Western Cape

Read more about the article Arch Rock near Plettenberg Bay – best done at low tide
Firefly the Travel Guy

Arch Rock near Plettenberg Bay – best done at low tide

One of the Garden Route attractions I haven't had a chance to visit is Cathedral Rock (also called Arch Rock) at Keurboomstrand near Plettenberg Bay. It's not for a lack of trying though. Arch Rock is only accessible at low tide and we've never spent a couple of days in Plett so it's only been a quick attempt while passing through if there was time. This time around I had the afternoon in town before picking my daughter up from…

Comments Off on Arch Rock near Plettenberg Bay – best done at low tide
08/04/2024
Read more about the article The Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape
Firefly the Travel Guy

The Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape

The Bloukrans Bridge in the Tsitsikamma is famous for being the site of the world’s highest commercial bridge bungee jump, operated by Bloukrans Bungy (previously known as Face Adrenalin) since 1997. The N2 national road along the Garden Route between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town crosses over the bridge and I'm sure somebody who has never pulled over to the view site probably doesn't know what's happening below them. Construction on the Bloukrans Bridge started in February 1980, running through…

Comments Off on The Bloukrans Bridge on the border of the Eastern and Western Cape
07/03/2024
Read more about the article Under the canopy of the winding Bloukrans Pass
Firefly the Travel Guy

Under the canopy of the winding Bloukrans Pass

In the late 1870s, master pass builder Thomas Bain arrived in the Tsitsikamma to look at the possibility of building passes through the three gorges standing in the way of a road linking the Plettenberg Bay area to Port Elizabeth in the east. Bain plotted the best and easiest way through the Groot River, Bloukrans River and Storms River gorges by following the elephant footpaths and construction started in 1879. The Bloukrans Pass was completed in 1880 with the Storms…

Comments Off on Under the canopy of the winding Bloukrans Pass
17/11/2022
Uncategorized

Around the Cape in a motorbike sidecar

One of my South African travel bucket list items I got to tick off during 2017 was going on a motorcycle sidecar tour in the Cape.  A visit to a conference in Stellenbosch had the opportunity arise to join a tour from Spier via Strand and Gordon's Bay as far as the Stoney Point penguin colony in Betty's Bay and back and I just could not say no come rain or shine.  Which turned out to be the case. Literally.The…

Comments Off on Around the Cape in a motorbike sidecar
10/01/2018
Uncategorized

Lions Head Sunset

Last week I spent some time in Cape Town attending the annual World Travel Market Africa tourism trade show.  The one afternoon after the show I headed up to Table Mountain Road for a walk just before sunset and could kick myself for leaving my camera at the guesthouse the morning.  My phone had to do and I caught the sun setting between Table Mountain and Lions Head through the wild grasses. Moments later as the sun disappeared past the…

Comments Off on Lions Head Sunset
24/04/2017
Uncategorized

Sunset from Signal Hill

They say that you can't really say you've visited Cape Town if you haven't been up Table Mountain. We've done Table Mountain before and with a family of four it's a bit of an expensive exercise so on our whistle stop visit to the Mother City for the Cape Town Mega event we decided on the next best option.  Signal Hill.  Even better, Signal Hill at sunset.The one thing we didn't quite think of was that it was a Saturday…

1 Comment
24/11/2016
Uncategorized

All the views from Signal Hill

Signal Hill in Cape Town isn't just a great spot to view the sunset from, but it's also has some awesome views which is ideal if you don't have the time or budget to go up Table Mountain.Green Point with the Cape Town Stadium and Table Bay with Robben Island in the distance on the leftCape Town Harbour with the V&A Waterfront as well as the City BowlTable Mountain, Lion's Head and the Twelve Apostles

1 Comment
16/11/2016
Uncategorized

Still my Table Mountain

Table MountainMy Table MountainJust because I love that flat mountain so muchWould love to still spend some time exploring her on foot one day and not just look up at herOne day

Comments Off on Still my Table Mountain
09/11/2016
Uncategorized

Cape Town’s Noon Gun. An almighty BOOM!

It's a beautiful late morning in the Cape Town City Bowl.  Not much of a breeze blowing and Table Mountain, without a table cloth draped over it, rises up behind the city in all her glory.  Peaceful.  Visitors and locals alike are going about their daily routine, heading between meetings, window shopping, grabbing a quick coffee, sightseeing... Suddenly, BOOM! Pigeons fly up from the pavement, a couple of American tourists duck for cover, a Joburg businessman jerks his head up,…

1 Comment
27/10/2016
Uncategorized

A window on Table Mountain

Two weeks ago we had a whistle stop visit to Cape Town to attend the Geocaching MEGA that takes place somewhere in South Africa only every two years.  We literally drove the 800 km down to Cape Town on the Friday afternoon, attended the MEGA on the Saturday and returned on the Sunday.  One of the events during the day took place on Signal Hill and I just could not pass the opportunity to snap a pic of Drama Princess…

2 Comments
19/10/2016