Call Peter for professional guiding services. peter.giddy@gmail.com
- Shore Excursions -- Meeting on the Dockside and taking groups for a fun day of activities or Safaris.
- Day Trips -- Garden Route; Surfing lessons; River Canoe Trail; Zip lines and Sandboarding
- Airport, Hotel and Safari Transfers
- Wildlife Reserves -- Addo Elephant; Kragga Kamma; Pumba; Amakhala; Schotia; Shamwari.
- City and Township Tours
- Small or large groups
- Airport and Hotel Transfers
July 2017
Three group Safaris in Addo make touring this a most successful month.
Boys on School Holidays -- cycling and bowls with them.
Isabelle and her friend stay for a few days
Cycling at Cape Recife and Grassroof
Barbara has surgery and I have tick bite fever
EP Kings Rugby at the stadium
Jessica starts at Alexander Road High. Final terms of grade 11.
Ally is with us for a bit of a holiday
Hiking with the Wednesday group -- Stukens Trail.
Hiking the Thursday Group -- Grysbok Trail.
Cycling the Baakens River trail from the Walmer golf course
Hearbreak Hill half marathon
Rugby at Framesby with Peet Booysen
Saturday 1st. Start the day with a Moffat Circuit run with Stefany and Elmarie. At the end I am pretty much exhausted. Unfortunately I do something stupid -- I don't drink enough water and the effects of this continue to the afternoon when I realise that I have become dehydrated.. Even to Sunday when I still do not feel strong despite taking Rehydrate in water as well as eating naartjies and drinking lots of tea. (see below -- it was only a few days later that I discover I have tick bite fever)
Susan Burri of the MPRG; is in Spain to take part in the Transplant Games.
Today Susan makes all of us proud as she achieves a Silver Medal in the 3km event.
Susan writes as follows:
"Update from Malaga: Very happy to report that I am not coming back empty handed. Won Silver in the 3km Walking Race in a time of 22.02."
Damon; Sandra; Neil and Fiona ; Jason and Jane; Cathy; Dave and Achana; Teri; Sylvian; Ian; Andrew and Lee.
We hire the 19 seater from Mark and Luba is our driver.
Sunday morning -- Pick those staying at Brighton Lodge up and take them to Kelway. Later we spend the morning driving around shopping for a vehicle for Ally.
Monday -- Cycle the Patti and Recife route with Chris. It had rained early this morning but by the time we are out the Easterly starts blowing and it warms up a bit. I am not feeling at all well -- shivering and headache.
Tuesday 5th.. Still not well. Barbara goes in to Hospital for overnight surgery. I realise that what I have is probably tick bite fever. Barbara has said this before.... I have an inflamed area of my groin and I am pretty sure that this was probably a tick from one of the hikes I did two weeks ago.
Wednesday -- See Doctor. Barbara out of Hospital.
Paddy is away so I meet Dr John Kapp who also offers to teach me bowls. He can immediately see that I have Tick Bite Fever. He too has had this before. He prescribes anti Biotics and sends me on my way. Later Dave, who was on the Springs hike, phones me to tell me that he too has Tick Bite Fever, Hot flushes, sweating and dull headaches.
I fetch Barbara who is looking amazingly well and able to walk with little pain or discomfort.
This afternoon I take Joshua and Daniel for a cycle around Grey. Not much but at least a little activity. On the way back Daniel overtakes but there is a tree in the way so he crashes into the back of me. We both tumble over. As always we have helmets even for a short ride. Daniel seems to be unhurt. I have a scraped arm, knee and shin and a big bruise on my shin as well.
Thursday morning -- Chris fetches Stefany and myself; we drive to Grassroof where we meet Shara; Andrea and Iris. And later Shara's brother Brendan.
Set the bikes up and do our normal cycle to Kini Bay and back. It is Iris' first ride in many years. She copes amazingly well and even does a "slingshot" overtaking of Andrea and Shara at the crest of a hill. Such fun. Iris and her husband were living in the UK; He was in the British Army. Had an accident where he fell out of a Helicopter and was discharded on Medical Grounds. They now are pastors in a church in 7th Ave Summerstrand.
The wind is never really in our favour as it comes from the North West (from the side). On the way back Shara's brother Brendan, (An Ironman), comes past and then we ride back to Grassroof together. They tell me about their other brother, Grant, who teaches people in Africa how to farm "Gods Way". We have a cold drink and chat before driving home.
If you Google "How to farm Gods way" there is so much interesting reading
Friday. Drive to the beach and take the bike out the car. Cycle to Andrea's house in Church road next to Clarendon. As I cycle I hit chilly patches which makes me feel so alive. Bit of a sweat going up Walmer Boulevard but otherwise no wind to talk about. Unfortunately there are fast cars & trucks with nasty fumes but then I get off the main road onto Villiers road and have an easy ride from there.
