The rain is bucketing down as we head towards Kei Bridge near Butterworth, where the former Transkei and Ciskei meet. We’re on day four of a media tour organised by the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency to some of the province’s award-winning tourism establishments.
Here, we rely solely on the knowledge of our expert guide, Siseko Yelani, founder of Uncuthu Tours. This part of SA is a familiar area for me, as it is usually the first pit-stop when I travel from Mthatha to Port Elizabeth, though rather ignorant of its rich history.
We take a quick drive behind the petrol station to get a closer view of the original Kei Bridge. The bridge plays a part in the story of SA’s most famous anti-apartheid struggle icon, Nelson Mandela, our guide tells us.
This is where Mandela and his cousin Justice Mtirara received passports to cross from the Transkei to East London, where they would catch a train to Johannesburg. They had made themselves scarce after chief Jongintaba arranged marriages for them, our tour guide tells us.
At Mandela’s village of Qunu, where he grew up in his aunt’s care, we arrive to a warm welcome from Kwa Nokrismesi Homestay, where we will soon sit down to a hearty lunch.
Nokrismesi is a female name which references Christmas. The name on its own excites my stomach.
The homestead is within walking distance of Mandela’s house across the road, and a few metres from his aunt’s home where he grew up.
Nokrismesi, the owner, welcomes tourists who visit the nearby Nelson Mandela Museum with a smile and a meal, while her husband, Zimisele Gamakhulu, a tour guide, shows them around.
The couple work together to give visitors an authentic and welcoming taste of Madiba’s village.
As we approach the yard, Nokrismesi expresses excitement at our arrival and sets the table for the buffet she has prepared. Spoilt for choice, we each dig into our preferred dishes between the rice, samp, free-range chicken, beef, peas, beetroot, roasted potatoes and pumpkin on offer.
I could not have asked for a better meal to warm me after the cold day, I think to myself as I dig in with feelings of nostalgia.
While we indulge we learn of Zimisele’s experience in guiding tourists who visit the village. Zimisele also shares some gems from Mandela’s years as a young boy in Qunu.
Beaming with pride he tells us of the time his wife was featured in Cape Town journalist Ishay Govender-Ypma’s book Curry: Stories & Recipes Across South Africa, which Nokrismesi brings for us to look through.
I tell her how much the food reminds me of Christmases at my grandmother’s house, where I remember spending the evenings nursing a stomach ache from all that overindulgence.
A self-taught cook, Nokrismesi started the business after helping a local community cook who catered at events in the village.
“At some point I accommodated some Wits students who visited the village. From there I decided to turn this into a cooking and accommodation business,” she says.
She uses one of her rooms to accommodate small groups and gives them a taste of her dishes, from traditional African food to western food, depending on their preferences.
On our way out we pass Mandela’s aunt’s house and also his house, which is now his family’s home and where he is buried. I am most excited about our next stop in my hometown of Mthatha, often referred to as the Small Jozi due to its fast pace and dense population.
We are spending the night at Dan’s Country Lodge, about 20km outside Mthatha.
Dead on our feet and with stomachs still heavy from Nokrismesi’s lunch, we arrive to check into our rooms and request room service for dinner.
The friendly staff come in numbers to deliver my order, despite the windy, rainy weather accompanied by thunderstorms.
My chicken wings and fries, mango juice and a slice of red velvet cake for dessert arrive just as I’m about to take a shower.
My decision to get a taste of the chicken before hopping in the shower ends in me sitting on my bed with a couple of wings having found their way down my throat and half the heavenly cake having disappeared. Surely a shower can wait.
The next morning our group agrees Dan’s Country Lodge has given us the most fulfilling rest so far, much to my excitement given my hometown’s reputation is on the line. We meet more members of staff who give us a tour of the establishments with jokes and laughter the order of the morning.
Dan’s Country Lodge has up to 50 rooms, conference facilities that accommodate some 1,000 guests, a wedding marquee with an outdoor chapel and a gymnasium.
Next to this 2013 national Lilizela Emerging Tourism Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Eteya) winner is the Total Dan’s N2 Stop fuel station with a coffee shop and a kids’ paradise for travellers passing by.
We are up for another long drive to Port St John’s where we will spend our last night before heading back to East London, stopping at the revamped Nelson Mandela Museum in Mthatha along the way.
Port St John’s is likely named after the Sao Joao, a Portuguese ship wrecked on the Wild Coast in 1552.Apart from its stunning coastline, the town is home to the Amampondo ethnic group. Here you find subsections of traditional villages, a small town dominated by hardware stores and a handful of supermarkets and other shops. It is the ideal holiday break from fast-paced city life.After a visit to the award-winning Amapondo backpackers and a delectable lunch (the best seafood I’ve had in ages) at Steve's Pub and Restaurant, we head to one of my favourite destinations, Umngazi River Bungalows and Spa.
This resort near Port St John’s proves to be another relaxing environment and just by the number of holiday makers’ cars in the parking lot I can imagine it’s the perfect getaway spot.
Although we miss the sundowner cruise by a few minutes, we arrive with just enough time for a quick shower, relaxation by the river and a game of tennis before dinner.We spend the rest of the evening in the pool, not too far from the bar.
The resort is ideal if you fancy tranquility, friendly people and outdoor showers like me. There are activities for families, intimate dinners by the river for couples, luxurious rooms, a kids’ centre and separate restaurant for young ones, a glorious spa and more.
As we are sent off with a morning boat cruise and some snacks before we leave, I wrack my brain for any excuse to stay in this paradise forever.
Catch your breath at Mpekweni
The perennially popular Mpekweni Beach Resort is situated along the R72 Coastal Road about 40km from Port Alfred and an hour or so from East London. We arrive at Mpekweni just in time for dinner in the restaurant packed with conference goers who have booked the resort’s facilities. Before we sit down to dinner we are each welcomed with a bottle of wine and a snack basket in our lovely double rooms overlooking the beach, just a stone’s throw from the reception and restaurant.
Placed in the exceptional care of marketing manager Linda Maxam, who later joins us for drinks after dinner, we indulge in a delectable buffet while local singer Monde Fani entertains us with his renditions of soothing RnB love song covers.
We learn the resort has a 24-hour gym, babysitting services as well as games rooms where big and little players can enjoy table tennis, pool and play station gaming.
There is loads more to see and do, with the beach and river offering the best of both. With a friendly and genuine smile, Linda gives us a tour of the resort during which we meet spa manager and therapist Zintle Nzo, who boasts 11 years of experience. At her haven she offers massages, facials, hand and foot rituals and waxing services with a smile.
It’s all about bonding with nature here and visitors typically come to enjoy languid beach walks, canoeing, birdwatching, fishing, river cruises and various sporting activities.
Although the resort caters for families, couples, colleagues and more, I immediately imagine it will be a perfect destination for a girls’ trip I hope to enjoy with my friends in the near future.