Peter Giddy -- February 2018
peter.giddy@gmail.com
Peter Giddy Guided Tours --- Find me on Trip Advisor.
- Shore Excursions
- Hotel and Airport Transfers
- Addo Elephant Park
- Kragga Kamma wildlife Reserve
- City; Historical; Cultural and Township
- Garden Route Specialist
- Adventures -- Ocean Safari; Quad Bikes; Canoe River trails; Zip Lines.
Find me on Trip Advisor --- Google "Peter Giddy Trip Advisor"
Thursday 1st February
Barbara and I drive home from Cape Town where I had a business meeting with Reynard -- Tourism that Cares
Cape Town is in a serious water shortage situation and Nicky has her water cut off so they are "adapting and making plans" for their water supply.
Friday 2nd February.
Start the morning with a 1600m swim with Megan.
I have an Ilios Addo tour for Strachmann couple off the Europa in a Fortuner. This goes well. It is the first time in a long while that I last ate at the Cattle Baron.
Saturday 3rd... I have an early pick up -- Caitlin Mitchell from America is here for work -- I pick up at Forest Hall at 6am.
We have a really successful day with great sightings.
Sunday 4th. I have a Kariega Park Transfer for Mosaic. Meet JR at the PE Airport and we pick up at Kariega to take to the Airport. I cycle for an hour at Grassroof. I realise that I am now able to load the bike up easily and so taking the bike to Grassroof is really a pleasure -- quick in and out.
Monday 5th. I have no assignments this morning. So I have a chore list. Start the day with a 1200m swim with Megan. Then I am back at Grassroof for a cycle with Andrea. And I get through a whole lot of admin. Productive day. Cell Group in the evening rounds the day off quite nicely.
Tuesday -- I run with Mike; Adrienne; Angela; Gaye; Steff and Liesl. This is a 7k walk run. More social than real tough running. Later I spend the morning on Dole Admin before Barbara and I drive out to see Matthew and the foundations of the house he is building.
Then this evening I run 9k with Achilles from Walmer Golf Course.
This is an Achilles Article that I write for Carol Anne Cash.
Tuesday 6th Feb.
Today I experienced Achilles as I remember from some years
ago. I have not been running in the
evening for a long while, as I find it convenient to do the little training
that I do, in the mornings. But this
evening Percy had called me to say that I was in the Top 30 for the Brian Bands
Participation League and that I was due to be awarded a prize.
I had no idea that I was in the top 30 nor did I know that
the Top 30 on the log would each be receiving an award. So I looked back to 2017 and thought of how
it came about that I had qualified for this.
Some of you may have met my Spanish friend. Maria --- Her
husband works for a company contracted to VW and he was asked to work at VW SA. They arrived in Port Elizabeth in 2016 and
Maria had met Adrienne at the Collegiate School Shop. Adrienne invited Maria to join our running
group. And so it came about that I met
Maria and suggested that she take part in an official race. Prior to that Maria had, in Spain, never run
and official race before.
Maria loved our local events and her enthusiasm was
infectious. So at every possible
opportunity I would run an event with Maria.
I very often have to work over
weekends so cannot participate as much as I would like; but with Maria’s love
for running I did as many as I was able. Maria progressed from 10 to 15 and
finally to running a 21k and was thrilled at being able to complete here in
Port Elizabeth. She loved the acceptance
and friendship from those Achilleans who greeted and ran with her. So thanks everyone for that.
Sadly, Maria and her family, returned to Spain at the end of
2017. But thank you Maria. If it had not been for your saying “Yes” at
every opportunity to run a race, I would not have been in the Top 30 of the
Brian Bands Participation League in Achilles.
Wednesday -- Swimming with Megan 1600m. Cycle from Grassroof up to Boundary and then along the Herald Route. About 20km. Warm conditions.
Afternoon spend working on a Dole Phyto that was giving problems. Solved before 4pm and forwarded to HO
Thursday -- Too tired to run. Slept in. No electricity. I have an Addo Tour with Caroline; Julie; Sonja; Michelle and Marie. Great sightings including a lion at the end of the day.
Friday 9th. Up early for swimming with Megan and Chantalay. One thing that I miss right now is the feeling of the sun as it streams through the windows in the morning. That was earlier in the year. Now the sun only starts to shine into the pool area after we have left. I swim one mile.
Later -- Cycling around the Golf Course -- about 18km. By now it is hot and I get home drenched in sweat. I see a group of boys and girls in the bushes smoking. I just glare at them. On my second circuit there is an adult with them -- clearly admonishing them. I also come across a man sleeping. Her remains asleep for my second and third circuit.
Barbara takes Joshua to the doctor. I get ready for my weekend Garden Route Tour. Barbara has two transfers this weekend for Pembury.
