Tuesday, January 31, 2017

JANUARY 2017; ALLY AT HOME. OX AND BILLY'S PARTIES; BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION; BLUEWATER BAY 15K; CAPE TOWN FOR ALLY INDUCTION.

Peter Giddy is a Tour Guide for both Eastern and Western Cape; South Africa.  Find me on Trip Advisor or contact at peter.giddy@gmail.com


JANUARY 2017
Ally does the Ox Braai and Cape St Francis (Billy's Beach) parties
Visiting Delene and Matthew.
Birthday Celebration at Yacht Club.
Running and Cycling.
Cape Town for Ally's Induction and registration.
Bluewater Bay 15k at 1.28
Moffat on Main 10k at 58min.
Start an association with Peter Joseph - SA Guided Tours
Mosaic -- German Media tour -- St Francis and Addo areas -- 5 days
Cricket -- ODI vs Sri Lanka -- With Peter and Basil.
Queen Mary 2 -- Cunard. With Linda and Chris Backwith.  City and Kragga Kamma.


New Years Day. Sunday 1st January 2017
Per; Deitrich; John; Ayanda; Helena; Randi. An amazing thing was that Deitrich has been to PE before and was on a Township tour. He bought a Dish which he took home.  Today he saw exactly the same dish in Ayanda's display. He bought two and John bought one. 
Visit Delene and Matthew for a morning Service and stay for Bring and Braai. Afternoon Township tour with a Norwegian Family.
TWO BLACK JUMPING SPIDERS IN THE GERANIUMS AT MATTHEW'S HOUSE
 Ken Collier;  Barbara; Ally and Delene
Tea at Matthew with Delene; Gail; Liz and Matthew.
Monday 2nd -- Fetch Ally from Cape St Francis in the morning,  Stop at Matthew and Delene for tea.  This morning I see two black jumping spiders. Later I have an Airport - Shamwari Transfer with Beatrice and husband Michel.
This morning it was a bit wet -- great for us who have suffered dry weather for so many months. I collect Janine and Narelle for a Kragga Kamma tour.  Janine is studying to be a teacher for children with Special Needs.  Narelle is also a teacher (Australian now teaching in Kuwait). Narelle had a fall out with some friends but was fortunate enough to find a couple who own a bar in town and took her in for a few days.
We had a great morning with close up sightings of many animals.  But especially the Cheetah which ran up to the car while we did not expect it and had the windows down.
Meeting with Peter Joseph to see if there is a possible synergy in the tourism industry. He has been operating for 15 years and has a solid background. .
Trevor and Helen Dean from London.  Addo tour with successful Elephant encounters.
Wednesday 4th. Barbara does the Shamwari - Airport Transfer for me while I have an Addo Tour for Ilios. This is my second assignment for them.  Meanwhile Ally helps me with my admin work at Dole. So this is a great family business.  
 Nick and Kirsten with Ayanda. They purchased some of the bowls that she makes.

 PE harbour may not be the busiest but an evening sunset makes it look quite stunning.
 Supper at the Algoa Bay Yacht Club with some special friends -  Peter; Lyn; Elmarie; Peter; Charles; Peter; Barbara; Brenda; Ron; Chris; Elmarie; Adrienne
 A group photo -- Ron; Peter; Charles; Lyn; Peter; Elmarie; Chris; Peter; Elemarie; Adrienne; Brenda and Barbara.
Evening sunset over the Harbour.

