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Mike Yardley: Riding South Africa's Blue Train

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Wed, 11 May 2016, 11:31AM
The luxurious interior of South Africa's Blue Train (Supplied)
The luxurious interior of South Africa's Blue Train (Supplied)

Mike Yardley: Riding South Africa's Blue Train

Author
Mike Yardley,
Publish Date
Wed, 11 May 2016, 11:31AM

An air of eager anticipation wafted through Pretoria Railway Station. Ensconced in the waiting lounge with dozens of fellow travellers, the introductory conversations flowed as freely as the welcome drinks. Within an hour, I had acquainted myself with a smattering of fellow train-spotters from Canada, Britain, Holland, the United States, Australia – and New Zealand. I soon struck up an enduring rapport with an effervescent group of women from the Bendigo, who had been all over Africa on multiple safaris. And that’s what I enjoyed the most about my encounter with this legendary rail excursion. The Blue Train is a beacon for exotic sociability, an effortless, charmed environment in which to trade tales with like-minded adventurers.

Clad in its regal blue and cream livery, and officially named the Blue Train in 1946, the epic rail excursion traces its origins to the fading days of the 19th century, when the discovery of diamonds and gold expedited the need for steam-powered passenger rail across South Africa’s heartland. The original plan was to connect Cape Town with Cairo, but it wasn’t to be. Progressively refurbished and modernised, the Blue Train was converted from steam to electric and diesel and has now embraced the Age of the Internet. 

Recent innovations have seen the entire train equipped with complimentary and surprisingly reliable Wi-Fi, personal flat-screen TVs, an on-demand entertainment system with a generous range of movies and music, a drivers eye view camera, plus a GPS-controlled route map, enabling you to pinpoint exactly where you are on the journey. But none of these tech-savvy toys detract from the wood-panelled grace and old-world charm that rightfully underpins the Blue Train’s reputation as a palace on wheels.

Compared to other luxury rail excursions, I was surprised at the spaciousness of the accommodation suites, which could house a family reunion. By day, it’s an elegant lounge, complete with plush sofas, providing the plump hug of a buxom aunt as you gaze out the panoramic windows. By night, it’s transformed into a sanctuary of slumber, with goose down duvet and pillows, crisp cotton bedding, and a dedicated butler at your beck and call. The ensuite bathrooms, a riot of marble and gold fittings, come with a choice of bath or shower.

Needless to say, the on-board hospitality is impeccable, the staff are insatiably engaging and the dining service is a work of art. I adored the magnificent seasonal cuisine, washed down with fine South African wines. I am now a card-carrying convert to pinotage and the fabulously fleshy fish, kingklip.  Make sure you try the signature Blue Train cocktail, which is a mix of cointreau, vodka, blue curacao and lemonade. A smash-hit – which I’ve been happily shaking up at home ever since.  But a word of warning, the Blue Train’s complimentary food and beverage service is unlimited, so your sense of self-discipline faces a formidable challenge. 

The Blue Train offers a variety of routes, connecting Pretoria with Cape Town, plus the new regular service between Pretoria and Hoedspruit /Kruger National Park. I plumped for the Pretoria to Cape Town service, a 27-hour journey spanning 1600 kilometres, and coursing through some of South Africa’s diverse and spectacular scenery.  

Prior to departure, I spent a night at the Blue Train’s partner hotel in Pretoria. You’ll feel right at home at 131 Herbert Baker Boutique Hotel, sitting prettily in the heart of the city’s exclusive residential area, with panoramic views across leafy Pretoria.  With just seven guestrooms, you’ll feel like a glorified resident in this gorgeous hillside property, which also boasts wine tastings, high tea and fine-dining in Ristorante Grissini. 

Heading south of Pretoria, the vast grasslands of the Karoo precede the dramatic change in vegetation and terrain, as you wend through the Cape Winelands region, wreathed in vineyards and bracketed by cloud-kissing mountains.  The southbound excursion is crowned with a whistle-stop excursion in Kimberly, a city built on the seductive glitter of diamonds.

I stood in jaw-dropped awe at the sight of Kimberley’s Big Hole, the world’s largest man-made hole in the planet, which yielded more than 14 million carats. The crater is 1.5km in circumference and 365 metres deep!   Apparently, when the Australian cricket team last toured, even their best fielders couldn’t succeed in throwing the ball far enough, from the viewing platform, to land in the Big Hole. www.bluetrain.co.za

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