Simbavati River Lodge

The Good News

 

Flying into the flood ravished Timbavati Nature Reserve last Thursday was one of the most heart wrenching experiences I have had in a long time.

Our beautiful lodge was, in some places, submerged in mud. From the air, conditions looked pretty bleak. My more feminine side wanted to weep, but thanks to the presence of our sympathetic helicopter pilot, I restrained myself and kept my macho image in tact.
 
Based on this first view, my preliminary feeling was that we would be out of business for at least two, maybe three, months.  However, diamonds are tough, and upon my return to the lodge with my whole team in tow on Sunday, our little diamond soon started showing some positive signs of its hidden lustre.  As we waded through the river to get to the lodge, I was really touched at the determination and steely grit of each and every team member to do their bit to restore Simbavati to its former glory.
 
The really physical stuff started later as we dug in with spades, and wielded high-pressure hoses to get rid of the bulk of the mud. Low and behold, we were pleasantly surprised to realize that the structural damage to the lodge is actually minimal!  The buildings and tents held up beautifully, and we all rejoiced in the fact that we would not have to rebuild from scratch. I am delighted to say that my initial guesstimate of two to three months was halved, and after two days into the cleanup process, I was in a position to confidently finalize a detailed plan of action with my team. Simbavati River Lodge will be back in business on 01 March 2012.
 
Power and communication infrastructures were thankfully restored fairly quickly. Clean water, our most precious commodity, was pumped from the borehole, and our phone line and internet services were repaired by Monday. With these necessities in place, the pace of the work could be escalated tremendously.
 
Although most of our furniture is lost, we are excited that our capable interior designers are already well into the planning and developing of a fresh new look for the lodge. But fear not - the warmth and homeliness that are the heart of Simbavati remain the foundation of the design brief.
 
We will endeavor to keep sending out regular updates on the progress we are making, but should there be any urgent questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on 021 975 0431 or mail us on  info@simbavati.com

Click here to download our 2012 Special Dates(pdf).

 

Warm regards,
 
Frikkie Reynders