Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, its Firefly and the Famdamily. Well, that is what you would have said if you were on a walk in the Tsitsikamma forest the other day. I'm in the very fortunate position that I have had the wonderful privilege to go on the Tsitsikamma Canopy Tour in Storms River a couple of times before, but I've always wanted to take the family for them to experience it as well. I'm not…
Hidden on the rugged eastern coastline of the Tsitsikamma is a little gem that not a lot of people know of. Somewhere you can get away from it all and enjoy stunning scenic coastal landscapes bordered by cliffs and lush vegetation. Somewhere you can take in a bit of beach life and lots of vitaminSea without being trampled underfoot by crowds. This little hidden corner on the Garden Route is Eersterivier. One can't really call Eersterivier a town or a village. Its…
We really don't need much motivation to pack our bags and head somewhere for a Sho't Left weekend. Not at all. Even more so when the invitation for that Sho't Left comes from the Tsitsikamma which is only an hour and a half from our home base in Port Elizabeth. A call from Penny of Tsitsikamma Seaside Accommodation along with an earlier invitation by Anneline of Storms River Adventures had us planning a weekend that included some beach time, nature time, family time and ultimately,…
Its a hot day in the southern Karoo just north of the Zuurberg in the Eastern Cape. Not a breath of air moving. Cicadas are chirping away in the surrounding veld. Its been four days since you left the small port town of Port Elizabeth and after struggling up the rough Zuurberg Pass the previous day and camping out near the Zuurberg Inn, the day is spent making your way down the pass and into the dry and flat area beyond. …
The Gamtoos Valley west of Port Elizabeth is often just seen as the entrance to the Baviaanskloof yet its a tranquil and very scenic farming area. I visit the valley a couple of times a year to participate in the annual Gamtoos Tourism Adventure Drive, the Citrus festival and the Patensie Boere Basaar. This also means that I spend a lot of time in the Patensie area so when Carol Pearson of The Milk House contacted me to invite us…
I have a very special spot in my heart for the Gamtoos Valley west of Port Elizabeth, having visited there quite often while I was working as a tourist guide. Since then we try to get out there every now and then for things like the Gamtoos Citrus Festival, Patensie Boere Basaar and the Gamtoos Adventure Drive and then usually stay in the Patensie area. A little while ago Carol Pearson of The Milkhouse Farmstyle Bar dropped me a line and invited…
Tourism in South Africa isn't just for international visitors but also for locals. Yes there are places that most locals would never be able to afford to visit, but there are more places that are affordable to visit and even more things that you can do that actually doesn't cost you anything. South African Tourism encourages locals to travel through their Sho't Left campaign. "Sho't Left" is derived from everyday South African "taxi lingo" where a commuter wanting a ride to a…