On Easter Monday, my family and I treated our Saudi guest to a fun
outing at the Hartbeespoort Dam Aerial Cableway. We were completely
surprised and taken a back when a young couple driving past our guest
suddenly stopped him and greeted him. My dad and I along with the rest
of the family were already at the ticketing office to purchase tickets
for the Cable car ride up the mountain. The young couple greeted our
guest and asked him if he was going up the mountain. Naturally he
replied in the affirmative. The couple then took out one ticket for him
and said that there was no need for him to purchase a ticket. Our guest
said that we are six people so there is no need to worry. We will
purchase the tickets. Suddenly, the young couple took out more tickets
and said that there is no need to buy any tickets. When our guest
presented the tickets to my dad we were all amazed as one ticket costs
R140. We all assumed that the couple were playing an April fool's joke
on us. So before we made our way to the cable cars dad first went to the
ticketing office to make sure that the tickets were valid. To his
surprise they were all valid. Our guest from Saudi was equally surprised
and then said something that really stuck in my mind. He said, " Maybe I
did something good in my life or someone made a special prayer for me
and hence God Almighty is now rewarding me in this way." With a big
smile on all our faces we made our way up the mountain by taking a ride
in the Cable Car. The newly revamped cableway offers panoramic views of
the Hartbeespoort Dam, Magaliesburg and the adjacent areas coupled with
excellent recreational and educational facilities. Arriving at the top
of the mountain we decided to take a walk around allowing our guest to
take pictures of the stunning countryside.
There's lots to do at the base station and at the top of the mountain. Kids can wander along the Dassie Loop walkway, where educational placards describe points of interest seen from the top, or play in the KidZone, while parents enjoy some much-needed rest. Restaurants, express food stalls and a bar are all on site, as are picturesque seating areas and bomas.
Anyone who has visited the cableway will find that there is a huge bee population at the top of the mountain. A few years ago I was stung by a bee and it caused a slight anaphylactic reaction. I noticed that there were many bees inside the restaurant near the slush puppy machines. When I enquired if they were a health hazard I was told that the bees are a part of the conservation programme that is in place by the local authorities and that only 300 bee stings in total would deem the hives as being dangerous.Thus far no one has been stung according to the owners of the restaurant. The bees near the slush puppy machine were obviously attracted to the sugar and I was told that if they are not attcked or disturbed they will not retaliate by stinging. Enjoying a variety of snacks at the restaurant whilst watching the sunset is undoubtedly an image that will remain in my heart, mind and soul forever. Our guest was astounded at the sheer beauty of our country as a whole. The nature, greenery and scenic drives is definitely an experience he will never forget. He was equally flabbergasted at the friendly nature of most South Africans. If you wish to visit the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway simply click on this link for more information. Tickets can also be purchased online. After spending a beautiful afternoon in tune with nature we made our way to the breathtaking Turkish masjid located in the Midrand region. I will do a full write up on the Turkish masjid in my next post Insha Allah. After performing Esha prayers at the masjid, we all made our way to the Ocean basket at Melrose arch for a sumptuous dinner. A pretty fun filled, entertaining day indeed!!!
There's lots to do at the base station and at the top of the mountain. Kids can wander along the Dassie Loop walkway, where educational placards describe points of interest seen from the top, or play in the KidZone, while parents enjoy some much-needed rest. Restaurants, express food stalls and a bar are all on site, as are picturesque seating areas and bomas.
Anyone who has visited the cableway will find that there is a huge bee population at the top of the mountain. A few years ago I was stung by a bee and it caused a slight anaphylactic reaction. I noticed that there were many bees inside the restaurant near the slush puppy machines. When I enquired if they were a health hazard I was told that the bees are a part of the conservation programme that is in place by the local authorities and that only 300 bee stings in total would deem the hives as being dangerous.Thus far no one has been stung according to the owners of the restaurant. The bees near the slush puppy machine were obviously attracted to the sugar and I was told that if they are not attcked or disturbed they will not retaliate by stinging. Enjoying a variety of snacks at the restaurant whilst watching the sunset is undoubtedly an image that will remain in my heart, mind and soul forever. Our guest was astounded at the sheer beauty of our country as a whole. The nature, greenery and scenic drives is definitely an experience he will never forget. He was equally flabbergasted at the friendly nature of most South Africans. If you wish to visit the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway simply click on this link for more information. Tickets can also be purchased online. After spending a beautiful afternoon in tune with nature we made our way to the breathtaking Turkish masjid located in the Midrand region. I will do a full write up on the Turkish masjid in my next post Insha Allah. After performing Esha prayers at the masjid, we all made our way to the Ocean basket at Melrose arch for a sumptuous dinner. A pretty fun filled, entertaining day indeed!!!
