FEBRUARY 2016. TOUR GUIDING; HERALD CYCLE TOURS; BIRTHDAYS.

February 2016 A leap year so we have 29 days.

• Ally is in Toowoomba at St Saviours School.  We collect her Drivers Licence from Kirkwood.
• Golf Course MTB track;  And cycling the Grass Roof Yellow lines track with Chris; Andrea and Monique
• Herald MTB tour of Addo. 
• Syringa Tree fell down onto Lemon tree and had to be cut up and tipped.  Then the second branch fell down in the wind and more sawing and work.
• Started Swim training.
• Started doing tour guiding for Alan Tours.
• Garden Route Tour - Storms River; Big Tree and Plett.
• My first tour of Schotia reserve (on the N10 near to Nanaga)
• Cape Town visit for Nicky and Barbara birthdays.
• Dinner with Mosaic- 
• Run up Bothmaskloof Pass with Nicky.
• Military Parade for a week in PE. .
• Birthdays
• Nicky -- 23rd.  Jessica -- 24th.  Dawn -- 25th.  Barbara 27th.
• Deaths:
• Chet Sainsbury - (Race director of Two Oceans for so many years) & Nigel Forbes (husband of Beth Forbes who I recently reconnected with at Park Run and who was a friend during our years with Round Table) -- Both die of Cancer. Alan Cousins also dies.  We also are saddened when we come across the Father of a man who died on Lions Head in a climbing accident.

QUEEN ELIZABETH IN PORT ELIZABETH. I TOOK A TOUR BUS OF 40 PEOPLE TO KARIEGA FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS GAME DRIVE.

 last week Darryl Smith introduced me to the Cycle track in the Golf course. Today Chris; Joubert and Nelmarie did the outer loop. Quite tricky in places as it winds through the trees. A couple of falls.

Nelmarie and Joubert on the Golf Course route.

 Jessica and Lene enjoying a sunny beach day at Plett Nippers Carnival.

 Both Josh and Daniel took part in the Long Run and were placed in the top 10 earning points for Summies

 Josh won a Silver for Flags and Daniel went through to the finals

Summerstrand Nippers were well represented at Plett and placed third behind Plett and East London. KB and Bluewater were 5 and 6 in the overall competition.

Monday 1st.  Run the Mount Rd and up to Collegiate route with newcomer Bridgett; Andrea and others.  Then out to Shamwari to do a delivery of Kosher foods.  This afternoon Chris and his son meet me for a cycle around the Golf Course MTB track.  It is our first attempt and we enjoy this route as an off road alternative. Two loops is about 11k and a reasonably hard work out.
Tuesday -- Cycle with the IM girls.  Carla; Megan and Gillian.  Afternoon tour;  Boardwalk. Samrec to Sacremento  6 people in their own bus. turns out that it was a Jewish family with two babies who actually wanted to go the Penguin Island and so they up and left with a whole lot of arguing going on in their vehicle. So I have had a set of five consecutive disappointments -- people wanting to return from Addo decided to stay; Missed a call for a Cruise Liner tour and so lost out; Quoted for a Transfer to Shamwari - rejected; was due to guide an Addo tour today but Craig took them. Yuk - but that is the nature of the tourism industry.   However I did receive some Dole work so I have nothing to complain about.
Wednesday 3rd. I was again let down by cancelling clients. Should I be getting a Complex?  Anyway so I started the day with a 1500m swim and then got stuck into the fallen branch of the Syringa tree.  It was a huge branch that was supposed to be cut down by the gardener who abandoned us. So I took the saw that Barbara had purchased and began sawing first of all the smaller branches and then the bigger ones until it was finally all chopped up so small that I was able to fit the whole thing into the bakkie; which had looked impossible at first.  And dumped at the tip.  So I felt a sense of a productive day.  Visited Allan and Angelika at their Seaview house for a briefing on the Cruise Liner Tour planned for next week.
Thursday - no run. Cycle with Chris to Cape Recife.

ADDO CYCLE TOUR WITH KEVIN CAMPBELL.  I RODE JUST UNDER TWO HOURS

 BIGS HERDS OF BUFFALO AT ARIZONA

 CYCLE TO CAPE RECIFE WITH CHRIS. OUT INTO THE WIND AND FLY BACK WITH THE EASTERLY ON OUR BACKS

 NIX WITH ZARA IN HER CAR

 NICKY ENJOYING FUN ON THE RIVER

 OUR GROUP AT ADDO.  EDWIN AND RONEL. CHRIS AND I.  THEY ALL CAME PAST ME LIKE I WAS STANDING STILL

CATH AND SAUL -- MARRIED 9 YEARS.
Friday.  Addo tour for 7 guests (Edward; Carol; Mitja; Simona; Sarie;  Stefanie and Lena) with early pick up. Meet Pieter in the VW bus and we have a full day of viewing with Lion in the distance at Rooidam; Plenty of Elephant and finally Buffalo in various places including a herd at Arizona. 
Saturday. What a day!  Start with a wake up at 2am.  The phone that Julia had given me - camera not working. I had a sudden brain wave to google the problem. So at this time I open the lap top and find out that there is a simple solution. I do the necessary and lo and behold the camera works. Back to sleep. Then the alarm goes off at 4.20.  Up and dressed for the Herald MTB ride.  I try to wake David but he sleeps on.  So I pack up everything required and take the bakkie with bike in the back and leave at 5am. It is just under an hour drive (80kph) on the Addo road to the Polo Club. Off load the bike and greet some familiar faces.  Check in at Registration as I forgot to / was too late to check in on Friday due to tours.  Find out that I am not registered but they are really helpful and allow me to ride as long as I send proof of payment.  Line up with the rest of the 30k riders and at 6.30 we are off.  It is a chilly morning and I feel the chill on my arms as we start.  Everybody passes me.  I mean EVERYONE! I am just so slow on a bike that it frightens even me.  Anyway I press on.... The route has changed slightly for the better.  As I ride down one of the narrow roads I see a Bike Tool and, unlike everyone else, I stop and pick it up. A really good expensive multi tool.
Kevin and Rob pass me but are waiting for another Tits Member at the top. I stop at all the refreshment tables-  12k, 18k and 26k for a drink and eats.  I stuff some bananas into my pockets as well as sweets, my spare tube, this heavy tool and my phone.  I look like a pack horse.
I don't go for a swim at the last one as I am in a hurry. But I do have more to eat including boerewors.
After the last table it should be a short 6 or so kay to the end but seems to take forever.  A long rugged road to the Pack House and then across the tar road.  Then comes the long grind to the finish which seems to NEVER come. I am tired; legs and body by the time I finish the event. .

TEAM TITS -- AT THE START OF THE ADDO 30K. KEVIN AND SELWYN WILL BE RIDING THE 100K ON SUNDAY MORNING AS WELL. THIS IS JUST A WARM UP FOR THEM.
Finally into the polo ground. I grab a cold drink and off to the car without greeting anyone and find the exit and drive home. Road works on the N2 slow me down a bit but I am determined to not stress but just take it steadily.
I have to pick up for a tour this morning: This is the mad timing: Race starts 6.30. I take two hours for this event. Finish and in the car at 8.30. An hour drive home. 9.30. rush in with the bike and stuff. Shower. Load my days provisions, water, wallet and files into the Nissan. Leave 9.40.  And arrive at Mosaic at the beach 10.00am. Rush to do the pick ups on time just after 10am.  I think to myself. The timing had to be perfect: what if there had been some kind of issue on the road? What if I had not been able to finish in 2 hours, had a pile up or a puncture? The timing had to be perfect with NO hiccups and it was.
From there we picked up a Quantum combi with Driver Max and 6 guests: Edward and Monica; Thomas, Dirk and Karlina and Elias.  We had a really good day for Elephant and for buffalo and a variety of other animals. I think that my guests were happy with the days viewing and seemed to bond with each other.
During the night I am dreaming about my lost Binoculars (both Barbara and I had searched the cars and the house for them) so I pray for a solution however the outcome may be. And then first thing on Sunday morning I go to the bakkie and pull the passenger seat forward and there behind it are the binoculars.  God spoke to me and told me what to do.  I am convinced of it!
Gails birthday. Barbara goes for a visit. I laze at home.

 ALAN TOURS. THIS IS MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT FOR THEM.

 SUN PRINCESS WITH AUSTRALIANS DOING A CRUISE ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN.

 OUR TEAM TODAY -- PETER; LUBA; DAVE CALLAHAN; LUKE GIBBS; ALAN AND MALCOLM.

SUN PRINCESS -- A HUGE AND GOOD LOOKING CRUISE LINER.

Monday 8th.  Morning run -- I cut short to just 6k as I have an early morning.  I drive to South End where I pick up the Sprinter from Mark Heck. Our driver today is Luba. We find the dockside - where the vehicles are normally loaded -- and meet the rest of Alan Tours Team.
I have 15 Australian guests in the sprinter.  We drive to Addo where we have a reasonably good day of viewing - Plenty of Elephant and Buffalo; Kudu and Hartebees; Pumba, birds and other animals. Overall a good day. Meanwhile Patti and Isabel come for a visit. And Barbara battles assisting me with the Dole work.

MEGAN HOLDEN -- TRAINING FOR CORP IRONMAN.

Tuesday morning -- Cycle with Megan as everyone else pulls out.  Suddenly I receive a phone call to cancel the City Tour that was planned for the afternoon. Craig gives me the opportunity to do a Schotia Tour. The Schotia tree is commonly known as the Boer Boon Tree in South Africa. In the Schotia reserve the Elephant are destroying these 100's of year old trees despite the Bee Hives surrounding many of them. Elephant are naturally irritated by bees and so this helps to a certain extent.

SCHOTIA WILDLIFE RESERVE. GAME DRIVE WITH ALLISTER & JENNA FROM JERSEY AND MADELEINE WHO IS NOW LIVING IN PE.  MERVIN IS OUR GUIDE FOR THE AFTERNOON. THIS IS OUR TEA BREAK. LATER WE MOVE TO THE LION ENCLOSURE AND THEN SUPPER AT THE BOMA.
 Two people (Allister and Jenna) from the Jersey in the Channel Islands are visiting Friends (ex colleague Michael & Joanne Spittals - Ally knows their sons from Pearson. The last one Marcus, was a year ahead of Ally) and another ex-Jersey person (Madeleine).  We have a great time with our guide (Mervin - who recognises me from Park Run days).  We are taken out in a Game Viewing Land Rover and soon see a wide variety of animals including Rhino; Elephant; Blesbok (some white due to a gene pool issue); Waterbuck; Nyala; Impala; Springbok; Giraffe; Kudu; Lion - there are three - the dominant male, the female and the sub adult male. They had caught a month old giraffe and were sleeping with full bellies. Sadly the cow was still in the vicinity looking for the calf.  Our final encounter with a female elephant was close up as she kind of shooed us away with her trunk. Now it was strange to me to see this Female Elephant "leaking Temporin from the temporal gland or Musth gland between the eye and the ear. I have only see this in Bulls. Today Mervin taught me a lot of bits and pieces of information which I will continue to use.

Our supper was "to die for".  A melt in the mouth beef stew, sweet and tasty chicked, beans and Potato. ride and sweet potato which I did not have as I am trying to avoid most carbo veg. Finished off with a Malva pudding and coffee. Yay! Unfortunately in our rush I forgot my phone in the car. Doff!

Alan Cousins -- a good man in so many ways.  Lost to Port Elizabeth and his family.

Arrived home after 10pm to the news that our friend from Round Table days, Alan Cousins, had died. He had been "missing" for the past week and was found under the Storms River Bridge.
Wednesday -- attended Citrus Training at Patensie Kerk Saal.  Not too bad but battled to stay awake. In fact let me be honest -- I did doze off from time to time.  In the end I received an attendance certificate and am now certified to continue working for Dole.

Andrea and Chris join me for a cycle from Grass Roof to the Kini Bay turn off which is exactly 22k. Andrea has a new bike and flies up the hills. Part of our training for Corp IM this year. I am so fortunate to have friends like this.

 MICHAEL AND TOM

WHAT A HAPPY LOOKING BOY.

Thursday morning -- short run with Adrienne and Annie through target kloof and then cycle 22k from Grass Roof. I buy a Ciabata bread and fresh ripe tomatos to have with my tea later on. Great start to the morning.  This afternoon I have a swim, Do some Dole work, Fetch Daniel, swap cars at Seaview for Alan Tours.
Friday 12th.  Swim 1500m with Gillian and Megan. Meet the ship at the docks and drive to Addo in the Toyota Condor. Meet up with Mark; Julie; Ricky and Maddy. From California on the Oceanic Insignia. An entertaining and interesting group of guests.  Have a good day of game viewing although the park is very dry at present. 

 Mark; Julie; Ricky and Maddy at lunch in Addo.

 The Insignia in the PE harbour. Docked on the Vehicles Quay.

 EP in Black play the Cheetahs in Blue. A good game which we could had drawn if the one Penalty in a Kickable Position, had been converted.

Daniel and Josh at Rugby. It had threatened to rain but no such luck.

Later I drop the Condor off in Seaview and Lene; Josh; Daniel and I go to Rugby.  The EP team plays the Free State Cheetahs. The score is always going to be close with EP leading until ten minutes to the end. Cheetahs score to make the final tally: EP 11 and Cheetahs 14.  Barbara does the Dole Work for me.

 CREATIVE EMILY AFTER A VISIT TO THE BEACH

 NICKY RAN A 10K EVENT -- SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PRISONS -- IN CAPE TOWN THIS MORNING.

WERNERS PARENTS (CHRIS AND ESTELLE) WITH NICKY AT THE 10K SATURDAY 13TH.
Saturday 13th. Valentines day?  I am marshalling at the Achilles Valentines day 10k race.  Milka Boshoff has organised this event for many years and this year she again puts together an excellent event. After my duty I pick up two guests for an Addo Tour.  Manuela and Sarah from backpackers lodges. We have a good day for Elephant. Also see Cheetah on a kill near to Carols Rest. Exit from Arizona after big bull elephant up close.  Terry MacPherson is a big bull elephant at Hapoor.  Born 1981 from the original B group.

 PLUMBAGO IN FLOWER IN ADDO
Lead Wort. originally believed that cape plumbago can cure lead poisoning. The plant has been used traditionally to treat a range of ailments, including headaches and wounds. However, plumbago may cause skin irritation and blistering in some people. Do not use plumbago for medicinal purposes without the supervision of a doctor.

 MY TWO BACKPACKER TRAVELERS SARAH FROM THE UK IS A TEACHER AND MANUELA FROM GERMANY STUDIED ECONOMICS AND DID THREE WEEKS TEACHING AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN CAPE TOWN AND IS NOW ON A THREE WEEK HOLIDAY UP THE COAST AND ON TO KRUGER.

TERRY MAC PHERSON. THIS ELEPHANT IS 45 YEARS OLD - BORN 1981 FROM THE ORIGINAL B GROUP. IDENTIFIABLE FROM THE BIG HOLE IN THE EAR AND THE STRAIGHT TUSKS.
Sunday Morning 14th. I suppose that today is Valentines Day. It is also my Father (Allan Hoskins Giddy) Birthday.   I start my day with a visit to the Dockside to see if I can pick up some business from a Cruise Liner but then receive a call to do a Tour for Craig.  I pick up Alexi from Mont Prellier in France. A name known to cyclists as a Tour de France destination.  And Tifany & Lily from Switzerland.  Today is successful for game viewing and especially Elephant with a big conference of them at Hapoor. We watch a great deal of swimming going on. These three ladies are very tired and able to relax during the sections when we drive without seeing anything.
Monday 15th.  Start the morning with a Group Run. 
I have an Addo tour again for the fourth day in a row. A most pleasant couple from Germany -- Klaus and Maria.

Jacqui; Michael and family are hiking at En Gedi in Israel.

 MARIA AND KLAUS AT DOMKRAG LOOKOUT

 ITS CARLA'S BIRTHDAY.  CYCLED WITH MEGAN AND HER TO SUNRIDGE AND BACK.

BEN; CHRIS; CHRISTIAN; SISKIA AND GEORGIA AT THE RESTUARANT IN ADDO.
Tuesday 16th.  Cycle and then Addo tour.  With Saskia from Netherlands; Ben from Oregon USA; Chris and Christian from Germany and Georgia from UK.  Today we had good sightings of Elephant up close and a couple of Buffalo and a lioness lying down and sleeping about 100m from the road. Plenty of other game. Including a Yellow Mongoose carrying a mouse.
Jacqui and her family are Hiking and appear to be having a wonderful family time together.
Wednesday -- Morning run and then a bit of admin done and Township tour in the afternoon with Philip and Johanna from Switzerland.

Ursula and Sylvia are Polish but are permanent residents of Germany.  Dan is Welsh and works around in Europe at Camping sites.
Thursday.  1500m swim.  Addo tour for Lungile. A particularly good day as we view lion, buffalo, jackal, most animals up close and some really good times with the Elephant.  This evening there is a Military display.  Lene takes her family.
Friday -- Drive to Kirkwood to fetch Ally's Drivers Licence.  Supper with Craig; Tarryn and the Mosaic Staff at Bocadillos. 

Saturday morning I had planned to run but bailed when I saw the lousy weather.  So I have this tour to the Elephant back safari  (Safari is derived from the Arabic word - Safara -- to journey).  I collect Tracey and Sian from their lodge and drive the N2 to Nanaga; left turn to Patterson and then left again at the Kromriver sign which is about 10k from Patterson.  Then there is a 25km dirt road past the Addo Palace to the Safari Lodge. The second half of the drive is really not a good road but at least there are some farms that we pass. At the Palace we stop to take a picture of the Rhino that stays there permanently. In the same place and same position!
The drive to the EBSA is 115km and 2 hours at a slow pace.  Best to leave 2.5 hours for the drive to avoid any stress.  We get to the venue, open the gate and park at the mounting area.  The handlers arrive a short while later and the two girls mount up.  There is another couple there -- from Uitenhage - Jean and Astrid.  There are three Bull Elephant which take the four people on a longish walk through the reserve and they are able to view Impala and Giraffe.  Back at the mounting area everybody gets off feeling stiff.  There is an opportunity to feed and to photo the Elephant which must be about 3m tall. They are about 30 to 40 years old.
We walk them to the water hole and the guide gives us further information about the elephant. Then there is a time to feed the elephant by hand before we have lunch.  They lunch is a chicken salad and beans.  Not particularly good cooking. After lunch I take the Suurberg Hotel Route.  This turns out to be a mistake. I had no mishaps but was concerned that I could easily have some kind of problem and the road is so Isolated and it is very rocky with sharp turns and steep fall off.  I felt nervous and determined that I should not do this route again. Rather take the Patterson road which is only about 5km longer but is a safer road.  As we drive we see a lot of Tok Tokkie beetles. They seem to come out after the rain. I pick one up and in handling the beetle it nips me. Ouch! 

LENE TAKES HER FAMILY TO WATCH THE MILITARY DISPLAYS.

 THE ARMED FORCES HAVE ABOUT 10 DAYS OF DISPLAY IN PORT ELIZABETH WITH THE NAVY VESSELS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND A VARIETY OF MILITARY DISPLAYS.


MOSAIC CELEBRATION DINNER AT BOCADILLOS. FROM THE LEFT: GUGU; CRAIG; PETER; BARBARA; PIETER; MALINDA; STEVEN;  JENNY;  CARRYN;  ONGEZWA.  (Bocadillo is a sandwich in Spanish)

Craig writes:  What a great night out as we celebrated Mosaic Tourism's growth, a bumper summer season but most importantly the wonderful people that make things happen! Thank you everyone for being part of the team and for all you do!

 

Also a big thank you to all the staff and management at Bocadillos on First! The welcome, the service and the food were all fantastic!

 

We also remembered one person who was not here, as she now lives in London, thank you Courtney Adrienne Gouws for all you did for Mosaic Tourism! — with Craig Duffield, Ligugu Matiwane, Peter Giddy, Barbara Giddy, Pieter Carelsen, Malinda Carelsen, Steven Ross Henderson, Jen Henderson, Carryn Duffield and Ongezwa Dlova.

 JOSHUA SPENDS SATURDAY IN GRAHAMSTOWN AT CRICKET

NICKY HAS A SUCCESSFUL WEDDING THIS AFTERNOON.

 DRIVE TO NANAGA; LEFT TOWARDS CRADOK ON THE N10 AND THEN 10KM PAST PATTERSON LOOK OUT FOR THE SIGN OF ADDO PALACE AND THIS SIGN TO KROM RIVIER. FROM HERE IT IS ABOUT 25KM TO THE ELEPHANT BACK SAFARI.

 TOK TOKKIE BEETLE.  TAPS ITS ABDOMEN ON THE GROUND AT NIGHT TO ATTRACT LADIES. THEY SEEMED TO COME OUT AFTER THE RECENT RAINS. I PICKED IT UP AND WAS REWARDED WITH A BITE TO MY FINGER.

 THIS RHINO IS PLACED AT THE ADDO PALACE ENTRANCE.

 SIAN MOUNTS UP ON THE ELEPHANT WITH THE HANDLER IN THE FRONT.


SIAN AND KATEY -- STUDENTS FROM UK WHO ARE HERE ON A VOLUNTEER TEACHING PROJECT

 ELEPHANT BACK RIDING WITH GIRAFFE AND ZEBRA AND IMPALA TO BE SEEN ON THE ROUTE.

Sunday -- I have a lazy morning at home. Barbara joins Lene to watch the Army display.
Monday 22nd.  A busy day which starts off with the Full Langenhoven and Linkside route. Then I load 4 loads of refuse for the tip. I saw up into small branches the Syringa that fell down over the weekend. I fetch Jessica from school and then take her for a Motor cycle lesson. She does really well after a bit of a shaky start. Going up and down Mill Park Road a couple of times, scaring me when she does a wide loop onto the wrong side of the road. And then take Daniel for a loop of the Golf Course MTB track.

 DANIEL; JOSHUA AND JESSICA HAD A GREAT TIME TRYING OUT THE MILITARY EQUIPMENT.
Tuesday 23rd. Nicky's birthday. -- ride the Sunridge park route. Drop off our bakkie load of stuff at the tip. Meet Andrea and Monique for a "Yellow Lines" cycle at Grassroof.  Township tour this afternoon.  Had a good tour with Christian; Dirk and Alexandra.  They seemed to enjoy the tour.  Then as I got home Daniel says he wants to Cycle the Golf Course so we go around once. I fall and get left behind while Danny carries on. A good way to end the afternoon.  Sadly hear of the death of Chet Sainsbury. He was Race Director of 2 Oceans 1981 - 2007 & 2014. Ran over 30 Oceans and many Comrades. at 73 died of Cancer.