Thursday.  Feliz Cumpleanos  (Happy Birthday in Spanish).  Barbara and Ally give me a new tog bag and running socks. I have an afternoon Township tour with Nick and Kirsten.  And then later we are out to supper with friends.
 Steve; Terri and Monti  at Kragga Kamma
 Terri is the Cat Handler and Ranger at Kragga Kamma
 Steve and Monti starting to bond.
 Adele; Liesl; Adrienne; Pat; Kelly and Anne on the run -- Saturday morning.
 Chilling after the run with Chris; Kelly; Viv; Lindi; Inga and Peter
Great Friendships with Adrienne and Annie.
Friday -- A morning Kragga Kamma tour with Steve (Canadian) and later with Pommer (French).
Saturday -- Beach from run and then later a full day Addo and then Kragga Kamma tour with Ciny from Ohio.  In PE for a week -- Electrical Engineer consulting to Goodyear.
As we reach K Kamma we discover a front Flat tyre.  AMAZINGLY we meet Nigel who is a Butcher in Despatch.  He takes over, Removes the Spare, loosens all the wheel nuts, realises that my jack is not working so borrows one from a chap in the vicinity. Then jacks the Landi up, removes the wheel, Fits the new tyre and then when we realise that the spare is flat; -- his wife takes out their Electric Pump and pumps up the replacement tyre until we are finally ready to go again.

 Nautica -- this is the ship in Port and I am taking a group of 12 to Addo for the day
This ship has 650 passengers and about 450 crew members.
Bill; Janelle; Linda & Robert; Guy and Mathis (Netherlands); Pieter; Tom & Tracey; Chuck and Gail; Bea and Tony.
Sunday 7th.  Full day Addo tour with 12 passengers from the Nautica. Their 30 day Cruise has just started and they are now on the way to East London and then Richards bay. Going across the Indian Ocean towards Madagascar.
Gonzalo and Yvonne on the Lighthouse.
Monday 8th. Start with a short run of 6km.  I have a City Tour with Yvonne and Gonzalo from Uruguay for Ilios.  Yvonne is 79 and yet makes it to the top of the Lighthouse. We visit the Donkin; Fort; Castle Hill; Prince Alfred Guards; St Georges Park; Settlers Park; City Centre and the new Stadium.
Peter Joseph takes my Landrover for a full day Addo tour with 4 from Lungile.  This is a good tour for me.  Earning without working.  Just use of my car and provision of the Pax.

Tuesday 9th.  Run in the morning. at least 37 in the group.
Chris; Mike; Andy; John; Duncan; Mike; Stuart; Maryka; Helen; Adrienne; Gaye; Andrea; Kelly; Liesl; Michelle; Ingrid; Ingrid; Lynne; Lynne; Kim; Megan; Fran; Lisa; Melissa; Benita; Davera; Lindi; Maria; Viv; Joan; Inga; Stefany; Peter; Gillian; Claire; Adelle. Stian.
 Chris and Andrea -- I was being left behind by these fast cyclists
 Anton and Stefany -- did not want a Dutchmans Tan
 RABBIT TAIL GRASS -- EXOTIC
Impepho.  I have seen this in Addo as well.  Them meaning of Impepho is Incense.
IMPEPHO AT CAPE RECIFE. Used Medicinally and as a Charm.
Then cycling with Chris; Stefany; Anton; Andrea; with Elmarie running.
Barbara has a full day Tsitsikamma Tour / Transfer.  They love Storms River Mouth.  The car gives trouble but only just as Barbara comes back into PE.   
I have a morning working for Nicky doing printing and deliver of pamphlets for Fouriesburg Country Tours; sorting out some shopping issues and then later I pick up 5 people from the Silver Cloud for a short Addo Tour.  But amazingly in a very short while we see good sightings of Bulls and as luck has it, when I thought we would never get to it, we see a huge family of Elephant at Marion.  Just make it back to the ship in time for a very important conference call.

Barbara and Ally and I have Supper with Charles at the Beach Front Angelo's. He is off to Cape Town for a Lecturing assignment.
Wednesday 11th.  Short 6km run with Adrienne; Viv; Susan; Inga and Annie.
Start off at Nissan -- the car gave Barbara some trouble as she got home from Tsitsikamma.
Fill the Landrover; Change my shoes for a slightly better model; Enter the 15k BWB event.

