March 2018. Peter Giddy Guided Tours.
Port Elizabeth;
- Addo Elephant Park;
- City, historical and cultural Tours;
- Township Tours;
- Adventure Tours; -- Canoe trails; Walking and Hiking; Horse Riding; Sandboarding; Quad biking; Surfing; Zip Lines;
- Garden Route Tours. Monkey Land; Birds of Eden; Big Cats; Ocean Safari; Beach Walks.
- Kragga Kamma Wildlife Reserve
- Wildlife Reserves
- Transfers -- Airport; Wildlife and Hotel
- Uitenhage educational and Historical tour.
- Horse Riding... Including a Beach Ride.
- Two Oceans Marathon.. I run the Half.
Find me on Trip Advisor --- Google;- Peter Giddy Guided Tours Trip Advisor
Contact me on peter.giddy@gmail.com
Or +27 82 550 3174 (Whatsup)
Thursday 1st March.
I am now in Training for the Two Oceans 21k as well as the Spanish Camino planned for April.
I also want to keep up with the Swimming as this appears to be keeping me injury free at present.
In addition I don't want to stop cycling when I am able as I love my hour of riding on the Grassroof Route.
This morning I run the Target Kloof Route -- Probably around 8km. With Mike; Chris; Andrea and end up with Adrienne.
Later today I have a Township tour with Kim. Kim is an Ex PE girl having been schooled at Collegiate and NMU and has done voluntary work in some of the PE Townships. We visit Ayanda's Pottery; Nathaniel and Sam's Spaza; Henry Nginza School; Airport Valley Creche and Ntombekaya home.
Friday morning swimming 1200m with Megan and Chantalay.
It is raining this morning so not much gets done. Ally arrives from CT for a 21st Birthday party of Megan Derry this weekend.
Saturday morning. Raining again.
I pick up Werner and Line from Ocean bay. We enter in the North and soon are in the middle of a variety of animals which continues for the day. Overall a successful Safari which we all enjoyed.
Ally goes to Megan's 21st birthday party as Mama Mia.
Sunday 4th. Not feeling well. I start the morning with a 7k walk with the full backpack but that is the end of my day as I spend the rest of the day in bed. Ally leaves for Cape Town while Barbara helps Delene moving to their new place.
Monday. Still feeling a bit groggy. No swim or run.
Addo tour for four people takes up most of the day. Later -- Cell group with Cronje and Claudine.
Barbara helping Matthew and Delene with their move from Hebron to across the road where they are building a home for themselves.
Tuesday 6th. Running with the Group. Adrienne; Chris; Liesl; Steff; Mike; Gaye; Anne and Ronel. I am trying to fit in some extra to strengthen up for Oceans 21k.
I have an Addo while Barbara continues to help Delene with her moving from Hebron.
Wednesday 7th. I swim with Megan 1200m.
I then have a Grahamstown Settler Tour for Mosaic with Maureen who is Australian and here to watch Australia play the Proteas at St Georges Park starting later this week.
Thursday -- Running with Mike and Chris.
Addo Tour with Gail from New York and from Panama.
I learn of the death of Bridget Goldsmith. She was in a motor accident and after a number of tests and an operation, developed an infection and died. So sad for her family and husband Mike and her mother Hermine.
Friday... Swim 1500m with Megan; Chantalay and Faye.
Overcast and dizzling -- I do a couple of chores and Dole stuff.
Results of some of the Achilleans
1111 GRAHAM CHANNON ACH M 68 Time 1.19
912 PETER POHLMANN CHARLO M 54 Time 1.19.
1097 MATI JACK ACH M 66 Time 1.25.08
1196 SAMANTHA DOUGLAS ACH F 30 Time.30.15
1200 KYLE STEVENS ACH M 30 Time 30.16
1092 EDEN GRUNDLINGH ACH Time 1.30.18
1114 GAIL KLICHOWICZ ACH F 51 Time 1.30.57
1116 PETER GIDDY ACH M 67 Time 1.31.15
1147 LIZ PRINS ACH F 48 Time 1.31.21
1157 GEOFF ROBERTS ACH M 65 Time 1.32.08
1144 KEN BARWOOD ACH M 62 Time 1.32.10
1165 LESLEY MAGGOTT ACH F 50 Time 1.32.24
1090 SUSANN CHAPMAN ACH F 42 Time1.34.47
Last year I ran 1.25.24. And Gail was also just a minute ahead of me.
