views - Firefly the Travel Guy

Percy’s Place – the most scenic view in the Sundays River Valley

I'm sure most South Africans have read, or at least heard, of the book Jock of the Bushveld. The book was written by Sir Percy FitzPatrick, (24 July 1862 – 24 January 1931) who in his younger years was involved in gold and diamond prospecting in Mpumalanga where Jock of the Bushveld also plays off. He also had involvement in the Anglo Boer War and politics. Not many may realise though that the Sundays River Valley has very strong links…

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27/04/2022

Firefly the Travel Guy

Nieu-Bethesda valley view

Nieu-Bethesda is a quiet little village. One for contemplation and somewhere you go to find yourself again. There are a few places you can do it during a visit, but one of my favorites is with a flask of coffee and a lunch (breakfast) box filled with rusks up at Mariette se bankie at the Uitkyk. From here you can see the whole valley with the village on the far side and towering Compasberg in the background. Let's keep this…

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10/08/2021

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

Port Elizabeth Daily Photo

Under Van Stadens bridge

It's a weird feeling standing under the Van Stadens bridge. It's not an angle many see it from and you get a much better idea of the size and magnitude of the bridge when you are underneath it. Then add the "kadoef kadoef" as the cars and trucks pass overhead. Definitely a weird feeling. It's an easy walk to get below the bridge from the bridge lookout picnic spot so you don't have to do one of the longer trails…

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13/04/2021

Firefly the Travel Guy

A Karoo view from Dam se Kop

Today's post isn't one of a well-known or even public spot, but I do want to show you the expanse of the Karoo in the Jansenville / Darlington Dam district. A couple of months ago we spent a weekend with our church cell group on the farm Wortelkuil of Willie de Wet. Willie farms with goats and sheep, but also offers a bit of hunting on the farm On Sunday morning we all piled onto his bakkie and off-road buggy…

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23/11/2020

Port Elizabeth Daily Photo

The road past Beachview

How about a little roadtrip around PE? Start on the beachfront and follow Marine Drive along the Wildside to Schoenmakerskop, around to Sardinia Bay and then onto the Seaview Road to Seaview, Beachview and Maitland (perhaps as far as the Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve), before returning along Kragga Kamma Road to Port Elizabeth. This is what the road past Beachview on the way to Maitland looks like. Views for ages.

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17/07/2020

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Campanile view – Looking west towards Central

Yesterday I posted a picture of the view looking north from the Campanile observation floor. It means I have three more directions and what's the use of showing you only one? So here is the view to the west. The Settlers Freeway is at the bottom and slightly to the left of the centre of the picture is Market Square and the historic Public Library in the city centre. Above on the hill is the Donkin Reserve, lighthouse and pyramid with the Great…

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20/10/2017

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Campanile view – Looking north along the Settlers Freeway

There are four viewing windows at the top of the Campanile. The new full-length viewing window looks out to the east over the Port Elizabeth Harbour. The view south is towards the beachfront, west across the city centre towards the Donkin Reserve and then north along the Settlers Freeway. Looking at the picture the Settlers Freeway (M4) is on the left and the railway lines on the right. The roof at the bottom of the picture is the Port Elizabeth Station building. …

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19/10/2017

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Breakfast views on the beachfront

This morning I joined a couple of colleagues for breakfast at Angelo's on the beachfront to celebrate one of their birthdays. Sitting there watching a couple of dolphins pass by we all just realised again how privileged we are living in this beautiful coastal city where we can sit and have a meal with a view like this.

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23/01/2017

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Kamma Heights view

I went for a walk on the hillside above Kamma Heights yesterday in search of a Geocache and some alone time and this is the view that greeted me from the cache location.

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04/09/2016