Hospitality

 Good morning, dearest Blogger friends. Thandi is back and business is brisk, The Bunker, always popular, has been so well occupied these past months. We are eternally grateful. Yes, Thandi too, as it means extra income for her when we work up at our holiday accommodation. 

As explained before, we share certain tasks, like making the kingsized bed. And afterwards we get on with our separate tasks. 

Thandi wiping the kitchen surfaces, tidying the utensil drawers and checking on the crockery

I polish and shine all the other surfaces, arrange rolled towels and chocolates, set up the continental breakfast, replenish the toiletries, load the WiFi, reconnect the DSTV and write out a welcome card for the guests.

After posting the pin directions and key retrieval information to the incoming guest, I always travel up the mountain to the large 14 sleeper house which I manage as well. 

The family holiday home in the early morning sun

The view from the house: the majestic Cathkin and Champagne Castle peaks

HAVE A WONDERFUL THURSDAY

Good morning dear Blogger friends. I know that most inhabitants of countries in the Northern Hemisphere don't blink an eye at snow. We, here in South Africa, get very excited. The photos fly a across the social media, each one more beautiful and dramatic than the last.

From The Bunker patio on Friday

Blessings for 2022

 Good morning dear Blogger friends. And so we arrive on the last day of 2021. 

Last week I was spoilt by  proprietor friends in the Valley and also by one of my guests. 

A guest shows her appreciation for my hospitality at The Bunker 

A yummy box of biscuits from the owners of the local supermarket/family shop just below The Bunker 

Not only did Amelia treat me to my favorite treats (I love cookies); she also bestowed a blessing on me for 2022. Very special indeed. 

This morning as I opened my WhatsApp, I received the below message from a member in my Winterton group. I got to know her after I had met her son-in-law who owns the fencing and security company here in the Central Drakensberg. 

Loosely translated: Dear Jo, thank you for being such [beautiful] person. You are steadfast, positive and an inspiration to all who cross your path. May 2022 be a blessed year for you. (another blessing - WOW!) 

MAY YOU ALL HAVE A PROSPEROUS, HEALTHY AND HAPPY 2022

I'm still here!

 Good evening dear Blogger friends. Yes, I am still on planet earth; I've been hectically busy in the farm office and with accommodation. 

A happy and healthy 2021 to you all!

Re the Covid suspect: yes, the man's wife phoned me on Wednesday 23rd December saying he'd tested positive and they wouldn't be able come after all.  Thandi and I went up to The Bunker that morning to clean after guests who had just checked out. I had already announced on our Berg WhatsApp group that I now had a vacant unit. The Valley community of accommodation owners and hosts were incredible. As they were getting enquiries which they couldn't honor, they passed my number to the guests. A friend, who is a booking agent,  was on holiday in the Mpumalanga, 1000km from the Berg. Such is the world of technology today that it was she who managed to book The Bunker from 24th through 27th December, Another hostess in the Berg contacted her friends. They'd booked to go to the beach in the Eastern Cape, but... our president had closed all the beaches for the duration of the December holidays. So she convinced her friends come to the mountains and to book with me. They stayed from 28th through 1st January. Via the reservation agency, Booking.com I had guests from 2 January through 5th. A Pretoria couple contacted me on Monday and booked from Tuesday until Friday. And so we are back in business. 

On Saturday when Thandi and I cleaned between guests, I heard her cough - through the mask which we wear at all times. I asked her if she felt ill and she said she had a cough and was tired. By Sunday night her sister. Mavis phoned me to say Thandi was too ill to come to work the next day. I arranged with her to meet me with Thandi on the main road inside the township on Monday. I put a pillow and rug for Thandi to lie on the back seat; we loaded her (she was that weak) into the car and I set off to the clinic in town. 

The clinic hours are from 8.30 am until 13h00 every week day. I paid for her appointment and the Zulu receptionist told me I was No 11. I said I would wait in the car with Thandi as she was too ill to stand in the queue on the pavement. Ten minutes later this same lady came out to my car and said she'd spoken to the sister seeing the patients. And had permission to move us up to No 3! She called me within five minutes and Thandi and I waited outside the clinic sister's office. Within another five minutes, the sister came out, asked Thandi what her name was. Then she asked me if I had paid already. I handed over my till slip and she took us into the rooms. 

