I am not one to shy away from an adventure and I am always up for and adrenaline filled tour, but I draw the line when it comes to bungy jumping. I have never been fond of the thought of throwing myself off a perfectly good bridge whilst attached by a big rubber band. The thought of the action excites me but there is something about being so close to the ground with only moments to possible death. I guess that is what the thrill is all about.

Face Adrenalin Bungy Jump South Africa

I have skydived twice and I would jump (no pun intended) at the opportunity to do it again…and again as I love the thrill I get from leaping out of a plane. I think I would prefer to have minutes and not seconds to devise a plan to stop me from becoming a flat pancake on the earth’s floor.

I was staying at Titsikamma Backpackers and I had just gone on a Segway Tour of the beautiful National Park. It was a relaxing and peaceful experience and now I found myself in a car with a couple of guys that were trying to pump themselves up to leap off the highest bungy bridge in the world bounce up and down whilst attached to a giant rubber band. As I was sitting in the car, I was still undecided if I was going to do the bungy along with my new-found Swedish friends. I could hear my mother’s voice in my head saying “you have a bad back and you know you should NEVER bungee jump”.  The last thing I wanted to do, was to make a phone call to my family telling them I had injured myself whilst bungy jumping.

The Storms River Bridge

We walked out to the cliff face to take a look at the massive expanse between the valley and the industrial concrete bridge that merged the gorge together. It was a lot higher than I had imagined and I instantly made the decision to NOT jump but to go out there and take photos and experience what it feels like to look over the edge of the bridge.

The look out points on the edge of the valley

After a very quick briefing on safety and fitting of our harasses we were scurried away by our guide to walk out to the jumping platform. The company came up with the idea that it would be fun to make all the jumpers walk along a walkway that is hanging underneath the bridge and entirely made of mesh wire. Each step was like you were walking in mid-air and the structure shook with every movement. It was a terrifying experience just walking out to the jump off point but a good way to get you prepared for  what lay ahead.

The walkway out to the jumping platform

We arrived and we hovered directly under the bridge in the middle of the massive gorge. It was much winder than anticipated and the chill was making the jumpers even more nervous. At this point the people around me were giddy and jumping  up and down and trying to push the fear away and concentrate on anything but leaping off this bridge.

The jumping platform

The nerves showing before the jump

The staff at Face Adrenline were extremely professional and all the systems ran like clock-work. There were a number of check and re-checks by staff members ensuring the safety of all jumpers. It was now time for the first person to plunge to the depths of the gorge. I watched on as he wiggled to the edge accompanied by two staff members on either side for balance. His toes overhung the ledge and his arms spread out like an eagle ready for flight. Everything happened in high speed…one staff member yelled 3,2,1 extremely fast in order to not give the jumper a chance to back out. The man then disappeared from sight and off a perfectly stable bridge with his scream getting fainter as he plunged closer to the water below.

The ledge

The Leap 1

The Leap 2

The Leap 3

I watched intently on the tv screens as he bounced up and down several times until an abseiling staff member came to his rescue to turn him the right way around and bring him back up to the platform. He set foot back on the bridge and he was brimming with excitement and proclaimed that it is the best thing he has ever done. I was still not convinced.

Jump completed

I think you are either are skydiver or a bungee jumper or maybe you are scared of heights and you are neither. I will keep to skydiving as I enjoy jumping out of planes instead of jumping off bridges. If you were to bungy anywhere in South Africa I would recommend going to Storms River as the staff from Face Adrenaline were extremely professional and took care of all the needs of every jumper and even walkers (like me) on the platform. However, I won’t be jumping off that bridge…ever!

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

positiveworldtravel.com

I have never been on a Segway tour before and I was extremely interested in what it would feel like to hover over the ground on these futurist devices. Segway’s have been around since 2001 and although the inventor once thought that it would be the way all humans would be whizzing around big cities, they have found there place in creating unique tours all around the world. Sadly the man who ended up acquiring the company off the original inventor Segwayed to his death off a cliff in a freak accident on one of the more rugged models. Glad I made it out alive to tell you all about these unique tours.