Friday afternoon to Sunday evening. ... I fetch Theresa; Florian and Alex and we drive to Plett for the Weekend.
Zip Lines; Mobys for supper; Run to Robberg 12k in the rain. Farmers Market for breakfast; Knysna Heads; Knysna Elephant Walk; Beach walk; Fat Fish for dinner; Run 12k to Robberg; Breakfast in the Marrakesh Flat; Bungy Jump watching; Tsitsikamma park Storms River Mouth; Kayaking and then back to PE.
Monday 12th. Swim 1500m with Megan and Chantalay. Three for Addo. Baji -- Banker from Canada -- Here to watch India play cricket; Shannon -- Nurse from Canada on Holiday; Priya -- teacher from UK on holiday.
Tuesday -- Running in the morning with Mike.
I fetch Colin from the airport. He is just from the KNP and had a great Safari there. Jess and Sonja are both Canadians on Holiday in RSA and looking forward a Day in Addo.
Amazingly we are in our first hour of Safari and we find SIX lions. Some of them come right up close to the car. There are three little cubs which are such fun to watch as they follow their mother "Josie". Josie is named after the daughter of the head of Addo NP, John Adendorf.
Wednesday 14th ... Valentines Day.
Swimming with Megan and Chantalay. I swim 1600m. And then later cycling with Andrea.
Grassroof. Barbara and I try to find a place to have dinner but I, foolishly, did not think to book. Restaurants are all full, so we end up with a seafood platter at home.
Thursday Run Target Kloof with Adrienne; Jenna and Michael. ... Seabourn Sourjorn in the PE Harbour this week.
I pick up Shannon; Fred; Peter and Cathy for an Addo Safari. We are really lucky to see a variety of animals up close including the lions and Elephant. Barbara does a Lalibela Transfer.
Friday... Swimming with Megan. My last 1600m swim before the River Mile on Sunday.
Shamwari (Eagles Crag) pick up at 11.00am and return to the ship in Africa 4 Real vehicle.
Our Saturday Addo Safari was a real treat -- At one watering hole we watched for nearly an hour as Elephants; warthogs and Zebra came and went.
Saturday evening we have supper at Bobby with Estelle; Charles and Ingrid. His son James joins us. Bobby makes us a real treat of a supper with Filet; Sliced potato, corgettes and Pumpkin.
Official Race Results.
Ronel Time 1 hour 34 Min. Position 285 and average speed 19kmph.
Chris Time 1hour 52 min. Position 432 of 524 Average Speed 16kmph.
Peter. Time 1hour 52min. Position 433 average speed 16kmph
Herald MTB and Sundays River Mile events -- Sunday 18th Feb.
Sunday I am up early and leave for Addo at 4.30am. It takes me just over an hour, at 80kph, to get to the Polo Club. I had packed the bike and stuff for the Herald Cycle MTB event the previous evening so was really relaxed when I arrived. Sorted out my stuff, met up with Chris, Elmarie and Ronel and their friend, Baatjies. The 80 and 60kay event riders go off first and then at last it is our turn. We leave at about 6.30. Ronel goes off ahead. Chris and Baatjies are behind me but soon pass me and I plod on at my own pace. The route is slightly different from my last ride but the long hill is still there. I am only drinking water so have no coke or powerade on the ride. I stop for a banana at the first (12km mark) table after the steep downhill. The next section is fairly flat and at the 20km there is another table but nothing to eat. I have passed a number of people with flat tyres but simply cannot stop for everyone. I have slime in my tyres -- I had them all replaced and sorted after a cycle in January when I had two flats.
Chris and I have hardly trained at all for this event. I have done some road bike cycling but nothing on the MTB. Today I had started off at a steady pace and was feeling strong over the last 10kay. The announcer had spoken about the Pack house and some wooden steps but there were none. The last kay seemed to be the longest. I think that they had made a mistake when they put up the marker boards over the last 3km.
Chris had finished just a minute ahead of me. He was suffering from cramps. Chris had flu a short while before todays event. Ronel had a great ride and had completed the 30kay in just 90 minutes. Chris and I rode for about 2 hours.
Megan -- 95 out of 198 finishers; 6/16 in age category 42 minutes.
Peter --- 199 / 242 finishers; 7/13 in age category 40 minutes.
After the cycle I had to immediately pack the bike away and drive home. After a short rest I fetched Megan and we met with her friend Jacques, Irene and Estelle. We drove out to Colchester together. Registered and did our Body Marking. We found a place in the shade at the end of the swim. Rob and Vanessa were there.
I walked with Megan to the start and then Jacques and Irene joined me to wait first for the Ladies Mile to start at 13.30. Once they had gone off, Jacques and I went through the entrance chute and waited for our start.
