Never walk alone- Walk on - 38. Chapter 38

As Andrew had made their reservations quite late, their usual block of rooms was not available, so Larry had arranged two of the exclusive, thatched three bedroom, self-catering cottages for them instead, a resort within a resort, which to be quite honest, they were not unhappy with. The cottages stood along the length of one of the fairways of the golf course, and were designed as duplexes with the main bedroom with balcony, and bathroom on the upper level. The ground level contained the two secondary bedrooms, with a shared bathroom, a spacious lounge/dining area, a well fitted kitchen and a wraparound veranda with a built-in BBQ, patio furniture and stunning views of the mountains and golf course. The bonus was that they could have meals at the hotel, order room service , or as they did on two nights, arrange for meat to be sent over for grilling on the BBQ, along with salads and dessert. Breakfasts were all taken in the main hotel restaurant, and they had lunch at the hotel patio bistro or at the golf club, that was a short ten minute walk away. A huge bonus was that the self-catering units had its own swimming pool for the sole use of the guests staying in the mini resort.

For the last two days of the year all they did was relax around the pool, only going to the main resort for meals when necessary as the resort was pumping, every room occupied, and the caravan park was full was well. Fortunately, due to its remote location, day visitors were few and far between, but the resort remained busy nevertheless.

New Years Eve arrived with perfect weather for the event that Larry and his team had arranged. The event was being held in the open air boma on the banks of the river, although a Plan B was available if the weather had not co-operated, particularly as the area was prone to thunderstorms in the late afternoon as was proven by the huge storm that had raged over the resort the previous evening when dark clouds rolled in just after 4pm followed by an impressive display of lightning that split the skies accompanied by rolling thunder, thereby affirming why each thatched unit had a lightning conductor placed next to it. The ensuing downpour was very heavy, accompanied by some hail, that left the resort drenched, but thoroughly cleansed. Within an hour, the storm had passed and they were able to witness yet another spectacular sunset in clear skies.

While everyone napped in the afternoon, Andrew and Ryan strolled down to the boma to have a look at the preparations for the big evening. The baking sun had dried the hard packed sand floor of the boma, which had been compacted even further by two rollers attached to tractors from the golf course. The boma was enclosed with reeds, harvested from the river banks and attached to the reeds were fixtures into which citronella torches had been placed for extra lighting and atmosphere and to ward off any bugs, especially mosquitos. A brick enclosed firepit occupied the centre of the enclosure and a 70's style disco ball and strings of lights was hung between two huge trees over the area designated for the dance floor. A buffet and bar area had been set up at one end with a second bar opposite and the remaining area was filled with tables of various sizes, covered with white tablecloths and a selection of colourful, checked overlays with matching serviettes. No crockery or cutlery had been laid yet, but a citronella table lamp had been placed on each table A quick count revealed seating for about 350 guests . The DJ that had been hired for the evening was setting up his equipment and the area buzzed with energy and excitement, the staff all sporting ready smiles, especially when they saw Andrew and Ryan who were both taken by the incredible change in the demeanour of the staff from when they first visited the resort before they purchased it.
Larry trundled in on his golf cart and they chatted for a while with him giving them a run down of what had been planned and as expected it was pretty lavish, and not only were most of the resort guests expected, but several parties from farms in the valley had made reservations as well. He offered them a lift back to their accommoda-tions which they gladly accepted as the walk back would have been uphill most of the way.

The evening actually started quite early at 6.30pm, the normal time the buffet restaurant would have opened for dinner. This was to accommodate those guests who had smaller children or would not be staying until the witching hour. The Devlin-Majors and the Mason's arrived at 7.45pm, leaving a very disgusted and unhappy Rascal in the room for the evening, and Andrew could not prevent the swelling of pride as they walked through the gates of the boma where two torches burned invitingly.

The entire area was bathed in soft, warm light with the flames from the torches flickering around the perimeter, while a fire blazed in the firepit.
Background music played through four humungous speakers at either end and the tables were all laid, the lights and flames reflecting in the glassware.
The buffet was laden with food including the normal carvery, while coals glowed in the two built-in BBQ's where two chefs were cooking steaks, lamb cutlets, boerewors and chicken sosaties. Large black mushrooms and sliced aubergine was available for vegetarians. There was also foil wrapped potatoes, and peppers filled with fresh corn and peas. An ice cream bar was set up alongside the dessert buffet which they knew was going to get a lot of use.