 LOOKING DOWN TO THE RIVER BELOW STORMS RIVER BRIDGE

 TIME LINE OF SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY AT THE BIG TREE
1190 -- Big Tree started to Grow
1488  -- Discovery of the Cape by Bartholomeu Dias (1451-1500) - Appointed by Portugese King John 2nd to find a route to India; Dias set off from Lisbon October 1487. The fleet sailed around the Cape (of Storms) and in February 1488, after not seeing land for 30 days they discovered Mossel Bay; Sailed onwards to Al Goa Bay and a month later they reached Bushmans river mouth and in May 1488, on the way back to Portugal, they discovered the Cape of Good Hope (which Dias had first named the Cape of Storms). In December 1488 they returned to Lisbon after being away from home for 16 months.
1500 Dias joined Vasco da Gama on a second expedition left Lisbon and sailed West before landing in Brazil. They then headed East.  Four vessels became separated and Dias perished in the same general area of the Cape Of Storms. The armada continued on to find India and returned via De la Goa Bay (Mocambique). Vasco Da Gama was a fierce and cruel man who made three voyages to India. Each time he would pirate, loot and kill and bombard any opposition to his demands and would inflict terrible torture including burning ships with people locked inside.
Dias was also charged with searching for the lands ruled by Prester John, who was a fabled Christian priest and ruler.
1652 - Landing of Jan van Riebeek
1688  -- French Hugenots
1806  -- Occupation of the Cape by the British
1820 -  British Settlers
1835 -- Voortrekkers
1867 -- Discovery of Diamonds in South Africa
1869 -- Great fire - Burned from Swellendam to Uitenhage.
1886 -- Discovery of Gold in the Rand
1899 - 1902 - Anglo  Boer War (South African war)
1910 -- Union of South Africa (Colonies: Cape; Natal; Orange River; Transvaal)
1919 - End of WW1
1945 - End of WW2
1961 -- Republic of South Africa
1963 -- Proclamation of the Tsitsikamma National Park
1990 -- 11.2.1990 Release of Nelson Mandela (1918 - 2013) from Victor Verster (Paarl) prison (Initially on Robben Island and then Polsmoor Prison)
1994 -- Democratic Elections - Mandela serves as President until 1999
2009 -- Proclamation of the Garden Route National Park.

 BILL AND KATHLEEN AT THE BIG TREE WHICH IS NOT REALLY CLEAR IN THIS PIC

 AT STORMS RIVER MOUTH THERE ARE TWO RECENTLY BUILT SUSPENSION BRIDGES WHICH MAKES THE TREK TO THE MOUTH REALLY WORTH WHILE

 BILL AND KATHLEEN AT THE STORMS RIVER MOUTH

 INFORMATION SHEET ON GONDWANA THE MEGA CONTINENT OF 167MIL YEARS AGO.

 AFTER THE THURSDAY MORNING TARGET KLOOF RUN WE ARE ALL A BIT TIRED. ANDREA; KELLY; MIKE; ADRIENNE AND ANNIE.

AND THEN THEY PUT ME IN PICTURE.
Wednesday.  Run about 6k and then collect Bill And Kathleen from Brighton Drive. Spend the day at Storms River mouth where we walk to the Swing Bridge. This is a good bit of exercise on a hot day.  Then off to Plett for lunch before heading back home.

 Barbara and Lene at the military parade in PE.

 and off she goes: On her first attempt Jessica went from being very nervous to taking off up and down MP road.

Jessica learns to ride the Motor Scooter for the first time on her 16th Birthday
Thursday morning Target Kloof Run.  I run with Kelly and Andrea who make we go all the way to 14th avenue which is about 12km.  Mike was running particularly well this morning and is also going to Cape Town today. Annie is off to JHB as is Andrea. Barbara & I drive to CT via Plett.  We leave around 9am and get into Riebeek Kasteel about 7.  A really long drive today. Supper with Nicky and Werner. This is the first time that I stay over at their house. .

 RENIER; BEVERLY; TONI; JACQUI; NA-EEMA; PAMELA  -- DOLE TEAM.

CHRIS; ESTELLE; NICKY; BARBARA; WERNER AND CHRISTIAN. JOHN WAS FETCHING MORE BEER.
Friday morning -- I meet up with the Dole staff. Then we fetch Chris; Aaron and Zara from school. Later we visit the Brewery in Riebeek Kasteel before John cooks us a delicious Curry for supper.

A SOLID RUN UP THE BOTHMASKLOOF PASS ON SATURDAY MORNING.

Saturday 27th. Barbara Birthday.  Nicky and I leave for an 11k run at 6. We run through vineyards and then up on the Route 46 up the Bothmaskloof Pass.  As we are running we greet a number of Cyclists - One is Pieter who tells us that he started at 5am from Paarl doing 105km and that he is cycling for his son who died last week in a mountain climbing accident on Lions head. Hiking with his girlfriend and her father, he fell and was hanging from a cliff. He lost his grip before a Rescue team could secure him. They had a strap around his arm but he fell. Very sad for us.  We continue up past the Olive trees and Vines on both sides with the sunrise in the east coming over the mountains..
A 26-year-old hiker from Paarl died in the early hours of Saturday morning after falling on Lion’s Head.
Spokeswoman for Table Mountain National Park Merle Collins said the hiker, whose name has not been released, died after being fatally injured, following a 30m fall at 9pm on Friday night.
Collins said the hiker was on Lion’s Head with his girlfriend and her father.
“He took a different route and slipped and fell. The first rescuer on the scene, tried to secure him as the surface he landed on was very slippery, steep and unstable.
“The victim’s girlfriend, who was with him, said he was still alive after the fall. We were unable to extract him but secured him as best as we could. He died at 2am on Saturday and we were able to extract his body only at first light.”
EMS spokesman Zolani Zenzile said the victim, was hanging off the cliff, when rescuers arrived on the scene.
“It was difficult to rescue him, due to some technical problems. However, when we eventually got to him we discovered that he had multiple fractures to his body and he later died on the scene.”

