For years now people have wondered what will happen if Nelson Mandela had to die. Many hoped that they would never have to see the day and that Madiba will live forever. But he was just a man after all. Not an ordinary man though. A very special man. Many white (sic) people saw him as a terrorist as he fought for the freedom of this country. I say this country because although the fight against Apartheid was seen by many as…
I like pizza... and braaivleis... and burgers... and... and... and... Elephants like a whole bunch of things as well. One of those things is Spekboom (Portulacaria afra). Spekboom, also called the elephant bush, forms part of the Subtropical Thicket biome and is prevalent in the Addo Elephant National Park. In actual fact its one of the reasons why Addo has such a good elephant carrying capacity as the Spekboom is a succulent and also supplements their water intake. Although the Spekboom normally…
I'm probably the most overweight, unfit active guy there is. There is no hesitation to go if I get the opportunity to get out and about and because of my love for the outdoors I make an effort to explore and do as much as possible. I've been fortunate that I've had the opportunity to do most of the day walks around Port Elizabeth with the exception of only a few. One of those being the Flamingo Trail in the…
It's been a beautiful day in the Bay today and with some bad weather coming I made the most of it. Spent the morning Geocaching with the Kids and did a quick bit of gardening in the afternoon, although I did feel like this wind vane at times. I snapped the pic at Ann's Villa recently.
Growing up I wanted to be an archaeologist. Somebody like Indiana Jones who discovered lost cities, found ancient artefacts and went places that most can just dream of. So now I work in tourism and love travelling with the explorer in me always waiting just below the surface. Since I started Geocaching my explorer persona gets released on a regular basis. I may not go in search of artefacts but looking for a cache feels like the same thing. Don't think I can call the…
Every little town has its interesting sites to visit, being it historic, natural or man-made. Often visitors pass through without ever knowing about these places and in most cases they slowly become forgotten to all but a few. One such site in my opinion is the Phillip's Tunnel in Hankey in the Gamtoos Valley. There is a sign on the main drag through town but in most cases visitors are heading towards the Baviaanskloof and doesn't even notice it. The road to the…
The biggest sundial in Africa and the Southern Hemisphere can be found somewhere in South Africa. "Where in South Africa?" I hear you ask. Cape Town? You're cold. Johannesburg? Very cold. Durban? Still cold. Port Elizabeth? Getting warmer. Where then? Its located in the humble Gamtoos Valley town of Hankey. The Hankey Sundial was completed by local farmer Mr Dirk Schellingerhout in 1989 to commemorate the town's 160th anniversary. The dial is located at the entrance to the town and just below Vergaderingskop, the final…
For some people a sunset is a sunset is a sunset. Just something to end the day with. Then there are others which include photographers and travel writers (and I say writers because that goes for both print media and bloggers). Those who grab their cameras when the sun starts to dip towards the horizon, the clouds start to colour and the most ordinary things become objects to silhouette against the changing sky. Some photographers go on recces to find the best spot to set up their camera…
Dusk in the beautiful Gamtoos Valley with the Cockscomb Mountains on the horizon.
The Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve west of Port Elizabeth is one of the best and easiest accessible areas around to see proteas and other species in the Cape Floral Kingdom. Flowers like the King Protea, South Africa's national flower, and the Pin Cushion Protea is found in abundance and when in flower is a real treat to see along one of the reserve's two trails. I try to visit the reserve at least once or twice a year, even if its…