Much has been written about South Africa’s amazing geography and wildlife. I have something a little different to share that demonstrates stellar service, a secret travel tip, an indigenous experience and the willingness to look beyond the obvious.
My husband Bill and I took the “hop on, hop off” city tour bus in Cape Town. It was a very good experience, although their audio tour needs some updating. It turns out that we were able to turn that bit of lemons into lemonade. While driving past the Cape Town Railway Station, the audiotaped tour mentioned an old steam locomotive so Bill and I “hopped off.” (Hey, I am traveling with a guy and steam trains are quite the “man thing”). The station had a utilitarian ambiance and an electrical train that had been removed for repairs 18 months prior.
Since we were curious about the steam train, we made our way over to the information booth to inquire about it’s whereabouts. We were told that it was no longer there, but if we were interested we could see some steam trains that were not available to the public. OK, why not! Hence our adventure began as Hannes Potgieter of the Rail Tourism Info kiosk at Cape Town Station guided us through a fascinating and unexpected tour into the bowels of the train station far removed from the platforms and everyday comings and goings of scheduled trains.
Hannes is so passionate about these old steam trains that he has proposed that the South African Railways create a museum dedicated to them. That is a great idea, but for now, Hannes is the sole promoter of these historic treasures. Beyond seeing the trains and hearing their stories, I was captivated by Hannes passion and willingness to go the extra mile to share it.
If you are going to Cape Town, let him know when you will be there at jlpotgieter@vodamail.co.za. I am sure no one else who mans that information kiosk will offer such an insider’s glimpse of the railways. We were lucky to happen upon it and even luckier to meet Hannes. It is a rare and wonderful thing to experience passion whether it is for steam trains or truffles. I welcome it.
Here are a few photos to help spread the word:
