This bog is made to tell family and friends about our experiences in South Africa From December 23, 2011 - January 24, 2012.

 As usually we are going with Britih Airways from Nice via Heathrow direct to Johannesburg where we have rented aDaihatsu Terios 4x2 by Europcar. Not as usual with Avis, because all cars except group A & B were rented out at Avis.  
          

Our planned trip is as shown on this map:

  
 We are leaving  Nice December 23 at 4:15 PM and are arriving in Johannesburg next day at 09:40 AM.

Just a small detour to a golf-store to buy 2 golfcarts and then a supermarket before we are going to drive around 500 km to Phalaborwa,  where we have rented a  house for 2½ weeks. This is our first route:
    

And it is good roads on this trip.

We are now ready for departing to Nice Airport. The weather here in Mouans-Satoux is beautiful  and they have also promised good weather the next week - not like last year where it was raining for 10 days constantly.

Now in South Africa - we started getting the car with all sides scratched from bush driving. It was noted on the contract. Then PicknPay for provisions, then off to Hans Merensky. Shifting weather, and we met road works with waiting 20 min. to pass the one lane open. Of cause we arrived late, but in time to get a dinner before the restaurant closed.

  
Next morning, claudy, warm, and an hour later: Its pouring down. So a nice sitting room is appreciated.

We come from our own  house with warweleaks, and got a house with a leak by the chimney, But don't worry we are profs when it comes to a water problems.

No doubt we are in a very nice house.

Off to the hotel to get the wifi - and a drink in thebar. Merry X-mas.

Yesterday we  had problems with the gas for kitchen and barbecue (braai). It proved simple, it was the gas-tab which was stuck, but a big strong gas man could turn it on,  so we got the most perfect grilled Angus rump steak with oven baked root-vegetables.  Perfect dinner with perfect Shiraz red wine.

It was pouring down. We went shopping. Mainly  practical stuff. We cancelled the golf as it continued to rain. Anne went berserk in a shoe shop - but we got out with only 45€ spent. Can you beat that? I (Niels) forgot to switch the lights off when we parked. But immediately there was a lot of helping hands.

It would not start pushing it, so a helpfull man stopped ang gave us a lifeline. All smiles, none of them understood why women always wants the light on -  just because it rains...

  

 Now the sun is shinning and e will go on the driving range - we have just go a light lunch with a local beer and a Savana Light in the Pool Bar.

How lucky can you be?

Within 3 months we have been seeing 2 pairs of  lions mating close to the road - first in mid October in Kafue National Park in Zambia and then the day before yesterday in Kruger National Park.

The 2 lions in Kruger National Oark

But what have been doing since our last update on the blog?

Its 27th Dec. we are going to play golf. We take out Tina & Peters golfcart from the garage. What a luxury! The price is 120 Rand p.p. 18 holes - it's a fair price (80 DKK) -   because we are member of SAGA and seniors
  
The condition of the course is not in the top condition. In fact 3 holes have adequate grass on the fairways. They have killed the weeds and have to plant grass after having removed the leftovers – a longer process. The greens are not too good, but you learn. They have got a new green keeper, so lets wait and see.There are many players over the X-mas days, and all are enjoying their time.

View from Hole no. 19

  

Niels - what will you do now?

On the course you see impalas, hippos, crocs and even a giraf.

   

When not golfing we shop, prepare dinner on the terrace on the fabulous gas grill, and eat outside in the silk soft evening warmth.

How bad can it be?

And the days pass, new years eve arrives. Big bill boards with fireworks, dancing Champagne …. 
Everything as it should be.  Even in front of the local supermarket they had a jazz band

We reserved a table in the restaurant. We came early in order to hear the Queens New Years speech, but the internet was down. We went back as we were alone at that time. We had our drink at home and returned later. We had difficulty finding where we should be, but eventually we found it was in the normal restaurant, with a buffet in the adjourning room.

No lights, no decorations, no music, only a cook who behind the closed bar grilled beef, lamb and chicken. That was places in those big bowls with fire under hotels use. A little salad, roots vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, and ketchup, HP sauce, mustard, olive oil and balsamico. There you are.....

We had ordered a good bottle of redwine and a bottle of still water. It arrived – one bottle in each hand – BANG in the middle of the table. Then we could start to open the bottles and poor the liquids.
It was a quite restaurant. No feast. No action. Medium food. All meat well done. Poor cook, what can he do? People slowly emerged, and so did we. The bar was still closed!

We got home and drank the new year in – we do not need a lot of people to enjoy it!

Happy New Year - and we were at bed at 10PM.

That was the day when I – Niels should have his annual cold. It happily only lasted 1 day. I could have been a little problem, as we had decided to go to Krüger Park for 2 nights, at Bateleur Bushweld Camp (you cater for yourself, you get cabin with kitchen, bed, bathroom and linen). It is up north in the park. Not famous for lots of wildlife, but more for birds and a scenic nature.

Driving in the park we saw lots of animals and birds. The nature – big with endless sights and deep gorges. After we checked in we took a evening drive on our own. In fact we made it all on our own, except the last evening drive where we went with the camps guide.

