Eastern Cape

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Elephant family

One can never emphasise enough how amazing a park the Addo Elephant National Park is.  I think a lot of people underestimate Addo but the beauty of that is that when they visit their expectations are completely blown away.  I always say, and I do so because I believe its true, that Addo is the best place in the world to view wild African Elephants in their natural environment.  Over the years they have become used to visitors' vehicles - not tame - which means that its often…

4 Comments
01/08/2013
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Place of Glory – the KidZ edition

Going anywhere with the KidZ in a car, and that includes the local supermarket a couple of blocks from home, more often than not result in a back seat battle of some sorts.  When those back seat battles start to take on epic proportions and I'm forced to stop in a cloud of dust on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere to threaten them that I will be kicking them out the car and leave them just there, then you know…

2 Comments
22/07/2013
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Mongoose

If I stand on my toes I can see the weekend.  Just like this yellow mongoose I recently spotted at Addo Elephant National Park.  Most people who see him standing like that may think it's a meerkat, but that would be a case of mistaken identities. Have an awesome weekend!

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19/07/2013
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Shark Rock Pier on a sunny day

Everybody loved the beach in summer, but there is no reason not to love it in winter as well.  Specially on a warm sunny day like today.  Only difference is you can't go for a swim.  Personally I think winter is the best time for long walks on the beach or the adjoining boardwalk.  At least the sun doesn't burn my ever growing forehead as much.

3 Comments
16/07/2013
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A memorable weekend

Clan Firefly spent a memorable long weekend across the Zuurberg enjoying the best the southern Karoo has to offer and as soon as I get a chance to edit the pictures and write a blog post or two I will share it all with you.  Here's a taste of what we did so long, most of which were new experiences for the KidZ.   Game drives at Kuzuko Lodge...... looking for big game. Learning about the history of Ann's Villa...  ... and taking in…

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14/07/2013
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Sharing my passions with the KidZ

I'm very fortunate that both the KidZ adore the outdoors.  They're mad about camping, they're addicted to geocaching, they love travelling and exploring and are slowly starting to show an interest in photography.  All this means that I can share my passions with them and we can always find something new to do or somewhere different to go.  I'm just not sure I want them to start blogging any time soon cause then I'd never get to use my laptop.

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12/07/2013
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Aloes on the Swartkops River

Clan Firefly is heading over the Zuurberg into the southern Karoo tomorrow for a couple of nights at Kuzuko Lodge and Ann's Villa.  We're starting out at Kuzuko Lodge for the first night before moving on to Ann's Villa for the next two.  Kuzuko Lodge is a 5 star lodge and lies in a private concession in the northern part of the Addo Elephant National Park while Ann's Villa started out in 1864 as an inn on the Zuurberg Pass when it…

2 Comments
10/07/2013
Firefly Travel Blog

Queen Victoria in the Gamtoos Valley

One of the well known landmarks in the Gamtoos River Valley in the Eastern Cape is the Queen Victoria Profile on the road between Patensie and the Baviaanskloof.  The profile is the result of erosion of the sheer cliff and can be seen when driving towards Patensie. About 140 million years ago the Cape Mountains were roughly three times higher than today.  A period of high rainfall then eroded them and the Enon Conglomerate, of which much of the Gamtoos…

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03/07/2013
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Dusk in Addo

Dusk is by far my favourite time when visiting any game reserve or national park. It's preceded by the most beautiful light for photography but when the sun starts to dip, touching the horizon, it’s like calm sets in on the bush. The cross over from day to night. When the daytime animals start to settle down and the night time animals wake up. After a hot day the coolness of evening brings relief while the wind often dies down.…

3 Comments
26/06/2013