3, 2, 1...Bungee!!

One of the most popular holiday destinations in South Africa is known as the Garden Route. It is essentially a stretch of coastline in between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth that has some fantastic scenery and small towns along the way. The route is littered with tourist attractions from animal sanctuaries to vineyards with wine tasting experiences on offer. Unfortunately for us the weather had taken a turn for the worse since we left Cape Town and the region now resembled good old blighty far more than we would have liked!

Our first port of call for the journey was in the small farming town of Swellendam. We were staying in a stylish boutique guesthouse called the Augusta De Mist with the main draw being the traditional South African food being served by the knowledgeable and enthusiastic hosts. I was also slightly surprised by the Banana soup which was gulped down in just a few seconds - I hate normally hate Bananas! The rooms in the guesthouse are tastefully decorated when you consider the ages of the buildings you are residing in - the were even a few Springbok skins similar to the one I had picked up for myself in the Kruger park. For more info on the guesthouse have a look on their website here.

The main stop for us on this famous route was Knysna (Pronounced: Ni-z-na). We were staying in the Amanzi Lodge which faced right out into the lagoon which dominates the scenery in the area. It also provided me with plenty of fun with the kayaks and bikes that are available for guests to use. The kayaking was a bit more difficult than my previous experiences as the tide meant that the waves were crashing over me - I wasn't planning on getting wet when I got in it! Knysna itself is a relatively quiet area out of season as the majority of the properties seemed to be either guesthouses or big holiday homes. I certainly wouldn't object to getting one in the area though because both the views and some of the houses were spectacular! 

The highlight of the Garden Route for me was unquestionably the Bloukrans River Bridge. It also happens to be the location for the World's Highest Bridge Bungee Jump. Now, I've never done a Bungee jump before but if you're going to do something then you might as well go as big as possible - right?! The bridge is situated in the Tsitsikamma region and has some fantastic views out onto the Indian Ocean and up the valley into the mountains behind. It is also pretty intimidating when you drive across it knowing that shortly afterwards you're planning on throwing yourself off it!

 

The jump is ran by a company called Face Adrenalin and also has a small restaurant with viewing platform for anyone interested in watching people throwing themselves off the massive structure. Once you are registered, weighed and kitted out you make the long walk along the underside of the bridge to the specially designed 'diving' platform. The walk itself feels like a lifetime and it doesn't help any nerves when you are walking along the grated gangway with a clear view of the 300m drop below. My stomach was doing somersaults as we finally got to the centre of the bridge - I was glad I had decided to skip lunch (I know, I know - that's not like me!).

The atmosphere on the diving platform is more like a party than anything else. Two DJ's pump out the tunes whilst the staff bounce around with big smiles on their faces to put everyone at ease. Now that we were there and ready I wasn't too nervous - it was too windy and cold to be nervous! Unfortunately I had to wait till last for my turn but when the time came it all went in a bit of a blur. One minute I was sat there getting my feet bound together then the next I'm 216m down dangling from a rope. 

 

The experience itself is crazy. At no point in my mind did I think "What the hell am I doing?" until about half a second after I jumped and the reality had set in. By that point it was waaaay to late! The first few seconds are just pure adrenalin, everything goes into tunnel vision as you speed up to over 120km per hour, the last few seconds were a test of my trust in the Face Adrenalin team! The relief you feel when the bungee starts to pull back on your ankles is incredible - I wouldn't want to know how the girl who's rope broke in Zimbabwe felt when it snapped!!

The worst moment of the whole experience is when you are dangling upside down 216m below the platform. It feels like an eternity before they come down and get you. In reality it is probably less than a minute but when it feels like your feet are slipping out of the rope with all the blood rushing to your head I can assure you the last thing you are doing is enjoying the scenery! Once I made it safely back up to the platform I was completely buzzing and will most definitely be doing bungee jumps again in the future - the only problem is I've done the biggest so where do I go from there?!

Shark Alley

With less than one thousand left on the planet, the Great White Shark may not be with us for much longer. In order to see it in the wild there are only a few places left where the species still thrive. Gansbaai is probably the Shark viewing capital of the world because of its close locality to Dyer Island and 'Shark Alley'.

There are a fair few companies which provide cage dives, however, I would recommend Shark Diving Unlimited not only because of the excellent experience I had with them but also because they seem to be the company of choice for any celebrities who pluck up the courage to come face to face with one of the deadliest predators on the planet! Previous visitors included Prince Harry, Brad Pitt, Halle Berry and Matt Damon - not a bad list! There were even some 'celebs' on our trip, although im not sure you would put them in the same bracket as the ones I've listed above.We were joined by a couple of members from the cast of Downton Abbey (I've never watched it but I believe this is them here) as they were promoting the series here for the BBC. 

The trips are brilliantly organised with Shark Diving Unlimited arranging to pick us up from the Berg En Zee guesthouse and transport us across to Gansbaii with a quick stop off to watch some of the Southern Right Whales who come right into the bay at this time of year. Watching the massive mammals is incredibly relaxing 
as they drift slowly around in the deep waters just a few hundred metres away. We were lucky enough to catch a few of the whales breaching and lobtailing as we sat in the sunshine (even an albino one!)  - a great addition to the day and just shows you don't need to go on the Whale tours which can cost about £40 per person!

Having had overcast weather for the past few days it was nice to be able to sit in the sunshine as the purpose built boat 'Barracuda' made its way towards Dyer Island. You could see that everyone on the boat was a bit nervous with the anticipation of seeing the sharks but luckily we didn't have to wait long. As we pulled up to the diving spot the boat was being circled by sharks almost immediately! This was before they had even started to put the Chum into the water to attract them. They looked absolutely huge as their shimmering grey bodies cut through the water underneath the boat. You definitely wouldn't survive for long in these waters without help! 

The Great White Sharks we were going to dive with are nicknamed Tommy sharks by the locals in Gansbaai as a result of the number of British soldiers they killed during the sinking of HMS Birkenhead. This was also incidentally where the 'Women and children first' protocol first came about. We just had to hope they didn't still have a taste for humans!

Once we put our wetsuits on the reality of what we were about to do really set in. Some of the sharks swimming around the boat are well over 4m in length and would probably weigh nearly two tonnes. They could quite easily tear us all to shreds just for fun. Lowering myself into the water I kept this at the front of my mind. No sudden movements, keeping arms and legs as close to my body as possible we gradually dropped under the water to view them under the water.

The crew stay on the boat to keep attracting the sharks and use a bait on a rope to play with them. It reminds me a lot of a kitten with a piece of string until you see the Great Whites catch one of the baits. The sheer power and speed of these beasts is unreal. We've all seen it on TV and in the movies but when you are in the water just a few metres away from them it really is something else! I end up spending nearly an hour in the water completely transfixed by these majestic animals. Every time one gets close enough to touch I had to really fight the urge to put my hand out and try - I would have lost it in an instant! They seem to be curious about the movement around them but are far more concerned with trying to catch the bait. The visibility under the water started to get worse so for our viewing pleasure and safety we were lifted out of the water and back onto the Barracuda.

A truly unbelievable experience. In the water with an Apex Predator. I wouldn't 

say it completely eroded any fears I have of sharks but I think I will be able to go 

into the waters understanding that if I do get attacked while surfing or swimming 

it will probably be more my fault than Tommy!

Happy Feet in Cape Town

Next stop on my three week adventure was Cape Town. After a short two hour flight from Durban it was pretty obvious that the climate down on the southern tip was a lot cooler than our previous stops. It's was pretty unfortunate for me as I'd only packed one hoody for the whole three weeks! We were staying about 45 minutes outside Cape Town in a harbour town called Gordon's Bay. The guesthouse (Berg En Zee) had some fantastic views over the Bay and you could even spot a few Southern Right Whales in the distance! It also made the perfect base to explore Cape Town and a few areas slightly further up the coast.

The most dominating part of the Cape Town skyline is undoubtedly Table Mountain. In the evening it casts a huge shadow over the popular city and provides spectacular views as you make you're way around the city. It seemed fitting to make Table Mountain the first attraction we visited in the area. The highest point on the mountain is over a thousand metres above sea level but is quite often covered by clouds. TIP: if you are planning on making a trip up the Cable Car to the top - make sure you buy you tickets online well in advance of your visit. During peak periods or days with clear weather the queues can become a couple of hours long!

When it is a nice clear sunny day the view from the top are truly fantastic. You can see out past the Cape of Good Hope onto the vast Atlantic Ocean, you can oversee all the boats in the busy Cape Town harbour and you can make out all the small prison blocks on the iconic Robben Island where Nelson Mandela spent so many years as a political prisoner.