Thursday -- A great start to the day with a run with Maria, Adrienne, Chris, Lindi, Gaye and Inga. 
I have a half day Addo Tour with five guests.  Most successful. Then on Friday I sort out a couple of Admin things including my Qashqai and the Landrover Tyre. And Barbara and I take some birds to African Dawn.  And visit Matthew. 

 On the run at Bluewaterbay we encounter Jabulani who chats non stop and has this group of Runners who all want the Sub 1.30.  However I felt that these men could quite easily run around 60 minutes for this distance
 At One Km with Maria
 At 6km with Jabulani and his team
This morning was hot  and the sun quite intense.  So although I prefer to run without the cap as I become so hot; today I had to wear the cap.  Here I am finishing the run.
 After the run with Maria and Cathy Ives.
Maria and I after the Bluewaterbay 15k
Saturday morning.  I fetch Maria and we run the Bluewaterbay 15k.  Chatting to people at the start; Lots of Achilleans there.  Race starts at 6am.  A short up to start off with.  I should have warmed up. Then along the ridge and down Tippers Creek. Jackie Strydom and her friend join us.  We are going at a fair pace and I can see that this is a possible Sub 90min 15k.  Past the Lifesaving clubhouse and then through the suburb. 
We are joined by Jabulani who has a Sub 1.30 group with him.  We continue at our own pace. Then as we reach the first bit of an uphill at 8km, Jackie begins to Drop me.  Maria keeps up with her and so  I am more or less on my own for the second half.  John Kotze is just ahead and I pass him.  Then we turn to return back to the start.  The part between 8k and 12k has a lot of short hills and I am feeling them.  But I press on and no walking.  Back past the lighthouse again and then under the Freeway.  From there it is still quite a distance to the start of Tippers. 
By the time I reach Tippers to go up I realise that I can still break the 1.30 barrier (under 6 minutes a kay). So I have to run up Tippers.  Not so much of a run as a miserable shuffle. But at least not a walk.  From the top it is an easy kay to the finish and I have made it by about 2 minutes.
Also on the run today: Graham Channon; Bob Stedman; Kenny Barwood (running most local events); And many other Achilleans; I finish with Peter Pholman; Rob Button wants to know if I will do Surfers with him next month. Ayanda and sister Lungi; Michael Botha; Anche; Cathy Yves and Robin; Gerald Bouwer; Margie Saunders; and from MPRG Stuart and Maryke; Helen and Joan.
8 PETER GIDDY ACHILLES AAA 66 1.27.52   Age Group results
313 779 779 MARIA BENITO GONZALEZ TEMP F 44 40-44F 1.26.16
287 674 674 JACKIE STRYDOM TEMP F 40 40-44F 1.24.23 

 David; Ayanda and Griesel with some of her works
 Hans and Caroline also enjoyed the workshop
Later I had a City Tour with Marina and Stefan
Barbara has a Amakhala Pick up and return to PE which she does as an easy tour.
I have to work so after taking a few pics we leave for home.  Maria has run her first 15k in about 1.25 and is pleased as punch.
I have to first wash the Landrover as it is still dusty from the last Addo.  Then shower and get ready for a 9.30 township tour pick up.  A successful tour with David and Griesel; Hans and Caroline. 

Back home for a quick bite and then a City Tour with Stefan and Marina.  They seem quite happy with my tour. 
Meanwhile SA has been playing Cricket at the Wanderers and beat the Sri Lankans this afternoon.
Sunday Morning -- City Tour with Peter and Nadine Simkin; Meeting with Carryn and then with Peter Joseph.