I had thought that the ladies were noisy but the men were so vocal when we were in the water waiting for the hooter. At last it blasted and off we went. As usual I swam at my own steady pace and as usual I headed in the wrong direction towards the left hand side of the river. This slows me down as I cover extra distance but I tend to get mixed up when swimming.
There were 110 ladies and 267 men in the water this afternoon. It had gone from searing heat to a strong wind but when we started there was hardly any wind at all. The pushing current was not really there at all for the ladies and may have been very slightly in the mens favour.
There were three big yellow buoys in the water. They divided the course into four quarters. The first quarter took forever and then the next two buoys seemed to come quickly. The final quarter was over in minutes and I was soon swimming to the finish.
Probably not my best time but I had enjoyed the swim and the outing. Jacques was just behind me. Also in the water today -- Craig and Sharon Wilson; Emelio Burri; Dalen, Andrew, Gordon.
Rob and Vanessa had done the off road triathlon earlier in the day.
Results for this event:
Megan -- 42min; Position 95 / 198 finishers. 6/16 in age category.
Peter -- 40 min ( I must have been tide assisted): 199 / 242 finishers. Position 7/13 in age category. And now I know I AM old. The age category is 65-99. There are no older people than the 13 in this category! That is it!
Later I make an attempt to attend church but with the Extra Loud Singing and the messages and calls I receive for tours -- I eventually abandon church.
Monday 19th. Start the day with a 1000m swim and then I have an Addo Tour for the day.
This evening we have cell group at Rob and Vanessa's home overlooking the bay.
Tuesday 20th
Run / Walk 7kay with Chris; Adrienne; Liesl; Gaye; Steff and Mike.
Take the Combi to the Garage. It is rattling since I had the brakes fixed.
Frank took a group to the township school yesterday and they have bought the school a freezer. He and I are there to hand it over to the school.
Later I get the Combi back. They have fixed the metal rattle where the mechanic failed to connect some parts correctly. I Cycle the Grassroof Yellow Lines 20k.
Wednesday 21st. Swimming 1200m with Megan and Liesl.
Addo with Dennis Kennedy from Hub Botique Hotel and Lungile -- Michael. We have a good day in a Misty Addo. The South of Addo looks amazing after a few days of rain and mist. The north is still grey and dry.
Thursday. Running (8kay) target Kloof with Mike; Steff; Adrienne and Chris.
Then Chris fetches me and we do a short (12k) cycle at the beach front on our MTBs. Back by 8am and in time for Barbara and I to join the Hiking Group SAARP for the Sardinia Bay Bridal Path walk.
There are over 50 walkers today. Barbara joins the group doing a 5kay walk and I am with Alan Hancock and we do the 8kay loop.
The walk that Barabra does is from this house in Hoepoe Road off Sardinia Bay road and onto the Sardinia Bay road towards the beach. After 2.5kay, at the Pylon, they turn around and back to the house where they wait for the second group.
We take a horse trail (Bridal Path) .... Soft sand for part of the way. Not too bad. Some short hills but it is not hot today. A cool breeze and overcast makes walking comfortable. These pathways have names and I think that this is designed to help not getting lost when riding.
We continue over some of the Coastal Fynbos and down to the Sardinia bay beach to where the Lifesaving Clubhouse used to be.
Here we stop for a short break and then head back up and make our way on the M1 to the house where we had started.
Barbara and I have a list of chores ... Stop to buy some dog food ... I find a book store and end up with four books.
We then do some shopping and finally make a purchase of Two smallish backpacks for our Camino in April.
We also try to buy some hiking shoes or sandals but nowhere do we find exactly what we are looking for.
Friday 23rd.
Nicky's Birthday. She buys herself a new Lounge Suite.
I swim 1000m with Megan at the Newton Park Swimming Pool. This morning we have some chores in preparation for our April trip to Spain.
This afternoon I have a Zuurberg Guiding assignment in their open vehicle. The drive to Zuurberg Inn is just under 100kay from home and takes me about an hour and a half. When I arrive it is really hot.
I load up the cooler boxes with drinks and a picnic. I then meet the couple who will be with me -- Yannik and Eliza from Germany. Both medical doctors doing their Residency. Drive to the main camp and then through into the park. Storm clouds are starting to build up. We see lots of Kudu and Elephants in the distance. At Hapoor we meet up with the rest of the Zuurberg Guides and here we find Buffalo. I continue trying to find Elephant but no luck. So we stop for Lunch and it starts to rain. Thunder and Lightning. Hail and wind.
My guests are great sports and no complaints. After our lunch we continue but by now it is pouring. My seat and clothes are drenched. Fortunately we had all brought waterproof jackets.
