Travel Department
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A wonderful trip to South Africa
I’m just back from a wonderful holiday in South Africa, Sept ‘24. The Travel Department concept of an integrated travel experience worked beautifully, with all coach and ferry transfers, all admission tickets and restaurant bookings a seamless part of the fabric of the holiday, thanks to our competent and friendly guide, Angie, and our ever present, obliging and hard working bus driver, Lito. When weather interfered with our trip, our timetable was juggled a little, so that it optimised our chances of getting all planned experiences another day. A long delay in Istanbul airport was outside the control of TD, but when the Dublin contingent met fellow UK based group members in Capetown…who had flown directly from Heathrow…it did beg the question, why trek Dublin-Istanbul-Capetown, if more direct routes were available. The weather in September was bright, cool and windy - typical for SA, great for photographs, but both of the precious Table Mountain and Robben Island trips were in jeopardy because of wind. Unheated hotel pools were essentially unusable as it was pre-season weather…bird droppings and REALLY cold water put them out of use. Perhaps timing of this trip for October might have been wiser? The trip to Kynsna and back to Capetown was quite a marathon on a bus - despite photo stops and coffee/lunch/comfort breaks. Driving the Garden Route for hours and hours, on two separate days, in a small and tightly packed bus, felt more costly of time than a valuable experience. Featherbed Reserve was really lovely, a superb setting and exceptional lunch…but questionable if it was worth two full days on a bus to get there. The attractive Franschhoek hotel at the end of the trip, promised fine dining in their beautiful and newly revamped (but cold) dining room. Sadly it was inadequately staffed, by inexperienced manager/waiters, resulting in long delays between courses, with some individuals getting their meals after others had finished eating. A disappointing ‘goodbye dinner’. This was compensated for by an entertaining trip to Rickety Bridge winery the following day - sampling and blending, followed by creating a personalised blend of wine, bottled and corked to bring home - great fun and a lovely souvenir. It was followed by a tasty wine paired lunch - where non-drinkers were catered for with a special tea-pairing experience. Finally, the existence of the ever growing townships is a sad fact of life in S.A. Personally, I feel we might have been brought to visit a well vetted, positive township initiative - educational, community, building whatever. As tourists, local currency had limited value for souvenir purchasing and socialising mainly. But I imagine an authentic social equality experience might have allowed us to contribute local currency, and benefitted locals in some meaningful way. Important not to create a voyeuristic type visit, but I feel goodwill was waiting to be tapped, if done in a worthwhile way. All in all, a great holiday. Well done and thanks to all involved in the planning and setting up of nice accommodation, meals and entertaining local sights and experiences. Cheers, C