Monday morning -- Leave for CT and Stellenbosch. Nine hour drive with three stops.
Evening run with Nicky.
Tuesday -- Morning run with Nicky. Drive to Canal Walk to do some shopping for Ally.  Then to Milerton to check on Cathy's flat.
 Carla and Ally in their new shared room
 Nicola; Carla; Barbara and Ally
Ally unpacking and sorting out her new room

Wednesday morning run with Nicky.  Then to Stellenbosch where we find Lydia Residence.  We are completely blown away by the reception that Ally receives.  There is a welcoming committee with a table at the front door.  Then a Mentor introduces herself and gives me a card.  Ally has a ground floor room with another student.  The room is more than adequate and has a bed; wardrobe; Desk and Chair with bookshelves.  They are opposite the bathrooms. I ask about registration and am told that I need not worry  -- they will take care of everything.
I had pictured us standing in line to register and spending the day filling in forms etc.  Nothing like that -- Ally immediately meets up with friends and seems to be settled in. We are totally relaxed to leave her here.  Good people, good accommodation and an excellent meal selection.
Ally will be spending the next 10 days in orientation and induction program. 
Chris and Estelle -- the pool is so warm that it is almost hot water.
Barbara and I drive back to Riebeek.  I cannot help but wonder at the reception that Ally received. Way beyond my expectations.   Later Nicky, Werner and I visit Chris and Estelle for a swim and chat.

Thursday 19th morning -- Nicky and I drop Mia off at School.  Then we do a 6km run up the Bothmaskloof Pass.  Later Barbara and I spend the day dropping stuff off for Ally. She is busy so we are not able to say goodbye. Then visit Cathy's house. 
Friday morning we leave early with dicey tyres.  I drive at about 100kmph and it takes us just over 9 hours with three stops.
This evening I try to watch SA vs Sri Lanka in a T20 match reduced by rain to 10 overs each. SA manage to beat Sri Lanka by just 19 runs with some bold cricket.
Maria; Andrea; Michelle; Kelly at the 10kay race.  Michelle's first race ever.  Also at the run were Kathleen and Simon.
2 PETER GIDDY ACHILLES AAA 66 0.57.19   Age Group Results
8 MARIA BENITO TEMP 44 0.56.15

289 7449 7449 ANDREA DYER TEMP F 38 35-39F 1.03.55


290 7406 7406 MICHELL JANSEN TEMP F 38 35-39F 1.03.56

291 7814 7814 KELLY HOLMES TEMP F 39 35-39F 1.04.02
 
 

Saturday 21st Back Home. 
A couple of us from MPRG run the 10k from Moffat on Main shopping centre.  I pick up Maria and Andrea.  We meet Kelly and Michelle there.  Maria and I do a short warm up and then line up near the front of the group. It is not a League Event so not too many entrants. 
The race starts at 6am.  Up 17th Ave and right into Constance road and then Lovemore Heights. (We pass the MPRG serious running group who has started at 5am, run up to the water tower and were now on their way home 21k).
We climb all the way up to the Water Tower. Here we swing a right.  I had started with Maria but could not keep up with her on the uphills. This morning I am running with or around Jabulani; Robin Cowling & Susan Chapman.  Down Bernard Road and ontowards the Railway line. Then a left and around onto Circular Drive.  Right back into the suburbs and finally down back to the start.  I had worked all the way and finished with a 58min 10kay.  Maria was about 2 minutes ahead of me.  The others followed together about 5 minutes later.
Running races is good for me.  Keeps me on my toes and makes me work much harder than if I was running a training run on the beach front. Barbara moves her horse to a new stabling. 