Thandi didn't have any of the Covid symptoms (although who knows with the new mutant strain rampant in South Africa!) Her temperature was normal; she didn't have a wet cough; she didn't have sniffles. But she had a bad dose of flu. My payment covered a course of antibiotics, pain pills, and a cough syrup. The sister also administered a Vitamin B injection while we were in the surgery. 

With Thandi lying on the back seat covered by the rug, I took her back to the township. I'd phoned ahead and Mavis met me on the road. I told her that Thandi is to go to bed and stay there until she was well again. Mavis phoned me every day, keeping me in the loop and last night Thandi phoned me. Her voice still sounded reedy so I told her to rest at home and return to work on Monday.

So yes, while it's always hard physical work to clean after the last, and prep before the next guests, I've always had Thandi with me. We each have our tasks up at The Bunker. This week I did it all. Back home I also had to wash and iron the linen (Naturally Thandi hasn't been in to iron since our Saturday guest departures and the new arrivals) and I only have three sets of king-sized linen.

Ergh. It was hard work but I believe it strengthened my character! It's definitely toughened my muscles. 

Apologies for the long  (wordy) explanation, but I had to tell you why I have been so errantly absent. 

The beauty of having to rise early (especially early this week !) is that I experienced several beautiful sunrises.  I share one here with you. 

Stay safe and have a great day

More critters visiting the Berg

A report back on the dogs and their owners who spent five days in The Bunker. It was successful and not so successful. They never contacted me at all; but if they had, I could've solved the problem they had. The owners of The Bunker have a huge house just out of sight of my accommodation.  It's also behind an electric fence so, although The Bunker patio and surrounds isn't fenced to keep dogs in, the big house is fenced which keeps the owner's dogs in. 

The owners are in Australia for six weeks and obviously the garden staff don't always close the gate while they're working in and around their master's garden. The permanent dogs got out and while they're very friendly lads, they are obviously lonely and kept running to see the guests at The Bunker.

As I said, if they'd phoned me, I would have contacted the houselady to tell her to call their dogs into the big garden and to keep the gate closed. 

The guests kept their babies on a leash while walking them around the huge estate but insisted that other than that, they had a great holiday. 

 Just above the flowering shrub, the roof of the house next door is visible. The dogs belonging here, were lonely and kept running out of the open gate to visit the guests! 

This morning I went up to The Bunker, stripped the beds, and remade them; swept the floor and washed it; washed down the shower cubicle and put out fresh towels and toiletries. 

I finished around 8am by which time the head gardener had arrived next door. I approached him and asked him to ensure that the garden gate remains closed especially when there are guests in The Bunker. He promised to do this from now on.

On Sunday I have a couple arriving with a seven-month-old baby and two small dogs! I will ask them to contact me immediately if they see the next door house gate ajar. I am hoping the head gardener will make sure it stays closed for the week. 

This couple will leave on Thursday morning and I've seconded Estelle to man the shop from 10am when they guests vacate. It's the start of Easter Weekend and I have guests arriving at 2pm 

I also have a group of five adults and three children arriving to stay at Ulundi Family Holiday Home for the long weekend. Tomorrow  Bardy (Colette from next door's husband) will accompany me up there in the afternoon. He'll help me tell Paul, the gardener at Ulundi, how to treat the swimming pool to ensure it's beautifully clear for the visitors. I also need a man's advice on whether the gas bottles need replacing. 

HAPPY FRIDAY TO YOU ALL ! 

Critters visiting the Berg

Hi everyone. Month end and it's been a bit rushed at work and having to submit admin for Weigh-Less (*sigh* I'm always late) and collecting monies from the last of my beauty orders.  

There's ample space for the dogs to run and stretch their legs in the very very large grounds which surround The Bunker

And today I have a young couple arriving  to stay at The Bunker for five days. They are bringing their three furbabies: medium sized dogs, I'm told. They're due to arrive in a few minutes so I'll soon know. 