 NICKY AND I RUNNING UP THE BOTHMASKLOOF PASS WITH THE 6AM SUNRISE BEHIND HER.

 NICKY THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS ONLY TWO KAYS TO GO BUT WE CONTINUED RIGHT UP TO THE VIEW POINT AND THEN BACK THROUGH THE VILLAGE SO ENDED UP RUNNING 11K.

 SUNRISE THROUGH THE TREES.
Nicky writes on Facebook:
This morning my dad and I did an early run up the pass in Riebeek Kasteel. On the way up we greeted a cyclist who was training for the Argus and dedicating it to his son who fell to his death on Lions Head three weeks ago. Tears flowing while climbing the pass with a complete humbleness to humanity and the gift of life. Thank you God for this day and the sunrise we had the privilege to witness.

 THIS IS THE SIGNPOST AT THE VIEW POINT.

 NICKY WITH THE SUNRISE ON THE VINEYARDS AND OLIVE GROVES BELOW US. IN THE BACKGROUND IS THE RIEBEEK'S KASTEEL MOUNTAIN.

 SELFIE WITH THE VILLAGE BELOW US. FROM HERE THE VILLAGE LOOKS TINY.

 NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE IS WINE IN THE AREA.

 TWO OF OUR PAST PRESIDENTS WERE BORN IN THE RIEBEEK WEST AREA;  SMUTS AT THE FARM ....  AND DF MALAN ON THE FARM ALLESVERLOREN.

 RIEBEEK KASTEEL IN THE SWARTLAND. THE SWARTLAND IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE DISTRICT WHICH CONTINUES FROM MALMSBURY AND INTO THE BOLAND.

 BARBARA'S BIRTHDAY TODAY AND IT WAS NICKY'S BIRTHDAY ON TUESDAY 23RD. 

 

WE HAVE TEA AT THE MAJOZI ARMS RESTAURANT WHICH IS A HISTORY LESSON ON ITS OWN.

Battle of El Alamein.  North Africa October and November 1942.

LUCAS MAJOZI (1916-1969) DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal) -- Was part of the SA Native Corps in the 2nd world war and accompanied his company into action as a stretcher bearer.  he was part of the epic battle of El Alamein in North Africa which commenced on 23rd October 1942. Soon after the battle began the South African's 1/2 Field Force Batallion were pinned down in the Minefield by German Machine gun and Artillery fire.  The regiment suffered very severe casualties. In the latter stages of the action when Majozi was within 100 yards of the enemy and under heavy fire, he thought nothing of his personal safety and continued to evacuate casualties assisted by co-bearers. He was then wounded by shrapnel, but he continued evacuating the wounded. Told by a medical corporal to go to the regimental aid post, he replied that there were many wounded men still in the minefield. He went back, and with the assistance of other stretcher bearers, he brought back more wounded. After his co-bearer had become a casualty he did not waiver, but carried wounded back alone on his back to the aid post. When he was eventually told by the Company Commander to go back, he smilingly refused and remained on duty, working incessantly through the night till he collapsed the next morning through sheer exhaustion and suffering loss of blood. His extreme devotion to duty and gallant conduct saved the lives of many wounded men who would otherwise have died through loss of blood or possible further wounds.

WW2 and El Alamein
Command of the 8th Army was assigned to Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery. Moving forward, Rommel attacked Montgomery's lines but was repulsed. Choosing to take a defensive stance, Rommel fortified his position and placed over 500,000 mines.

The Second Battle of El Alamein cost Rommel around 2,349 killed, 5,486 wounded, and 30,121 captured. In addition, his armored units effectively ceased to exist as a fighting force. For Montgomery, the fighting resulted in 2,350 killed, 8,950 wounded, and 2,260 missing, as well as around 200 tanks permanently lost. A grinding battle that was similar to many fought during World War I, the Second Battle of El Alamein turned the tide in North Africa in favor of the Allies.  Joined in North Africa by American troops, who had landed in Algeria and Morocco, Allied forces succeeded in evicting the Axis from North Africa on May 13, 1943.

IN HONOUR OF PIETER CRUIJHOFF'S EXPEDITION OVER THIS NECK CEREIS 4 FEB 1661

At the Lookout Point we find the stone remembering The Pieter Cruijhoff Expedition.  30.1.1661 Corporal Pieter Cruijhoff, Doctor Pieter Meerhoff, a farmer, 10 Soldiers and some Khoi with 5 Oxen set off to find the Nama People to purchase cattle. They named the Mountain Riebeek's Kasteel in honour of their Commander.  The valleys below were teeming with wildlife: Horses (which turned out to be Zebra or Quagga); Lion; Rhino; 1000's of Hartebees and  Ostrich.  The valley was to have fertile grassland and streams.  After these expeditions the VOC made no attempt to allocate the land to Free Burghers for cattle breeding or growing of wheat however they were permitted to hunt. The Cape settlement in the 1600's was considered to be a victualing station and not a colony. However by 1700 expansion and settlement grew fast. By 1730 the Governor of the Cape wrote: "All sustainable land with water has been allocated".
This area is known as Het Swartland;  A likely explanation is that the "Renosterveld that covered most of the uncultivated land has a blackish colour at certain times of the year which would explain the  name."  

