Travel Blog

Read more about the article The Van Staden’s River gorge road bridges
Port Elizabeth Daily Photo

The Van Staden’s River gorge road bridges

Van Standen's Groge with the arch bridge crossing it The Van Staden's River west of Port Elizabeth is the boundary of the Nelson Mandela Bay metro and a major landmark in the area. Most people cross the gorge on the N2 in a couple of seconds using the arch bridge while others take their time and drive through the old pass. But where does the name Van Staden's come from and when were the different bridges built? The arch bridge,…

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21/05/2021
Read more about the article Watching sunset
Port Elizabeth Daily Photo

Watching sunset

The Sardinia Bay dunes are probably the best place in Port Elizabeth to enjoy the sunset. My phone takes stunning photos, I've just realised that it doesn't do so when I zoom. But I just had to get this shot of this guy standing on the dune as the sun was heading for the horizon.

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19/05/2021
Read more about the article Waterhole gatherings
Firefly the Travel Guy

Waterhole gatherings

The best places to watch elephants in the Addo Elephant National Parks are at the waterholes, most notably Hapoor, Domkrag, Gwarrie Pan, the Woodlands loop dam and Marion Bree. This is often where you see the biggest groups together as well as the most activity and interaction. So that it is possible to sit at a waterhole for literally hours observing and photographing them. Not that most people do. They enjoy the sighting and move on to see what else…

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18/05/2021
Read more about the article Yawn!
Firefly the Travel Guy

Yawn!

It's a lazy and hot Friday morning at Kuzuko Lodge. The sun's already baking down without a cloud in the sky. The pride spots a kudu and the two female take the lead in the hunt. It's a patient wait watching it through the spekboom as it stands browsing unaware. Then the chase is on. Adrenalin pumping. Excitement. Hunger. Fear. Everything happens so fast yet everything else stands still. The kudu stood no chance as she gets taken down in…

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14/05/2021
Read more about the article Oh I wish I had a 4×4
Firefly the Travel Guy

Oh I wish I had a 4×4

Oh how I wish I had a 4x4. A proper bakkie (or SUV, I'm not picky) to explore the backroads with. I love my Polo, don't get me wrong, but I feel for her every time I hit a dirt road. But a bigger vehicle would allow me to discover places I've been avoiding. Crossing the Zuurberg Pass, taking the Elands River road, have a proper Wild Coast trip, do the Baviaanskloof from end to end for the first time,…

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12/05/2021
Read more about the article Relaxing after a mud bath
Firefly the Travel Guy

Relaxing after a mud bath

Ellies love to cover themselves in water and mud. You will often see that they arrive at the waterholes in Addo, have a drink and and then start to spray water over their backs or roll around in the water and mud. I have to correct myself though. They don't literally spray themselves, but rather throw the water from their trunks with a swinging motion. Why do they do it though? The elephant's skin may look think and rough, but…

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11/05/2021
Read more about the article Domkrag Dam lookout
Firefly the Travel Guy

Domkrag Dam lookout

One of the spots you can get out of your car in Addo Elephant National Park is Domkrag Dam. It was named after a mountain tortoise called Domkrag that used to walk under cars and looked like he was trying to lift them up. Domkrag is the Afrikaans word for jack, as in a jack to lift a car. Other places you are allowed to get out of your car includes Zuurkop, the Spekboom enclosure, Jack's picnic spot, Algoa Bay…

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10/05/2021
Read more about the article Buffing at the local waterhole
Firefly the Travel Guy

Buffing at the local waterhole

A Buffalo having a drink at one of the waterholes in Addo Elephant National Park with the Zuurberg Mountains in the background. The Cape Buffalo (Syncerus caffer) is one of Africa's Big 5, are grazers that feed mainly on grass and are known to kill lions while defending their own. A bull can weigh between 650 to 1000 kg, the distance between the tips of its horns can reach upwards of one meter and the buffalo kills more hunters than…

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05/05/2021
Read more about the article Addo babies and a few elephant baby facts
Firefly the Travel Guy

Addo babies and a few elephant baby facts

I think one of visitors to Addo Elephant National Park's favorite parts is seeing baby elephants. They are cute and look cuddly, are very inquisitive and draws many ooohhh's and aaahhh's. Here are a couple of "Did you know" facts about baby elephants. An elephant's gestation period is 22 months. The longest pregnancy of all mammals. A baby elephant is called a calf When a calf is born it can weigh up to 90kg and stands about 1 meter high…

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04/05/2021