They've arrived in the car park. I met the dogs in the car. Cute. The couple who own the doggies, are very young and love their babies. I think all should go off well.

I'm linking to Saturday Critters here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL 

Preparing for weekend guests

Yesterday I drove to the Valley a couple of hours earlier than normal. I had to prep for guests coming into my large accommodation up the mountain. 

Ulundi, a comfortable, spacious farmstyle holiday home for groups and families 

I put out tea, coffee, sugar and milk for the first day. Toilet soaps and rolls in the bathrooms. 

Then it was down the "hill" again to my upmarket two-sleeper unit situated in an estate at the foothills of the peaks.  

The perfect place for that romantic weekend with your significant other 

By 9am I had finished my preparations and was on my way to open the shop. Although it's school holidays and a long weekend (Human Rights Day) in South Africa, the veranda was quiet.  

HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU ALL 

Another catch up...

... this time with friends! 

As regular readers of my blog know, since being public here in the Valley, I have had many many friends pop in and say hello. Three weeks ago, dear friend, Cheryl phoned me and said she and Chris were traveling  back from Gauteng to Durban in mid-September. They booked into The Bunker for a night so that afternoon Cheryl and I could catch up on our friendship. 

I hadn't seen Cheryl since 1994 when we lived in Marquard and she and her husband, Kevin spent a day with us. So much has happened; she and I have both since been widowed and her children have immigrated to Australia.

Cheryl and I met in the 80's when she joined the bank where I had been working for some years already. I already had a baby boy and she was trying for a family. When her first son was born not long after this, we became firm house friends. You always find young mothers flock together and support each other. 

Cheryl and Chris arrived on Saturday just before noon. I gave them the accommodation key and we arranged to meet once I'd closed up shop. 

Chris treated us to a lovely meal  at a local restaurant and Cheryl and I caught up with all the years in between. It was a real pleasure for me to get to know Chris as well. Chris, who's retired, manages a team building company and when we spoke about the Comrades Marathon, Cheryl pointed out that this is Chris' favorite project. He's responsible for many of the activities  at the end of the race.  Cheryl has invited me to  stay with her next year when the race is run and we'll wait together at the end. A few months ago I posted about the Comrades here

Above all, we arranged that now we've met up again, we'd keep in touch and visit more often. 

Chris, Cheryl and me 

THANKS FOR STOPPING OVER, CHRIS AND CHERYL ! 

To visit The Bunker, do please click here

I'm joining Our World Tuesday here

Snowy peaks

Friday and Saturday we experienced a severe cold front in the mountains. It rained all night on Saturday and Sunday when the clouds lifted, the mountains were white with snow. (Note: The snow from last week only lasted a day. It melts almost immediately the weather warms up) 

My guests for the weekend (Friday through Sunday) didn't materialize and I breathed a sigh of relief. I wouldn't have to clean up after closing shop early on Sunday. 

Early on Saturday I received a call from Travelground; the lady, Suzie had two guests staying at a popular and upmarket guest house in the valley. But they weren't happy. They wanted to move. Did I have availability for Saturday night only? 


I did.

Then Suzie said the guests had two puppies; would I be able to have them as well? After asking several relevant questions pertaining to the pets, I was happy enough to accommodate their furbabies as well.

They collected the keys shortly afterwards and checked themselves in. 

On Sunday, they arrived with the pups and he paid me for the night while she chose a few artistic gifts in my shop. Two happy guests who have promised to return and stay for a longer period in my accommodation.

At 12.30 I closed up shop and went up to The Bunker. Estelle helped me to clean up and change linen for the guest arriving on Sunday night. 

A job well done, Estelle and I met up with Steve at their own home and accommodation units about 800m down the country lane from my unit. Then the three of us went out to business lunch at our favorite restaurant a kilometer down the main valley road. 

I was home, had walked Skabenga along the muddy farm roads and ensconced back at home, when my single guest phoned me. He was parked outside the gate entrance to the estate. I opened it remotely from my home 20kms away and he entered. We'd pre-arranged for him to collect the key in a drop-box so a minute later he called me to say he was in and thank you very much! 

