Travel Blog

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African Blogger Awards – Photography runner-up

I am currently exploring the Wild Coast a bit while on my way to #Indaba2015 in Durban and have had very periodic internet access.  On checking Twitter yesterday afternoon I saw a tweet announcing that The Firefly Photo Files has taken the runner-up spot in the Photography category of the African Blogger Awards.  Say what?  It took a double take and a quick check at the other tweets announcing the different winners and runners-up before it dawned on me.  I actually…

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07/05/2015
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Where did Pollok Beach get its name?

Have you ever wondered where Pollok Beach got its name from?  For a start, it is supposed to be spelled Pollok without the "c" so it definitely wasn't named after Graham Pollock.  I found the source of the name on the Millers Local blog.  Pollok Beach was named after the Pollok Hotel that used to stand where the present Summerseas is today.  The Pollok Hotel later became the old Summerstrand Hotel which was demolished and made way for Summerseas.  The original building dated back to the 1890’s, when…

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06/05/2015
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Foofy slide to a river pool

One of the kids at Chaos Boy's birthday party foofy sliding into one of the Maitland River pools at Sleepy Hollow.  They were slightly apprehensive at first as the water looks pitch black, as most deep river pools do, but once they got going they didn't want to stop.

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05/05/2015
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Unique Physique classes

About a year ago I joined a fitness class that I thought was a boot camp class.  I was so wrong.  It wasn't a hardcore boot camp class but rather an easy going fitness class.  Our instructor and personal trainer, Salif Atakora, puts us through a serious of stretches and exercises every week which has helped to get my life and fitness back on track.  The best part is that even though we work hard, it doesn't feel like we're doing…

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04/05/2015
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My Table Mountain

I have a special affiliation with Table Mountain.  If I haven't been to Cape Town for a while I miss it like you miss a loved one.  When I do visit the Mother City I can't take my eyes off her... it... erm... the mountain.  One would swear I'm having an affair with her. So what if I do?  Anyhow, I usually try and visit Table Mountain every time I'm in town, even if its only for a trip to Signal Hill. …

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03/05/2015
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Bird Rock

One of the natural landmarks along the Port Elizabeth beachfront is Bird Rock between Hobie Beach and Pollok Beach.  The rock is always surrounded by water making it an island of sort and got it's name from the fact that there are always a number of birds sitting on it.  Bird Rock is also home to one of the city's terrain 5 Geocaches.  One I need to go and replace as it seems to have washed off after rough seas…

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02/05/2015
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The 1968 floods video footage

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1leO6N2YJs&w=500&h=400]The older Port Elizabeth residence all remember the 1968 flood, something that gets brought up quite often when big rains come around.  I was born nearly a decade later but have seen many pictures of it over the years.  I discovered this video on YouTube with a number of video clips of that fateful day on 1 September 1968 and just had to share it.

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01/05/2015
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Exit the tunnel

I snapped this pic of one of the boys at Chaos Boy's birthday party as he walked out of one of the mines at Sleepy Hollow where the party took place.  I just liked the shot for some reason.

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30/04/2015
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A reminder that we live in a wonderful world

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WHKRzkCOY&w=500&h=400]We live in such a rush every day that most of us tend to forget what a beautiful world is out there.  Add to that all the bad news around and I think it becomes a case of people spending more time indoors "hiding out" than getting out there and experiencing nature.  Earth Day was celebrated on 22 April and I spotted this video on an Earth Day blog post on the Getaway blog.  How can I not use it in…

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30/04/2015