Around the Cape in a motorbike sidecar

One of my South African travel bucket list items I got to tick off during 2017 was going on a motorcycle sidecar tour in the Cape.  A visit to a conference in Stellenbosch had the opportunity arise to join a tour from Spier via Strand and Gordon's Bay as far as the Stoney Point penguin colony in Betty's Bay and back and I just could not say no come rain or shine.  Which turned out to be the case. Literally.

The guide from Cape Sidecar Adventures picked two of us up from the hotel on a wet and dreary day.  We both received calls from the owner early morning already to check if we were still interested to go even though it was wet out, and we were both still game.  So the trip was on.  Kitted out in rain pants and leather jackets my companion for the day slipped into the sidecar while I hopped onto the back of the bike.  The first sheet of rain hit as we went through Stellenbosch but neither of us wanted to miss out on the experience and with the guide willing we kept going.

Chapman's Peak may be rated as one of the ten most scenic roads in the world, but I've got to be honest, the R44 from Gordon's Bay to Rooi-Els doesn't have to stand back one step.  It really is a stunning drive along the coastline even with rain in your face.  Ordinarily, this specific tour would go on to Kleinmond but once we got to the penguins at Stoney Point it started coming down a bit so we settled for hot chocolates in the coffee shop before backtracking to Pringle Bay for a fish and chips lunch by a fireplace. Did we mind being slightly wet (because the layers kept most of the water out)? Hell no. We were having too good a time.

The weather started clearing on our return journey so we got to stop at a couple of the viewpoints along the way.  The views really are stunning but the highlight is definitely being able to go on a trip on one of these beautiful historic bikes.  Being able to tick this off my bucket list is one thing, but now I am hooked and next up would love to do their full day Peninsula Tour with visits to Hout Bay, Chappies, Cape Point and Boulders in Simon's Town.

PS, I would have loved to take some stunning pictures of our ride, the scenery and the bike itself, but the weather just didn't play along and I kept the camera hidden away cosy and dry for most of the trip.

Spending a day in the Tsitsikamma - video

I have always wanted to make travel videos.  When I started working as a tourist guide in 1998 I had a little video camera which I filmed my tours with.  Back then I didn't know anything about editing.  The video was basically what I shot and I had to make sure the video was rewound just far enough for the next shot to start where I wanted it to.  All those videos are somewhere on VHS tapes in a cupboard at home.  Somewhere I kinda lost the whole video thing and started enjoying photography and blogging.  But as a blogger I started to feel like I'm falling further and further behind many other travel bloggers who started including more video on their social media platforms.

A few weeks ago we headed out to the Tsitsikamma for a day and I decided that it was time to give video a go again.  Rather than go out and take photos all day, I took video clips on my DSLR camera and on returning downloaded a very easy to use video editing program.  This week I finally had a chance to play around with it and once I started I couldn't stop.  I realise that with the DSLR obviously not having an anti-shake like a video camera has I should probably have used a tripod, but I live and learn.  I must say that I was quite impressed with the end result.  Obviously, I still have a lot to learn, but you can definitely be sure that you will be seeing a lot more video from me in future.

So here it is, my first video called A day in the Tsitsikamma.  What do you think?

Gliding around the Wilderness lakes on a segway

Mountain biking has become a very popular pastime of late and something I'd like to find the time for to try out.  Time and the money for a proper mountain bike.  I really wouldn't mind a proper off road bike to travel with.  You know, one of those big BMW ones.  But I can barely afford a scale model one so at the moment my favorite two wheel type of transportation is definitely a segway.  Not that I have one, for that it's way too an expensive a toy as well, but I've had the privilege to go on the segway tour in the Tsitsikamma a couple of times before.  Heading back to Port Elizabeth from Cape Town recently I decided to stretch my legs a bit at Wilderness and see what the Wilderness segway tour was all about.  

While the Tsitsikamma Segway Tour follows a route into the forest, the Wilderness tour follows the Pied Kingfisher Trail through the Ebb and Flow (Wilderness) section of the Garden Route National Park.  I was going to be taken on a private tour but just then a newly wed couple from the Middle East on their first visit to South Africa arrived and joined the tour.  So here I want to vent just a little.  They were told that I was media (I love it when I get called media) and that the regular tour was only going 30 minutes later, but they still wanted to join.  Then the man came to me afterwards to tell me he doesn't want me to publish any pictures of his wife.  Really? I understand and respect their culture but if you didn't want to be in the pictures then why agree to go along and even pose for pictures? Whyyyyyy????  But I will respect their wishes and not post pictures of their faces.  Luckily I rode at the back so all you get to see of them are their backsides. Ok, rant over and back to this great experience.

We did the obligatory training session in the training yard to make sure we knew how to steer, stop and maneuver before we headed out and hit the trails with our guide in the lead and, as mentioned, me as rear guard seeing that I was a experienced segway rider.  Yeh, love that one as well.  Experienced segway rider.  The trip basically takes you out parallel to the Touw River through varied vegetation types ranging from fynbos to coastal shrubs and wetland vegetation.  All along the way you catch glimpses of the river and lakes and, in the case of the picture above, a couple of locals fishing next to the path.

The path was very easy to follow and at the only technical bit there was an alternative if you didn't want to try it out.  The guide was never in a hurry and had all the patience in the world when I asked if he could just backtrack a bit so I could get a photo of them coming out of the trail. It was really a pleasure going out on the trip with him.  But I'm digressing.  At the turning point we took a break to enjoy the view of the lake and a part of Wilderness next to the N2 in the distance before we turned around.  The only reason this is the turning point is that the bridge is too narrow for the segways to cross over.  Pity though, and pity that SAN Parks don't allow them to go on more trails, because it would have been nice to do a circular route and not an out and back.

On the way back we did get to see the Ebb and Flow campsite next to the river. Wow, what a beautiful spot.  I definitely need to bring the family to camp here some time and take some canoes upstream.  

Having done both the Tsitsikamma segway tours (the one hour and two hour tours) before I'm going to be very honest here.  I much rather prefer the Tsitsikamma ones over this, but it is because I am a forest person and will do anything to get into the forest.  All in all I had a very enjoyable experience on the Wilderness segway tour.  I have to say that it's a different way to experience the Wilderness lakes area from on foot or in a canoe as most do and if you are in the area with some time on your hands then it's really worth the experience.  

Disclosure: I was invited to join in a segway tour by Segway Tours as I work in the tourism industry and not as a blogger, while I was travelling back to PE from Cape Town.  They didn't ask for a blog post to be written and I keep full editorial control over the post.

Getting lost in the Redberry Maze in George

Literally for the last couple of years now the Damselfly has wanted to visit Redberry Farm in George on the Garden Route.  We just never had the opportunity to be in the area long enough to do so until we spent a long weekend in the town recently.  It meant that Redberry Farm was at the top of our "To Do" list for the weekend.  The reason for us wanting to visit Redberry Farm wasn't to actually go and pick strawberries (it was cheaper to buy them in their shop anyway), but rather to go and experience the Redberry Maze.

I had seen one or two photos of the maze so I knew it was a proper maze, but hell's bells, it was so much more than what I expected.  It was a proper dinkum right out of the movies and fairy tales maze.  The maze has about 10 000 meters (yes, that is 10 kilometers) of pathways and is grown from over 30,000 Syzygium Paniculatum plants.  The object of the maze isn't to go in one entrance and find your way to the exit. No, it's a lot more complicated than that.  Each person who enters is given a stamp card and you then have to go and find the seven stations that will each give you a different stamp to put on the card.  The map you get is very small so not that easy to follow, which is cool because otherwise it would be too easy, and it only pinpoints two of the stations so you have to search for the rest.  Not that finding the two was easy either.

I gave the Family a choice to either go in as a group or individually for us to see who can get out first.  The Damselfly and Drama Princess decided to stick with me while Chaos Boy wanted to fly solo.  He was off like a bolt while we took the more systematic slower approach. 

The maze is really amazing (excuse the pun).  The hedges are between three and four meters high and where it's not totally impenetrable they have inserted wire to make sure nobody cheats their way out.  Plus the guardians will keep an eye to make sure you don't try.  Just don't get a fright when you come around a corner and encounter a big metal spider, scarecrow or some other maze creature.  If you are going into the maze, do go prepared and take some water and a hat... perhaps some padkos... and a sleeping bag and tent... Oh and make sure you do your toilet stop before you enter because you never know how long it's going to be before you get out again.

The one corner of the maze is totally isolated from the rest and the only way in is along a 25 meter long underground tunnel.  Dark, damp and scary.  The trick is to try and do it without your phone's torch.  A word of warning though, if you do, don't run your hands along the walls... 

I am proud to say that an hour and a half after entering the maze I led my little group out again with all seven stamps, collecting our prize badges at the exit.  We met some friends from George for some coffee / milkshakes / strawberry juice in the very popular coffee shop section and waited for Chaos Boy to emerge.  And waited... and waited... and waited... An hour later I headed back in to go and rescue him, finding him where he was collecting his last stamp.  The boy was exhausted from all the running.  Just shows that slow and steady often gets you there quicker.

Would I go again?  In a heartbeat.  I absolutely loved the experience and wouldn't it be great to see this as a roadblock on an Amazing Race?  What does it cost? R35 per person.  Not bad for an hour and a half worth of entertainment.

Just in case you were wondering.  We weren't invited to visit, paid our own way and nobody there even knew that I was a travel blogger. 

Paddling on the Sundays River

The Sundays River Valley and Addo is synonymous with the Addo Elephant National Park and have never really been a holiday destination unless you went to visit the Addo Park.  But this has all changed.  The Addo area is about so much more than just elephants these days.  It has actually developed into a holiday destination all on its own.  Addo and its elephants are still the big attraction, but the area around the park has also turned into an adventure and activity mecca.  Zip lining, ferry cruises, sand boarding, quad biking, horse riding and more.  One of the more, and one that should be on your to do list, is Crisscross Adventures' Addo River Safari.  Some time ago, and I'm sorry but I uploaded the photos and never did the post, I got to join a number of journalists on a media trip with Chris Pickles and his team down the Sundays River. 

We got picked up from our guesthouse and transferred to the starting point where we got giver the obligatory safety briefing.  Life jackets got dished out to those who didn't feel that comfortable on the water and we were paired up for our journey down the Sundays.  My paddling partner was worried about not having paddled before, but Chris reassured us all that paddling experience wasn't a prerequisite to go on the trip.  Turned out her was right, obviously, as stretches of flat calm pools were narrower channels with faster flowing water.  Never did we see water even hinting at a thought of turning white so this really is for everybody.  Our three hour gentle paddle down the Sundays River was one of beautiful scenery, sightings of birds, flowers, plants and even a water monitor dashing off into the reeds at our approach.

Two thirds along the way we stopped for refreshments and a walk up to a lookout spot over the surrounding valley with the river below while Chris showed us a couple of plants and told us some of the area's history.  From here we were back in the water for the last stretch down the river to the pickup point.

The river safari really is for anybody who enjoys the outdoors and is keen to do something new.  The canoes are like flight deck ships and won't capsize.  The only difference though is that these canoes are easier to control and handle than a ship loaded with war planes. Other than being splashed by you and your partner's paddles, you won't get wet, but the canoes do have water tight container for you to put your camera in if you want to take one. Photo opportunities there are lots.  Just a pity I was to slow to get my camera out for the water monitor.

Disclosure: I got to go on the Addo River Safari courtesy of Crisscross Adventures.  I received no further remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

10 not to miss activities, restaurants and accommodation in the Tsitsikamma

Ahh, the Tsitsikamma.....  My favorite Sho't Left destination for a couple of days' breakaway.  Beautiful indigenous forests to sooth my soul, mountains on the horizon, streams running past ancient indigenous trees and forest giants to a rugged coastline where the blue ocean crashes as white waves on black rocks at the foot of sheer cliffs.  This part of the Garden Route must be one of the most beautiful places in South Africa.  Truly paradise.  The Tsitsikamma is a lot more than natural beauty and scenery though.  Its also a place of activities and adventures, some adrenalin filled and others a lot more relaxing.  I am fortunate that I work in the travel industry and the Tsitsikamma is one of the areas that I get to visit quite often both for work and play.  I decided to compile a list of 10 activities, restaurants and accommodation establishment (in no particular order) that I got to visit in 2014 and that is not to be missed.  Not that there isn't more, because there is.  It's just that I have had first hand experience of these.  

 

#1 Woodcutters Journey

I have a very special place in my heart and soul for an indigenous.  It's somewhere I can go to unwind.  Somewhere I can sit in silence and allow all my problems to flow away from me, even if its just for a short time.  I like to go for a walk on any of the short trails through the forest around Stormsriver Village, but there is another way to explore it and learn at the same time.  The Woodcutters Journey is a guided tour down the old Storms River Pass is a specially designed vehicle.  The pass follows the old elephant migratory route down to the river and on the way passes tree ferns, stinkwoods, yellow woods and many other tree species.  The guide tells you more about the history of the area while pointing out the local flora and fauna. At the bottom of the pass the tour takes a break next to the river for a light lunch or tea and cake.  This is the ideal tour for older visitors or those who would like to learn more about the ins and outs of the forest.

#2 Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour

How about gliding through the indigenous forest like the elusive Knysna Loerie?  Experience the forest from above.  The Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour has become a iconic activity in the area and consists of 10 platforms and 10 zipline slides.  The tour takes about three hours and is more than just an adrenalin rush.  The guides aren't just adventure guides, they also tell you more about the forest and what you see along the way.  I had the great opportunity to do a Canopy Tour with the family and it was something the KidZ have been talking about over and over.  Something I won't forget quickly was getting ready to push off one of the platforms 30 meters up when suddenly two Knysna Loeries swooped up from below and took the lead for me to follow.  An experience you won't forget that quickly.

#3 Tsitsikamma Segway Tour

One of my absolute favorite activities in the area is the Tsitsikamma Segway Tour.  A Segway is a personal transporter that is easy to handle and another perfect way to experience the forest.  You start off with a 15-20 minute training session on their training course where the guides make sure you know exactly how to handle your Segway safely before setting off.  The 1 hour Segway experience takes you on a journey through the quaint Stormsriver Village and follow one of a selection of routes among cool pine forest, the indigenous forest, or to the historical Witteklip bridge.  It also takes you through the local township.  The 2 hour tour, the one I went on, goes through Stormsriver Village, and into the cool pine forests.  From here we entered the ancient indigenous Tsitsikamma Forests and made our way along the paths to the famous and majestic 1000 year old Tsitsikamma Big Tree and back to the village.  Once you do it, I promise you won't want to stop.

#4 Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures

How about flying over a river gorge, across a waterfall and along the river itself? You can do it at Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures.  The experience includes eight slides of which the longest is 211m.  It zigzags across the river gorge, sometimes as high as 50m above the water.  Because its open and you aren't amongst the trees, you get a better idea of height which gives you the opportunity to really take in the views and your surroundings as you go along.  Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures is situated on the N2 about 10 minutes east of Storms River Bridge and takes about an hour and a half which is ideal if you haven't got that much time in the area.

 

Because I have done both Tsitsikamma Falls zipline and the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour, I have had a lot of people ask me which one is better.  It's really impossible to say because other than the fact that they are both guided zipline experiences, they don't have much else in common.  They use different zipline "setups", the one is a full on tour while the other is more seen as an adrenalin activity, one takes it easy which is more time consuming while the other is a much shorter experience, one involves the forest and the other a river gorge and so I can go on.  It really depends on what you want and what experience you're looking to have.  If you have the time and your budget allows, I would say you have to do and experience both.

#5 The Big Tree

The Big Tree is as part of the Tsitsikamma as the Tsitsikamma National Park down on the coast is.  Probably the second most visited spot in the area by tour groups (don't go and quote me on that now).  The forest around this 1000 years old tree (I'm sure when I was still guiding 7 years ago the signs still said 800 years) forms part of the Tsitsikamma National Park which now is a sub section of the Garden Route National Park.  The Big Tree is a great leg stretch stop if you are just passing through or something to go and do early morning or in the afternoon to take your mind off all the other things you can do in the area.  From the parking area it's a nice easy 500 meter walk along a boardwalk to the tree.  Americans seem to be disappointed when they get there, but it is because they are used to Redwood Trees back home.  She is a biggie though and stand 36.6 meters tall with a circumference of nearly nine meters and a canopy spread of about 33 meters.

#6 Regyne Protea Farm

Did you know that the biggest commercial protea farm in the world can be found in the Tsitsikamma? No?  Well it is.  About 8 or so years ago I used to visit the farm on specially organized tours with British tourists, but Dewald Niemann of Oudebosch Farmstall now offers groups regular tours to the farm.  During a visit you don't just get to see the proteas growing in the fields, but also how they pick, sort and pack them for export.  The warehouse isn't that big, but it's an amazing sight walking into the cold storeroom and seeing the whole place full of flowers waiting to be shipped out.  The tour also includes the protea nursery where Hanli Viljoen may just take you around to show off all her babies.  This is another of the activities in the area that I got to share with my family this year.  Bookings can be made through Oudebosch Farmstall and there are minimum numbers so give them a call in advance to check if there is a tour going.

#7 Marilyn's 60's Diner and #8 Oudebosch Farmstall

I'm combining #7 and #8 in one heading as they are both restaurants. 

 

Visiting the village of Stormsrivier, you would never expect to find a place like Marilyn's 60's Diner there.  It's all neon and chrome with lots and lots of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and 60's memorabilia.  This is also where you would find the annual Elvis Festival Africa. Very cool indeed.  Marilyn's is great for a burger and chips lunch stop, because burgers and chips is what you eat at a place like this.  Their milkshakes also go down like a dream after a walk in the forest while a midmorning coffee between activities is also an option.  Right next door there's also a new micro brewery, but that I'll keep for next time after I have had a chance to try it out.

 

One of the most popular stops in the area is Oudebosch Farmstall on the eastern side of the Tsitsikamma.  Oudebosch is more than just a regular farmstall.  It has three main components to it.  There is the supermarket servicing the surrounding farming community and tourists heading to Eersterivier and a curio shop where you will find mostly South African crafts and gifts.  The main reason people stop here though is the restaurant / coffee shop.  Oudebosch has a full lunch menu which is very popular but they are truly famous for their mouth watering roosterkoek made right there in the restaurant on the coals. 

#9 Tsitsikamma Village Inn

The Tsitsikamma is truly blessed with a wide range of excellent accommodation establishments starting with camping and self catering in the Tsitsikamma National Park to backpackers hostels, B&B's, guesthouses and hotels.  My favorite place to stay is the Tsitsikamma Village Inn, right in the heart of Stormsriver Village, where the main building dates back to 1845.  The hotel has 49 free-standing rooms and is laid out like a village with each cottage individually styled, themed and decorated to match specific colonial building styles found on the Garden Route.  Facilities include the De Oude Martha Restaurant, the Hunters Pub and Cafe Bacchus.  I prefer to have dinner in the Hunters Pub just because its a lot more cosy than the restaurant, but the food is great no matter where you eat.  The hotel is also very centrally located allowing one to explore the village and surrounding forest on foot without having to take your car.  I know I should try out some of the excellent guesthouses nearby, but I'm always drawn back to the hotel thanks to great hospitality by owners Chris and Irma.  Plus they always invite me back so how can I say no?  

 

#10 Eersterivier

Eersterivier is one of the secret gems of the Tsitsikamma.  The village is hidden away right on the coast close to Oudebosch Farmstall and consist of privately owned holiday homes.  Accommodation at Eersterivier is on a self-catering basis in these holiday homes and can be booked through  Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation.  Eersterivier offers a serene seaside holiday experience.  Days are spent on the beach, doing hikes along the coast or through the surrounding fynbos, doing shore based whale and dolphin watching or playing golf at the nearby Fynbos Golf Course.  Either that or just grab a good book and enjoy the magnificent coastal views from the deck of your house.  We spent a weekend Sho't Left in Eersterivier recently and the KidZ just loved the area. 

As they say in television infomercials, "BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE."  These are just the ones I did in 2014 so watch this space and I will report on more Tsitsikamma activities, restaurants and accommodation in 2015.  Right now I'm compiling my list of things to do so I won't mention names just yet....... 

Ziplining in the Tsitsikamma

Imagine flying over a waterfall, across a river valley or down a river gorge.  All of that is possible at the Tsitsikamma Falls Adventures zipline east of Storms River.  Visitors get to zig-zag across the Kruis River right next to the N2 and the whole experience only takes about an hour.  It means that there is no excuse not to stop and experience one of the activities that make the Tsitsikamma the adventure hub of the Garden Route.  I've been fortunate enough to do both this one and the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour a couple of times and people always ask which one is better.  Its impossible to say if one is better than the other.  Other than the fact that they are both ziplines, both experiences are vastly different from each other.  In actual fact, I would say you have to do both. 

A Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour with the family

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its Firefly and the Famdamily.  Well, that is what you would have said if you were on a walk in the Tsitsikamma forest the other day.  I'm in the very fortunate position that I have had the wonderful privilege to go on the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour in Storms River a couple of times before, but I've always wanted to take the family for them to experience it as well.  I'm not much of an asker (or demander like some people I have encountered over the years) but a passing mention in a random conversation led to an invitation from Anneline of Storms River Adventures for us to come and have this wonderful experience while on our Tsitsikamma Sho't Left weekend in Eersterivier.  I'm not sure who was more excited, the Damselfly or the KidZ. 

I know the guys at Storms River Adventures deal with children every day, but I was still slightly nervous about Drama Princess as she can be a bit of a, well, drama princess.  While Chaos Boy and his mom was all eager beaver, you could see Drama Princess wasn't totally convinced and asked lots of questions before the trip.  At arrival I had her ready to go and kitting up went well.  The guides explained everything and a thorough safety briefing was done.  We were joined on our tour by three other South Africans which meant that I was hoping for no hiccups.  At the first platform when the leading guide asked who was going first, Chaos Boy jumped at the opportunity.  He had absolutely no nerves and from the first slide already looked like a seasoned zipliner.  The Damselfly was up next and gave a little yell as she pushed off on her first slide.  Not a scared yell but more of a mixture of excitement and nerves.  When Drama Princess' turn came she was hooked on and then pulled the hand brake. Oh no!  I really want her to have the experience but the going alone thing got to her.  No worries, the guide was on it.  He unhooked her and let the rest of us go before hooking her back onto the cable as well as onto him.  All she had to do was hang there and he did the rest.  Problem solved.

Even though, like I mentioned, I've been before, the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour will never get old for me.  Its a fantastic experience and like with game drives and other tours no two are alike because of the people on the trip and how they experience it.  The Canopy Tour has ten slides and, as you must have gathered, there are two guides with you at all times.  The first guide is the safety guide who goes first every time to operate the braking system for those who don't stop in time themselves.  The following guide tells the group more about the forest and what you see along the way.  They name the trees and point out interesting things like the baboons foraging on the forest floor below us and the three Knysna Loeries hopping around in the trees about halfway through our trip.  I even had two of them sweep past me as I started out on one of the slides. What an experience!

 

The Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour is one of those must do activities if you are travelling on the Garden Route.  Anybody can do it (that Drama Princess proved to us) and its a great way to see the forest from a different perspective and the kind of activity everybody should do at least once in their lives.  A big thank you for making this a truly memorable Sho't Left with the Famdamily.

 

Disclosure:  We went on the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour as guests of Storms River Adventures. 

I received no further remuneration and keep full editorial control over the post.  

A Tsitsikamma Sho't Left

We really don't need much motivation to pack our bags and head somewhere for a Sho't Left weekend.  Not at all.  Even more so when the invitation for that Sho't Left comes from the Tsitsikamma which is only an hour and a half from our home base in Port Elizabeth.

 

A call from Penny of Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation along with an earlier invitation by Anneline of Storms River Adventures had us planning a weekend that included some beach time, nature time, family time and ultimately, adrenalin time.

 

An early departure on Friday afternoon had us driving west on the N2 from PE and taking the Oudebosch turnoff on the eastern side of the Tsitsikamma.  A short time later we reached the seaside town resort village cluster of houses called Eersterivier.  Eersterivier is just that, a collection of holiday homes along the beautiful Tsitsikamma coastline and Penny manages 19 of these which get rented out to the public when the owners aren't using them.  We stayed in Shick Shack which was anything but just a shack.  It sleeps eight in four bedrooms and has a sublime view of the coastline from its deck .  Perfect to sit and relax on after a hard day of Tsitsikamma'ing.

 

Saturday morning we spent a bit of "beach time" exploring the Eersterivier beach with its fascinating fossil dunes and sandstone formations.  The two most notable features for me were the blue hole, perfect for swimming, and the blow hole which gets spectacular at high tide.  We decided to head inland for a little while and went to explore the town of Kareedouw just across the mountain before stopping at Oudebosch Farm Stall for lunch.  Just a few kilometers from Oudebosch is Regyne Protea Farm, the biggest commercial protea farm in the world.  Oudebosch Farm Stall organizes tours of the farm for groups during the week, but we were lucky enough to join a couple of travel bloggers on a private tour that afternoon.

 

Sunday started with a bit of a sleep in before packing up and returning to Oudebosch brunch.  Then it was time to head to Storms River Village for the highlight of our trip, a Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour with Storms River Adventures.  And what an adventure it was.  Being in the business I'm in I've had the opportunity and privilege to go on this a couple of times before, but it was a first for the rest of the Famdamily with Chaos Boy volunteering to take the lead just behind the guide.  Drama Princess was slightly nervous but the second guide was on top of things and she got to do a couple of tandem slides with him until she was comfortable enough to go on her own.  Sliding along the 10 slides through the canopy of the indigenous Tsitsikamma forest 30 meters up is always a highlight and something we will remember for a long time.

 

I will do separate posts with some more information about all the activities

we participated in in the coming weeks.

 

  Disclosure: We enjoyed this visit as guests of Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation, Oudebosch Farm Stall, Storms River Adventures, Tsitsikamma Tourism and the team at ECTOUR.  I received no further remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

Ziplining in Addo on the longest double zipline in Africa

The first thing people think of when they hear the name Addo is elephants.  On that front the Addo Elephant National Park is doing an awesome job attracting people to the Sundays River Valley.  But the Addo area is so much more than elephants and the rest of the big 5.  More than just animals for that matter.  The whole Sundays River Valley is a beautiful area with scenic drives and views, history, great eateries and a wide variety of accommodation and activities.  The new kid on the block is what everybody in the valley is talking about at the moment though.  Adrenalin Addo officially opened on 1 September and offers the longest double zipline in Africa.  A whole 500 meters long, up to 60 meters high and I got to try it on an educational organised by the guys from Addo Tourism.

Arriving at Adrenalin Addo in Sunland between Addo and Kirkwood, the first thing one notice is the platform up on the hill across the river.  That and the stunning surroundings with the Sundays River flowing in front of their centre, subtropical ticket on the hillside and citrus orchards all around.  While I waited for my fellow adventurers to arrive I enjoyed the view from the deck with a quick coffee to calm the early nerves.  Looking up I thought to myself that it looked seriously high but as a seasoned zipliner (or at least I would like to think so) I wasn't going to allow that to stop me from doing it.  Once the others arrived we got kitted out in our gear and we were ready to go.  First up though was crossing the Sundays River on a raft.  Coming back we would be flying overhead.  The guides conduct a bit of a tour on the way to the top pointing out plants, fossils and the remains of the first irrigation channels.

Once we arrived at the top and climbed the platform I suddenly realized how high it really was and my fear of heights seriously kicked in. My fear took a back seat though when I started to look around. WOW! Looking down on the valley with all its farms and the Sundays River flowing through it is truly stunning.  We had seven in our group so the first three pairs went together with one solo zipliner coming last.  After watching the first two pairs go it was my turn.  I had Yvonne from Addo Tourism on my left and we were pumped.  As the guides hooked us up they explained what they were doing.  Two clips on the wheels (sorry, I have no idea what the proper word for this is) and a backup line behind us.  Step off the bench and... 3... 2... 1... GO!  

Stepping off and letting go was heart in throat time for me but once you are off and going all the fear is gone.  What an absolutely amazing sensation and something very hard to explain.  From start to finish the zipline takes about 30 seconds or so and once you hit the automatic brake at the end you just want to go again.  I've been playing around with video clips on my camera lately and has started to experiment with a video editor on my laptop.  This was such a great experience that I couldn't help but to throw something together for this post.

 

Adrenalin Addo is situated about 15 minutes from the Addo Elephant National Park and a great add on for visitors to the park either leaving on the way back to Port Elizabeth or as a break before heading back into the park.  They're also going to offer light meals some time soon so it would be a great lunch and zipline stop while on tour as well.  Other activities offered are a giant swing (which I didn't get to do this time around) and canoeing on the Sundays River.

 

Disclosure: I enjoyed this visit as a guest of Ryan and his team at Adrenalin Addo, organized by Yvonne of Addo Tourism and the team at ECTOUR.  I received no further remuneration, wasn't asked to write a positive post and keep full editorial control.

On two wheels amongst the vinyards - Segway tour at Spier

Visits to wine farms are normally associated with wine tasting, good food and historic buildings so wizzing around Spier Wine Estate on two wheels is something of a change.  I'm not referring to riding a mountain bike though as the two wheels in this case are next to each other and not in front of each other.  I've done the Segway tours in Storms River Village on two previous occasions with Tsitsikamma Segway Tours and absolutely loved it so grabbed the opportunity to do it at Spier with both hands (although I did let go with one hand every now and then to snap a picture). 