Many of the guests had already arrived and sipping a drinks as they were guided to their reserved table on one side of the boma, fairly close to the buffetarea.
Larry had told the young owners that one waiter was allocated to twenty guests so service was prompt and efficient.

The entire evening was an absolute blast. It was so different from the events at Blue Bay and The Cameron, being far more low key, but utterly enjoyable nevertheless, sitting under an ink black sky decorated with myriads of twinkling stars and the occasional shooting star, and the sound of the river burbling past just a few metres from where they were sitting. During lulls in the music, cicadas chirped shrilly and frogs croaked in the bush around them and every now and then, a bat would flit fleetingly through the dim overhead lights. At one stage, when he and Ryan were slow dancing on the dance floor, Ryan whispered,

"We did good buying this place. Now I finally realise the magic it holds and why everyone we speak to love the place so much. We really must visit more often. The only other place I have ever felt so relaxed was in Mauritius". Andrew nodded in agreement.

"This place has a magic like no other in my opinion. The tranquility is a balm to the soul"

As midnight approached, four groundsman carried in a light timber frame and positioned it over the fire pit. As they all counted down to midnight, Larry lit a fuse and, as the guests celebrated 2023, dozens of catherine wheel fireworks were ignited in, again, a very low key display, to reveal the words 'Happy New Year', due to the resort being in a conservation area. Sky rockets and anything that exploded was strictly prohibited. Finally, the entire structure caught fire adding to the spectacle, both young owners taking note of the groundsman positioned around the venue with fire extinguishers at the ready, and Larry's watchful gaze.

Soon after the fireworks were over, the children all complained about being tired, so the party prepared to take their leave. They gathered up their belongings and headed for the exit, where Larry met them and were surprised and delighted to find three golf carts waiting with groundsman to take them back to their rooms where a very unimpressed hound waited for them, not even meeting them at the door but looking accusingly at them from his bed. It was only when Ryan produced a doggy bag with a rather large number of steak strips that his tail began wagging again.

Everyone slept late on New Years Day, only getting down to the restaurant for breakfast at 9.45am. Breakfast was scheduled to end at 10.00am, but due to the number of guests who also slept late, it was decided to keep break-fast open until 10.30. The rest of the morning was enjoyed at the pool and after lunch they all had a nap. No one felt like trekking to the hotel for dinner, but neither was anyone in the mood to cook, so room service was the order of the day.

The chef sent over a platter of carvery meats along with potatoes and vegetables, which Andrew and Marie just popped into the ovens of their kitchens for a few minutes to get piping hot, and dinner was served. The chef also sent a large dish of baked self-saucing chocolate pudding and a container of ice cream for dessert.

Their final day at the resort dawned bright and clear and after breakfast they all took a long walk through the resort, from the main hotel all the way to the golf course clubhouse where they had lunch before strolling back to their rooms to pack in preparation for the early departure the next morning. Rascal was the only lucky one who was able to take an afternoon nap, deciding that the morning excursion, which he had also taken part in, and the flurry of activity in the rooms with all the packing going on, was not for him, so he crawled into his bed and stayed out of the way.
They all hurried out onto the verandas of the units when Harry twice buzzed the resort to announce his arrival, the throaty roar of the Pilatus' engine quite unmistakable as he flew down the valley towards the resort. The aircraft looked very smart as it roared low overhead, made a steep turn to starboard across the face of the mountain as it retraced its course back over the resort, disappearing briefly before reappearing in the distance as
it approached the runway. It dropped behind the trees of the caravan park followed a few seconds later by the sound of the propeller going into beta mode as the aircraft slowed on the runway. Harry called an hour later to advise that he was in his room and that the Pilatus was refueled and ready for the early departure in the morning.