The Swartland Region of the Western Cape.  Includes Malmesbury & Mooreesburg on the N7 (the Cape to Namibia route); Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel and in the West is Darling and Ysterfontein close to the R27.

Jan van Riebeek 1619 - 1677
First commander of the Cape (In office 1652-1662)
In 1651 he volunteered to undertake the command of the initial Dutch settlement in the future South Africa. He landed three ships (Dromedaris; Reijger and Goede Hoop) at the future Cape Town on 6 April 1652 and fortified the site as a way-station for the VOC trade route between the Netherlands and the East Indies. The primary purpose of this way-station was to provide fresh provisions for the VOC fleets sailing between the Dutch Republic and Batavia, as deaths en route were very high. The Walvisch and the Oliphant arrived later in 1652, having had 130 burials at sea.
Van Riebeeck was Commander of the Cape from 1652 to 1662; he was charged with building a fort, with improving the natural anchorage at Table Bay, planting cereals, fruit and vegetables and obtaining livestock from the indigenous Khoi and Nama people.  The initial fort, named Fort of Good Hope was made of mud, clay and timber, and had four corners or bastions. This fort was replaced by the Castle of Good Hope, built between 1666 and 1679 after van Riebeeck had left the Cape.

1655 - Jan van Riebeek was the Commander of the Cape Settlement.  He was employed by the VOC Vereenigde Oost - Indirsche Compagnie - Founded in 1602 the VOC was the biggest company in the world at that time; it was based in the Netherlands and had its own Army and Navy.  He was assigned to provide victuals for passing ships and wanted to explore the north of the Cape Settlement to find Pastoralists with whom he could trade cattle. He had rescued sailors who had been wrecked on the Cape Coast a year earlier and reported that the local people were friendly and had cattle to barter.  On 15th March 1655 Van Riebeek appointed Wintervogel to search for the Nama people. In the distance were the mountains now known as Pardeberg and Kasteel Berg when they came across Hotentots who at first appeared hostile but who finally became amiable.
The party returned to the Fort on 6 April 1655 without achieving its objective of finding people to barter for cattle or sheep but had opened a route to the north.  Jan van Riebeek continued to send expeditions northwards to try to find pastoralists who would barter for their cattle and sheep.

FORMER PREMIERS OF SOUTH AFRICA COME FROM THIS REGION
Next to Riebeek Kasteel is Riebeek West:  Two of our former presidents were born here.  Jan Christiaan Smuts (1970 - 1950) was born on the farm Ongegund 24 May 1870. From the age of 12 he attended the School Die Ark in Riebeek West. Later he was at Victoria College in Stellenbosch and 1891, through the University of the Cape of Good Hope, obtained a degree in Science and Literature with Honours. He obtained a scholarship to Cambridge University where he studied law.  He returned to South Africa in 1895 to practice law.
He had political positions under the Premier Paul Kruger, Louis Botha and Hertzog. He became Prime Minister of the Union of SA in 1920. And after the defeat of Hertzog he was appointed Premier in 1939 until the elections of 1948 when he resigned and DF Malan took over as leader of what became known as the National Party.
D.F. Malan (1874 - 1959) was born on the farm Allesverloren 1874 and became a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church before entering politics. He was appointed Prime Minister in 1948 - 1954 and was part of the formation of what became known as Apartheid. He died in Stellenbosch in 1959.

UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA 31.5.1910 - 31.5.1961
Previously we were 4 colonies: the Cape Colony; the Transvaal Colony; Natal Colony and the Orange River Colony. After WW1 German South West Africa was under the administration of the Union effectively as another province. In 1990 South-West Africa gained independence as Namibia, but Walvis Bay remained under South African sovereignty. At midnight on 28 February 1994 South Africa formally transferred sovereignty over Walvis Bay to Namibia.
In 1922 a referendum to include the colony of Southern Rhodesia into the Union of South Africa was defeated 60/40.
The Union of South Africa was under the dominion of the British Empire with Queen Elizabeth 2nd as our last reigning queen. 31st May 1961 South Africa became a Sovereign Republic.

Saturday 27th -- Barbara's Birthday.  This afternoon we drive to Milnerton taking the N7 (Cape to Namibia Route).  Spend the evening with Cathy. Barbara and Cathy play Scrabble and other fun games.

Sunday morning - Drive to the Newlands Forest where we take a short walk up the mountain. Relaxing at the stream we experience some of the locals taking dogs and family for a walk. On the way down we stop to admire the Fire control Helicopter where we meet Fred Viljoen who allows Blake to sit in the Helicopter. He is on standby in case of fire.  They use chemicals and a bucket scoop to catch water from the sea.  This helicopter was built in 1966 and used in the Vietnam war. It was then sold to Chile and about 4 years ago South African Fire Services bought the Helicopter for use on Table Mountain and surrounding areas. It is a tough looking working machine and is designed to carry 7 passengers with the chemicals.

FAMILY ENJOYING THE NEWLANDS FOREST WALKS.

BARBARA AND CATHY CHATTING ON THE ROCKS BELOW THE POOL.

THE FOREST ROAD WE WALKED ON OUR WAY BACK TO THE CARS

A STURDY LOOKING HELICOPTER MADE FOR TOUGH CONDITIONS NOW USED TO FIGHT FIRES.

FRED VILJOEN -- WITH BLAKE -- EXPLAINS TO US THAT THIS HELICOPTER IS 50 YEARS OLD AND WAS BUILT FOR THE VIETNAM WAR.

