Quaggasfontein was an idyllic setting to welcome the New Year

Our journeys to and from Cape Town are often highlights of those holidays. Planning is not our strong suit. Sometimes we land up at truck stop quality places and sometimes we make wonderful discoveries. Our recent trip took an unusually direct route with no mucking about on roads less traveled (we saved that for the trip home). Our only one over night stop at Quaggasfontein private game reserve, just outside Colesberg was a perfect choice.

Supper is often a problem on our travels. We arrive somewhere late and either there are no decent shops or they are closed. Fortunately we phoned Jessie at Quaggasfontein before arrival and she kindly offered to have a cooked meal prepared for us.  While a delicious farm meal of chicken and salads was prepared we cooled off in the pool.

After supper Jessie escorted us to the cottage a short distance from the main building. We arrived in time to witness 2017 blaze out in a glorious sunset. Not quite Mull of Kintyre but the sunset was on fire. As the light softened and faded to night a full moon rose over the bushveld a symbolic greeting to the new year. Let 2018 be a year of gentle light, mystery and serenity.

We could not imagine a more idyllic setting to celebrate the New Year (although we were asleep before midnight). The peace was tangible and after the trauma of being mugged in Jo’burg the previous day, I fell in love with SA again.

Massive renovations were underway on a very tight deadline, I would love to see the completed work.  Unfortunately arriving at the cottage so late and leaving early meant that we did not see animals at the watering hole which is directly in front of the rooms. I would have loved a little more time to relish the bushveld and Jessie’s warm hospitality.