Take the train
Whether the risible Agatha Christie novel, "Murder on the Orient Express,” comes to mind immediately, or in steamy dreams in the middle of the night as the train patters on – the ambience of luxury train travel is much the same (minus the murder part, one hopes) as a hundred years ago. It was the American industrialist George Mortimer Pullman who, in 1864, introduced what some called a "hotel car.” Soon after that was the dawn of luxury trains, as they spread to Europe and Asia, with the first being the Orient Express; its maiden journey leaving Paris and traveling across the continent to Venice.
The days and nights really slow down, and a welcoming - almost unfamiliar - leisurely pace conducts absolutely everything. However, there are hints of modernization that may also welcome you today; like a health spa, secret WIFI codes and organic food. I mean, if we absolutely have to, we’ll take those…
The golden age of cocktails, peacock dressing, and the ceremony of a non-occasion are exalted on board a luxury train. Jay Gatsby, Fitzgerald’s ultimate debonair, encourages such a revisit to a certain jazzy epoch for all the world’s splendor. And this is where the attraction sits for many seekers - including madams, spies, and princes - of a meditative and romantic kingdom on wheels.
But trains are not just for the rich and famous, the romantics, or the trainspotters – today it’s for everyone wanting desperately to slow right down. So whether you are the hardline train jumper type, or not, a simple life rolled away from time, is the perfect place for, if nothing else, reflection.
I wrote about trains for the South China Morning Post - featuring Rovos Rail, Japan's Seven Stars (with their “Sweets Train” that serves fine dining dishes and desserts designed by a “World's 50 Best” list restaurant, Narisawa), Golden Eagle (known for that famous Trans Siberian Route), the Canadian super luxury train VIA Rail and, crucially, of course, Belmond’s “museum on wheels” Orient Express. Naturally, I tried them all…
An old-school bush adventure
A trip to the bush for some (not me, evidently) usually starts off by a car packed with the kids, square-cut sandwiches, blue and white cooler boxes, and the requisite pair of binoculars. Well, for this journey, grab those binoculars but leave the rest behind (this is sounding more like me). Rovos Rail, with 25 years of experience, will take care of everything else – including activities for the kids like board games, playing cards, and of course sightseeing from the back Observation Car.
"Rail 'cruising' is more relevant today than any time since the 1960s, as it exemplifies a safe, 'unpacking-once', picturesque method of travelling without the concerns of airline safety or baggage restrictions," says Brenda Vos, communications manager at Rovos Rail, Africa's No 1 luxury train. "We bring the world to them."
The Vos family launched Rovos in 1989, and its fleet of lounge, dining, observation, and sleeper cars have all been restored to their original 1930s aesthetic and eminence. Rovos' observation cars, originally 28 dining cars, obtained special permission to run at the back of the train in 1988. This enabled a substantial enlargement of the windows and the construction of unique open-air balconies. Now, the most remote and beautiful African landscapes are now in perfect full view.
The Edwardian design features on the train have an aesthetic that's Howard's End on wheels. It feels like a celebration of the good life that's in deep contrast with the puritanical values of the previous Victorian design of trains. Cushioned benches, extra-shiny wood panelling and carpets that give way to bury your feet slightly all combine to offer a distinct sense of the swank old world.
Life on board most trains is simple. TVs, Wi-fi, and other connectivity are often abolished (but quietly available with a wink wink), whilst chess, bridge and inexhaustible conversation soar.
My bush trip on the rail took me from the Jacaranda purple streets and newly formed hipster community, Pretoria, all the way down to balmy Durban. With a prompt 10am departure from the original colonial station, your friendly porter will get your luggage on board. While the station is a trip back in time, you’d be surprised how few Louis Vuitton trunks were in sight – multi-colored suitcases in nylon and canvas appear to be the order of the day. But once you are aboard, watch the train slow down time and the whole scenario turns to a kind of sepia.
I make my way to my cabin through the shoulder-width passage of wooden paneling. As the sliding door rolls open, my deluxe accommodation is revealed: four giant windows to peer out at the endless landscapes, a double bed spacious enough for two and a bathroom that comes complete with an antique ball and claw Victorian bath. Sure, I’m ready to slow down to the 1930s, or any era, with a suite like this.
As I unpack, I discover key details to rail travel, like everything needs a stable place to stand on – including myself to avoid injury and embarrassment. This is all part of the adventure. The almost century old cars offer up a meditative rattle and the soft patter soothes me as I ready for lunch.
Heading out of the smog that circles Gauteng means that the Drakensberg Mountains are nearly in sight. Lunch, a long and immoderate affair, starts with bottles of South Africa’s finest wines (Hamilton Russell, Meerlust) in a newly refurbished dining car serving Springbok Carpaccio to start and Ostrich fillet with fresh salad as my main course. All this with elegant white tablecloths, silver cutlery, and Rovos insignia crockery that festoon my table. A recommendation from the waitress to pace myself is taken into consideration and I decide to apply this to all meals on the train.
The afternoon is spent lounging in the observation car winning a game of Scrabble with a non-English speaking tourist. It doesn’t take me long to forget that I have a nap waiting for me, but instead end up eating too many spongy cakes, along with the world’s smallest cupcakes.