They all gathered for a final dinner in the restaurant, including Harry, and were in bed quite early due to the early 6am start. As there would be no time for breakfast in the restaurant, Andrew had requested a take - away break-fast be prepared for them to eat on the plane and when they checked out they discovered the resort had gone above and beyond.
A stainless steel insulated box contained fresh, still hot bacon & egg, and bacon & cheese croissants, as well as a selection of danish pastries. There was also three large flasks with tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Everything was loaded into the courtesy bus and they drove to the airstrip where Larry was waiting for them. The porter and driver helped Harry transfer the luggage and the catering to the aircraft while they chatted with Larry, thanked him and boarded to take their seats. They were in the air less than ten minutes later, a impressive take-off rocketing them off the airstrip into clear blue morning skies. The two hour flight was uneventful apart from a bit of turbulence when they crossed the edge of the escarpment. The croissants went down a treat and they enjoyed the beverages and pastries after crossing into Gauteng airspace over the escarpment.

When Ryan, who was in the cockpit with Harry, advised that they were thirty minutes from the game lodge, Andrew and Marie got the cabin secured again and shortly after buzzing the lodge to announce their imminent arrival, Harry floated them onto the dirt runway with barely a bump when the undercarriage made contact. They had to wait a few minutes for the 4x4's to arrive from the lodge so Andrew, Ryan and Paul assisted Harry to unload the luggage as well as the remnants of breakfast so that the containers could be washed. When the vehicles did arrive, Vivian was driving one of them accompanied by two ladies to refresh the cabin of the plane which Harry was very pleased about. The vehicle she was driving would remain at the airstrip for Harry to drive to the lodge along with the housekeeping ladies when they were done in the plane.
He would stay just long enough to have something to eat and drink before flying back to Rand Airport to collect the Australian touring party and fly them to the lodge a bit later. Vivian advised that lunch would be slightly delayed to accommodate the arrival of the Australian group.

The porters and drivers of the other two vehicles quickly loaded everything and once everyone was on one of the vehicles, they made their way to the lodge. The open sided 4x4's kept them all reasonably cool as, although only just after 9.30am, the sun was already quite warm. They were thrilled to see some elephant and white rhinos on the short drive which got them all excited about the game drive later in the afternoon and evening, when they would be accompanied by the Australians.

The reserve had had a fair amount of rain so the bush was thick and green. So much so that the lodge only became visible when the turned into the roundabout in front of the main building.

"Oh, my word guys", Marie said with amazement, "this is stunning. I was really not expecting this"

"Yeah, wow", Paul added. "It blends in so well with the surrounding bush. You could drive past and not even know that it is here".

As they did with every arrival, almost all of the lodge staff were lined up on on the stairs to the entrance with warm smiles of welcome, cool scented towels and ice old welcome drinks, the remaineder staying on the patio where the departing guests were finishing their breakfast before being taken to the airfield for the flight back to the city.

Once the check-in ritual was complete, they were guided to their tents to settle in. Of course, the children all wanted to swim in the splash pool and could not wait for their dads to unpack their bathing suits, so clothes were shed where they stood and they headed for the small pool on the outside deck, all stark naked. They had not yet finished unpacking when the doorbell chimed heralding the arrival of the Mason's. Jonathan and Michael were already discarding clothing as they came through the doorway and also headed for the pool to join their friends in the same underdressed state. The noise level rose appreciatively and Marie intervened to admonish them to 'keep it down', followed by an explanation that the animals would be chased away if there was too much noise.
Andrew,Marie and Paul made themselves comfortable on the furniture on the deck, Ryan following on their heals with four ice cold sodas.
Marie's face was wreathed in a side smile as she looked at them.

'Drew, Ry! You have hit the jackpot with this place. Oh my word! It's absolutely gorgeous! And these tent rooms of yours are unbelievable. I was expecting something similar to the accommodation they have at Kruger (National Park). But wow, this is light years better".
Paul nodded his head in agreement with his wife.

"Marie is right! This place is a gem. It's magnificent!". He glanced up, eyes widening as he noticed movement in the bush on the far side of the watering hole, the thick green vegetation parting moments later to reveal a herd of elephant heading to the water to quench their thirst.

"Oh my god Marie! Look behind you!, he exclaimed. Marie turned and gasped as she took in the new arrivals. She stood up and walked quickly to the pool.

"Jono, Mikey! Look over there!, she told her boys, pointing. The pool area suddenly got very quiet as all the children turned to see what she was pointing at.

