If the thought of missing one notification makes you break out in a cold sweat, you might be due for a trip aboard Rovos Rail.
“Ditch my phone, social media, and TV for three days, and have to dress up for dinner . . . Say what!”
Yeah, I know…me neither…
But hang on with me for a second…
Sure, when you’re used to social media and to touching your phone 80 times a day, going for days without doing so sounds rather insane.
But a quick scroll down will show you what you might get in exchange – especially if the fantasy of starting your day with a lavish breakfast reception followed by gliding through the rugged African veld while being pampered amid opulence in a charming Victorian atmosphere interests and fascinates you.
Enter South Africa’s Rovos Rail.
Rovos Rail touts itself as “the most luxurious train in the world”— a claim I had an opportunity to affirm on a recent 3 day 2 night digital-detox trip from Pretoria to Durban.
It was every bit as opulent as I’d imagined it’d be!
It’s one of those things you will never understand until you experience.
The Rovos Rail experience transports its guests to the golden ages before the internet and mobile phone era.
Back in the day to when things were simpler — you know, when being unavailable, or at least not available at the snap of a finger was normal; when we used physical maps to tell direction; the days of good manners and graciousness when we made eye contact at dinner table and both men and women dressed to the nines just because… ; when people actually looked out of the window on trains and buses to admire the scenery.
Just before boarding the train in Pretoria, we brave the heavy rains for a chance to tour the Rovos Rails private workshop adjoining the station house in Pretoria to get a glimpse of where it all began.
All the train’s coaches are up-cycled from redundant and dilapidated coaches and locomotives from rail companies such as the South African Railways, Jewish Guild Country Club, etc, and refurbished right at the company’s workshop.
Upon boarding, our 24-hour concierge Zanele gives us a quick tour of the private cozy suite.
The suite comes complete with an en-suite bathroom with high-pressure hot water and hairdryer, 2 single beds, a desk, 2 seats, and a wardrobe with robes and amenity kits.
The bathroom is functional and void of any frills or unnecessary comforts.
Towels are fragrant, fluffy and carefully folded on a towel rail on the side. There is no bath but instead a sizable walk in shower with one shower head.
The Victorian experience is deliberately evident everywhere else.
Nothing is left to chance.
The interior of the rest of the train’s public spaces – the observation car + two non-smoking dining cars – is focused around dark wood paneling on the walls as hued as the woodland they were once felled from.
The fine China plates and cups, and crystal glasses are engraved with the characteristic “RVR” Rovos logo.
The upholstery, curtains, and bed linen in hues of green, orange, brown, and purple – magically exude vintage luxury through and through.
There is so much light and openness, much like the guests who are lucky enough to be calling this place home for the next couple days.
To maintain the train’s glamorous atmosphere, guests are expected to maintain a smart-casual dress code during the day, and, suits, ties, and cocktail attire at dinner.
This was also quite very new to me but, well, it gave me a whole new perspective on life.
To match the vintage ambiance, there is no TV, no WiFi, limited mobile network, and use of electronics is not allowed in public spaces of the train.
Insert distressed feeling emoji.
At least for the first couple hours. I wonder what I’ve gotten myself into.
Anyway, I admit to myself, it is what it is and swap my smartphone for my DSLR and and Facebook, Whatsapp and call interactions for face to face interactions
Several hours into unplugged mode, I am now into both physical and mental switch. I start to feel like I could live like this forever. Maybe one day I will 🙂 .
I spend a good part of the next three days just observing, and thinking through, by myself. Some of the time I play my violin in the observation deck while other times I chat with the other guests in the lounge car. A rarity in today’s heavily world of electronic ubiquity.
Now let’s talk about the meals on Rovos Rails. Every. Single. Meal. – breakfast, lunch, dinner, 4 o’clock tea, snacks, was on the house.
The soft gong of a bell throughout the train let us know that it is meal time.
A team of chefs caters to every one of our considerable needs and the 5 star dining is nothing short of a dream.
Think 5 course meals on wheels paired with high quality bottomless drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic) at every sitting.
But my favorite detail of the suite is having a complementary bottomless mini bar on the moving train. Nothing made me feel more at ease than reaching into the fridge and grabbing a cold drink without worrying about racking up a bill at checkout.
Pure bliss….
Although I could see myself staying on board the train for the long haul, it was a breath of fresh air to visit Nambiti Private Game Reserve for a game drive on day 2.
Settling back into my lavish lifestyle following an excursion to Ardmore Ceramics Gallery on the morning of day 3, the train’s final descent as it negotiates numerous bridges and tunnels to its final stop into Durban train station heralds the end of my Rovos experience.
Although a world away from the fast-paced and increasingly connected world than I’m used to, my Rovos train journey from Pretoria to Durban made for much-needed downtime and more than compensated for the absence of technology in other aspects of the experience.
I felt compelled to be much more present in the moment, to embrace true face to face interactions, and to savor the unfolding scenery.
And 3 days without looking at a screen definitely gave my body some much needed rest and restoration.
While this is not the first time I have had to go through a digital detox experience, this was very special and unique to me because it was deliberate. I chose to go through the experience of
All other times it has been accidental.
Like that time when my phone fell in the toilet of my hotel room in Athens. And that other time when Facebook and Instagram was down for 24 hours. And the other time when someone stole my phone in a Bangkok restaurant. And many more times beyond the scope of this article.
While technology has certainly made my life easier and efficient in many ways, I greatly benefited from the digital detox experience on Rovos and I don’t think the insights gained could have come in any other way.
Having to wait for 3 days to post a #NoFilter Instagram worthy scene doesn’t come naturally to me. And so does unlearning the art/science of constantly reaching for my smartphone and learning to occupy that hand with more productive things.
While I’d have loved to refute the saying “separation makes the heart fonder”, FOMO is real guys.
But I’m equally conscious of the fact that I’m now at a better ‘place’ and a better person to connect with.
I quickly hug my new-found friends goodbye before reaching for my phone that is now buzzing with notifications.
I’m back to civilization.
Would I do it again?
Oh yes!
To Rovos Rail and to deliberate digital detox.
I was graciously hosted by Rovos Rail on the Pretoria to Durban tour. All opinions are my own.
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