Issue 1

I have travelled on the Rovos Rail before, but it is still one of the most awe-inspiring experiences you can have in a lifetime and is billed as the most luxurious train in the world. We leave Cape Town station at 11 a.m. for our two-day adventure and even prior to departure we were treated like royalty - briefed in the rail company's exclusive lounge at the station and told about the route and journey we are about to embark on while snacking on canapés, drinks, coffee and tea. Then the adventure begins. You have your very own personal host or hostess, who introduces him or herself to you in your suite and then tells you about the train and answers any questions you may have. The suites are old-worldly colonialist with mahogany wood-panelling and soft lighting. They are all en-suite and you are provided with your own bathrobe, slippers, mini-bar filled by request (included in the fare), a take-home vanity case, and sockets for all types of plugs, snacks and a built-in safe. And, contrary to almost anywhere else, smoking is permitted in certain suites.

Our suite is one of the Pullman Suites (7 sq metres) which is equipped with a comfortable sofa-seat during the day with a conversion to double or twin beds for the evening and an en-suite bathroom with shower. The wood-panelled rebuilt sleeper coaches, remodeled and refurbished to mint condition, offer every modern convenience and comfort. In the en-suite bathrooms, original fittings combine with the modern technology of hot showers, hair dryers and shaver plugs.

In the train's bar and observation car, excited chattering of other passengers and the friendly smiles from the staff forecast an epic adventure.

We are now moving into the Breede River Valley and through the Western Cape's famous vineyards. The majestic mountain scenery all along the route hugs the red and yellow colors of autumn. Natural beauty personified.

Lunch is served in the dining car, preceded by a gong. We feast on a traditional South African "bobotie" (spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping)as a starter and the main course is prawns, done simply, and with aplomb. The cutlery is pure silver and we are offered a selection of South Africa's best wines.

We enter the stark, arid beauty of the Karoo late afternoon. The lush vines give way to the forlorn and haunting expanses of this timeless, nowhere land which has inspired the muse in countless writers and artists. A lonely track of dust flying up into the air behind a vehicle in the late afternoon sun in the far distance is the only sign of human life. The Karoo is the backdrop for high tea, served in the lounge and bar. The most delectable array of teas, coffees, cakes and savory fare truly evokes a time of past travel elegance.

The train stops at Matjiesfontein for an hour or so and we explore this tiny jewel of a town while dusk descends. Matjiesfontein was founded in 1884 by the legendary Scottish railwayman James Douglas Logan. It became a fashionable Victorian health spa in the middle of the arid Karoo and the historical buildings stand as testimony to opulence and elegance of a previous century. The entire Village was preserved as a National Heritage Site in 1975 under the direction of revered hotelier David Rawdon. The blue and pink clouds do a slow dance in the sky, like a soft-weaving exchange of energy, bathing the Victorian buildings in swathes of gently changing pastels as we board the train again, and the train jolts into motion, greeting the increasing blackness of the Karoo night. After a luxurious shower we join the other guests for pre-dinner drinks. There are people from all over the world on the train and no matter how jaded and experienced they may be as tourists, we are all equally in high spirits.

Dinner produces the most delicious scallops as a starter and delicious lamb shank. Much care and thought goes into designing the menu to reflect South African cuisine with an international flare.

We retire (since such is the proper parlance used aboard this train) to the bar adjoining the observation car after dinner. Permission was granted by South African Railways to run Rovos Rail's observation cars at the back of the trains, enabling the construction of unique open-air balconies from where we watch the train disappear into the blackness of an African night.

I sleep like a baby, lulled to sleep by the clickety-clack of a train on the tracks.

The following day we stop off in Kimberley after lunch, providing an opportunity to enjoy a city tour and a visit to the Diamond Mine Museum and the world's largest man-made excavation, the Big Hole.

Dinner that night is especially grand and it's the little touches that make this train experience so special, like roses being pinned on all the guests as they are seated for dinner. And so we feast on crayfish and bemoan the imminent end of our journey the next morning.

We groan into the Pretoria Park Station – the train's very own station – at about noon and disembark in the same sad, somewhat disorientated state as someone just having woken up from a fabulous dream. A last touch of class – the train manager phones your transport beforehand to give them directions to the station and tells them exactly when we can be expected to arrive. Driving away from the quaint, Victorian station after long good byes all I want is another night on board the Rovos Rail. Just one more night...

Good to know:

General make-up of the train Locomotive, generator car, staff car, guest sleepers, a non-smoking lounge car (26 guests), two non-smoking 42-seat dining cars (if required, plenty of space for the maximum of 72 guests carried), kitchen car, guest sleepers, smoking lounge and Observation Car (32 guests) at the tail.
Cuisine Meals are served in one sitting only in the charming Victorian atmosphere of the dining cars and are complemented by a selection of fine South African wines. An enthusiastic team of chefs is responsible for overseeing the very important task of ensuring guests' every need is catered for. There's an accent on fresh local ingredients and traditional dishes such as game are a specialty. Breakfast is between 07h00 and 10h00, lunch at 13h00 and a formal dinner at 19h30. A gong heralds lunch and dinner.
Dress For days on the train dress is smart casual. Evening attire is more formal – for the gentlemen a jacket and tie is a minimum requirement while for ladies we suggest cocktail/evening dresses or suits. Please include warm clothing for cold mornings and evenings.
Mobile Devices and Internet In maintaining the spirit of travel of a bygone era, there are no radios or television sets on board and the use of mobile phones and laptops are confined to the privacy of your suites only.