June 2020. Peter Giddy Guided Tours; Tours designed for South African residents.
Hiking and Walking tours in and around Port Elizabeth; the Eastern Cape ; Tsitsikamma and Garden Route.
Addo, Kragga Kamma, Daniel Cheetah and other Wildlife ReserHisves.
Hiking tours; Day outings & City Tours Historical and local places of interest; TsiTsikamma day visit; Plettenbergbay and Knysna two or three days adventures.
3 to 6 day Karoo to Coast -- Langkloof; Uniondale; Prince Albert; Meiringspoort; Swartberg Pass; Die Hel and TsiTsikamma
Shore Excursions. Passenger ships in Port Elizabeth. Aida Mira; Sun Princess; Azamara Quest; Oceania Nautica; Queen Elizabeth;
Peter Giddy Guided Tours -- Shore Excursions -- Addo Elephant and other Wildlife Reserves -- Garden Route. Flowers of Namaqualand --
0027 (0) 82 55 03 714 Whatsup
peter.giddy@gmail.com
- Addo Elephant Park Day Visit and Night drive.
- Kragga Kamma Wildlife Reserve
- Daniel Cheetah Project
- Pumba; Shamwari; Amakhala; Kariega -- Day trips Private Reserves.
- Three day tour of Mountain Zebra Park. Graaff Reinet, Nieu Bethesda and Addo.
- Tours: City Historical and Cultural Tours,
- Horse riding for both experienced and inexperienced riders
- Hikes and Walks around Port Elizabeth (2 hour Nature and Coastal walks)
- Garden Route Adventure Tours (Zip Lines; Segway in the Forest; Adventure Quad Biking; Bridge Walks; Bungy Jump; Knysna Elephant Park; Monkey Land and Birds of Eden; Big Cats Sanctuary; Oudtshoorn Cango Caves and Ostrich farms)
- Shore Excursions from Passengers ships.
- Day visit -- Historical City Tour; Beach Front; Penguin Sanctuary; Sacramento; Heritage walking trail; Seafood lunch at Barnacles and end the day with a 2 hour wildlife experience.
- Transfers. Airport; Hotel and Wildlife Reserve.
- Flowers of Namaqualand. Seven days of adventure and exploring places and sights you never even knew existed. History and natural beauty of the South West of South Africa
- Karoo to Garden Route. Six days of fun and activities. Prince Albert; Swartberg Pass; Die Hell; Oudtshoorn; Prince Alfred pass; Plett and Tsitsikamma.
Website -- petergiddyguidedtours.wordpress.com
For tours and bookings.. email me at. peter.giddy@gmail.com
Contact me on Whatsup.... 0027 082 550 3174
Monday 1st June 2020
Combi in to try to find out what is causing the knocking noise on the rear passenger side.
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| Alethia and Elmarie on the van Stadens river trail |
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I may look dejected -- the reality is I loved every minute of the walk today.
Elmarie on the edge of the cliff.
Wednesday 3rd. Meet Chris and Elmarie for our 6k morning run. I have arranged to hike the V Stadens nature reserve with Elmarie; Alethia and Trevor. We meet at Fig Tree Spar and drive through together. It is a lovely day for a walk. We do the shorter distance as Elmarie has to get back.Ally busy with assignments. Barbara does Rhino Duty.
Thursday 4th. Morning 10k running with Liesl and Jenna. Eye Operation with Philip Finestone. Right eye cataracts removed.
- When the lens of your eye becomes cloudy or blurry -- this is called a Cataract.
- Surgery is performed under local anaesthesia and takes about 15 minutes.
- Surgery is done with a Ultrasonic probe and the lens (Cataract) is removed.
- A new foldable silicon lens is inserted.
- The eye patch is removed the following day.
- Only start exercising in a week.
Thursday afternoon I walk to the Eye and Lazer institute where Philip Finestone operates. The admission procedure is quite a thing especially now with Covid protocols. Eye drops are put into my eye every few minutes. I then walk across to the "Theatre" and more procedures. I wear a hair mask as well as a face mask; shoe covers and an operation gown. Finally I have to lay down on a bed which is wheeled to the Ops center. The Anaethatist gives me an injection and I start to fall asleep. I am supposed to stay aware all the time but have no energy to talk or participate. Philip greets me and goes to work. After the 15 minute op I am woken up and taken back to the ante room where I am offered tea.
As it happens I am reading a book that Barbara gave me "The Game Ranger" and the chapter is about David Livingston who "Discovered" the Victoria falls in 1855 . I come across the passage that reads as follows: "A contender for the first European to discover the Victoria falls is hunter Henry Hartley. His family claimed that they had heard a story from Hartley's gun bearer, Cresjan, in which he recalled them visiting a great cataract with rainbows and drenching spray in 1848."
This made me realise that the word cataract has two meanings:
- large waterfall.
"the river descends in a succession of spectacular cataracts"
- a medical condition in which the lens of the eye becomes progressively opaque, resulting in blurred vision.
"she had cataracts in both eyes"
Some patients see very well the day after cataract surgery. Other patients see well a few days after surgery, and still others may need a full month to reach their maximum vision improvement.
During the first week after surgery, it generally is recommended that the patient keep his or her eye covered at all times, either with eyeglasses or an eye shield, to protect it from being bumped or rubbed. A small amount of pressure can easily open the incision, and protecting the eye prevents this.
Artificial lenses last for a lifetime, and with newer types of lenses, it is very rare to experience a lens-associated complication. Occasionally, an artificial lens can dislocate (move out of its intended position) and result in blurred vision. This usually occurs as a result of trauma to the eye and the doctor should be contacted immediately.
Our group on the trail
Ready, Steady. Go. With Hannes; Jacqui and Chante; Shan; Debbie; Loretta; Sally; Carmen; Val; and from Ireland -- Richie; Kate; Joseph; Ruben and Mosa.
Starting the River Trail
A great hiking group
Snack break -- children coping well with lots of energy.
Hiking under the v Stadens Bridge.
The end of the River Trail
Joseph; Richie and Kate at the Bird Hide.
Saturday 6th. I have to miss the beach front run. But I have a v Stadens Hike with a group of 15 initiated by Loretta. A wonderful day for walking. A first time for most of the group. Left home at 8.00am. Met the group at 8.30 and started hiking by about 9.30. Home by 13.00. About 2.5 hours of walking.
Saturday evening. Chicken Stir Fry with lots of veg; Balsamic rice to follow. . Barbara does Rhino Duty.
Sunday evening I put on a fire.
The Mushroom Soup -- Two punnets Mushrooms; one onion and some garlic; 1/2 cup of cream; one Liter boiling water to dissolve the veg stock and some spices. Boil all the ingredients except the cream which can be added later; Allow to cool before blending and then reheat.
A three course Saturday evening meal with Broccoli and Spinach soup; Braai with Baked potato and an Ally special salad ending off with Pineapple pie and Ice Cream.
Sunday evening ends with Rummicub. I start off well but end with a disastrous hand.
Tea time with fruit & pancakes
Sunday 7th. Day at home with an evening of Braai and Rummicub.
Sunday 7th. Day at home with an evening of Braai and Rummicub.
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| Barbara has completed two paintings this week. The Sunflower pair and the Giraffe couple. |
Thursday -- Cataract op for my left eye. Now both eyes lenses have been replaced with Silicon. The right eye is good for reading and the doctor (Philip Finestone) told me that the left eye should be good for long distance.
Friday I am at home all day. No walking or exercise allowed.
Meanwhile the Barbara and builders are back working on the flat. We have secured a long term tenant who wants to move in at the end of the month. So we now have a time pressure.
Saturday 13th. Barbara does some Township work; Ally continues to work on Assignment submissions for UNISA - Linguistics is her Honours dissertation. This evening we invite a few friends over for a Braai. Ron, Lynn, Chris and Elmarie join us. A bit chilly sitting outside but still a lovely evening.
Monday 15th. Cathy is considering the purchase of an online gift business in NZ. Barbara has a Hairdresser at our house for herself and two of her friends. I meet Ron on the beach for a coffee and walk. Barbara does rhino duty. Ally is flat out studying and preparing assignments for urgent submission.
.Tuesday 16th. A South African public holiday. I start the day with a 5km run with Chris and Elmarie
Today I take two groups hiking on the Heritage Trails .... A perfect day for walking.
Wednesday 17th. Starting the day with a 10k with Chris and Elmarie and then meet up with Mike and Jenny for the second half.
Friday 19th. 10k with Chris and Elmarie. New moon and Venus in the background.
Walking the beachfront with Ron. Sorrels in bloom
Friday evening braai followed by Rummicub. Perfect PE evening.
Saturday 20th June 2020. I have a group of 23 walkers with me to climb the Lady Slipper / van Stadensberg. Janny; Cherie; John; Di and Liesl join me. We meet Cathy and Ronel; Faheem; Zulayga; Thomas; Janice and Jannie, Esme; Ruan and Dane; Teresa and Carl; Mike and Jenny all at Checkers Parking. Carmen; Athol; Dawn and Morgan meet us on the road.
We park at the base of the tar road leading up to the Radio Masts and start our walk. A few cars pass us as we walk and then Wendall who is the ranger for MTO stops us and informs us that we have parked wrongly and that we should have permission to access the Mountain Climb. He is quite pleasant and helps us as Carl; Esme and Dawn go back and move the cars to better parking areas which does not block the road for a fire engine. Mike and Jenny also turn around as Jenny has dropped her glasses.
We all meet up again at the top where Wendall drops them off with us.
We continue on the mountain path and reach the peak a little later than anticipated. The peak is crowded with visitors including a group of Megan Nelson's friends from school.
After we have had a break and a snack we walk back down. A wonderful day for a hike.
I am on a website that advises me of the overhead passing of the International Space Station (ISS). At 18.03 this evening I see the space station crossing the skyline from NW to SE.
I have seen it a couple of times and yet find it fascinating every time I am able to see it crossing the night skies.
Sunday 21st. Winter Solstice. So today the daylight hours are fractionally longer. Today is Fathers Day and I have a small group joining me for the Cape Recife hiking trail.
In the group today. Elmarie and Peter with their entourage -- Grace and Harmony; Lilitha and Lihai. Lucille and Laura; Mark and Debbie; Athol and Janice; Janny and Albert; Megan; Michael; Cameron and Christian;
Monday 22nd. I collect Barbara's vehicle decals for Rhino Watch. This morning Chris; Elmarie and I run our 10k route.
Wednesday 24th
Sacramento hiking trail with: Janny; Teresa; Dianne; Kirstin; Flo; Siobhan and Tristan; Gillian; Seelan and Anshe; Lee; Pat; Lynette, Lindell and Lana; Bennie and Laura.
Add a little of Ally's amazing green salad and you have a meal fit for a South African.
This afternoon while preparing the fire I suddenly developed a Nose Bleed. It was a really warm day today. Hiking in temperatures over 27 degrees. Not sure if that brought it on? It does not appear that a nose bleed is a symptom of C19.
Thursday the Nose bleed appears again so I cancel my run.
Plaque donated by Bisho Steel construction.
June 2020 turned out to be reasonably successful for myself. I now have a group of people who are keen on hiking. This gives me an additional interest and a small income. Organising the hikes and keeping lists of the people who will be joining me has not been easy. People change minds and add friends and some want exclusive walks with their groups. I try to accommodate everyone without overcrowding.
Barbara now has a tenant for our Garden Cottage which I have called Hoskins House. It is a big investment for us. A substantial cash investment. And Barbara has spent physical energy as well as time on managing this project.
Ally has been working hard to complete assignments for her Honours in Linguistics. Very difficult to maintain enthusiasm and commitment without any assistance from Unisa nor any feedback on the assignments submitted.
Hikes that I did this month:
Schoenmakerskop Heritage Trail x 2
Schoenmakerskop Sacramento Trail x 1
Van Stadens Flower Reserve trails x 3
Lady Slipper north side x 3
Cape Recife x 1
City historical walk x 1
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