Robben Island is also an essential place to visit to discover the darker stories about the apartheid system which caused so much hate and pain before its abolition in the early 1990's. The island itself is largely in state of disrepair which gives it an abandoned feel. A lot more could definitely be done to improve the experience for visitors but it is hugely popular because of the history and Mr Mandela's iconic status on his long walk to freedom. This is another attraction which I would advise you to book well in advance because of its popularity.

The Western Cape has a hugely diverse selection of birds, mammals and fish including one of the coolest animals on the planet (in my opinion of course!). There are several areas which are popular for watching the African Penguin but the best two in the area are Boulder Beach and Betty's Baai (Bay). Both are small nature reserves which have been set up to provide the Penguins with safe nesting areas next to the beachfronts. I could have literally spent hours just watching these cool little guys wandering up and down from the ocean! 

As you can see from the photos I also managed to get followed around by three little guys who seemed to be doing a tour of the whole colony for me. They bore a significant resemblance to the Three Amigos in the Happy Feet film! I could just imagine them chattering to each other as they waddled around. There was definitely no singing from these Penguins though. They were nicknamed the Jackass because of the Donkey-like braying call!

Up tomorrow is one of my most anticipated adventures for the South African journey. I will be jumping into Great White Shark infested waters in 'Shark Alley' near the infamous Dyer Island. Not one for the faint hearted!!

Surfs Up...

After a 9 hour drive through a thunderstorm to Durban there was a bit of apprehension about whether the weather would be conducive to learning to surf. I'm normally a pretty fast learner but 3m high waves could prove a bit tricky! Luckily when I got up in the morning there was not a cloud in the sky and the temperature was already up to 25 degrees at 8am!

We were spending the duration of our time at my Auntie's house in the Bluff area in Durban. The location could not get any more perfect. A few hundred metres away is Brighton beach and the warm Indian Ocean, just twenty minutes away is the centre of Durban with its long beachfront lined with restaurants, hotels and markets stalls. When you add in the two dogs Jessie & Titch and the amazing seafood Braai (BBQ) being served up it most definitely beat any of the accomodation on the trip so far!

One of my main aims for this trip was to learn to surf. The thought of learning in the freezing cold English Channel never really appealed to me but learning in South Africa was just too good n opportunity to miss! I'd just have to ignore the fact that there are shark warning signs all over the beaches. I'd be too busy standing up on my board....right??

Our lesson was booked through Learn 2 Surf as they have schools throughout South Africa and were also incredibly competitive with their rates. A one hour lesson is just 150 Rand per person - that equates to about £12!!

After we had been given our board and surf top we made our way down the busy boardwalk to the beach. Normally, when you are making a fool of yourself with introductory lessons you can do so in private - not a chance here! The beach was packed because of the beautiful weather - the temperature was hitting the low 30's! Whatever happened I was going to have to pick this up quickly!

In theory, surfing should be simple. All you're trying to do is stand up on a board that floats. What can go wrong? When we practice the movements on the beach it all seems so easy. Lie down, hands by your chest. Push yourself up so that your back is fully arched, then lift your bum before bringing one foot forwards to stand up. Easy! Until you get in the water at least!

We slowly paddle out over the growing waves to put the theory into practice and soon realise just how difficult it actually is. It's only then that our coach explains that most people don't actually manage to stand up on their very first lesson.

Challenge accepted!!

My brother and I both wipeout more times than I can care to remember but it feels like it's starting to click. I just need to catch the right wave and focus on the horizon so that I forget about what i'm doing with my feet. They should take care of themselves. Back arched, bum up, I bring my left foot forwards. The board feels stable and I make it to my feet. Only this time I manage to stay on my feet and ride the wave all the way into the beach! I rode my first wave!!

Surfing is both incredibly addictive and frustrating in equal measures. The slightest over-step means you lose your balance and wipeout into the wave but the rush when you get it right and manage to ride the wave is amazing! Definitely worth doing if you get the chance - I might even consider a trip to Cornwall to have another go when I get back. I better invest in a warm wetsuit first though!!

On another note - we also visited the Moses Mabhida Stadium which was built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The visit included a skywalk which goes over the arch (similar to the one at Wembley). The views on top were spectacular, however, it did hammer home just how high the bungee jump is that I'll be attempting to do later on in my trip. The top of the stadium arch was 106m high and felt like I was in the clouds looking down on the tiny seats in the stadium below. The bungee next week is over 300m high. I better bring some dutch courage for that!!

