TRICKED BY THE INTERNET

KITSO MASHILE

Michael and I were confused at that point, because we couldn’t see anything that resembled the place we’d booked.

We drove on, figuring there was something wrong with the GPS until it started recalculating and told us to make a U-turn. So we headed back again.

Finally, I squinted and saw a sign that proved we really had arrived at our destination. I laughed.

Michael turned a shade of red I had never seen. We were outside the gate, trying to figure out what to do.

He insisted that there was absolutely no way he would stay there.

We sat parked outside for 10 minutes. Maybe it was charming on the inside?

When the gate opened, we drove in. Suddenly Michael, horrified, turned an even darker shade of red.

Without even getting out of the car, he pulled out his phone and started looking online for somewhere else we could stay.

He was so irritated he wouldn’t even make eye contact with me.

“Look over to your right,” he said. “There is a gravesite. That is a tombstone. I can’t do this. For real, I can’t.”

He was dead serious.

That was enough for me. I got out of the car to tell the manager of the lodge that we unfortunately could not stay.

We were uncomfortable, I said, with the fact that there was a grave on the premises and I would not have booked it if I’d known. She was understanding though. And we continued on our journey to another hotel an hour away.

Best road trip ever.

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LDo you have a funny or quirky story about your travels? Send 600 words to travelmag@sundaytimes.co.za and include a recent photograph of yourself for publication with the column.