Meet up with the group and we take a slow jog to the beach. Pam is not doing any run training and says she needs to go slow despite the fact that she is an Ironman. On the promenade we see dolphins just off the beach. Climb into the car and drive back up. A perfect way to start the morning.
Saturday morning. I oversleep and then meet up with Adrienne and Maria for a short run.
During the week I had been to see the doctor about the Tick Bite Fever. Paddy was not there so I meet John Kapp. He tells me that he plays Bowls and that I am welcome at any time. So I call him to ask if today is suitable. In the end Joshua and Daniel come to join me and we play 21 ends at the PE Bowling club in St Georges Park. He gives us a quick run down of some of the rules and scoring and off we go. It ends up with just one more round to go with us level at 7 each. So everything hinges on the final end which Josh wins.
They really enjoy themselves and we have a bit of fun together. And they are keen to give it another go on Wednesday afternoon.
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| Chinese and one other on the Addo Lookout point. |
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Elephant next to the car |
Sunday morning -- Addo half day with Roberto Italian from Ocean Bay.
Later Church and then Isabelle and friend are with us for a week. They are attending a conference focussing on Marine Pollution. Meanwhile there is another conference focussing on Freshwater sources and related issues. Both conferences provide PE tourism with opportunities this week.
I have two large tours firstly with a group of Chinese people and then with a mixed group from all over the world and a variety of backgrounds.
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Cheetah running around the car in Kragga Kamma Felecia takes this pic of the Giraffe outside the car window  |
I have a Kragga Kamma tour with Richie and Felecia. And a Township / City tour with the Van Zyl family (Albert and Linda) who are working in Dubai for the past 6 years and making a success of their lives.
Friday evening we watch the Southern Kings play their final game of the season and perhaps forever against the Cheetahs. It is a thrilling game which the Kings lose by one point in the dying moments. With me this evening are Chris; Elmarie; Ronel; Peter; Joshua and Daniel. Barbara not able to come as she is feeling poorly with fevers. Lene is working night shift.
Later cycling around the golf course with Megan and Josh. Windy but still great to be out. Here are some pics of this little hill. Does not look like much but when you are at the top you have to trust in your ability to zoom down.
Wednesday 19th. Township tour with Sigi De-Leon from Israel. A fascinating tour with so many similarities between the history of Israel and SA. Sigi particularly enjoyed meeting Ayanda.
Later this afternoon I cycle twice on the golf course. Firstly with Daniel and then a bit later on my own to clear the cobwebs.
Sunday I have an Addo Safari with Christine and I also pick up Daniella and Anje -- Swiss girls on Holiday in SA. Daniella has been volunteering in Cape Town at a school while her friend Anje is on Holiday before starting her studies in Social Work. We have a successful outing with excellent sightings of Elephant, Buffalo and in the final half hour we see lion in the distance.
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| Jessica starts at Alexander Road High. Monday 24th July. She is in Grade 11 so has just a year and a half of High School to complete. |
Wednesday walking group with Robin Holmes and 30 walkers at the Stukens trail
Wednesday 26th afternoon. After a morning hike with the group and a short nap, I do one lap of the Golf Course on my bike. I then watch the boys play rugby against their nemesis -- Grey. Unfortunately for Clarendon, Grey is just too strong. But each time they play against this team, they are learning and with enough game time they will, one day, triumph. Both Josh and Daniel are overwhelmed and make unforced errors (Knock ons). But they make up with enthusiasm in running and tackling.
I receive a message that Johan is Cycling from the Walmer Golf Course and into the Valley. I decide to join him. It is the first time that I am doing this. Once, a few years ago, we did a cycle from the bottom of Brickmakers Kloof and into the valley. Since then the Fat Tracks organisers have done amazing work in providing trails around PE for MTB enthusiasts.
We meet in the Parking lot of the golf course and are joined by Amanda and Andrew Bosch. Cycle down 9th avenue and turn left along the ridge of the kloof just below the residences. And cycle the track along some tricky bits until we reach "The Containers". This is where Fat Tracks has a meeting place just off the William Moffet. Here we meet up with some other cyclists -- Thomas; Pierre; Andrew.
We then do another loop with some of the stronger riders doing the technical bits. Our little group stays on the trails which, according to Johan, "can be ridden by any average cyclist". So far I am having fun. I fall behind the group but they wait for me from time to time. There have only been a few sections where I have had to walk. Once back at the Containers we start the ride back to Walmer. The first bit of this ride involves some fun ups and downs. A bit scary but entirely doable with just one part where I find myself pushing the bike.