The Lion King

Getting up at 4:30am is always a struggle but after the excitement of the Lions and Rhino yesterday we all soon perked up and made our way to the safari jeep for our guided expedition. Although it was still completely dark you could already hear the chatter of nearby monkeys and birds waking up to the day ahead. It was also surprisingly cold – I was glad I remembered to bring my big hoody for warmth!

For the first hour or so we saw very little, it was still dark and all we had to scan the areas surrounding the roads were a couple of spotlights. All you could hope for was the reflection of a pair of eyes looking back at you. I was secretly hoping for the Leopard to finally make an appearance but the odds were incredibly low. We did manage to spot a Hyena and another Elephant up early so it wasn’t too bad in the dark.

The savannah really started to come alive as the sun inched its way above the horizon with the bright orange sun bringing a golden glow to everything it touched. As we slowly made our way down another quiet road we spotted a couple more White Rhino off in the distance. The beautiful beast have a strangle hold on our attention and no-one seems to notice what is lying on the road just basking in the early morning sunshine about 100m away. Even our guide is too busy explaining how rare the White Rhino is to realise that we have a Lioness waiting for us up ahead!

We slowly pull up alongside the female and soon realise she is accompanied by another Lioness perfectly camouflaged by the long grass next to the road. Both look amazing in the early morning sun and it is clear that they must have just got up also with the amount of huge yawns each one is taking! I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who suffers getting up early!

We take our time just sitting metres away from both creatures just watching every little movement and flap of their long tails. They stare back at us no doubt wondering what all the excited whispers and camera clicks are for. Before long they grow tired of us staring at them and decide it must be time to go off and grab a few Impala or maybe a Wildebeest for breakfast – there’s certainly no shortage of either in the Kruger!

The highlight of the afternoon was definitely when we sat watching a crocodile stalk a herd of Zebra as they tried to quench their thirst at the waterhole in the 40 degree heat. It felt like a scene out of Animal Planet as we waited holding our breath as the Croc inched closer and closer to the to the Zebra brave enough to take their eyes off the rippling water. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to see the Crocodile make a kill or whether I wanted the ‘Barcode Horses’ to survive!

In the end the Crocodile gave himself away and frightened away the Zebra before he could get close enough to take a bite – he would have to go hungry for a few more hours at least.

The Kruger Park is a truly magical place; a real life Disneyland. The whole experience, from staying in the mud ‘Rondawel’ (huts) to watching the King of the Jungle munching on his Giraffe ribs, was truly a once in a lifetime experience. I would recommend it to anyone who has the chance to go and if you can spend a night or two in the park camps then that will only add to the experience!

Up tomorrow is the long drive down to Durban where hopefully I should be able to crack out my board shorts and get some surfing lessons in the Indian Ocean and turn my pasty white skin into a healthy bronze glow!

RMC x

The Hunt for the Big Five

Kruger Park, South Africa

The Big Five:

Lion, Rhino, Buffalo, Leopard & Elephant.

Getting to see the Big Five was the main aim when we entered the Kruger Park from the Phubeni Gate at 9am on Wednesday morning. Although, in all honesty I would have settled for any one of them! The temperature was already soaring into the mid-twenties by the time the permits were signed and we had passed through the gate into the biggest game reserve in Southern Africa. To put things into perspective, the Kruger is bigger than Wales. I figured spotting a Lion would be pretty much like trying to find a needle in a haystack!

It didn't take long for us to spot our first wildllife when we entered the park although I bet you couldn't guess what we saw first.....trundling alongside the car as approached the first bridge was a tiny tortoise. Not the most ferocious of animals but it got us excited for the 9hr trek which lay ahead!

It's hard to put into words just how vast the Kruger Park is. You can drive for hours without seeing another car or any animals of note. However, the most common animal that you do come across is the Impala or the Kudu which graze on the savannah or in the shade of the small trees near the roads. We were lucky enough to spot a few males tussling with their long lyre shaped horns to battle for the affection of the nearby females. I'm pretty sure they would have needed a few nurofen afterwards for the battering that they took that's for sure.

