Holiday at Doornkop

Our friends, the Orpens, came out to SA with friends of theirs, the Baxters, also from the UK before they (the Orpens) leave for their new life in Australia.

We decided to take them out to the Lodge and headed out there, just the 4 of us, for a few days before everyone arrive - just to catch up as a family & spend some down time together.

We have had to do a bit of repairs to a few cracking walls so we wanted to make sure that everything was sorted before everyone arrived.We spend the short time together just chilling & doing a few game drives before heading out to Pilgrims Rest to meet up with all the others. There we started off with the families all dressed up as boers & having old fashion photo's done. The boys were thrilled to be together again & they all got on like they had always been together.

We had lunch here then headed out via Sabie to The Lodge. The time we spent was catching up, swimming in rock pools, going on game drives, braaing and sleeping !

One morning we woke up to 3 giraffes literally 100m from our door - we stood watching them as they made their way over the koppie - the same afternoon the kids came across a puff adder in our driveway. I think he was trying to catch the last few rays before the sun set & the kids disturb him while walking home - he made his way into the long grass & disappeared. There was great excitement (not from me !) & much screaming and shouting ! I suppose its good for them to see this every now & again to remind them that we are in the wild and they need to be careful.


Another morning while on a game drive, we came across a bull kudo who had a broken jaw (probably during a fight with another bull or maybe from a fall). He was clearly suffering & had lost a lot of weight as he couldn't eat. We headed back down the mountain & called Deon (the reserve manager) who drove up & shot him. It was quite sad to see such a beautiful animal die but this was the kindness way for him to go.


I had arrange a breakfast on the mountain at one of the look outs & as we drove around a corner, there were tables with white table clothes & chairs all laid out, with Chef waiting with our food in the warmers. It was a fantastic morning, although windy, & we sat there having a wonderful breakfast, drinking champagne and chatting. It was really great for them as it is something they have never experienced before.
The kids finally got board with the adults & decided to walk back down the mountain to the club house - this was after seeing a puff adder a few days before so there was lots of instructions given as to where to walk & what to do should they come across another snake but they made it down safe & sound.




The rest of the day was spent lounging around the pool at the club house & soaking up some sun. The kids ran between the pool & the trampoline & had a great time. We spent an afternoon at our favorite place -the diesel pool (name that after I lost my sunglasses in the pool there but that's another LONG story). We packed a picnic basket & a cooler box & literally bundu bashed our way through the bushes, as it was so over grown that we had to make our own path. At some places the grass was taller than Aaron in the drivers seat, & there were lots bumps as well as screaming and laughing.

It was a brilliant afternoon & although the water was really cold, the rocks were warm enough to thaw out on once we got out the water. We all go a bit sun burnt & the kids were finished after a day in the sun & cold water, bum sliding, jumping off the rocks into the pool & exploring. Mind you the parents had just as much fun !








It was a great time away with good mates & we are already missing them now that our holiday time with them is finished.

We had lots of laughter & made some fun memories together that will have to last us till we meet again. All the best to the Orpens for their new life in Auzzie & to the Baxters as they make their way back to the UK - we look forward to our times together again