"Wow mom!, Jonathan whispered, "they are so close".

The sound of the elephant slurping the cool water could be heard quite clearly as they drank their fill. Once their thirst had been satisfied they began spraying the cool water over their massive bodies, the spectacle keeping them all enthralled for almost 30 minutes before the huge pachyderms almost silently made their stately way back into the bush
.
They sat back and relaxed on the main building patio, chatting, sipping long, ice cold beverages, just enjoying the tranquility and the regular wildlife visitations to the watering hole. The tranquil atmosphere was broken mid-afternoon when the faint, now familiar, drone of the Pilatus was heard approaching, followed a few minutes later by the plane passing low overhead, signalling it's imminent arrival.

There was a flurry of activity as Vivian and two porters hurried to the Landrovers parked under the trees in front of the main entrance to drive to the airstrip to meet the incoming Australian group. Harry had made a slightly longer and lower approach, giving his passengers a quick airborne game viewing, as well as allowing the Landrovers to arrive at the airstrip before the plane touched down, so consequently this time the vehicles were waiting for the guests and within a few minutes of arrival they were on their way to the lodge.
The usual welcoming party was on hand when the Landrovers stopped at the bottom of the stairs with Andrew and Ryan also in attendance. With the welcome pleasantries out of the way, the Australians were escorted to their tents in the opposite wing of rooms, to get unpacked, having all confirmed that they would be on the late game drive that evening.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the temperature rose with it and they all gathered on the main building patio under the huge trees around which the deck had been built, all in accordance with retaining as much of the natural vegetation as possible. As they gazed out at the distant hills, the air shimmered in the heat, the lack of any wind leaving them really feeling the oppressive heat, so they were grateful when three staff members appeared, each bearing two large electric fans which they proceeded to plug into convenient points on the deck. The fans hummed into life and provided a small measure of relief. They discovered that the best way was to combat the heat was to wade into the pool, fully clothed and then dry off in the cooler air provided by the fans. Long, ice cold, refreshments helped things along as well. The staff bustled around nearby setting tables and preparing a small buffet table with shallow containers of ice, into which a myriad of covered bowls and plates were being placed.

The Australians gradually began appearing fron their tents, having unpacked and got settled for their week at the lodge, and the new owners found them to be very good company. They were very complimentary about what they had experienced so far, and expressed their surprise and appreciation at having been met by the owners on arrival.
Andrew grinned at the comment.

"Thank you. It's not something that happens often. Vivian and her crew are well versed and very capable of welcoming our guests. You are just the lucky group who are here at the same time we are", he replied.
Dave Simmons, the leader of the group, nodded and grinned back at the boys.

"Well, I can assure you, the gesture is much appreciated. We are really excited about being in South Africa. At least half the group are here for the first time, and are looking forward to the remainder of the tour. And we could not have had a better start".
A number of heads in the group nodded in agreement.

"Where do you go from here", Ryan enquired.
Both Andrew and Ryan were surprised by Dave's reply.

"We're actually on one of your packages - 'Gems of South Africa'. A week here at the game lodge, then we fly to your resort in the Drakensberg for a week and then to Cape Town for a week at Blue Bay Lodge. Then to Johannesburg for the long slog back home to Sydney"
Andrew glanced briefly at Ryan, before addressing the group as a whole.

"Wow, thank you all for entrusting us with your arrangements. The 'Gems of South Africa' tour in a new one we have recently introduced. To be quite honest we were not aware that the offer had been reserved by anyone. You are, as far as I know, the first group to do the itinerary. We appreciate your confidence in us and I hope you enjoy the experience".
There were murmurs of thanks from the group, just as Vivian approached and Harry arrived, now casually dressed in a pair of cargo shorts, T-shirts as sandals. Andrew beckoned him over to them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Andrew. Lunch is ready. We've kept it light, cold and simple due to the heat. It's a 'Build your own Salad'. You're quite welcome to help yourselves or the chefs will be only too pleased to be of assistance if there are any items you are not familiar with"

The Devlin-Major party held back, allowing the Australians to move to the food first. Andrew and Ryan stood off to one side observing, very impressed by what Vivian and her staff had presented.