Saturday. Up early and drive to Sportsman Warehouse in William Moffet. Register for the race. I run a short warm up with Kenny and then with Tom.
The race starts at 6.30am with a bit of useless chatter from the Microphone. Threatening runners "take their numbers" when they stand slightly to the side of the start.
A small group of Achilleans gather together at the start.
The route is down William Moffet and then up to Cape Road. We then turn into Sunridge Park with a number of slow tough climbs. Then on to the rugby fields ... we run around this road and then back into Sunridge. Again more hills. I was running behind Eden; Jarred and Samantha and hard as I may try, I cannot catch them.
The run takes us up and down a hilly course. As tough if not tougher than the Bluewaterbay Course of earlier this year. For me this is a good test of my ability to stay the distance at Oceans in Three Weeks time.
I am able to run the full distance. Slow on the ups but I maintain a steady pace. Towards the end Gail and I run side by side but in the final km she goes ahead and I finish with Rob Button..
I dont stay for coffee as I am only drinking water and am not that sociable. Also I want to relax before my tour later. Rob says we finished in 90 minutes.
Barbara takes in some abandoned chickens. Some die and she passes the others on to a farming friend. She has a rat which is a pet and this animal gets sick and also dies. Upsetting.
I pick up Gail Epstein from Windemere and we drive the Marine Drive stopping at Sacramento. Then on to Kragga Kamma where we take a slow drive around the reserve before stopping for a toasted sandwich for lunch. Later I drop Gail off at the airport. She is flying to CT to meet her sister and then on to Botswana and the Victoria Falls.
Sunday morning 11th. I start the day with a 7km walk around Linkside with my loaded backpack. This is my attempt to train for the Camino.
I then pick up David; Roxanne (Australians visiting to watch some cricket and to enjoy a holliday in SA) and Tim (working for Schwafer automotive suppliers -- Audi for catalitic converters).
We have a successful day with plenty Elephant; Buffalo and Lions -- and all the other animals as well.
As soon as I get home I load my backpack again and to the 7km walk with my distance and timer on my phone. The distance is almost exactly 7km and I take just under 1.30hours walking between 11 to 12 minutes a km.
Monday morning. Swimming with Megan 1000m
Barbara and I visit Matthew and Delene at their makeshift home on Lady's Slipper.
This afternoon I walk my 7kay route around Linkside. I now know where each km marker is and the route takes me 1h20m or about 12 minutes a kay.
This evening late -- after cell group -- and after I have fallen asleep -- I fetch Natalie from the airport to Radisson Blu. Her flight had been delayed.
Tuesday... Running the 7km route with Adrienne; Liesl; Jenna; Ronel, Mike and Annie.
When I get back from Addo I meet with Ron to see if there is a possibility of him working with us on the Export Documentation job.
Barbara and I walk 7km around Grey and Linkside.
Addo Tour with Danny and Michelle from Canada and Kata from Germany.
8km walk with my backpack. 3km of the walk done with Barbara. Meet Dedire and Brenda walking their dogs and Mike Perks on his way home.
Thursday 15. Running target kloof with Chris; Mike; Elmarie; Ronel; Adrienne; Steff and Liesl. Suzanne is back and runs with the group but I dont see her as she is in the fast group and we split at 8th ave.
Walking with the Thursday Retired group. I am with my backpack. As we are leaving a slight drizzle starts to fall and puts a few people off. Split into two groups -- the long and the short walking distances. The short walkers head towards Hobie beach while we go on the boardwalk towards Cape Recife. The boardwalk is slippery and some of the walk feels more like a trampoline So we have to be careful to not fall.
Once we get to Flat Rocks we take to the beach and have great walk along the beach -- It is low tide and specifically selected for a beach walk at this time. Plenty of sea weed on the beach. We stop on the rocks for a short break -- banana and water.
Thursday evening Barbara and I meet Brenda for an evening of fun with Gino Fabbri.
I take Nora for a tour of Addo Elephant Park. We start off in the rain but the rest of the day is successful.
Saturday 17th. I had received a request from Brighton of Zuurberg Mountain Inn to guide for them this morning. It meant that I had to leave home at 4.30am. The drive takes a good hour and a half on a terrible road to Addo and then the 16km from the tar road to Zuurberg is a nightmare all on its own. Especially in the dark! And this morning I come across a Kudu Bull as well as a fleeting glimpse of a Genet scuttling into the bush.
