. Knowing that for the next couple of weeks you are free as a bird to travel how and where you like.
Not totally true this time, as our first stop (for a week) is a friend’s game farm in Limpopo where we’re watching over things while his farm manager is away. Sadly this will be one of the last visits as it’s been sold, so we’re making the most of spending time in the bush and animal spotting.
There aren’t any of the big five here, so it’s safe to walk the sand tracks around the farm which is a treat and means often coming face to face with kudu, hartebeest and wildebeest.
Different and Exotic
The farm is also set up to breed exotic game – namely golden wildebeest, which were originally found in Botswana before being hunted down. They are magnificent animals especially when the sun catches their manes and a far-cry from their somewhat uglier brethren!
A long way from the city lights
The closest town is Vaalwater – small and quirky, but growing, no doubt to accommodate the tastes of the foreign incomers. There are a lot of game farms in this area – set up mainly for breeding exotic and in-danger species – and more and more of them are being sold to foreign investors.
Vaalwater is not a mecca for shopping or nightlife, but it does have a couple of decent coffee shops/restaurants – La Fleur & Syringa; a decent Spar and a great souvenir/african curio shop – Black Mamba.
And so to bed…
Indeed the nightlife in the bushveld is stargazing and sitting around a fire with a glass in hand, which to my mind is one of the finest ways of spending an evening.
We have been truly spoilt to be able to stay on this beautiful farm as guests and it will remain a treasured memory for ever.
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