Usually packing for a trip is done when our cats have already been delivered to our local vet, who looks after them while we are away. In this particular instance, I was going away on my own and my Executive Assistant was keen to get involved to make certain that I left nothing behind…including him.
Luckily for us both, he chose to vacate this spot before I left on a trip that would take me to Nelspruit, Hazyview, Hoedspruit and my final destination, Antares Bush Camp and Safaris in Grietjies Game Reserve near Phalaborwa.
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This was my first overnight stop. A return visit to the wonderful Tatenda Guest House in Hazyview run by the inimitable Brian and Gerda.
Brian had cleverly placed me in a different room to the one that my wife and I stayed in on our last trip. In that way, you, my readers, get to see more of the property.
If this assumption is correct, and at one room per post, I have several more trips in store.
The room, which can be self-catering, was large and airy with a comfy bed and all the amenities that I would expect from an establishment of this nature. There is a separate en-suite bathroom that has a shower, toilet and twin basins.
It took me a while to figure out that this might just be a character from Star Wars? An Ewok perhaps? I find these towel sculptures most confusing as I often tend to waste time searching for towels in the bathroom or enquiring from housekeeping where they are, only to be brought back to my room and shown the relevant sculpture!
In this instance, I realized BEFORE I got housekeeping, or management, involved.
I had arrived on February 15th, so there was still a leftover Valentine’s Day cupcake for me to enjoy.
The room has an outside seating area that overlooks the solar-heated pool. It is separated from the room next door by a wooden privacy screen, allowing both sets of guests to enjoy the exterior of their respective rooms without feeling intruded upon.
The aforementioned solar-heated pool. This featured in an interview that I did with Brian and raised some interest with potential guests. But be warned, it is solar heated and that means that if the sun ain’t shining, then the pool ain’t heated!
I am in awe of people who can build furniture like this…and Brian can. And it is level and everything.
My woodworking prowess extends to wonky tables that I have built without plans or any real attention to dimensions or stability.
Given the recent rainfall in the area, the gardens at Tatenda are looking particularly lush and verdant. There are paths that wind through the property allowing guests to make the most of the abundance of nature that exists in this ecosystem.
The latest addition to the property in this bird hide tucked away from the main area of the guest house and it overlooks…
this compact waterhole…predominantly for birding enthusiasts, but no doubt other small mammals will make use of it from time to time.
Brian and I sat here for a while and chatted, but with the exception of a butterfly or two, nothing else made an appearance.
This gazebo was featured in a previous post as well. It obviously keeps attracting my attention. On my next visit, when the water feature that is currently undergoing refurbishment is complete, I will spend some time here.
One of the many ponds on the grounds. This one is filled with a mixture of fish. On my previous visit, Brian gave me some to bring home to put into my pond. Unfortunately, they did not survive the harsh Johannesburg winter.
Seeing that I was not going straight home, I did not ask for replacements.
What a lot of bull, literally! Something I was not expecting to find at the bottom of the garden. For those who are wondering, there was a fence between us.
Who needs to visit Kruger Park when there is ‘wildlife’ on the doorstep?
This huge Fig Tree dominates the garden and is filled with a multitude of birdlife.
Just before I left I heard the distinctive calls of these Trumpeter Hornbills. A call that cannot be ignored especially if heard early in the morning, when it can wake you from the deepest slumber.
The owners of Tatenda were excited as the last time they had seen/heard these birds was on my previous visit, almost a year ago.
This is the interview that I did with co-owner Brian Chambers after my first visit to this property in 2021.
“At Tatenda, we always strive to offer warm hospitality, personalised service, a homely environment, and a tranquil stay that will foster fond memories of a home from home you will always long to return to.”
To find out more about this gem of a guest house, click on the logo above.
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