Once at Zuurberg I help Brighton to load the cooler boxes into the vehicle I will be driving. I am getting used to the fact that I wont have any windscreen wipers. I never found out if the lights worked as it was light by the time we leave at 6.30am. I have 9 people in the Landrover. Once we get to Addo Reception 5 of them transfer to an Addo Vehicle driven by Headman.
I have four Belgium guests. We have fun -- starting the day with a sighting of two male lions. Once is eating the warthog that he caught. We hear the crunching of the bones. This is probably one of the most graphic Lion Sightings you will ever experience.
The rest of the day is successful with a picnic breakfast and plenty of close up Elephant sightings.
Sunday 18. Walk around Linkside and Grey twice for just short of 14km. This takes me over 2.5hours. Later Barbara and I walk on the beach front 6.5km. So a total of 20km walking for the day. The rest of the day is just that -- "Rest"
Monday 19. Start the morning with a 1500m swim with Megan. Then I put my backpack on and do an 11km walk around Linkside and Mill Park. I take bags and do some garbage clean up while walking.
I have an afternoon Horse Riding tour with three from Jikeleza at Heavenly stables. They are experienced riders and opt for the Beach Ride.
Tuesday. I run about 10km .. This morning on the run with us -- Octavia and her friend Rose join for the first time. Sjani is back after a long break from the group. Steff; Chris and Liesl walk. I run with Octavia and Rose. Adrienne, Mike and Anne are just behind us.
Once I am home I walk 10kay with my Backpack. I take some plastic packets and just around Grey I pick up two full packets of rubbish including 38 plastic bottles; 18 tins and 19 cigarette packets.
Friday 23rd. Swimming in the morning 1200m with Megan.
Township Tour for 6 people on NMBT pass. Frank, Alan and I meet at VP High School where we meet the two adults in the group -- Furke the teacher and Matias the dad.
I have Matias and Furke with me as well as the Grade 11 girls from Germany -- Lena; Ellen; Kim and Johanna.
We start the tour at the South End Museum and then move across to Missionvale and Henry Nginza Primary School.
Nomakwesi takes over and takes the group to the Garden and then to the Classrooms ... One of the Classes does a sing song and dance for the group. Shosholoza is always a hit.
From here we continue on to the Red Location Museum where we stop at a Street Butchery before I drop them off at the Segway tours.
Saturday 24th. 10kay run at St Albans.
I get to the race nice and early. It is held at the church just past St Albans Prisons. A short warm up run gets me into the mood and I am ready to run. There is a fresh West wind that will push us out for the first half of the run this morning.
We start off in an Easterly direction and I can see that the pace is going to be fast. Kenny started in the front of the field and charged off. Graham runs past me and I never had a chance to catch him after that. Gail runs past and I do my best to keep her in sight. Achilles has some good runners and I am able to greet them as we pass each other -- me on the way out and they are on the way back.
It is a straight out and back course. Along the "Old Cape Road" .... we turn around at 5km and then have a bit of an uphill and into the wind as we do our best to maintain the pace we set for ourselves in the first half.
I see Lesley and Gail just ahead of me and so this is my target. Graham is a bit in front of them and I know that he is pushing hard to as he is inclined to do. But then I see that the girls have caught up with Kenny so now this is my challenge... Catch and pass Kenny! It is hard work but I pick up my pace and soon start to chase them down. Finally with just one kay to go I am able to give Kenny the Bruce Fordyce pat on the back and then run the next hundred meters as hard as I can. Gail holds my pace and for a short while goes ahead of me. I pick up my pace just a notch and am able to hold this to the finish line. Gail and I finish within seconds of each other just as we did at Sportsmans 15kay two weeks ago.
At the finish line after a short chat and socializing --- I realise that we are close to the Lady's Slipper parkrun so I jump into the car and drive there as quickly as I can. I am just in time with not a second to spare. Barbara and Delene are walking their first one here. This parkrun has had to change venue from Falcon Rock to Slipperfields. This course turns out to be a toughy. Narrow and windy pathways with plenty of hills and sloped trails. Chantal and Ronald are the main organisers and it is Chantal who is the Sweeper for today and she keeps us company to the 3kay mark. Barbara and Delene walk to the finish and I run the last two kays to finish in one hour and ten minutes.
| Lady Slipper parkrun results for event #52. Your time was 01:10:20. |
| Congratulations on completing your 59th parkrun and your 2nd at Lady Slipper parkrun today. You finished in 95th place and were the 62nd male out of a field of 104 parkrunners and you came 5th in your age category VM65-69. Take a look at this week's full set of results on our website. Your PB at Lady Slipper parkrun remains 00:35:25. Congratulations on your fastest time this year |
Meanwhile. Patrick discovered blood in his urine and had a growth taken from his bladder. He is waiting for a biopsy result.