Then we get back onto the track which we had ridden earlier and cycle back to the WGC. With stops the whole ride was just about 90minutes. I am so stoked with this track and hope that I will be able to do it again. We have cycled 12km of some of the best bike riding I have ever done.
It has been a busy Wednesday and I am pretty much exhausted this evening.
Thursday 27th. Hiking with the SARP group at the Grysbok trail behind the University. We start walking at 9am. There is a short and a long group. In the Long Group we are 22 walkers. Alan is the leader of the group. He walks at an easy pace with regular regrouping. We are fortunate to see Zebra and Springbok. The fires that burnt in the reserve a few months ago are still visible but the growth of the new plant life is thriving. This walk is a relatively easy outing with no real hills. We are in cars and on our way home by 11am. The men that I meet today are: Alan our hike leader; Fred the short hike leader and David who walks with them; Mervin; Bennie and Leon.
I then go to fetch the boys but they are watching their first team play Sweet Valley, a touring team from Bergvliet in the Cape. It turns out to be a very exciting game. CP dominate the first half in possession, territory and score two converted tries 14;0 at half time. Then SW come storming back in the second half with two converted tries. 14;14. Then in the final 10 minutes SW score again making it 14;19. SW lead by 5 points. With constant pressure after the kick off the CP team score a converted try. 21;19. And two minutes to go CP have a penalty against them under the posts. The coach is shouting "GO for posts" but the team decides to take a quick "tap and go" .... but knock on! The scrum is in CP favour. They win it and the flyhalf kicks the ball into SW territory and end the game with a 21;19 win. .
It was a fair reflection of the teams but SW must have had nightmares thinking of the game that was theirs for the taking. Hopefully they will learn a lesson for the rest of the tour.
Friday morning. Landrover in at the workshop -- fixing a suspected loose bearing and changing the security nuts on the wheels.
Cycling at Grassroof with Andrea; Shara; Iris and Pam. Also there this morning we see Louise and Kelly. We cycle to the end of the Yellow Lines and go back for Pam who started late. Turn around and then back to the same turn around. About 20km and a cup of coffee afterwards for an excellent mornings outing. Andrea persuades me to run the 21k in the morning and offers to fetch me. Not feeling up to 21 after not running at all for the past two weeks due mainly to laziness!
Saturday morning. Andrea fetches me and we register for the Heartbreak Hill 21k. There is a cold, strong Westerly blowing. So the first three kays are uphill into the wind. Then on the New Seaview road we are mainly downhill all into the wind. At about 10k we turn around and begin a long 7kay climb. I had started running with Andrea and Kelly Holmes. Other Kelly had joined us from time to time. But when we started the climb I could no longer keep up with them and they went on ahead.
This is a very long climb. Gradual but long. I am able to keep up a steady pace with no walking but am feeling the lack of training.
Eventually we reach the top at Boundary road where we turn right and then left. Another uphill faces us. Then down towards Buffelsfontein road which we cross and then climb up Melsetter to Constance road where we have two kays to go. Liesl and Graham pass me. I cannot stay with them and so just try to finish the last bit.
Finally we turn and I see the cars at the Italian club where we had started earlier this morning. What a relief to finish this tough event. Andrea and Kelly 2.17; Liesl about 2.20 and myself 2.21 with Stefany just behind me at 2.23
I hobble to the car and Andrea drops me at home.
Some of the results
Andy Bolton 2.06
Kobus Gerber 2.06
Kathleen Flannagan 2.06
Shannon Bradford 2.10
Allan Verryne 2.13
Doris Gerber 2.13
Kelly Holmes 2.17
Andrea Dyer 2.17
Kelly Mortimer 2.18
Mike Burger 2.19
Liesl De Lange 2.20
Peter Giddy 2.21
Stefany V D Westhuizen 2.23
Barbara Fisher Hill 2.31
Briggetta Mey 2.36
Erica Erasmus 2.38
After a shower and tea I am at Clarendon where the boys are playing Union from Graaff Reinet. They fight to win the game and both boys have a reasonably good outing on the field.
Rugby at Framesby where I meet up with Peet Booysen (Ex JDG) and we watch his son (Ruan otherwise known as Os) play for U16s. Os is the captain and plays at Number One Loose head Prop. Another good game of Rugby which the Framesby boys win. I am then with Chris; Elmarie; Ronel and Liesl as we spend the rest of the afternoon watching the 2nd and First teams -- Grey with both matches but not by much and there is no easy wins this afternoon.
It is Wayne's 50th and Barbara and I spend the evening with them at the Old Grey where they have a braai. Barbara is not strong and we leave early.
Sunday 30th. Lene's birthday. She is with her cousin, who is terminally ill at finally passes away in the afternoon, in Livingston Hospital.
We all spend the day slothing at home. I am happy to do so with sore thighs after Saturdays tough 21k.
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