The Rissington Rag - June 2023

The June 2023 Rissington Rag – Fewer Words and Huger Prizes:

In the immortal words of Monty Python ... and now for something completely different … just for this edition. The Rag will be back to its usual newsy format in September ...

As the March Rissington Rag explained, over the past couple of decades there have been 50 Rags of around 5 000 words each, which amounts to 250 000 words of news, information and (hopefully) entertainment. The equivalent of two decent-length books, I think that’s enough words from me for a while so we are going to do something new in this edition to keep you amused (and gently challenged) wherever you are. Sitting in the sun on a glorious cool African winter’s day? Stretched out on a beach, celebrating summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

Instead of lots of words and views, therefore, here’s my mid-year quiz with plenty of prizes, right after this very quick bullet-point summary of Rissington. which you should read first. It is brief:

• The sun is shining and the days are sunny and warm. The southern hemisphere autumn and winter are fabulous months to visit Rissington.
• We have stopped cutting the grass for the winter to allow a wildflower and grass meadow to grow back for a few months and to encourage bird and butterfly activity. The grasses change colour every day, through green, red, white and brown. It’s really rather magical.
• The winter special is still available for the whole of June. Book a week for just R5800 in total for 7 nights, dinner, bed and breakfast. Extra nights charged on a pro rata basis. Minimum 7 nights to benefit from the rate. Winter special rates and upgrades will also be offered to all our Rag readers for the rest of June, even on shorter stays. Direct new bookings only. 
• A reminder that, for reasons of their integrity, you are no longer able to book Rissington through Booking dot com or Expedia. Bookings should be made direct with us or through a reputable tour operator. Let us know if you need a suggestion. You can also book through Air BnB and the South African websites Lekkeslaap and Safarinow.
• Yes. Thanks for asking. The book is going fine. I am enjoying writing it. If you are looking for something to read in the meantime, get stuck into Simon Sebag Montefiore’s The World : A Family Story. It is a simply superb and very-readable world history. You can see a review of it from The Daily Maverick HERE.
• If you have been following Vusi Sindane in Rissington’s social media – and you really should have been – then read this. It is a cause VERY close to my heart. Education is everything. The future of our country depends on it one hundred percent. And there can be nothing more humiliating than going to school without shoes because you simply can’t afford them. Read about Vusi’s incredible journey HERE and make your donation. Only R100 for a pair of shoes. Or £4.25. Or $5.40. Or €5.00. Donate as many pairs as you can afford.  Please!
• The winner of the competition last time around was Nicky Fitzgerald, respected South African travel doyenne of note, who was the only person to work out that the 1983 photographs in the March Rag were taken at Londolozi Game Reserve. How far we have all come, with Londolozi now being a leading member of Relais at Châteaux and one of the best hotels in the world. A long way from floral print cushions on wire chairs …

Time for some FUN …

There are five sections to the Rag mid-year quiz, each with different themes and challenges. There’s a two-free-nights-for-two stay on offer for each section. Win two sections and you have won four nights. Win all five sections and you have won a ten-day stay for two. All stays are on a bed and breakfast basis. There will be a hat-draw between the top performers in each section if necessary.

Each winner will also receive a bottle of SA Méthode Cap Classique on arrival and a jar of homemade fudge and chocolates as well as a pair of Rissington T-shirts, two caps and two water bottles. Something for everyone!

Some of the answers might be gleanable from the Internet, but I hope not too readily. Earlier Rags might also help with some of the questions but not many of them. I trust that I have also baffled any Artificial Intelligence apps and robots too. HUMANS RULE OK!

The questions and challenges are, in places, deliberately quite difficult and we are not expecting anyone to get everything right which means that, even if one section seems to be completely beyond you, it’s still a good idea to give it a go. For every section there is a free weekend up for grabs. Entries must be in by 01 July 2023. Send to [email protected] only. Not to any other address you might have. No acknowledgement of emailed answers will be sent until after that date. The winners will be announced on Facebook and Instagram in early July and in the September Rissington Rag.

Here goes – and please copy the word questions into your reply email, with your answer alongside them. For the Where in the World, you may number the 10 photos any way you like. In the case of the Crossword, print the grid, fill it in, scan and send it back to us as an attachment.

Section 1 - Rissingtonian Questions :

1)    When was Rissington founded?

2)    What was the first name of Rissington’s original Head Chef, after whom the Rissington Kitchen is named (and the lemon cheesecake was once named)?

3)    What is the name (not the number) of the road from which you turn into the Rissington dirt road?

4)    What was that same road’s previous name?

5)    Who was Sweaty Betty?

6)    Rissington’s address is Portion 38, a subdivision of the farm De Rust, but what is the actual individual name of Portion 38?

7)    What is the first name of Rissington’s oldest and longest-serving staff member (excluding Chris)?

8)    Who hosted the ‘Rissington Challenge’ on SAfm radio in the 1990s?

9)    What were the names of the two dogs who lived at Rissington when it was founded?

10) What is the most frequently-occurring tree species on the Rissington property?

Section 2 - South African Questions :

1)    What is the English name of South Africa’s national fish?

2)    How many presidents has South Africa had since (and including) Nelson Mandela?

3)    Who was South Africa’s Head of State during the Second World War?

4)    Who presented ‘Top of the Morning’ on the old English Service of the SABC?

5)    When under siege during the Anglo-Boer War, British soldiers ate a Bovril substitute. What was it called and why?

6)    What is the smallest bird species found in South Africa?

7)    The art of which South African artist used to adorn the panels on the walls of Johannesburg station?

8)    Which (then-called) Radio 5 presenter was also the presenter of South Africa’s most popular television cookery show at the time?

9)    Which is South Africa’s third oldest town?

10) Nelson Mandela, Desmond Tutu and Harry Oppenheimer were all members of which organisation?

Section 3 - Pictorial Questions 'Where in the World?' :

Where were these ten photographs taken? The more detail the better.

Section 4 - Mixed Up Places:

Identify the following South African towns and cities from their anagrams. All names are current and all are one-word answers except for one which is two words and one which contains a hyphen.

1.    Proud new treats

2.    Felt boon in me

3.    Re a zit grub permit

4.    Drat it rich soul

5.    Dale con

6.    Hi Bosh

7.    Lame bomb

8.    Net prods Rev

9.    Fear great fin

10. Ripe rota

Section 5 - Cryptic Rissington. Never a Cross Word …

If you haven’t tried to solve one of my cryptic crosswords before, here is your chance. I have created this one especially for the Rag. See how you get on. As with everything, it’s worth giving it a try. Just print it off, fill it in, scan it and send back as an email attachment. No need to show your workings. The entrant with the highest number of clues correctly solved wins the two nights for two.

See you soon!

We look forward to receiving your entries. Remember that you have a whole month to complete the quiz and send them in. Don’t rush … but don’t forget! Then come and celebrate your prize with us. Also we loved your nickname stories sent in response to the March Rag. Please keep sending them!

With very best wishes from Team Rissington. Come and stay this winter. It would be madness not to …

Chris and the Team: Shirley, Natasha, Nonhlanhla, Princess, Nkateko, Rosa; Gertrude, Dudu, Yvonne, Angel, Conny; Futhi, Betty, Noggs, Patience, Bonisile, Lilian and Mildreth; Aubrey, Selby, Lucky and Peter; JJ and Lungile; And Philippa in the office, whom you may email on [email protected] for all your booking requirements. Or simply book online on www.rissington.co.za and tell us all about yourself in the ‘Special Requests’ box. See you soon!