HOW LUCKY CAN YOU BE?Next morning we went out 5 am. The jungle was wakening. But slowly. We saw most after 7 am. We had a light breakfast at Shingwedzi camp and continued north. A car was parked. We pulled up behind, and looked. All of a sudden we saw a big male lion lying by a bush 100 m. from us. We starred, are there two, asked Anne. Then he slowly got up – he was huge. A lioness head appeared, she got up, and he entered her and mated with her. Then she moved away. He laid down, after some time he went over to her, and laid down. Again they got up, but she would not let him enter her, she went deeper into the jungle tail right up in the air, and he followed her into the shadow, where we could not follow them. We logged their position on the GPS. We went to a parallel road behind them to find them, but no success. We went back to the first position. We got a glimpse of them, but too far away. We left them alone, and went back to camp.
 

 
At 5 we went out with the guide, who also drove at night We had been all the right places. He found at night spotted hyena and Spring hare. The latter we did`nt know. It jumps as a kangaroo.

  
Next morning we started back, visited Letaba lodge and saw how little water the area has. The waterlevel should be 8 times higher. And we are in the rainy season!

Now we are sitting in the bar at the hotel - later we are going to the airport to change our vehivle because the air condition is not working well - BUT we love our little car. The have got a car from Nelspruit.

We have decided to shorten our stay 3 days here at Hans Merensky so Sunday we are leaving for Idube Game Lodge  which was the first place where we experienced safari in 2000.

Tomorrow we are leaving Phalaborwa

Tomorrow morning we are leaving Hans Merensky to drive 179km south to Idube Game Reserve in Sabi Sand Game Reserve. They had a  good offer - stay 3 nights and pay for 2 nights. And also very interesting - Idube was the first place where we in 2000 got our interest for safaris so we are looking very much forward to come back.

  

 

Will we ever learn?

Yesterday evening while we were sitting and looking at one of the episodes in “Mad Men” we heard some paper noise from the kitchen area – and yes we had 3 monkeys in the kitchen who succeeded to steal a package of Finn Crips – and we should know. Last time we stayed in Tina & Peter’s house we had a monkey in the house who stole a big red mango…
   

We left Hans Merensky this morning,and are now installed at Idube Game Reserve where we had booked via Holger Jensen, a room in the newly build Makubela Suites.

  

The first 24 hours at Idube Game Reserve

Within the first 2 game drives we had some lovely sights of elephants, rhinos (white), buffalos, a young male leopard (around one year) and an old male lion (around 13 years) who is in a coalition with 3 of his brothers.

Besides we had good sights of many birds (owls, eagles and a lot o sing birds) and impalas, waterbucks, steenboks and also 3 male nyalas in the camp.

We are driving with the chief ranger – Rob – and the tracker Ronald and 4 other younger Danish guests. Nice sometimes to joke and chat in Danish.
  

Idube the last two days.

We 6 Danish guests continued in the same car, and had a nice time.

We saw the Big 5 several times, and we saw a big male leopard in the camp area. He came because there was a female leopard in or around the camp. She disappeared as she was scared of him. She had just given birth to 3 cups, and she was afraid he would find and kill them. He was not the father. He had killed a warthog cub, was disturbed by some people and left BUT the manager took the baby warthog and drove it outside the camp. The female leopard entered the camp again, and with those two in the area we were most cautious, when walking in the camp.

We got excellent food, cooked by the managers wife, (the normal cook was on leave).  All in all a very nice stay. But the extras were expensive. Wine and water was 6 times up from shop prices. 
  

The female leopard

Kruger Park – Lower Sabi Rest Camp

From Idube we went to a camp in Kruger Park - Lower Sabie Camp. We love to be in Kruger Park - it's relaxed and you always see a lot of animals.

Our house directly to Sabie River

   

Our barbecue area

The golf part begins

After Kruger Park we went to Nelspruit and found that the B & B`s restaurant was closed. We had to drive to town to eat. No thank you! We went on towards Pretoria and stopped in Witbank, where we stayed in in one of those special SA resort - Casino with a hotel.

From there we went on to Pretoria where westayed 2 nights at Holger Jensens guest house. On the way from Witbank to Pretorria we played Serenget Golf Club. A super course.  Long, one par 5 they had set up to 550 meters! Greens was just so good and fast, but true. Only one 3 put! Suddenly we got a message on the GPS screen in the buggy. Go to Club house, thunder storm under way. It was a tropic thunder storm. The club offered a drink while we waited, and after 90 min. the play goes on. But we had to go back, so we missed 3 holes. But a perfect links course where they played SA open i November 2010.

We arrived at Holger Jensens Guest House at 5 PM and had a  very nice dinner with eland fillet.

 

Saturday, we got a tee off 12:50, at Woodhill, but when we got there, the geens were sanded, and all covered in sand. Which they incidentally had forgotten to say. It was too late to find another course, so we went to Pretoria GC and had a drink, saw the course, - we have played it before in 2000, and decided to come back next week.

We went back, repacked the car, write this, and plan the last week in SA – it will be golf,  so anybody not interested in this sport are free to jump off now, we will be back 24^th Jan.!

