Durban - A ride on the Blue Train has long been on my wish list of travel experiences. Ironically, as it happens, as most of my trail travel has been confined to second class.
Generally, though, whether second class or luxury, I love train travel as it allows me time to relax, read or stare out of the windows and watch the world sweep by.
Happily I recently got the chance to travel the tracks in some luxury when a friend and I took advantage of a low season special offered to South African residents. Although not cheap, the fare was affordable.
Our journey started in Pretoria and ended in Cape Town.
The Union Trains, as they were then known, started in 1920s and transported passengers from Johannesburg to the ships departing from Cape Town en route to England.
There was a break in service during World War II but the premier rail service returned in 1946 and the official new name was the Blue Train because of its blue grey paint finish.
There have been ongoing refurbishments and improved engine technology over the years. Today the train can reach a top speed of 90km/h. There are, I believe, two identical carriage sets which can accommodate up to 74 guests in 37 suites. There are also conference facilities, a smoking room, observation car and a jewellery store selling exclusive baubles.
Before 2002 there were four routes; currently there are now two. One route is between Pretoria and Cape Town (1 600km) and the other is between Pretoria and Durban. The Blue Train is operated by Lux-rail, a division of Transnet Freight Rail Agency of South Africa. There are plans in the pipeline to privatise it.
Early Monday morning, I met my travel companion in the Blue Train Lounge at Pretoria Station. Despite being both well-travelled, we were like excited children experiencing our first ever train journey.
Pre-departure snacks and coffee were served from 7.30am- 8.30am. Three-quarters of an hour before departure our butler introduced himself and escorted us to our cabin. It was elegant, comfortable, and well-appointed – what one would expect from a five- star establishment. The meal schedule and lay-out of the train was explained.
My travel companion had arrived before me and very sensibly chose the second sittings for brunch and dinner, since the dining car can accommodate only 42 passengers per sitting and has two shifts.
The level of service and attention to detail was exceptional. After settling in our cabin, we moved to the lounge and bar area where we relaxed and chatted until we were called for brunch at 12.30pm. With the exception of Caviar, French Champagne and external calls, everything else on board is included in the rate.
Our waiter Hennie Steyn had been in service with the train for 38 years and struck the right balance between being friendly and professional. Hennie was knowledgeable when it came to pairing wine with the menu. My friend, a foodie and wine connoisseur. levitated with delight when he saw the extensive wine selection which also featured some rare vintages.
After a splendid brunch we both decided to have a nap and missed the scenery as we travelled through the Witwatersrand heading south.
Later that afternoon we moved from the lounge and bar area to the observation car at the end of the train for better views of the countryside in the fading daylight. Smokers will be pleased to know that there is a separate “smoking” car where they can sip cognac and smoke cigars.
At 5.30pm we arrived at Kimberley Station. Transport arrived to take us to the Diamond Museum and later to the viewing platform at the Big Hole. Digging began at the site in 1871 and by the end of August 1914, on its closure, the mine had yielded 2 722kg of diamonds, extracted from 22.5 million tons of excavated earth. Today what remains is a crater 214 metres deep with a surface area of 17ha and a perimeter of 1.6km.
The diamonds on display are housed in a vault and include the famous 616 – named after its carat weight. It is the largest uncut octahedron diamond in the world and was found on the banks of the Orange River in 1867, and named Eureka.
Between 2002 and 2005, De Beers invested R50 million in developing the Big Hole and the adjacent museum as a world-class facility. Our guide was very knowledgeable and had worked underground before becoming a tour guide.
We returned to the station where we sipped a glass of sherry before boarding the train. The glass with the Blue Train logo was ours to keep as a souvenir.
Visiting Kimberley again after decades was special, since my maternal family came from here. As a child, my grandmother told me stories of our history which was closely linked to the town so, for me, this brief visit held a special interest.
Dinner was a formal affair which required dressing up. Again the food and service could not be faulted. We retired to the observation car to chill and chat until bedtime. Our butler Albert had made the beds with top quality linen. Each cabin comes with an en suite bathroom and fancy toiletries. The deluxe cabins have baths; we had a shower, which was adequate.
Upon waking the next morning, our butler brought us tea. This service is arranged the night before. Guests can have breakfast in their cabin if they so wish; otherwise breakfast is served on a first-come first-served basis. We opted to have ours in the dining car to have better views of the fertile Hex River Valley and the vineyards as we passed through. The tunnel we passed through earlier into the valley is the famous Hex River Pass which is 13.5km, the longest railway tunnel in Africa.
We arrived in Cape Town station two hours behind schedule at 2.30pm; because a guest fell ill and had to be hospitalised.
At the end of our memorable journey each guest received a certificate and a beautiful miniature bronze clock to remind them of their time on the train. On disembarking, we had a short wait in the Blue Train Lounge for our luggage, while our butler organised a taxi to take us to our respective hotels.
We both enjoyed the luxury; pampering and attention to detail of this first class train.
For me, travelling on this historic Blue Train that has hosted kings, queens, statesmen and celebrities was an experience of a lifetime and will long be remembered.
But what was even more special than the journey itself was the luxury of time-out from a busy schedule, being able to spend quality time with a friend and have no outside interruptions. - Sunday Tribune
l For more information, see: www.bluetrain.co.za