The plates, under clear covers, held a selection of hors d'oeuvres - Smoked Salmon or Smoked Drakensberg Trout with the usual accompiaments of creamed horseradish, thinly sliced red onion and capers. A trio of patès - Smoked Trout, Chicken Liver and Smoked and Roasted Auberine with complimentary sauces, and Thinly Sliced Biltong, Beetroot, White Grape and Mozzarella with a Balsamic dressing.
In the bowls were, what looked like, almost every ingredient that the chefs could muster.
The first item was a large platter with mixed lettuce, every shade, texture and shape represented, as well as red radicchio. Then there was all the usual items - Cherry and Heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, three different onions - white, red and spring, peppers -red, green and yellow, whole avocados, ready to be sliced by the chefs, feta, shaved parmesan and diced cheddar cheese. Then came thinly sliced biltong, seared chicken breast, beef steak and tuna, poached prawns, and egg- sliced, quartered and chopped, followed by smaller bowls with fresh corn, green peas, green beans, julienned carrots and new potatoes. Right at the other end was range of freshly prepared dressings, a bowl of crisp croutons and a selection of bread rolls and breads.
Vivian had been right on two counts! It was cold and light. But it was anything but simple!

Andrew and Ryan moved amongst the tables, chatting to guests - smoozing - as Andrew loved to call it, and received nothing but compliments, before joining their family for lunch. Keeping to the light salad theme, fresh fruit salad was served ith ice cream or fresh cream.

After lunch, all the guests lingered on the patio for a while before the Australians gradually wandered back to their tents to nap and recover from their long flight, before the evening game drive. The children all headed back into the main pool, before their parents called them out to return to their own tents to rest as well. The tents, even lacking air-conditioning, were surprisingly cool under the protection of the trees, assisted by the ceiling fans. The boys relaxed on the chaise longes on the patio of their tent, while the children used the small splash pool. Through the trees, the Mason's were doing the same, but before long the sound of childrens happy voices stilled as they too found it was time to rest and then the only sounds heard was the chirp of cicadas in the bush around them and the occasional bark of a baboon in the distance. Even the watering hole was quiet in the heat of the African afternoon.

At 4pm, Ryan woke the children and they all congregated in the huge outdoor shower of the main bathroom where they refreshed themselves under cool water before dressing and heading back to the main building. The sun still beat down, and the sky was clear blue with not even a whisper of cloud in sight. There was, however, a very light breeze that had sprung up to give some respite from the heat. At the main building, the rangers and waiters were loading the Landrovers with all the refreshments would be required for the game drive and once everyone was present, including Harry, they boarded the vehicles and headed out into the bush. Andrew and Ryan noticed that each seat had been provided with an insulated flask of ice cold water.
The first hour was fairly disappointing, the game wisely preferring to stay in the coolness of the shade instead of venturing out in the heat like the crazy humans. They were lucky enough to spot some leopard sheltering under some undergrowth, a small herd of elephant wading into the river to cool off and two white rhino munching languidly at some grass under some frangipani trees. The rangers stopped for sundowners on a sandy be
ach beside the river, where they observed the antics of the elephants from a short distance and enjoyed the refreshments and snacks that the lodge had provided. They loitered until the elephants sauntered back into the thick bush on the other side of the river and once everything was packed up again, they continued on their way.
It had become cooler as the day had waned, but even so, Ryan nudged Andrew indicating the ice cold bottles of water that had replaced the flasks.
They were luckier on the way back to the lodge. The game were coming out of their hidey-holes looking for water and they saw all of the big five, as well as a number of different antelope, warthogs, monkeys, baboons and crocodile, so it was a very animated group that arrived back at the lodge an hour after sunset.

Through the windows at the front of the lodge, the chefs could be seen tending to the fire in the fire pit and Vivian informed everyone that dinner would be a traditional South African braai.
Dave pulled Andrew and Ryan aside.

"Would it be at all possible to have one large table for all of us instead of individual tables?", he enquired.

"I don't see why not Dave! If your group wants to dine together, no problem. I'll just advise Vivian of the change", Andrew replied.

"No Andrew, we want our group and your party to dine together We discussed it during the game drive", Dave told them.

