Unlike my brother who has provincial colours for fresh water fishing, I'm not a fisherman. I don't have the patience for it. I would much rather go for a walk with my camera and find something interesting to photograph. Perhaps its the same thing, just different. Its the same with Geocaching. I can spend hours doing it while others see it as a waste of time because other than a smiley face on my geocache map and my name on…
Since the Jester started with cruises of Algoa Bay in 2012 it has become one of the most popular attractions (or should I say activities?) in Port Elizabeth. Locals, visitors and corporates alike all love cruising along the beachfront doesn't matter if its a short leisure cruise, their popular braai cruise or a charter for a party or function. I've had the pleasure to do an late afternoon cruise and the sun started to disappear over the city as we…
Over the last few years Port Elizabeth has had a couple of new landmarks go up that has very much become part of the city's landscape. The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, the Boardwalk Hotel, the wind farm turbines and the great flag on the Donkin Reserve. The great flag forms part of Route 67 and flies on top of the second tallest flag pole in Africa. At 65 meters tall its only shorter than a pole in Angola. The flag itself…
One of the things that Libby Sharwood at the South African Marine Rehabilitation and Education Centre (SAMREC) in Port Elizabeth always say is, "You can help but to smile when you watch a penguin." The African Penguin is highly endangered with only just over 20 000 breeding pairs left in the world, most of these right on my doorstep on St Croix Island in Algoa Bay. SAMREC does an amazing job both in the care and rehabilitation of birds that…
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'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…
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…
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…
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…
Ketik ketik... ketik ketik... ketik ketik... The sound of the train's wheels on the tracks. A sound which so many kids these days have never heard before. Everybody loves to ride on a train doesn't matter if its a luxurious tourist train, a cross country train, a day trip tourist train, a commuter train or, in the case of this post, little miniature trains. On the first Sunday of the month Port Elizabeth parents gather their kids, pack picnic baskets and head down to…