The first member of the Big Five that we managed to spot was not far off in the distance as we had originally expected to see them. Driving round a bend slowly I saw a small tree being violently shaken. Thinking that it was monkeys or a large bird we slowed down. Luckily for us it turned out to be a small Bull Elephant having a spot of breakfast! He couldn't have been more than 5 metres from our car and I swear he was even posing for us when we got our cameras out!

After spotting Nellie we managed to get ona bit of a hot-streal for spotting the mammals in the park. Now I would like to take some credit for this and say that it was down to our expertise and judgement but I am reliably infomed that it is pretty much all down to luck and good timing. I always have been lucky!!

Giraffe

Crocodiles

Zebra

Baboons

Warthogs (Aka Pumba)

Water Buffalo

Hippos

& Even More Elephants...

So by this point the day was starting to close in; we had spotted 2 of the Big Five and figured we had done pretty well on our first viit to te park. However, as we were starting to make our way to the Satara Basecamp for the night we came across thre cars parked up on the side of the road with camera lenses all pointed towards a tree teeming with vulures. This could mean only one thing....a Kill!

The first animal we saw was a beautiful lioness slowly making her way towards the car before she decided to curl up in the long grass for a quick nap. A few metres away we finally noticed the two large males feasting on the ribs od what looked like a small giraffe.

We sat watching the two males for at least an hour. I couldn't peel my eyes away from them whilst they we licking the meat off the bones using their big pink tongues or crushing the bones completely with their huge jaws. The surprising part was how completely at ease they were with their audience as they finished their dinner (or tea depending on where you're from!) just metres from my position in the front seat of the car.

As soon as we mentioned the word hyena in the car we suddenly noticed a single small hyena emerge from the undergrowth. Not one to miss out on a free meal he circled round the cars to try and spot an opening. Unfortunately with 3 Lions in the way the poor guy didn't stand a chance!

With the night closing in further still and our memory cards almost full we decided to make a late dash for the camp. Our spotting list had already been shortened, with only two more suspects on the list. The rare white Rhino and the shy and evasive Leopard. Surely tomorrow would not be as lucky as today?!

It turned out that there was still another shock in store for us before we got back to the camp. Just a couple of kilometres from the camp entrance my brother pointed to what looked like a large grey boulder in the distance. I would point out that over the previous 9hrs we had developed a skill which consisted of our eyes convincing our brains that everything rock we saw was an elephant or every log a lion. However, as we got closer I began to share my brother's excitement. Stood just 30 metres or so away was the rare white Rhino standing proudly on its own whilst muching on a late evening snack! We couldn't believe our luc*......skill!

So with 4/5 spotted after just one day surely the early morning safari tomorrow can't bring any more surprises? A 4:45am start won't be the most fun but I'll let you know if it was worth it tomorrow....

RMC x

Returning Home & A Bit of Monkey Business

I'm not sure I knew what to expect after nearly 25 years away. South Africa has gone through so many changes I'm pretty sure my parents weren't sure what to expect either! It all seems to have a sense of familiarity to them but is probably more like trying to remember a dream the morning after rather than returning home. A quarter of a century is a long time after all!

After a monster of a 'red-eye' flight to Johannesburg (via Doha!) we spent the day looking at all the places my brother and I could have called home as toddlers. A trip to the family home was a real eye-opener. The picture I had built up in my mind's eye from photographs and hazy memories bore little resemblance to this quiet street in front of me. The house now had 6ft brick walls and electric gates surrounding it - far from the open garden new-build my parents bought as their first house.

Unfortunately we only spend 24hrs in Jo'burg but this was for a reason. As we head out of the city towards what was previously known as Eastern Transvaal it soon became clear. Africa is famous for the dominating scenery and wildlife. Even service stations have small viewing ports looking over watering holes filled with White Rhino and Buffalo - it sure beats Newport Pagnell on the M1 that's for sure!!

After a picturesque 3hr drive we arrive at our base for the next two nights. The Chestnut Country Lodge is based just outside of Hazyview on the outskirts of the Kruger Park in the Lowfelds. The lodge is separated into holiday bungalows with some of the most spectacular views I've ever seen. Things get even better when it turns out that I have no need for an alarm on the first morning. Instead we are woken by a troop of monkeys which live in the nearby hills when they wander into the lodge grounds before being chased off by the owners dogs! Tomorrow I'm definitely going to get up a bit earlier to get a few photos of them before we head off for the day.

If the first 48hrs are anything to go by my camera is going to be busy over the next 3 weeks!!

RMC x