Some of the results from Saturday's Race ---
50 280 1191 ALAN TAYLOR ACH M 60 60-64M 0.41.55 5
115 360 1156 BRUCE MCEWAN ACH M 64 60-64M 0.46.46 4
146 374 1148 PERCY DALTON ACH M 69 65-69M 0.49.07 3
233 456 745 KATHLEEN FLANAGAN CRUSADE F 32 SF 0.53.09 1 0
262 656 1111 GRAHAM CHANNON ACH M 68 65-69M 0.55.05 2
286 95 1116 PETER GIDDY ACH M 67 65-69M 0.55.45 2
290 581 1114 GAIL KLICHOWICZ ACH F 51 50-54F 0.55.50 2
298 335 1144 KEN BARWOOD ACH M 62 60-64M 0.56.17 1
299 121 1165 LESLEY MAGGOTT ACH F 50 50-54F 0.56.18 1
352 486 1119 TREMAINE WESSON ACH M 57 55-59M 0.58.59 1
361 372 705 OCTAVIA BOSHOFF CRUSADE F 48 45-49F 0.59.46 1
390 352 1126 TOM D'ARCY ACH M 72 70+M 1.01.27 1
400 1135 1135 MOF BOTHA ACH M 62 60-64M 1.02.19 1
508 2365 1122 BOB STEDMAN ACH M 68 65-69M 1.09.52 1
525 6135 6135 TAMARIN ELLIS TEMP F 31 SF 1.11.31 0
Sunday... I have a Township / Kragga Kamma tour -- First with Guus from Netherlands and then with .... Auditors from India who are with me for a Kragga Kamma tour only.
SA continues to play against Australia at Newlands. There has been a bit of upset when one of the Australian players, a new boy called Bancroft, tampered with the ball and this was caught on camera. Unfortunately this incident became blown out of all proportion just as the incident with our bowler, Rabada, and caused the Ausies to lose focus. So the game ended with Australia batting just 90 runs for the loss of all 10 wickets and SA are now 2-1 in the series with just one match left.
Monday 26th. Swimming 1200m with Megan. The pool is full of swimmers even though we get there at 4.55am.
I have a second session with the German Students from Victoria Park High School -- Contact is Angelique. We drive through to Uitenhage where we start off at the VW Pavilion. Then we visit the Science Expo and lastly the site of the British Concentration camp on the far side of the Golf Course.
Back in PE we allow some time for souvenir shopping.
This evening Barbara and I attend a DA Political Meeting at the Newton Park Library.
Thursday 27th. Running with Adrienne; Liesl; Steff and Chris. My last run before Oceans on Saturday.
There is a ship in town and I spend about two hours waiting for business. When there is clearly none to be had I leave and so that is the end of my working month.
Friday -- Swimming with Liesl and Megan. 1300m.
Meet with Ron to explain the procedure for shipping documents.
When I arrived at the City Market Square I met up with Gerald Bowers; Flo and Linda from Hiking and Karen & John. I ended up with Karen dancing and singing with the rest of the support group.
Registration went quite smoothly and we were soon at Nicky where Werner makes us the most delicious Potato and Leek Soup.
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| An old pic of Ally on the swings in the garden |
Saturday 31st. Two Oceans Marathon. Ally and I stay at Patrick's house. I walk to the start. Meet Michael Botha and we wait for the Start together.
I have a solid run. Running from start to finish. Not as quick as I would ideally have liked but a finish is a finish. It is my tenth so I now have a Blue number for the full (1044) and also for the Half (1267).
Meanwhile -- Cricket drama continues at the Wanderers.
Last week three of the Australian team (Smith the captain; Warner the vice and Bancroft a recent addition to the batting team) were sent home due to ball tampering. The game was won by SA making the series -- Australia winning in Durban; SA wins in PE and also in CT after the ball tampering debacle.
So this weekend they start the fourth test at the Wanderers where our team score 487 in the first innings. Australia take over batting on Saturday 31st afternoon and by stumps they are 110 for the loss of 6 wickets. The three replacements score just 12 runs between them.
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