On two wheels amongst the vinyards - Segway tour at Spier

Visits to wine farms are normally associated with wine tasting, good food and historic buildings so wizzing around Spier Wine Estate on two wheels is something of a change.  I'm not referring to riding a mountain bike though as the two wheels in this case are next to each other and not in front of each other.  I've done the Segway tours in Storms River Village on two previous occasions with Tsitsikamma Segway Tours and absolutely loved it so grabbed the opportunity to do it at Spier with both hands (although I did let go with one hand every now and then to snap a picture). 

Spier offers two options to choose from.  The shorter 1 hour tour that covers the Protea Garden, some of the farm's environmental responsibility projects and a quick view of the vineyards while the 2 hour tour allows for a longer tour of the vineyards before ending off with a wine tasting.  Our little group went on the shorter tour as we had a lunch reservation at Mojo's and made the most of every minute we were out there.  

Segways are easy to use and it doesn't take that long to learn how to ride them.  The instruction session is thorough and especially the safety issue gets emphasised.  The guide, who makes sure you implement everything you learned while out there, rides in the front and stops the group every time there is something to show.  The problem is that once you get going on the Segway you don't really want to stop. Its that much fun.  But safety is paramount and the equipment is expensive so you better listen.  The route does give you the opportunity to do some uninterrupted gliding as well giving you an all round Segway experience.

The Segway tour is a must do if you get the opportunity.  An easy way to cover a lot of ground in a sort period of time AND its environmentally friendly.  Plus I really really want one.  I'll have to settle for going on segway tours when I get the opportunity though. 

Disclosure: I went on the Spier Seaway Tour as guest of the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa during a fully hosted blogger tour.   I received no additional remuneration to write this post and all views expressed are my own.

Canopy Tour

Ziplining is probably one of the most fun and exhilarating yet safe activities that I have participated in.  I remember my very first time, sitting on the first step and trying to get my pounding heart to just slow down enough for me to get my breath and push off.  The joys of being afraid of heights.  But I did it and has now done ziplined six times at three different locations.  The best known spot to zipline in South Africa must be the Treetops Canopy Tour in the Tsitsikamma.  The Treetops Canopy Tour consist of consists of 10 platforms (up to 30 meters high in the indigenous forest) and 10 'fufi' slides, the longest of which is 100m! I recently got to do this wonderful activity with a group of media again.  Here are a couple of pics of the experience.

Tsitsikamma Segway Tours

They say that once you learn to ride a bike you never forget it.  But two wheels in front of each other and two wheels next to each other are two very different things.  Not for the worse though.  For one its more difficult to learn how to ride a bike than to ride a Segway.  A Segway Personal Transporter, for those who doesn't know what they are, is a two-wheeled self-balancing battery-powered electric vehicle and can go up to 20 km/h (or 12.5 miles per hour).  Computers and motors in the base of the device keep the Segway upright when powered on with balancing enabled. A user commands the Segway to go forward by shifting their weight forward on the platform, and backward by shifting their weight backward.  The Segway then detects, as it balances, the change in its center of mass, and first establishes and then maintains a corresponding speed, forward or backward.  To turn, the user presses the handlebar to the left or the right. 

 

 

Tsitsikamma Segway Tours is a new addition to the array of great adventure activities (both soft and hard) one can participate in when visiting the Tsitsikamma and is based at Tsitsikamma Backpackers in Storms River Village.  We spend a couple of days in the village and the KidZ really looked forward to our Segway tour.  The previously saw the Segways at an exhibition in Port Elizabeth and nagged me since that occasion for us to go and do it.  On arrival and after signing in you get a bit of a tutorial on how to control the Segway before a couple of practise runs and maneuvers on the grass.

The minimum age to go on their tour is 10 years old and with Drama Princess only being seven I was in for a bit of a problem if she couldn't go. But I've known the owners for a couple of years now and they agreed for her to try it out and if she coped she could go.  And she did.  I have to add to this that our guide, Welcome, was SUPER AWESOME with her. He stayed with her all the time and helped her whenever we made a turn or went over uneven ground.  He probably got more agitated with us adults than he did with her. A big up to him.

 

We went on the short tour which took us through the village's township and out towards the pine plantation.  The section of the ride through the plantation and on the old road was stunning, so I can only imagine how much better the longer tour into the forest would be.  The Segways are very easy to control so going off road was no problem at all.  Chaos Boy who, even though he's 10, isn't much bigger than Drama Princess picked up on it very quickly and maneuvered like a pro. 

This is really an experience which I would highly recommend to anybody visiting the Tsitsikamma.  There are two tour options.  The one hour tour includes a ride through the village and adjoining township, over the historic Witteklip bridge and  into the pine forest while the two hour tour goes through the village and pine plantation into the indigenous Tsitsikamma forest and on to the famous Big Tree.

 

Our tour was courtsey of Tsitsikamma Segway Tours in Storms River Village. 

Tours cost R285 for the one hour experience and R400 for a two hour experience.

