Train Holidays

 I receive lots of news reading suggestions online, thanks to algorithms. So an article from Euro News recently caught my attention, about the best train journeys in the world. Some I knew about, some I did not. If time and money were no objection, I would so go to one of these journeys for a holiday. Taking the train can be in itself a holiday. My favourite would probably be the Orient Express. But I am curious about Rovos Rail and the more I learn about the Glacier Express, the more I want to try it. I have been to Switzerland only once, and very briefly, so I would love to revisit the country. And I know even their ordinary trains are absolutely brilliant, so imagine the Glacier. Anyway, I really want a train holiday when the journey would be more important than the destination. And you, what of all these train journeys would you like to experiment?

Rovos Rail Bears

Okay, so I could have blogged about the UK general elections or the USA, but I'm not in the mood. I hope you don't mind blogging about trains again. I found this picture from the Facebook page of Rovos Rail, the South African luxury train company. They encourage local businesses and they sell teddy bears made by the Hibearnation Handmade Teddy Bears. We all think of one particular bear when one thinks of bears and trains, but there's no reason why there shouldn't be more, in different places and countries. I think teddy bears make for great souvenirs and great traveling companions, so it is just logical that a trainline should sell them as well. I want to buy one for Wolfie, if we ever board on Rovos Rail. One day, perhaps.

Living in a Rovos Rail train?

I got this picture from the Facebook page of Rovos Rail, the South African luxury train company. If time and money were no objections, spending time there would be my dream holiday. Wolfie's too. He saw this picture and gave me another Wolfism: "I want to live there, even if it's just a train!" A train, but not just a train. Living in a train, especially a Rovos Rail train, now that's an idea. This view is way better than what we have in our living room, in any case.

Railway reading in a nutshell

 I found this picture on the Facebook page of Rovos Rail, the South African luxury train company. Now this is my idea of heaven. I have almost everything to get there. I have the book(s) for it anyway. Now all I need is the right train and a picturesque scenery.

Luxury Trains

I found this picture on the Facebook page of Rovos Rail,  the South African luxury train company, apparently the most luxurious in the world (or so they claim). I am developping an obsession about it. I am also preparing our next holidays with my wife and I can't help but think that traveling on their trains would be my dream holiday. And I know this picture has been most likely photoshopped, but still. How lovely is this? It is probably more comfortable than our house. Heck, if money and time were no objections, I would be happy to live there. Of course I would need to be filthy rich.

Rovos Rail Mornings

I found this picture on the Facebook page of Rovos Rail, the South African luxury train company. Apparently the most luxurious train in the world. I know it is a promotional picture, I know it is photoshopped, but oh to wake up like this, in a place like that! If only time and money were no objections. That would be my dream holiday. Maybe one day, if I win the lottery or something.

Last Day of #Noirvember

I know I plugged it before, but today is the last day of #Noirvember, so if you're looking for a crime book for the month, ot maybe this month next year, I suggest The Last Hunt, by South African writer Deon Meyer. It is very dark, it has suspense, violence, political intrigue, in fact like many novels of Meyer, it mixes crime fiction with espionage, so it could just as easily be considered a spy thriller. Oh and it made me discover Rovos Rail, the luxury South African train company. I now want to travel the country in one of their trains. If only I had the money... But I digress: while the novel has a good deal of glamour (because said Rovos Rail), it is nevertheless very gritty, often grim, sometimes gloomy. Nevertheless, and again this is a staple of Meyer, there are as many good men (and women) as there are scheming, heartless bastards in The Last Hunt. It may be Noir, but there are lights that shine through.

"La Proie"

Bonne nouvelle pour les amateurs de polars exotiques francophones: le dernier Deon Meyer est sorti hier en France. Son titre français est La proie, wui est pas mal plus fidèle au titre sud africain que la traduction anglaise. Publiée par Série noire, rien que ça. Moi je l'ai déjà lu dans sa traduction anglaise, mais je serais tenté de l'acheter encore une fois rien que pour sa couverture. À la fin de l'année dernière, ça a été ma découverte littéraire policière. Il y a tout à aimer dans le roman: de la violence, de la procédure comme dans un Ed McBain, des (anti)héros troublés, les fantômes de l'Apartheid, une conspiration politique dont les ramifications s'étendent jusqu'au plus haut sommet de l'État, avec en plus une portée internationale, même un train de luxe comme dans les vieux romans à clé. Mais le train de luxe, il est 100% authentique et 100% sud africain. Enfin bref, lisez-le.

The Last Hunt

Here is a bit of news that I did not mention last week, and I thought I should: The Last Hunt by South African crime writer Deon Meyer has been released in the US. Great cover, as you can see. I read the novel last year and it was maybe the best crime novel I discovered. It was certainly the one I enjoyed the most. Therefore, for my US readers, if you are looking for some serious but intelligent escapism during these difficult times, I suggest you read this book. On a side note, it also features Rovos Rail, a company that allegedly provides the most luxurious trains and the most picturesque journeys in the world. You will feel like you are travelling.

The Last Hunt for #Noirvember

Cool news for my #Noirvember read: I received yesterday The Last Hunt, which is the latest Deon Meyer novel! I started reading it almost as early as I got in. Well, as soon as we could put Wolfie to bed at least. It is the latest novel featuring Bennie Griessel, which is great news in itself, but there is something else that makes it an exciting read for me: it also features Rovos Rail, a luxury train company. I did not know anything about it, until I started reading. Trains, crime, violence, a modern setting, it's just so perfect for my #Noirvember read, it's like the book I was hoping to find this year.