"Oh! Yeah, no problem. I'll tell Vivian to do one table for everyone", Andrew told him.

Dave left and Andrew went in search of Vivian who he found in the main kitchen, supervising the making of the salads and dessert. He told her of the change in the seating plan and she hurried out to instruct the waiters who were already setting the tables.

Back in their tent, the dads got their offspring ready for dinner. First, another shower, this time warm with lots of soap, and then cool, but sensible clothing for the evening. It was great that, even though the game lodge was very upmarket, the dress code was very relaxed. They made sure the children were well covered to keep the bugs at bay, as well as giving them each a light spray of mosquito repellent, rubbing some onto their faces and exposed parts of their necks. They were not in a malaria zone, but the pesky pests could be an irritation. So best to employ some preventative measures.
When they heard the Mason's footsteps on the wooden walkway they left the tent to meet them and head to the main building.
There they found most of the Australian group already gathered and enjoying pre-dinner drinks with Vivian holding court behind the bar . A buffet table had been set up on the viewing deck with several salads and stainless steel chafing dishes. Below the deck, the chefs could be seen tending various items on the fires.

A square table covered with floor length cream tablecloths was positioned close to the buffet table, a long runner in the Devlin-Major colours running the length of the table.
The directors chairs were positioned around the table, each one with an African print cushion on the seat and a light throw hanging over the seat back.
White crockery with an African motif on the rim sat on the table with silver cutlery and crystal glasses. Four torches burning citronella oil flamed close to each corner to ward off any mosquitos while small citronella candle lamps also flickered on the table.
Andrew was very impressed. The setting was both rustic and luxurious and utterly charming. He watched as three waiters circulated through through the group offering platters of canapés which served as a hors d'oeuvre.
Marie slipped her arm through his and leaned against him with a sigh. He glanced around looking for Paul and found him chatting and laughing with Dave and Harry, each with a bottle in hand. He was pleased to note that Harry's bottle was sparkling water.

"I don't know how you do it, my friend. But everything you touch turns to gold. This place is magical. And Paul feels the same. If Vivian ever decides to leave, please contact Paul before you do anything. We would love to come home to run this place for you", she said softly. Andrew smiled at her and nodded.

"I promise I will speak to Paul if anything comes up. And you're right. This place is magical. Lately, I've been finding it difficult to decide which of our properties I love most. It was so much easier when we just had Blue Bay. But then The Cameron came along, followed by Drakensberg Resort and now this place. Each one has its own attraction, but this has its own special magic. Knowing what we are trying to achieve here and the sheer serenity of the reserve. I thought Drakensberg might be the ultimate getaway destination, but now I think this beats it, hands down", he replied wistfully. She nodded towards the table.

"Vivian and her people really know their stuff. That table is the epitome of elegance and style. In fact, the whole place is. I still have to pinch myself that we are actually in the wild African bush, sleeping in what is essentially a tent, albeit a very luxurious one. It's not just a destination, it's an experience. And one I never thought I would have. Your parents would have been so proud of what their little boy has achieved".

"What are you two looking so serious about?", Ryan asked as he slipped his arm around Marie, glancing at Andrew over her blonde head.
Andrew grinned at his husband.

"Marie was just extolling my virtues and telling me what a fantastic businessman I am. And telling me how great this place is, and how, if the opportunity arose, she and Paul would want to manage it for us", Andrew told him. Ryan's eyebrows shot up into his hairline.

"Are you considering coming back home? I thought you were happy in Canada!"

"We are happy Ry. Canada has been amazing. But now with my parents both gone, the thought of being home close to family and friends again is becoming more and more attractive. I know that sounds crazy, what with us wanting to live here in the bush. But it's a damn sight closer than Calgary", she replied with a giggle.
Just then, the chefs began walking up the stairs and filling the chafing dishes with their efforts.

"Looks like dinner is almost ready", Andrew said. He glanced at Marie. "Can I get you something to drink or do you want to wait for wine at the table?".

"I'll wait for some of your Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc that I saw Vivian puting into ice buckets earlier, Drew. Thank you"

"Hmmm!. Excellent idea. I think I will join you. I'll get us each a glass now, I think"

"I'll get it, my love". Ryan pecked his husband on the lips and walked away to fetch thedrinks.