Contact Andre and Michelle for more information:

Tel: (081) 320 3977

E-mail : andre@segwaytours.co.za

Paddling up the gorge

The Garden Route has many spectacular adventures that just about anybody can participate it.  One of these is paddling up the magnificent Storms River gorge, starting at the suspension bridges over the river mouth.  Just imagine the sheer cliffs of the gorge stretching up 100 meters on each side while leisurely paddling along.  I seriously need to see if I can organise this trip for myself. I would love to do it.

Ama Zing–Zing Skywalk Trail

The Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape took Team Mini to Areena Riverside Resort on Day 2 for a quad bike game drive.  When owner Ed Rathbone asked the question "How much time do you have?" we knew though that he had more in mind for us than just quad biking.  We were kitted out in harnesses before our quad ride and on arrival on top of the hill overlooking Areena Valley we were informed that we will be doing Areena's new Ama Zing-Zing zipline experience.

The zipline experience that officially opened a week after our visit, consists of of 10 ziplines up, down and across a couple of valleys with the longest being 153m and the highest 70m.  Once you go on the first zipline you suddenly realise why its called Ama Zing-Zing.  The mechanism go "ziiiiiiinnnnnggggg" as you fly down the cable towards your destination.

Its not easy describing the feeling of ziplining, specially when you, like myself, afraid of heights .  You are slightly nervous when you get clipped onto the first cable.  Your heart starts beating faster and you really only hear the essentials of what the guide tells you before putting your weight onto the cable.  Deep breath... push off... and ... absolute freedom as you glide across the valley.  Once you have done the first one the fear and nervousness are gone and you can't wait to get onto the next slide.  Absolute awesomeness.

Ed showing off a little, but this photo really describes the freedom you experience while ziplining best.

Quad bike point of view

Quad biking at Areena Riverside Resort.  Not the easiest photo to take I tell you. 

Not while moving anyway.

Quad bike game drive at Areena Resort

One of the activities I looked forward to the most on the Mini vs Maxi adventure was to go on a quad bike game drive at Areena Riverside Resort  outside East London.  Other than going round and round on a little mosquito driven quad bike at the church fate with my son or daughter in front of me, I've never been on a proper quad bike before this.

Areena has three quad bike options with a short 20 minute ride, an one hour rise to the top of the ridge, which we did, or a longer two hour ride taking in the whole property.  After kitting up we went through a quick operational and safety briefing before we went off into the reserve.

The ride itself is not a race and the guide, which in our case was owner Ed Rathbone, leads the way with a steady yet comfortable pace.  The trails aren't too difficult and seeing that I was still learning the quad biking ropes I took it easy up and down the steeper sections.

The game viewing itself ranged from spotting zebra and a couple of antelope species...

... to seeing giraffe.  But to be honost, for me it was more about the quad biking experience than seeing the game.  The problem with this kind of thing is that once you have done it you want to know when you can do it again. Adventure, doesn't matter if its soft, mild or extreme adventures, is addictive. 

Canoeing at Morgan Bay

The Mini vs Maxi Challenge gave me the opportunity to experience a number of new activities and the very first activity we did at Morgan Bay on the Wild Coast was no different.  I have, for some unknown reason, never canoed in my life.  After checking in at the hotel we mozied down to Morgan Bay's lagoon and got a couple of canoes at the caravan park.  Neil, having done it before, hopped in a one man canoe while Sisa and I, the two canoe virgins, took a two man canoe. 

It actually didn't take us long to figure out the proper paddling style and shortly after the talk started about taking on the Fish River and Duzi Canoe Marathons.  Big talk from a couple of okes who slightly struggled to make way against the wind when we turned the corner. LOL!

The big surprise was that we could actually glide slowly and quietly very close to birds along the shore to take some photos.  The bonus, spotting a Fish Eagle flying overhead. 

Day 3 and 4 of the Mini vs Maxi trip

Day 3 of the Mini vs Maxi Adventure Across the Eastern Cape started with a hearty breakfast at the legendary Lavender Blue just outside East London for Team Mini.  Farm style breakfasts with orange juice all around and us intrepid travellers and then we were ready to head towards Grahamstown for our next destination.

Driving through King William's Town we decided to incorporate some history and Xhose culture into our adventure trip and detoured to see the grave of Steve Biko just outside town.  Neil and I was wondering why there were a large number of little stones on the grave and Sisa continued to explain to us, and the video camera capturing our trip, how its part of the process of sending a soul on to the hereafter.

Team Mini made one more stop heading east, pulling our sponsored VW Polo over for a view of the Great Fish River.

Our last destination of the trip was at Bucklands Game Private Reserve about 35 kilometers outside of Grahamstown for a couple of game drives, good food, comfortable accommodation as well as one or two other activities.

After our arrival we barely had time to put our bags down when we were whisked away for a firearm handling session.  Although its not an activity that they offer guests, they decided to give us an extra adventure seeing that both Sisa and myself have never handled a rifle.  We were taken to the reserve's shooting range where we got to handle a pistol as well as two of the rifles used by rangers for conservation and during game walks.

