BLURB
My sister and I went to Magoebaskloof in the adjacent province of Limpopo for a short getaway this weekend. We left on Friday August 19th at 10 a.m. and were back Sunday August 21st at 12.30 p.m. We stayed at the Magoebaskloof Rest Camp and explored some of the area (Cheerio Trout Fishing and Holiday Farm; Debageni Falls) using the Rest Camp as our base. Besides exploring we just chilled and enjoyed the picturesque surroundings. Distance-wise, we covered 336 kilometers to get from here to the Rest Camp, and 62 km exploring (a fair amount of it on dirt roads) while we were based there. In total we covered 734 km, which was very doable spread over three days.
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We actually made two pit stops on the way there (and one one the way back), at so-called ultra cities (gasoline filling stations with bathrooms, a convenience store and food outlets). We had packed our own food and refreshments, so we didn't need to buy any. We also didn't need to refuel the car; it made it to Magoebaskloof and back on a three-quarter tank.
The bulk of the road was really easy - a tolled, double-carriage highway, so there was no getting stuck behind heavy vehicles. From the Polokwane turnoff things changed, though, it being Friday afternoon and all. Still, it was manageable.
The Magoebaskloof part of the route - also the main road leading to Tzaneen - was winding (part of it being a mountain pass) and very scenic. Unfortunately, most motorists heading for Tzaneen didn't seem to care much for the scenery and just wanted to overtake us.
The actual Rest Camp was situated along the mountain pass. In fact, the pass semi-loops around it (completing about three-quarters of the loop). This made it easily accessible, but also had implications for noise. The traffic was audible throughout the day and most of the night, especially motorbikes and heavy vehicles (the latter having to engage their lowest gears). On the upside, it was very safe.
The staff at the Rest Camp were exceedingly friendly - every single one of them. The inside of the bungalow was immaculate in terms of tidiness. Building- and appliance-wise, though, the bungalow needed some maintenance (no outside light; main light in living room not working; revolving disk of microwave oven not revolving etc.) but this didn't detract from our enjoyment. The bungalow was very well equipped for self-catering purposes. I was struck by how well the space inside the circular structure of the bungalow was utilized, and enjoyed the interior space being irregularly defined (i.e. the demarcated spaces weren't square or rectangular). I loved the smell of the thatched roof. (The majority of the bungalows in the camp have thatched roofs; the other roofs are tiled.)
The trout farm was gorgeous - a veritable paradise. It featured lakes and ponds, and there were azaleas everywhere. Because of the lakes and trees, there were also lots of birds. We made a mental note to stay in one of the cottages when we next visit (yes - Magoebaskloof instantly made it to the top our list of prime destinations). The dirt roads weren't all suited to a small car such as mine, though, especially the ascending roads, so we would have to choose a cottage on level ground (there are some of those).
Haenertsburg (the town a few kilometers from the Rest Camp, where we stopped on our way to the Camp) is quaint. There are lots of eateries. The locals are friendly and helpful, freely sharing information about the area. As usual, you find things in the general dealer shop that you would only find in small places (e.g. I saw a brand of coffee for brewing the old-fashioned way called FG that we used when I was growing up).
We had to drive through part of a forest to get to the waterfalls. These weren't massive, but rather a mountain stream tumbling down rocks. It was very cool and refreshing to be in the forest, listening to the sound of falling and flowing water, which drowned out the noise made by the considerable number of visitors. (I'm always amazed at the fact that some people seek out quiet places, only to make a noise. What's the point?)
A few things that might tickle your funny bone.
* In the Moria area on the way to Magoebaskloof we saw a Total gasoline filling station called Total Nobody. ["Total" is a brand of gasoline, along with Shell, Engen, Caltex, Sasol etc.] A typical example of South African humor, and not likely to be forgotten by casual passersby.
* In the Polokwane area there was a sign stating "sheepgoats" (for sale) by the roadside. My sister was wondering out loud if it was a new breed of sheep or goat. I reckoned the combination was just due to a lack of space on the board.
* In Haenertsburg the gasoline filling station marketed its fuel as "mountain fresh fuel".
* As we were leaving Cheerio's Trout Farm, an elderly lady and a young man were walking their dogs beside the road. My sister said: "That's probably Mrs. Cheerio", and we had great fun continuing the thread with things like: "The guy must be her son Coco Pop / Rice Krispie" etc. [Cheerios, Coco Pops, Rice Krispies are all names of popular breakfast cereals over here.]
It was a most enjoyable outing (understatement) from start to finish. The distance covered was spot-on. The bulk of the route was very easy to navigate. The Magoebaskloof area is very scenic. We were told beforehand we would love it - and we did. There is so much to see and do there, you couldn't possibly do it in a single weekend. You would need several visits for that. We explored two of the many offerings, and besides that just relaxed, breathed the pristine mountain air, and soaked up the tranquility. I said to my sister on Saturday night, after we had explored the trout farm and waterfalls, that I felt like someone who had had lots of fresh air. Unsurprisingly, I slept remarkably well.
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