I’m typically not a hotel person, but I LOVED everything about my hotel room in Messina. I stayed at a hotel smack in the middle of ugly Messina, but my room faced the back and overlooked the beautiful African sky and, you guessed it, a baobab!
I’ve previously mentioned that this is really a terrible time to travel in South Africa because of the World Cup Soccer matches and everything is booked and jacked up in price. When I called to check the prices of rooms, I was expecting to pay R500-R600 per night. You can imagine my panic at hearing one hotel wanting R1,200 per night! For a single room!!
The Limpopo River Lodge in Messina is recommended in many of the travel guides. While a single room at a regular rate is listed at R115 per night, after hearing R1,200 per night, I thought I was getting off pretty easy at R250 per night--especially during World Cup. And Limpopo River Lodge is where I stayed.
It was a small, modest room but spotlessly clean. (In fact, my bed was changed every single night and my towels washed—much to my “let’s conserve resources” dismay.) I had a private bath WITH A SHOWER! I took a hot shower every single day whether I needed it or not. (Since my move to the trailer, minus a hot water heater, I fully relate, now, to other PC Volunteers who are always eagerly anticipating a hot shower!)
Also, there was no evidence of spiders, scorpions, snakes and the like, so for a full week, I slept out from under a mosquito net in full, no worry bliss! Although I originally balked at the anti-malarial prophylaxis, (for me, 6 weeks of doxycycline), I’m glad I was taking it, as I did receive mosquito bites!
But the best thing of all, and I feel somewhat ashamed to admit this, was that it HAD A TV WITH A 24-HOUR MOVIE CHANNEL!! I binged on movies! It was wonderful. It wasn't a premium movie channel, so I didn't get to see anything recently released, but I didn't care. I had a wonderful time rewatching Australia This was one of the major -motion pictures I saw before leaving the States: I delighted --and had forgotten--the "let's all live together even though our skin colors are different" themes and I think a baobab may have featured in one of the lovey-dovey scenes. Do baobabs grow in Australia? I saw Tom Cruise's Valkyrie, a Harry Potter film, a documentary on Annie" Leibovitz (LOVED it!), something with Martha Plimpton--regardless, I loved, loved, loved watching movies.
And of course, I had the lovely South African skyline right outside my window!
I was clean, safe, and happy!
Soon, Karen
It looks like the weather was very cooperative, too. I'm so glad you had a good time. Love you.
ReplyDeleteHi All
ReplyDeleteKaren is without internet connection. It's an issue for the whole university.
Not to worry, all is well with her.
Leila
Nice to hear you enjoyed the stay and that the room was clean, more than anything else. It is always cleanliness that makes me appreciate a particular hotel. After all, we know the rooms have been used by several people already, all of which are strangers to you. Anyway, you have a wonderful view outside the window! :D
ReplyDeleteThe skyline view was indeed wonderful! Likewise, the 24-hour movie channel looks awesome! Though, I wanted to know if you got to travel around the city. I mean, did you roam around, see beautiful places, eat, even meet new friends? I think that would be more interesting than just staying the whole day in your hotel room. ;)
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