WALKING IN NEWLANDS FOREST WITH HUNDREDS OF OTHER PEOPLE AND DOGS

From there we drive to the Rhodes Memorial which we explore briefly. Blake is getting tired and needs his afternoon nap. The Rhodes Memorial is below the Devils Peak which is on the East Side of the Table.  Lions Head is on the West with Signal hill just below it.

How did Devils Peak get its name?:
Devil's Peak was originally known as Windberg or Charles Mountain. The English term Devil's Peak is a 19th-century translation from the Dutch Duiwels Kop, and supposedly comes from the folk-tale about a Dutch man called Jan van Hunks, a prodigious pipe smoker who lived at the foot of the mountain circa 1700. He was forced by his wife to leave the house whenever he smoked his pipe. One day, while smoking on the slopes of the peak, he met a mysterious stranger who also smoked. They each bragged of how much they smoked and so they fell into a pipe-smoking contest. The stranger turned out to be the Devil and Van Hunks eventually won the contest, but not before the smoke that they had made had covered the mountain, forming the Table Cloth cloud.
It has also been claimed that the name is a corruption of Duifespiek ("Dove's Peak") to Duiwelspiek ("Devil's Peak"), since the Dutch words for devil and dove are relatively close in sound. The Dutch word "Duiwelspiek" has been the common Afrikaans language name for the mountain and the suburb on the east side of the city bowl. The name is also thought to have been derived from the mountain's 'three pronged' spear shape, which is reminiscent of the spear held by the Devil in many images.
A more likely explanation is provided by Devil's Peak Brewery.
Forty years before Vasco de Gama rounded the Cape in 1497, the Venetian cartographer Fra Mauro created a map of the world for King Alfonso V of Portugal, based on knowledge drawn from the Arabians. On this map, which became the definitive view of the world for the early Portuguese explorers, he named the southernmost tip of Africa, Cabo di Diab – the Devil’s Cape. It’s very likely the association with the Devil simply migrated from the Cape to the mountain that flanks it. After all, sailors are a superstitious lot and Devil’s Peak remains the path through which the Cape Southeaster howls, churning up the waves in the Cape of Storms.

Rhodes Memorial is a popular tourist venue and has a great restaurant.

 WALKING IN THE NEWLANDS FOREST IS SOMETHING THAT MANY CAPETOWNIANS SEEM TO ENJOY.

 THE TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK INCLUDES THE NEWLANDS FOREST. 

 FIRE TRUCKS AND VOLUNTEERS MAKE UP THE FIRE BRIGADE.

 

 THE RHODES MEMORIAL SIGN GIVES A BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION AND DETAIL.

THE LEAPING HORSE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEPS AND THE 8 LIONS AND THE TUSCAN COLUMNS.

THE BUST HAS BEEN DEFACED (DE-NOSED) AND THE INSCRIPTION BELOW HAS BEEN PAINTED OVER SO AS TO MAKE IT PRETTY MUCH UNREADABLE.

RHODES MEMORIAL  - To the Spirit and Life of Cecil John Rhodes who loved and Served South Africa
Cecil John Rhodes (1853 - 1902); Mining Magnate; statesman and Benefactor died in Muizenburg on 26th March 1902 at age 49.  Rhodes decreed in his will that he was to be buried in Matobo Hills. After his death in the Cape in 1902, his body was transported by train to Bulawayo. His burial was attended by Ndebele chiefs, who asked that the firing party should not discharge their rifles as this would disturb the spirits. Then, for the first time, they gave a white man the Matabele royal salute, Bayete. Rhodes is buried alongside Leander Starr Jameson and 34 British soldiers killed in the Shangani Patrol. The 34 Soldiers had been involved in a Battle in 1893 on the Shangani River in Zimbabwe where they had been completely overrun and killed.  Despite occasional efforts to return his body to the United Kingdom, his grave remains there still, "part and parcel of the history of Zimbabwe" and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
The Memorial was hewn from granite quarried from above the city.
Eight Seated Lions, the equestrian bronze (Physical Energy) and Tuscan columns and the land were left by Rhodes to be open to the public. The memorial was inaugurated in 1912. Another bust of Rhodes unveiled 1934, was situated in the Cape Town University grounds until 2015 when a bunch of students decided that this was inappropriate.
Prime Minister of the Cape Colony 1890-1986. Moved to South Africa at age 17 and entered the Diamond Industry at age 18. Over the next 20 years he built a business empire that dominated the world of the Diamond Industry (De Beers).  Not surprisingly he believed that the world would be a better place under the dominance of British Rule and the Monarchy. This was a prevailing train of thought at the time.
1895.  Rhodes was Prime Minister of the Cape Colony while Paul Kruger was Premier of the Transvaal Colony.  Rhodes thought that he could overthrow the Boers (Dutch or Afrikaans) and put the Transvaal (South African Republic) under British rule and supported the failed Jameson Raid. After this he resigned his political post in 1896.
1892 Rhodes founded the Rhodes Fruit company and began export of fruit. He was one of the founders of the Cape Fruit industry.
During his political tenure Rhodes introduced Franchise requirements such as land ownership which effectively excluded Blacks from the vote. He was convinced that all people would be better off under British Rule.
He expanded his commercial empire by obtaining mining rights in what is now Zambia and Zimbabwe. 

Monday 29th. This is a Leap Year.  Up early at Cathy's House in Milnerton; Cape Town. And leave for PE at 6am.  I had left my card in Plett on Thursday so we have to fill up with petrol with Barbara's card this morning.  Stops in Sommerset West; Albertina for toasted sandwiches; Knysna to thank the petrol attendant, Albert or X as he is known, who assisted me in January when I was left by the bus driver on our way back from Cape Town and then Plett for tea and pick up the card and then last stop at Storms River to fill up before the final 160k back home by 15.30.

 
Peter Giddy
29th February 2016