Off Road Segway’s

This tour was unlike no other, it is actually a off-road tour of Tsitsikamma National park and surrounding areas. I was staying in Tsitsikamma Backpackers and they are the only ones that run Segway tours in the area. I had no idea that it was even possible for Segway’s to go off-road, but I was proven wrong on this outdoor tour.

Segway Training Area

It is important to first complete the standard Segway information training by a qualified instructor before you can go on the tour. This is to ensure you will be safe and you know how to control these machines that seem to they have a mind of their own. The Segway is extremely responsive to your movements and to make them go you simple lean forward or back to stop. Turning is made easy by using the handlebars like a joystick and shifting it left or right. Sounds simple huh…Well, it took a few minutes to get used the sensation of going forward just by leaning, but I eventually got the hang of it.

Once I mastered the Segway and the instructor took the training wheel off we were on our way around the small town with the most stunning backdrop with the National parks mountains towering over us. We whizzed along the streets whilst the knowledgeable guide told me about the town and people living in it and pointed out buildings and landmarks along the way.

The picturesque mountains in the background

But I wanted to get off-road! I was excited when the guide turned off the smooth paved road and we were now travelling down a muddy trail on our Segway’s. I was surprised just how well these machines performed on the rocky and muddy terrain. Unfortunately my off-road experiences were short-lived as the trail was closed due to unforeseen circumstances. Major bummer!

Visiting a local school

We turned around and continued the tour around the town, visiting a local school as well as cruising through the bustling one street CBD. I think I counted all of 5 people in the town centre and that is what I loved about this tour. You really get a sense of being on the road by yourself and all you can hear is nature all around you. I thoroughly enjoyed my time on this Segway tour and the only problem was that it came to an end and I had to use my feet to move myself around. I prefer rolling over the landscape than walking!

Now check out the video of me on the Segway tour…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibqcbPL2p7w

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This backpackers is located right on the edge of the Tsitsikamma National Park and is the ideal location for a number of different adventurous activities in the area. Tsitsikamma Backpackers is known for being the only place you can do a Segway tour on the Eastern Cape Peninsular and it a tour like no other. Stay tuned for the video on my Segway experience.

Tsitsikamma Backpackers

The main reason for travelling here was to come and see the large Bungee Jump at Storms River Bridge. Although I would not be par-taking in jumping off a perfectly good bridge, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

Storms River Bungee

Location

This backpacker style accommodation is located in the leafy green area of the Tsitsikamma National Park. It is quiet and relaxing and the property is surrounded by one acre of green grounds where you can unwind have an outdoor braai (bbq) or you can sit and relax whilst surrounded by nature.

Tent are also available on the property

Rooms

My room was extremely clean and the bed were covered in crisp fresh white linen which is always a big plus for a restful nights sleep. The room I was staying in was light and breeze during the day and warm and cosy at night. It had enough space to put all my belongings and the bathroom was a short stroll down the hallway.

My Bedroom at Tsitsikamma Backpackers

Food

To be honest the food wasn’t anything to fancy, but what can you expect from a backpackers. I have stayed in many different types of accommodation over the years and it is funny to see just how different the food being served at each property actually is.

The breakfast was simple but hit the spot to start my day of adventures on the right foot. Nothing to rave about but nice fresh food.

Staff

During my stay I dealt with the owner of the property and the Segway staff on my tour. All people in this establishment were extremely polite, happy and friendly and nothing was too much trouble for any of their guests. I often watch on to see how other guests get treated in relation to my own experience and it is a pleasure to watch everyone getting treated the same.

The Staff

I really enjoy talking to staff when they are passionate about their job and when they want to tell me about the area I am visiting. It is refreshing to gain an insight into the destination and activities available without being to pushy to sell a tour.

Tours

If you are an activities junkie then I would recommend going to Tsitsikamma Backpackers. You can jump on a number of tours, most of which are organised directly through the reception desk. I visited Storms River to see the bridge for the bungee jump as well as going on an extensive on and off road tour of the area on a Segway.

Segway Tour

You can also do guided hikes in the National Park, canopy tours along a long network of zip lines, mountain bike riding and much more. You definitely won’t have a dull day when staying at Tsitsikamma Backpackers.