Sunday 22nd.  Cycle with Andrea -- Road Bikes. Preparation for Herald Cycle. We ride down to the Tramways Building and then up Upper Valley Road. I think that this is my first time ever to cycle up this hill.  Had to work hard to not get off and push.  Then to the top of Mount Pleasant and back home. Only 22k but a good start to the training.
 Dieter; Francine; Philina and Venya on a hot Sunday in Addo.
Addo tour for Mosaic. I have four guests. A couple and two teenagers all from Germany. We have good sightings but the heat was exhausting.
Monday 23rd.  Start at Savoy Motors to check the Landrover.  Seems ok.  Visit to Garth Slatem. Finances not looking good.  Visit to a house in Welcome ave that Barbara is keen to purchase.  Visit to Andre Jensen. He tells me he has cancer and this has caused him to lose weight.  He is phylisophical about the disease.  We chat about his books and research.  He gives me a copy of Kromme which I plan to give to my guests on Sunday 29th from the Queen Mary. 
I then visit Grey -- Ian Pringle where Andre has left some copies of a Biography of Sir George Grey.  Ian lets me have a copy.  I collect my Fat Tracks bike board.  Later visit to Peter Joseph.  And then cycle the golf course; Twice around = about 10k. It was supposed to be a beginners group but was the only beginner. Cycle with Dee and Johan. Fellowship group later this evening.  A busy day!
Stefany; Joubert; Anton; Chris at Recife for our morning cycle.
Tuesday morning.  Run with the group. Was supposed to be about 5k but met up with Kate Sephton North.  She is training walking for a Tankwa Camino Walk from Calvinia to Ceres 256km taking place at the end of March. Kate joined us and I ended up walk / jogging an extra 5k.
Then Chris fetches me. Joubert, Stefany and Anton cycle from KB to Lighthouse about 18km.  I get caught up chatting to various people along the way and so am way behind the rest of the group.

Wednesday 25th.  Meet German Media Group at the airport; Bocadellos for lunch and then drive to St Francis Dunes Resort. Pieter is our driver for the next 7 days.
he course.
 Geoff is the CEO of this Golf Course. He explains the format of the course; its background; sustainability as an eco system; membership and the running of the facility.  Here we enjoy wine and beers as a sundowner and the hospitality of the St Francis Links.
 The group stops for a short break.  The first part of the Chokka Trail consists of dune climbs. 
 Esti shows us the midden and explains some of the history surrounding the site. Esti shows us an
Esti Stewart is out leader on the Chokka Trail for the next two days.
Everything is of interest to our visiting journalists from Germany.
Chanel feeds each bird.  She calls out their names and how many fish are eaten. This is then recorded.
 Port St Francis Harbour in action as a Chokka boat is being off loaded and the private pleasure boats are in view in the back ground.  The only privately operated harbour in SA was the brain child of people like Basil Bartlett; Neil Dannoher and Brian Knox from B & E
 Shaun Tessendorf who is the Activity and adventure manager/promoter and leader for Cape St Francis Resorts, takes us for a Canal Cruise

 at Jacks Picnic spot Steve sets out a table during the break.

 Chris and Linda with Terry at the PAG Drill Hall
 Queen Mary 2 -- Cunard in Port Elizabeth
Queen Mary 2 from the far dock side.
Sunday 29th.
City and Kragga Kamma tour with Linda and Chris Backwith.  Start at the Russell Road Cemetery where Chris completes the story of James Dalton.  We move over to the Donkin Reserve, Fort and the Drill Hall where Terry Pattison takes us for a personal Tour.
From there we go to Kragga Kamma where we see a good variety of animals. Tea and then over to Sacramento for lunch. After lunch we do the Wild Side and end up with an ice cream and flake at Mc Donalds.  A great day with a stunning couple.
Linda and Chris Backwith at the grave stone of James Dalton VC.

 Lloyd gives a safety briefing and detail of our cruise.
 St Croix Island1
 Dolphins followed and playing all around the boat
 Penguins on the west side of St Croix

Tuesday 31st.  Start the day with a 5k run with the group.  Fetch Nadine from the Beach Hotel as her flight leaves earlier.  Then meet the rest of the group to take them to the airport for their flight home.
Matthew and Delene come for a visit.





Barbara takes a couple to Storms River Mouth
 Supper with Charles at Angelo's beachfront
 Train trip for Josh and Daniel
 Family in the train in Ireland
 Lene and Daniel
Supper with Nicky and Werner -- Eve's Place in Riebeek.
 Dinner at the Yacht Club with Peter Wilson playing the fool.
 The tent where the Cattle Baron burnt down at Storms River Mouth.
Supper at Eve's Place in Riebeek Kasteel
 An unusual view of the table bay
 Terri at Kragga Kamma
Kelly' Andrea; Michelle and Maria at 10km run




































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