Essay on Absolute Leisure Cottages, Machadodorp Oct 2012 About Absolute Leisure Cottages This AA Recommended sel catering

! "#" accommodation is ound in the $uaint, unspoilt %illage o Machadodorp, situated &ust o the '( Maputo Corridor, an easy t)o and a hal hour dri%e rom *auteng+ Machadodorp is an easy,to,get,to, a ordable )ee-end geta)ay or *auteng amilies, riends and couples see-ing $uality time+ Absolute Leisure Cottages is also an ideal hal )ay stop bet)een the Cape and .ruger, and bet)een OR Tambo Airport, /ohannesburg and the .ruger 0ar-, 1)a2iland and Mo2ambi$ue+ 1ituated in the midst o the Mpumalanga 3ighlands Meander, the beauti ul mountains, ri%ers, gorges and grasslands present many opportunities or rela4ation5 ly ishing, hi-ing, horse rides, birding, mountain bi-ing, roc- climbing, abseiling, motor bi-e tours, local culture, scenic dri%es, historical e4ploration and more+ The area is the per ect destination or both nature lo%ers and the ad%enturous+ ACCOMMO6AT7O' Accommodation at Absolute Leisure Cottages All accommodation units are ully urnished and ully e$uipped or sel catering+ Lu4ury bedding, to)els and soaps are supplied and cottages are ser%iced daily+ *ardens are spacious, ully enced and child riendl, and there is sa e o road par-ing+ E%ery cottage and unit at Absolute Leisure is e$uipped )ith a log ire place, and )ood is supplied to guests during the )inter months+ Children are )elcome+ 1ports e$uipment, games, toys, boo-s and 61T8 are a%ailable or amily entertainment+ Machado 3ouse is a grand 8ictorian home )hich has been di%ided into three separate sel contained units sleeping up to ten people+ 9nits ta-e their names rom the history o Machadodorp: "a.oni is named a ter the people )ho irst inhabited the region, *elu- is the name o the arm on )hich Machadodorp )as de%eloped, and EnTo-o2)eni, meaning ;the happy place,< and is the ne)ly adopted name or Machadodorp+ Machado 3ouse is elegantly urnished in the old 8ictorian style o the late 1=00s+ /ust One More Cast Cottages is a comple4 o our cottages accommodating up to 1( people+ 7nteriors are country style and each cottage is deri%ed rom a local ishing ly: 6uc-)orths 6argle 6elight, >ic-hams ?ancy, "lue 6unn and Cats >his-er+

Absolute Leisure Cottages takes pride in being a New South African business model. We have a profit share scheme set up for our employees, who see to the servicing of the units, the welcoming of guests, manicuring of the gardens and growing of organic vegetables and herbs. Staff receive on the !ob language skills, tourism skills and organic vegetable growing training. "ur vegetable and herb gardens supply food for staff families as well as being sold for further

income and supplied to guests. "ur friendly staff look forward to welcoming you to Absolute Leisure Cottages. AC#$%$#$&S Activities near Absolute Leisure Cottages Machadodorp %illage is situated in the heart o the Ema-ha2eni 3ighlands o Mpumalanga )hich ma-es it the per ect base rom )hich to e4plore the surrounding attractions: e4cellent ishing )aters, hi-ing trails, nature reser%es and a host o other outdoor acti%ities+ The dri%e to 6ullstroom allo)s a day to en&oy art galleries, retail therapy and the )orld reno)ned "ird o 0rey Centre+ Learn about the history o the region rom a number o interesting *eo Caches in Machadodorp and the surrounding area @ chec- out )eb site http:!!)))+geocaching+com+ This is a )onder ul tourism related hobby or both indi%iduals and amilies+ The roads rom Machadodorp to Carolina, "adplaas, Lydenburg, .aapsehoop and "arberton are all scenic, $uality car and motor cycle riendly roads, allo)ing or )onder ul scenic dri%es, and motor bi-e tours+ Attractions in the region include Restaurants, Cradle o Li e, indigenous plant nursery, cra ters, birding, hi-ing trails, local home produce, horse rides, health spas, ancient historical stone circles, 1A )ar history, 1truggle 3eritage history, shisa nyama, Traditional .raals and more+ 0lease contact Trina or urther in ormation on any o these topics+ 3istory abounds in the region+ The Aimbab)e Ruins style 1tone Circles build by the "a-oni people in the 12th to 1(th century can be ound in the hills around Machadodorp+ The ama2ing 1tone Circles can be %ie)ed on *oogle Maps+ The "ergendal Monument bet)een "el ast and Machadodorp, as )ell as the )ar gra%es in both %illages tell o the 1A >ar history o the 1B00Cs+ Machadodorp station itsel )as seat o the go%ernment under 0aul .ruger in 1B00+ The .ruger Millions are reputed to be buried some)here in the hills around Machadodorp, so bring your metal detectorD On a rela4ed )al- around Machadodorp %illage you can e4plore local historical churches and sites, %isit the old rail)ay station )ith its segregated bridge dating bac- to 1BE0Cs+ The %illage boasts the beauti ul 1B2F 6utch Re orm Church designed by *erard Moerdy-, the son o 6utch immigrants )ho is best -no)n or designing the 8oortre--er monument in 0retoria+ 1)edish missionary Ernst AndersonGs small stone church, built in the 1B20s, adorns a Machadodorp %illage garden+ Ernst and )i e 3ulda and t)o daughters Anna and Linnea li%ed in Machadodorp in the 1B20s, spending time )ith the local blac- people+ The small stone 1)edish Mission Church )hich is ound in a garden on 8oortre--er 1t Hcross the rail)ay line, pass the 0olice 1tation and loo- to the le t bet)een Tobias # Eind 1treetsI )as built in the 1B20s+ There are still some o the older people in Emthon&eni to)nship )ho remember him+ Ernst and his elder daughter Anna both died in Machadodorp, and their gra%es can be ound in the %illage gra%eyard+ The local 0olice 1tation is a preser%ed building ha%ing started as a hospital pre 1B00, then becoming the "ritish troopGs Administration Centre once Machadodorp )as captured rom 0aul .ruger+

There are t)o restaurants in Machadodorp, both a short )al- rom Absolute Leisure Cottages+ "oth *reys 7nn and the 3og ser%e $uality meals in a pleasant atmosphere+ .itchens close at =pm, so best to be there by F to F+J0pm+ MillyGs Road 1top (-m to)ards "el ast on the '( o ers a range o shops selling gourmet products, gi ts and homemade &ams, and also has a pleasant restaurant recently restored+ MachadodorpCs sleepy %illage atmosphere is an out o to)n rest cure or the )or- )eary+ 7t is a place or $uality time, )here you can return to a slo)er pace o li e, ta-e in the distant chu ing o trains, the sounding o the church cloc-, and the beauti ul da)n choruses+ >e loo- or)ard to )elcoming you+

Email: in oKabsoluteleisure+co+2a 0hone: 0=2 =B2 1JL(