Leaving our stopover bungalow at Hamilton Park Country lodge
where we only stayed for one night, we drove to the safari camp in GwalaGwala,
a private game reserve some 75 kms. further north.
I would have preferred to stay in the
That’s how I stumbled upon GwalaGwala while browsing thru
the Net for options. Named after the African Lourie (a native colorful bird),
it had 6 tented guest accommodations for two. Located in a smaller property
(12,000 hectares), they stocked animals that weren’t of the fiercest variety –
giraffes, zebras, warthogs, antelopes, mongooses, monkeys, caracals, hyenas and
jackals. For Big Five (buffalo, rhino elephant, leopard and lion) viewing, they
offered game drives in nearby Thornybush game reserve. Inclusive of breakfast,
brunch, dinner and two game drives per day, their winter special offer of 6,500/-
South African Rands ($1,000/-) for two persons for three days was reasonable
enough.
So that’s where we found ourselves at 2:00 in the afternoon. As we entered the gate that had a steel grated bridge so animals couldn’t walk through, several giraffes munching off the top of the low bushwillows greeted us. We followed the dirt track that led us down to the Reception area where Ann (the owner with her husband Dorian) with her two large dogs and Barthus, the overall camp manager, warmly greeted us.
The lawn around the pool and staircase to the tent
We were escorted to our tent (named Klaserie Rock) which was
on a small promontory with an open verandah that overlooked a gurgling stream. Measuring
10x5 meters, it was built on a meter-high raised wooden platform, and was
divided by canvass and netting flaps into 2 areas: two-thirds was the bedroom
and one-third was the toilet and dressing room. Metal tubing framed the tent
made of thick canvass with windows that had covers which could be rolled up to
open. The floor was wooden planking and the toilet had bamboo walls with the
shower stall finished in slate stone tile. In the middle of the room was a
large queen-sized bed with fluffy pillows and a thick electric blanket to keep
you warm and comfy during the cold nights. Two side tables with lamps and a
credenza with drawers and a small fridge underneath completed the somewhat
spartan furnishings. For lighting, there were gas lamp-like fixtures hanging
from the ceiling with electrical bulbs in them.
So how is it, I asked the wife. Her eyes widened as she nodded her approval. But I knew she was quite concerned about how safe we were because we only had a canvass flap for a door although the heavy-duty zippers had locks in them. We were told to always zip and lock up so that the vervet monkeys hanging around the place would not enter and wreck havoc on our things. Don’t worry, I said, we’ll be okay - as a sudden gust of wind loudly shook the branches and leaves of the trees around us which startled her and made me laugh. Let’s open the champagne, I suggested. The chilled complimentary bottle was sitting on the table so I picked up two glasses, poured the sparkling liquid, and we toasted our safe arrival.
The camp’s layout was simple. In the middle was a lawn that had a small swimming pool and hammock under the trees. This was where the lounge was located. We had light snacks here before the game drives or simply relaxed on the sofas browsing through the numerous books and magazines about wildlife lying on the coffee tables. Adjacent to it was the kitchen which was right next to the boma, an enclosed circular space with an open fireplace in the middle. Dinner was served here on long tables and we gathered around the fire, drinks in hand, swapping stories or discussing
We spent may hours just sitting on this rock by the gurgling stream named Klasserie
anything under the twinkling, southern constellation-filled sky.
The owners usually joined us and we had good, lively, flowing conversation. I
learned that Dorian was a retired Jo’burg banker while Ann was an accountant
and they put up this game lodge upon retiring. Both of them putter around,
enjoying the slow but healthy pace of life that it affords. (Hmmm…..it gave me
an idea to do something like this in
Breakfast at the treehouse up on the old jackalberry
It was a satisfying first day and the exploration of our surroundings was only cut short when Barthus told us to prepare for the afternoon game drive. That was when the real fun would begin.