"Have you guys got anything special planned for your anniversary tomorrow?", Marie enquired.

"No, nothing special. Just celebrate quietly with you guys and the kids. We'll do dinner when we get back home. I can't believe it's been ten years already. So much has happened! But I can honestly say we've never been happier. I would not change anything except Ryan's kidnapping and assault. But even that brought us closer to one another", Andrew replied watching Ryan pouring their wine.
Marie smiled.

"If ever there was two people destined to be together, it is you two. I have no doubts on that"

Ryan came walking back with their wine, just as Vivian announced that dinner was ready. Noticing that there seemed to be no hurry from the other guests to move to the buffet, Andrew and Marie gathered the kids and got them fed, watered and seated at the table, which seemed to motivate the others to do the same. Once again, Andrew and Ryan were the last to make their selections from the buffet. As expected, Vivian and her staff had
done themselves and the owners proud. Apart from a range of salads, in the chafing dishes was sliced whole Kudu fillet, marinated chicken drumsticks, lamb cutlets and individual parcels of foil - wrapped Kingklip with onion, tomato, green pepper, garlic, white wine and butter. There was also flame charred peppers stuffed with couscous and roasted vegetables, and thick slides of marinated aubergine that had been grilled like steaks. Andrew had a slice and was hooked, going back for a second slice and to chat to the chef on how it had been prepared. The new knowledge was filed away to be added to the recipe files on the yachts.
Also in the chafing dishes was whole potatoes baked in the coals, corn on the cob and thick maize meal 'putu' with tomato and onion sauce. It was quintessentially South African and absolutely delicious.
When Vivian stopped between Andrew and Ryan, Andrew asked a question that had been nagging at him.

"Vivian. The Kudu fillet. Do we order it in or is it sourced on the reserve?"

"It comes from the reserve, Andrew. As much as we are here for wild life conservation, we also have a duty to manage it. The rangers keep a very careful track of all the antelope species on the reserve and if the numbers of a certain specie become too large, then we try to send them to other reserves. But every now and then, we find ourselves in a position where we have to cull. It is done very judiciously, pinpointing old, weak or injured animals, and providing that they are disease free and suitable for consumption, the better cuts are aged and sent to us. I also keep some casserole cuts in the freezer for venison stews and pies. The balance is either sold off to the reserve staff or sold to a butchery in Vaalwater, the nearest town, where it is portioned and sold to the public. As much as the rangers hate doing it, it is unfortunately necessary to maintain the eco-balance . And it is only done with the antelope population. Anything else we send away to other reserves or we let nature take its natural course", she explained.
Andrew glanced around and noticed a number of the other guests listening to the conversation and several were nodding in approval.

After they had dined and selected their dessert from the buffet - in keeping with the local theme - Vivian had produced small Milk Tarts, Koeksusters, individual deconstructed Peppermint Tarts served in martini glasses and a baked Malva Pudding & ice cream, much to Ryan's delight. - the entire group migrated to the fire pit on the lower level of the viewing deck where built-in seating was made more comfortable with the addition of loose, plump cushions. Coffee was served and Vivian brought down bottles of cognac, premium whisky, and liqueurs including a couple of bottles of Amarula in order to introduce the Australians to the unique marula berry flavoured liqueur. The remaining desserts were brought down as well, the Malva cut into blocks for anyone who still wanted a nibble. In the boys opinions the evening was an unequivocal success. The Australians, still suffering from jetlag slowly began disappearing to their tents, and only once they had all retired for the night did the Devlin-Majors take their leave as well, taking a bottle of sparkling wine and two champagne flutes with them. The children all fallen asleep on the couches in the main lounge so Vivian and a couple of her ladies helped carry them back to their tents. Jamie was particularly grumpy as Andrew undressed him and got him ready for bed, but eventually the tent was quiet and the boys could perform their own pre-bed ritual, after which they reaffirmed their love by making quiet, but intense, love - mindful of the children not far away. Afterwards they lay propped up against the headboard in the darkened room, watching lightning play behind the distant hills, heralding an approaching thunderstorm. At midnight, they toasted one another, finishing the bottle, made more love, and then fell asleep in their usual spooned position.