Spier offers two options to choose from.  The shorter 1 hour tour that covers the Protea Garden, some of the farm's environmental responsibility projects and a quick view of the vineyards while the 2 hour tour allows for a longer tour of the vineyards before ending off with a wine tasting.  Our little group went on the shorter tour as we had a lunch reservation at Mojo's and made the most of every minute we were out there.  

Segways are easy to use and it doesn't take that long to learn how to ride them.  The instruction session is thorough and especially the safety issue gets emphasised.  The guide, who makes sure you implement everything you learned while out there, rides in the front and stops the group every time there is something to show.  The problem is that once you get going on the Segway you don't really want to stop. Its that much fun.  But safety is paramount and the equipment is expensive so you better listen.  The route does give you the opportunity to do some uninterrupted gliding as well giving you an all round Segway experience.

The Segway tour is a must do if you get the opportunity.  An easy way to cover a lot of ground in a sort period of time AND its environmentally friendly.  Plus I really really want one.  I'll have to settle for going on segway tours when I get the opportunity though. 

Disclosure: I went on the Spier Seaway Tour as guest of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa during a fully hosted blogger tour.   I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.

Canopy Tour

Ziplining is probably one of the most fun and exhilarating yet safe activities that I have participated in.  I remember my very first time, sitting on the first step and trying to get my pounding heart to just slow down enough for me to get my breath and push off.  The joys of being afraid of heights.  But I did it and has now done ziplined six times at three different locations.  The best known spot to zipline in South Africa must be the Treetops Canopy Tour in the Tsitsikamma.  The Treetops Canopy Tour consist of consists of 10 platforms (up to 30 meters high in the indigenous forest) and 10 'fufi' slides, the longest of which is 100m! I recently got to do this wonderful activity with a group of media again.  Here are a couple of pics of the experience.

Tsitsikamma Segway Tours

They say that once you learn to ride a bike you never forget it.  But two wheels in front of each other and two wheels next to each other are two very different things.  Not for the worse though.  For one its more difficult to learn how to ride a bike than to ride a Segway.  A Segway Personal Transporter, for those who doesn't know what they are, is a two-wheeled self-balancing battery-powered electric vehicle and can go up to 20 km/h (or 12.5 miles per hour).  Computers and motors in the base of the device keep the Segway upright when powered on with balancing enabled. A user commands the Segway to go forward by shifting their weight forward on the platform, and backward by shifting their weight backward.  The Segway then detects, as it balances, the change in its center of mass, and first establishes and then maintains a corresponding speed, forward or backward.  To turn, the user presses the handlebar to the left or the right. 

 

 

Tsitsikamma Segway Tours is a new addition to the array of great adventure activities (both soft and hard) one can participate in when visiting the Tsitsikamma and is based at Tsitsikamma Backpackers in Storms River Village.  We spend a couple of days in the village and the KidZ really looked forward to our Segway tour.  The previously saw the Segways at an exhibition in Port Elizabeth and nagged me since that occasion for us to go and do it.  On arrival and after signing in you get a bit of a tutorial on how to control the Segway before a couple of practise runs and maneuvers on the grass.

The minimum age to go on their tour is 10 years old and with Drama Princess only being seven I was in for a bit of a problem if she couldn't go. But I've known the owners for a couple of years now and they agreed for her to try it out and if she coped she could go.  And she did.  I have to add to this that our guide, Welcome, was SUPER AWESOME with her. He stayed with her all the time and helped her whenever we made a turn or went over uneven ground.  He probably got more agitated with us adults than he did with her. A big up to him.

 

We went on the short tour which took us through the village's township and out towards the pine plantation.  The section of the ride through the plantation and on the old road was stunning, so I can only imagine how much better the longer tour into the forest would be.  The Segways are very easy to control so going off road was no problem at all.  Chaos Boy who, even though he's 10, isn't much bigger than Drama Princess picked up on it very quickly and maneuvered like a pro. 

This is really an experience which I would highly recommend to anybody visiting the Tsitsikamma.  There are two tour options.  The one hour tour includes a ride through the village and adjoining township, over the historic Witteklip bridge and  into the pine forest while the two hour tour goes through the village and pine plantation into the indigenous Tsitsikamma forest and on to the famous Big Tree.

 

Our tour was courtsey of Tsitsikamma Segway Tours in Storms River Village. 

Tours cost R285 for the one hour experience and R400 for a two hour experience.

Contact Andre and Michelle for more information:

Tel: (081) 320 3977

E-mail : andre@segwaytours.co.za