My vehicle has no windscreen wipers and no rear view mirror and no lights that I can find. So I am kind of driving blind in this pouring rain. Fortunately it is not cold so we are actually quite okay.
We decide to continue a circuit and then by chance we come across the Lions. Wonderful sightings just close to the road. But after a while, when I want to start the vehicle, the battery is dead and it will not start. And here we are next to the Lions. I phone Zuurberg and they offer to send a rescue vehicle. The one of the other guides sees our dilemma and offers to push. I ask Yannik to help and we get the vehicle started.
We then find excellent sightings of Elephant. Firstly a big bull and then a family of about 20 females with baby elephant.
We have now had a good afternoon of game viewing despite the rain and other setbacks. Today's Addo Elephant park Safari was a day to remember.
Saturday morning. I run 7kay with Susan. Steff and Liesl are walking so we kind of run and fetch.
I have an Addo Tour for Gabriella (Gabby) from Brazil - Lungile. Dirk and Christiana from Germany (sells containers) and staying at Millbury and as a last minute booking -- Ava from Italy; a Vet student internship with 9th Ave Vets from Kings Beach.
After the heavy rains I was not sure we would see much. But as luck has it we see a bit herd of Buffalo; they Elephants and finally we see three Lionesses to top it all. A great day with good company and good sightings.
This afternoon I pack my bike and kit into the car so that I can leave early on Sunday morning.
Our Official time was 2.28. 177 of 260 riders. And 44 of 90 in our start group. Our Average Speed was 22kmph.
Sunday 25th.
Cycling the Herald 55kay with Andrea. We meet at Summerstrand just after 7am. Cycle to the start and try to get a bit of shelter from the cold wind. The west wind is not very strong but enough to make a difference. Andrea and I have decided to cycle together as we need the moral support. So we ride up to Walmer Boulevard and are passed by a number of people from the next group.
Andrea is always strong on the up hill -- in fact generally a stronger rider than I am.
So we try to slip various people and small groups as we ride up Heugh Road to Buffelsfontein.
Finally we get to the top of Boundary Road and turn left into Old Seaview Road. Here we have the toughest single hill to Langbaan where there is a refreshment station.
I dont know what I am thinking as I dont even have to stop here (not drinking any of the energy drinks) but I stop and cannot uncleat so fall onto my right hand side and bruise me hand and knee.
No serious injury and we press on.
Fortunately Andrea and I have cycled this route twice in the past few weeks so we both have confidence in climbing the hills and chasing on the down hills.
Back onto New Seaview Road and now we have the Westerly behind us. We pass the refreshment station where I am greeted by Bianca who works at Fedex where I often visit. I grab a Bar One.
We cycle past Grassroof and down to Sardinia Bay road. When we get to the Schoenmakerskop Road we are cycling into the wind again. But most of this is downhill so we are okay.
Onto Marine drive and now I am starting to get tired legs. The final 20kay is going to be hard for me as I have to keep up with Andrea who is still strong. We cycle as hard as we can without being ridiculous. And finally we see a 10k to go sign. We are now approaching the University and as I predicted the final 5kay is back into the Westerly.
We know that we are nearly home and continue to ride reasonably hard. I have to stand and stretch fairly frequently to ease my legs and body.
At last we arrive back at the Radisson Hotel. We have taken about two hours and thirty minutes for our cycle. We are quite happy with the result and glad to be able to get off the saddle.
I feel fortunate to have Andrea to cycle with as I am motivated to get going when other people join me in an event like today.
Later this afternoon I have a Transfer for Mark Heck. I take a group of 7 people from their PE Hotel to Alexandria; Port Alfred and Grahamstown.
Monday 26th. Swimming with Chantalay 1200m.
Addo Safari with Luc; Arthur; Anna from Netherlands; Deun from Netherlands; Toby from Germany; Lauri from France and Felix from Austria
Tuesday 27th. Barbara's Birthday. Lene and family come to give gifts and with her. I do my first tryout with the Backpack that I bought last week from Outdoor Warehouse. I fill it with about 6kg of stuff. Not easy walking and difficult to run with it on my back. I am with Mike and Adrienne who survived a motor accident last week after being rearended by a sleepy driver near to Walmer Park early on Saturday morning.
From here we see huge herds of Elephant below on Green fields after the recent rains.
Wednesday 28th Feb 2018
End of the second month of the year already! And in less than one month Barbara and I leave for Portugal and Spain to walk the Camino from Porto to Santiago de Compestela
I swim 1200m with Megan this morning.
I have an Addo Safari with Rondolvo; Leo (Two Italian men on a Surfing Holiday) and Ho who is from the UK
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