The best news I’ve heard for a looonnngggg time! Hoedspruit has a Chinese takeaway! It makes those friday shopping trips so much more exciting. I think I bashed on long enough on the last letter about good old politics and so will give this one a rest. Only to say that Mugabe needs to go; even now he is causing all sorts of obstructions (more farm invasions and the arrest of a white MDC MP). Keep the loans out until he’s gone.

Cricket – England recorded their lowest score ever. Nice record to have. Then the English rugby team lose out due to poor discipline. You can see the frustration on Martin Johnson’s face. I’m surprised he hasn’t “donnered” them. Hopefully will be sorted out for the World Cup in 2011. Lions Tour not far away; we have advertised in Rubgy World and are offering a nice Garonga package for anybody staying here as long as they have been to the games AND supported the Lions of course! Check the webiste on www.garonga.com.

February has been quite an encouraging month considering it is usually our quietest month for the last few years. We achieved an occupancy of just below 40% for Safari Camp. It was great to welcome Teegan from Travel Imagination Africa (Cape Town) who escorted a group of hopefully potential Benelux tour operators to come and check us out. All great fun only that Caspar failed to send through the photograph of himself in the bush bath; he said something about the timer not being right! Really!! Thanks Teegan and also for your support from TIA! It was great to welcome back Michael, Reg and Sue who brought friends Peter and Sally with, and Lizelle. Many congratulations to Ben and Marijke for tying the knot here at Garonga. They had the service on the sleep out deck. They also tried out a microlite flip which is great fun. It costs around R 560.00 pp for 20 minutes. We do get a few requests for balloon flights but they only operate in the Hoedspruit area. The down side of these is that it takes 1.5 hours to get there and you need to be there at first light (can be 0500 in the summer). Then it is 1.5 hours back; transfer costs plus the balloon flight cost. It would be worthwhile if it was done on departure so you don’t have to come all the way back.

The bush is still looking very green and thick as we have had more rains. We had just under an inch. It still seems to be around which is good. The sightings have been difficult but the guides have done tremendously well in locating the game. There have been many sightings of the cheetah, lions, rhinos and ellies. There was one unique sighting of a male leopard drinking from the water feature at Little Garonga. The plains game is abounding – plenty everywhere it seems. Not so many walks due to heat and rains, and the odd sleep out. Picnics, massages etc all going well. When we reopen in March (27th) the drives will be going out at about 0630 hrs (wake up at 0600) and leaving at 1615 hrs in the afternoon. Autumn is slowly creeping in and cooling down a bit.

On the kitchen side the food has been excellent with great feedback. The health meals are still popular as ever, and now that we have a guest braai (BBQ) area guests can braai on their own with our Garonga braai packs.

Garonga Recipe

Moist banana loaf

Serves 4

125g Butter
1tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 cup Castor sugar
2 Eggs
1 1/2cup Banana, mashed
1 1/2cup Self-raising flour
1tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1tbs Milk

Grease 14cmx21cm loaf pan, cover base with baking paper. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl of an electric mixer, beat on low until Ingredients are combined. Then beat on medium until mixture changes colors
Spread mixture into prepared pan
Bake in moderate oven for about 1 hour
Cool on a wire rack.

"The spirit cannot endure the body when overfed, but, if underfed, the body cannot endure the spirit."St Frances de Sales

Just spent 4 days in the sunny cape and, yes, it was hot! 36 degrees one day. I visited some friends from UK who were staying at the Mont Rochelle Hotel in Franschoek. A great hotel and spectacular setting! Anyway we started lunch at 1400 hrs, and with a 45 Minute shower break for 1900, continued into dinner finishing at 0030. Not too bad a session!

We are closed for most of March for our annual clean up, and so will catch up with you again at the end of April. We still have a number of spaces for April through to August. We are also offering a special from 20 November – 18 December – Stay four nights, pay for three.

Anyway keep in there – it is getting lighter in Europe, but darker over here. Hopefully will see some of you soon.

Keep well and all the best

Bernie