Public Areas

The is a small television areas where you can hang out and watch TV on those rainy days, but the best part of this place is the bar and the pool table located at the rear of the premises. I spent one of my nights there with new friends drinking and playing pool till the early hours of the morning. Lucky that there were no breathalizers whilst riding the Segway the following day on the road.

The television area

There are also plenty of outdoor areas to chill out and kick back and read a book on the one acre block. It was relaxing to sit outside and listen to the birds in the surrounding trees in the morning.

The outdoor areas

The Verdict

I would have to recommend this place to other travellers as it was an impeccable experience during my 2 night stay. The staff was very knowledgeable on the surrounding areas, my room was clean and fresh and the location is almost right in the National Park. The only let down would be the food, but I could look past this and most probably bring my own food next time. A well run family business right in the middle of the wilderness.

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

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Staying at Island Vibe Backpackers enabled me to be close to so many world-class surfing breaks in J Bay. There was no way I was going to pass up an opportunity to paddle out here and test my surfing skills. Unfortunately for the first two days I was in J Bay there was little to no swell so I ended up going on a waterfall tour with a number of other Island Vibe Backpacker guests.

Cliff Jump at J Bay

A short drive from out accommodation there is a secluded waterfall with a number of activities from a natural water slide, flying fox as if you are game a small 10 metre cliff jump or even a 20 metre jump.

Flying fox in J Bay

It was the perfect way to meet other people who were staying at the backpackers and a great way to spend the afternoon. It was located a short walk into the bush and there was only one other group of people who can to the same spot during the 2 hours we were there.

Surfing J Bay

I was lucky enough to be escorted with local surf legend Etan who knows all the breaks along J Bay like the back of his hand. He was well aware that I wanted to get out in the water and when he saw that the swell was rising, he informed me that it would be on the following morning. Since it was the end of summer even Etan was surprised that this swell was coming and I made the most of it by surfing 5 times in two days. I was majorly “stoked” and I only wish I had more time in J Bay to enjoy these picture perfect conditions.

Surfing J Bay

Whilst driving around searching for waves, I interviewed Etan about his involvement in South Africa surfing and how it had changed over the years.

Local surfing legend, Etan

Watch the video to find out more…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SZjwav3gFo

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

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After spending some time along the wild coast and my unbelievable siting of male lions in the wild, I wanted to get to the beach again and do some surfing in J Bay. I had planned on staying at the Island Vibe backpackers which is directly located on the beach and I now understand why they called it Island Vibe. The accommodation is spread out along a headland and from most areas you feel like you are actually on an island as you are almost entirely surrounded by breath-taking views of the ocean. Probably one of the best locations I have stayed at during my time in South Africa.

Island Vibe Backpackers

Upon arrival it seemed like I was experiencing déjà vu, as I approached the receptionist and told her I had a booking for a private room, she then told me that all the rooms had been booked and they didn’t have space for me and had to put me in a dorm. As you know I am well and truly past staying in dorms and my experience at Coffee Shack Backpackers wasn’t a good one. I thought to myself - “here we go again”.

I ended up staying the one night in a barely full dorm and then was transferred to a private room the following night which had stunning beach views from the balcony.

Layout

The backpackers have been renovated several times and different areas look as though they have been added to over the years. After talking with the owner, she mentioned that the dining areas and a few of the dorms had been built and they had expanded due to demand also added another building with waterfront private rooms and a couple of other dorms. This backpackers doesn’t have the ideal layout but it does have a certain appeal of being relaxed and almost like a beach shack. It was very inviting upon my first walk around the property and I could see this would be a place I could easily over stay my intended itinerary plans.

The dinning area

Rooms

After my room mix up, the private room that I ended up staying in for three nights consisted of a large double bed and a couple of bunk beds, which would be perfect for a family on a budget. The bathroom wasn’t anything flash, but it did the job and it was definitely a spacious room with plenty of space to move around.

My room at Island Vibe Backpackers

The best feature would have to be the spectacular views of the ocean throughout the day and the large adjoining balcony that is located over the main bedroom. The only minor problem would be a security risk with leaving your door open as other people staying in the other private rooms have access to your door via the balcony.