After shooting off a couple of rounds we went out on a game drive during which we had a number of stunning sightings, amongst others a couple of Aardwolfe after dark.  Other species included rhino, giraffe, zebra, kudu, impala and blesbuck (pictured above).

One of the highlights of any afternoon / evening game drive is stopping somewhere with a good view to see a real African sunset with a couple of drinks in hand.  This game drive was no different.

Day 4, our last day on the Mini vs Maxi trip, started with coffee and rusks before we headed out on an early morning game drive.  During the drive we had the fortunate opportunity to walk both giraffe as well as rhino.  By walking I don't mean walk with tame animals.  Walking an animal refers to disembarking a vehicle and approaching an animal in the veld or bush on foot.  The drive was followed by a big late morning breakfast.  After saying our goodbyes we headed back to East London to drop of Sisa before Neil (who has James Blunt tickets in PE for Sunday night) and myself took on the road back to Port Elizabeth.

Over the four days of the trip I just did a basic recap and description of the places we visited and activities we did.  Over the next few week I'm cover the activities we did in more detail and will also show of a number of the photos I have taken.

Day 2 of the Mini vs Maxi trip

Day 2 of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency's Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape started with a beautiful sunrise in Morgan Bay for Team Mini.  After a long day on Day 1 having left Port Elizabeth at 5am, I had a very good night's sleep and was ready get rolling after a hearty breakfast.

The first stop of the day was back at Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve outside East London where we had the maxi burgers on day 1.  They had two activities planned for us, the first being a fantastic experience of walking with elephants.  Its one thing viewing these magnificent animals from a game drive vehicle but its something totally different walking arms length away from them through the bush.  It such a privilage to be so close to these giant creatures and being able to touch and interact with them while they are just mozying along. 

After our walk with the elephants we headed to Inkwenkwezi's cheetah enclosure.  Here we had the awesome chance to get face to face with the fastest mammal in the world.  When you walk into the enclosure you hear something that sounds like a growl, but you quickly find out that they are purring. The cats weren't at all bothered with us and allowed us to scratch them behind their ears and on their tummies.

After a hearty lunch we hopped into the VW Polo and headed down the road to Arena Riverside Resort where we were kitted out in harnesses and helmets.  The first section of our visit involved a guided game drive on quad bikes during which we spotted a number of animals like zebra, giraffe and wildebeest.  The ride, specially up and down the steep hills, was absolutely exhilarating, specially seeing that it was my first time on a big quad bike.

We received the fortunate opportunity to try out Arena's new zipline experience called AmaZing Zing.  I say "fortunate opportunity" as they only officially open it on the first of September.  So wê wê wê.  It wasn't hard to see where the name comes from as the cable go ziiiiiinnnnngggggg as you fly down it.  There are 10 slides although time only allowed us to do 4 of them.  What an absolutely awesome experience.  From Arena we headed to Stokkies and Skulpies Self Cottages at Sunrise on Sea where we are, as I'm writing this, having a braai while watching some rugby.  A boys night in.

Day 1 of the Mini vs Maxi trip

Thursday morning at 5am I left Port Elizabeth in Team Mini's sponsored VW Polo to join the rest of the participants in the Mini vs Maxi Adventure across the Eastern Cape at the offices of the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency for a briefing.  After receiving our info and prepping the cars with the necessary decals we headed to Inkwenkwezi Game Reserve for the officials launch function.

Inkwenkwezi also sponsored lunch which consisted of their famous Maxi Burgers which has become a regular Wednesday night feature on the East London restaurant scene over the years.  Believe me these babies are biiiiiiiig.  You start off well, then slow down and finally get to a point where you can't anymore.  I finished the bottom section and the meat, but couldn't do the top. 

Team Mini's first destination was the Morgen Bay Hotel on the Wild Coast and unlike Team Maxi that had to go as far as Cape St Francis, we only had a short distance to cover which was done at a nice leisurely pace.  Each team has been given a video camera to document their trip and Sisa immediately volunteered to be our camera man.  We stopped a couple of times for him to capture some footage and I am sure that he has missed his calling.

On the way down towards Morgan Bay we saw what must be one of the most unusual sights on the Wild Coast, if not in the whole province.  A huge pink plane next to the road.  It stands at Morganville Farm which, as the sign states, is a resting place of old bikes, automobiles and flying machines.

After checking into the Morgan Bay Hotel we headed down to the lagoon to try our hands at canoeing.  Neil has paddled before, but it was a first time for both me and Sisa and I am proud to say that we had the art of paddling under the knee very quickly and there is already talk of a possibly Fish River Canoe Marathon (said very tongue in cheek).  Paddling up the lagoon was a fantastic experience for these two canoe virgins who also got the opportunity to do some bird watching off the canoe and spotted, amongst others, a fish eagle.

Neil, who knows the area well, suggested that we grabbed a couple of drinks and head up to the top of the Kranse (Cliffs) for sunset.  The Kranse is just to the west of Morgan Bay and is a large grassy hillside with cliffs leading down to the crashing ocean below. 

The perfect end to a great first day of what will hopefully be an unforgettable four days of adventuring through the Eastern Cape.