He's at a citrus conference at the large conference center opposite our shopping center with 700 other delegates. 

Who spill onto our veranda when they have breaks...

I've posted on The Bunker, here

For more on my accommodation please click these links. 

https://www.travelocity.com/Cathkin-Park-Hotels-The-Bunker.h26812231.Hotel-Information

https://www.orbitz.com/Cathkin-Park-Hotels-The-Bunker.h26812231.Hotel-Information

First Guests!

On Monday, 20th November, I received a text message on my phone congratulating me on guests, Fanny and Yohan having booked into Cave Inn from Tuesday 21 - Friday 24th November. Feeling quite panicked I forwarded the message to Estelle who immediately phoned me. She told me to go onto my AirBnB site and I'd probably find I had activaed "Instant Booking" I checked and it was there. I immediately deactivated the function for the the future.

But...

Meanwhile, I had guests coming in to stay the next day. I phoned Thabesile who works for owner, Ian, and cleans the big house and Cave Inn three times a week. I asked her to really blitz Cave Inn as this was the real deal.

On Monday afternoon Grant and I walked down to Cave Inn (just behind Diddly Squat where's we're still living while building continues) Skabenga and cats in tow, and checked up on the accommodation. Thabesile had come up trumps. The place was sparklingly clean, the linen was fresh and crisp. Towels were hung in the shower and extra toilet/washbasin cubicle. 

Christina, who services all three Estelle's accommodation units had helped Thabesile to set everything out beautifully. There were new mini soaps in the shower and toilets. There were tea bags, coffee sachets and packets of sugar in the kitchen. There was a small jug of milk in the fridge under the bar. Dishwashing liquid, dish swabs and drying towels were set out at the kitchen sink. 

We checked the fridge; it was clean and working. We lit the gas stove plates; all working and we checked the big screen TV. All A1 and 100% perfect. 

 The kitchen and living area 

The bedroom

On Tuesday Fanny messaged me via the AirBnB site,  and said they were at an adventure resort about 70km from here. They would be in quite late; was that in order? Although my website stipulates check-in time from 2pm - 5pm, Grant and I reckoned as our first guests, and because we were still on the premises, we would permit a late check-in this time. 

At 9.10pm Fanny phoned me; there were passing the shopping mall where I have the art shop. Grant and I drove through the electrified estate gate, onto the road and turned around. He drove back to the entrance and with hazards flashing we waited. Within three minutes a car approached, indicated to turn right. Grant opened the gate and they followed. 

We stopped the vehicles beside Cave Inn and got out and greeted our young guests who were from Sweden. Fanny spoke Queen's English (she grew up in the UK) and Yohan spoke slow but good English.We told them where they could start a rigid hike into the mountains and who to contact should they want to rock climb. We told them about Scootours which is new in South Africa.  They are very fit and into adventure sports. And we told them when visiting the Central Drakensberg, they should not miss the Wednesday afteroon Drakensberg Boys Choir concert.  After chatting for a while, we bid them goodnight. 

At last Grant and I (normally very early-to-bed-birds) bedded down. At 10.59 my phone rang. It was Fanny, most apologetic. They had had a shower but weren't to stop the water from running. The shower head continued to pour water although they were sure they'd turned it off. 

Oh dear. I'd forgotten to tell them that the water collects in the roof (no ceiling in a cave!) and even after turning off the taps, the water runs out for quite a while afterwards. They were happy with this explanation. 

Tomorrow is their last day. I've messaged Fanny and asked that she and Yohan visit me at the shop before they leave the Valley. 

Grant and I have had our initiation into guest accommodation. We spoke about it the next morning and felt it had all gone well. 

Our next reservation is a honeymoon couple who are booked in from 17 - 24 December. The family occupy the big house (and possibly the cave) over the holiday period. Then we have a couple from 29 December to 2 January. We know this couple which will make it a little easier. Or will it?

In between I'm hoping and praying for a few bookings (not Instant, that's way too stressful!) from now 25 November until 16 December. 

And with all this, it's business as usual  on the building site and in the shop. 

Here's wishing you all a wonderful Thursday.