Back home

Now we are back home after a wonderful holiday in South Africa. Annika and Tiger are very happy and cute - and are around us all the time. The last10 days of our trip after our visit to Holger Jensen was just perfect. In nine days we played nine of the Top 30 courses in South Africa - rated by Golf Digest, March 2011 - se the whole rating here 

Clubhouse of Zebula

 From Pretoria we drove 2 ½ hours north via Bela Bela to a lodge - Botse Botse, located at Zebula golf course. We came out on the golfcourse just after noon, and had a round where we were almost alone - it was Sunday afternoon and most of the locals had played in the morning and was on their way home to Johannesburg/Pretroria. The last 4 holes it with as fenced greens – protection against the many animals, such as giraffes - zebras, wildebeests, warthog and impalas in the area.

Elements Hole 18

The next day we went to the Elements Golf Course, which is a fantastic and amazing course, and a  course we must play again. Our lodge Botse Botse were not quite as good as it sounds on their website - the room was OK, but we looked straight out into a railings, and that despite the fact that the lodge is situated in a magnificent wide natural area.

We left Botse Botse 18th January morning and drove on the normal roads – not the motorway via Pretoria - to Sun City where we had made a good deal at the Palace of Lost City. We have stayed there before and it's just a great experience.

That afternoon we played Garry Player course. You can only walk, mostly with a caddie. Niels plays brilliantly with caddy while Anne finds it very difficult.

Garry Player Hole 9

  
The day after Anne took a day off from golf and Niels played again Garry Player, and came out with 3 well playing South Africans. 2 nights at The Palace, it was check out time.
 
Next day we played "Lost City", which Anne likes much better. And it is a good course, but/and there are no caddies! Both courses are very good.

Lost City Hole 9 & 18

 After the round we drove to Hartbeestpoort where we had found a lovely B & B with the possibility to dine, and where we had a wonderful room with a huge balcony with a 270 degree view to Hartbeestpoort Dam. We had a nice evening where we saw a few episodes of "Mad Men".

Next day we went out on Pecanwood Golf Course - a supreme course,  which is surrounded by houses, but delicately done, as there were lots of trees and bushes covering the houses. We got an offer - 720 ZAR for 2 green fee including buggy. It was a beautiful day. And later we had another wonderful evening with an early dinner, which was prepared especially for us and then afterwards some sections of the tv serie Mad Man.

Our balcony with this beautiful view

     

   

Pecanwood Golf

 

Saturday 21st Jan. we drove south of Johannesburg to "Eye of Africa" a complete new course made by Greg Norman, and which has been rated as the best new course in SA in 2011, and it is also Greg Norman's first course in SA. A super nice course, but unfortunately there is being built some - in our opinion - rather ugly house around it. Lets hope they also will be covered by trees.

Eye of Africa - Hole 18

After the round we drove towards Kempton Park - about 10 km from the airport in Johannesburg - where we through Tripadvisor had found a small boutique hotel, where - if you booked within 2 days before arrival - for ZAR 1800 had B & B & D - and what a dinner. It is long time ago we had such a delicious dinner - and what more it was only us at the hotel. The place is called African Rock Hotel, and the chef is named Christina.

Our room that was a bit dark - we have found out that we want rooms with great view. - next time Room 2

  
The following day - Sunday 22 January - we had again been given time on the Serengeti and this time we managed to play all 18 holes. The course is gorgeous and also a course that must be experienced again.

Serengeti Hole 8

Unfortunately we came out with 2 weeks guys, one definitely could not play golf.Serengeti is a Jack Nicklaus course and won The Best New Course in 2010 and the opening drive was made by Jack Nicklaus. Serengetti housed South African Open in November 2011.

 The afternoon was spent repacking so everything could be compressed to be something suitable to air transport.
 
Monday 23 November we had to fly home at 20:12, but we had just reached a round at Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Course - East Course, where a week earlier had been the Johannesburg Open. Lovely old track, which definitely also a track to be played again, but otherwise not it one track where you need to run around.

Royal Johannesburg & Kensington Golf Club

 You can read more about the courses in South Africa - see rating, green fee, accommodation etc - at this link

The trip home to F went fine even though we were 1 hour late from Joeburg due to air conditioning problems in the plane and then we also had a more than usually sour and poor service on the plane - we sat on the top floor of the 747. Maybe BA will soon get some new planes and some younger stewardesses ... Anne also had time to get a sore throat and have had to stay in bed for almost a week.

When we got home we had great weather - it had not rained since the first December, but now the 29th of January 2012 it rains.

While we were in Gauteng (JoBurg area) the area around the Kruger Park had heavy rain - so much rain that the roads and bridges was washed away - and Idube was closed for a few days. (345 mm in 3 days!) But we were out a few days before the rain. The picture is from the camp we stayed at the last night in Kruger.

Now we are really looking forward to the next golf vacation, which in March go to the southernmost Spain – golf school - and then to yet another African journey, as we celebrate Anne's 60th birthday in Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya in August 2012.

No more planning for now.
All the best Anne and Niels
29.01.2012