Durban - The royalty of the railroad is rolling into Durban. The Blue Train, inspired by the country’s gold and diamond rush, will be showcased with its makeover and famous livery at the Tourism Indaba from May 9-14.
But the real deal is getting an invitation to board the train at the city’s station for a six-hour round-trip down the KwaZulu-Natal south coast.
“After showcasing the sleek, refurbished coaches and the train’s state-of-the-art facilities and luxury hospitality to international tourism and travel buyers and the media with a dinner on board, the train will then be transporting the nation’s mothers (a Mother’s Day special) who will be pampered and accorded courtesies by their spouses and families,” said Herbert Masheula, marketing manager.
But I had my own unforgettable experience in an overnight journey to Cape Town.
The train’s luxury, state-of-the-art technology, delicious cuisine and high-end hospitality sets it apart from its competitors at home and abroad.
Every week the train transports mainly tourists and locals on sojourns across the country.
From sipping export wines, whisky or beer to enjoying high-tea with cakes or simply capturing footage of the fast-moving landscapes, the train transports travellers into a new world of travel elegance and sophistication.
The romance of the train, billed by its PR gurus in London and New York as “the window to the soul of South Africa”, begins with continental breakfast in the VIP lounge at the station.
Travellers are treated like royalty as smartly-attired porters whisk away the luggage to the wood-panelled compartments of the 336-metre train.
Over the next 30 hours, men and women hand-picked for their skills go out of their way to deliver excellent homegrown hospitality.
As the blue-bullet train, carrying 58 passengers in 29 compartments, got into its stride reaching a speed of up to 90km/h, we whizzed past the Highveld’s motorways, suburbia, chimney stacks, silos and informal settlements.
An exotic aroma wafting from the kitchen made my mouth water. Sumptuous lunch was over two sittings, and matched by class, service and excellence. Fine food from the sous chefs, accompanied by top wines, put us in a festive mood for the hospitality ahead.
As the countryside flashed past our eyes, high tea was served.
The stopover at Kimberley took us back in time to the rush for wealth and property by fortune-seekers. With the sun setting, a sundowner and an afternoon nap was in order to recharge our batteries to prepare for a night on wheels.
Dinner, a formal affair, is served with elegance and style. We could not resist the masala prawns and basmati rice.
At night, the train lived up to its reputation for magnificence and splendour. After dinner, guests chatted as they enjoyed cognac and cigars. With the midnight run on track, bedtime beckoned. Nothing is as soothing and comforting as sinking into the finest bed linen and being rocked to sleep.
Morning broke and we were served tea or coffee by personal butlers. A brief stop in a quaint town overlooking vineyards, orchards and rolling green valleys provided an opportunity to step off the train and take in the crisp, country air and then return to the warmth of a hearty sitting of freshly-diced fruit and hot breakfast.
Racing towards its destination, the train sped into Cape Town as travellers enjoyed beverages.
The Blue Train has been voted Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Favourite Specialist Train. - Sunday Tribune