Balcony views

Public Areas

The is no shortage of public areas at Island Vibe Backpackers. Starting in the large dinning room and games room where wi-fi is readily available for all guests at a small additional charge. There is a pool table and other games available for those days and nights when it is raining. The Island Vibe bar is well stocked with all the beers and spirits you can think of as well as having an extensive cocktail menu.

Pool table at Island Vibe Backpackers

Outside there are many places to sit and enjoy the outdoors with almost every area surround by stunning beach views. It is a place where you don’t have to leave to enjoy the sun and the ocean breeze. I spent one full day reading my book and watching the many travellers come and go as they pleased.

Public Areas at Island Vibe Backpackers

Food

The Kitchen is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and they serve the usual fare seen on most backpacking menus. The dinner menu changes daily and it is important to place your name down for dinner in the morning so they can arrange how many people they will be cooking for. The food was simple and fresh and I was never disappointed with the size of the portions.

Staff

I was not impressed with the staff at reception and I found them pretty rude and not willing to go the extra mile to get things done for their guests. Every time I approached them about tours and other questions I had, it seemed as though I was being a hassle to them. However, all the other staff in the bar and running the tours were incredibly friendly and always trying to get new travellers that had just arrived to get involved and be a part of the backpacking community. I had a lot of fun with many of the staff members whilst I was there.

The staff in the kitchen

Location

This is definitely a reason I would come back to Island Vibe Backpackers. It has the best location of any other backpackers in J Bay and why would you want to stay anywhere else. It is located a stones throw from the beach and has a really relaxed Island feel when you are staying there.

The view from Island Vibe Backpackers

The Verdict

It is a place I would return to as it is located a short drive from many of the major surf breaks in J Bay. The staff need to pick up their game a little but all in all my stay there was more than adequate and comfortable. The location is what sets it above the competition and that alone makes me want to go back again.

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

positiveworldtravel.com

After experiencing the lovely hospitality from the people at Buccaneers Backapackers and also the selfless volunteering efforts by community members in Cinsta. I was greeting in Port Elizabeth by a driver from Island Vibe backpackers and a knowledgable local guide. Our objective for the day was to experience as much of Addo Elephant Park as possible on this 8-hour tour.

Island Vibe Backpackers Van for the Addo Park Safari

Earlier in my South Africa trip I had the opportunity to go on a Kruger National Park Safari and I was blown away by the experience and it left me wanting more. I have a love for animals and I will usually seek out opportunities to see animals in the wild when travelling. Especially when they are wild African animals.

Zebra in Addo National Park

Addo is called the Elephant Park for a very good reason, everywhere you look there are Elephants grazing or drinking at a waterhole. There is something definitely humbling when you look directing into the eyes of these huge creatures. Elephants in the wild have a sense of freedom and playfulness that you just don’t see when they are in a zoo environment. I counted myself very lucky to be in front of such a beautiful animal in South Africa.

Addo Elephant National Park

Addo Elephant National park is teaming with a variety of other wildlife too, but I was their to see if I could spot a male lion in the wild. This was the main animal that I really wanted to see as I had only seen a group of lionesses in Kruger National Park.

Check out the video to see if I spot the elusive male lion in the wild…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nlh9A-wtgrY

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

positiveworldtravel.com

If you have followed along with on my adventures in South Africa you will know my views of Coffee Bay and my contrast of feelings with Cintsa. I thought it would be interesting to compare the two so you can choose which type of traveller you are, what you are interested in and help you make the right choice.

The reason I am having this debate or comparison is that I had a number conversations on the bus about each of these places.

Understandably it is hard to compare two different places as there will always be pro and cons for different areas in the country. But I will try to be objective as possible.

Coffee Bay – Coffee Shack

Coffee Bay

Located in an extremely rural part of the wild coast

Directly situated on the beach and in walking distance from the ocean

Party town in the middle of nowhere, where anything goes

Drugs are readily available at low prices if you are into that

Only a small selection of places to eat, but the food is amazing and usually organic

Budget style of accommodation with only a few more luxurious options

Plenty of activities to do including surfing, hole in the wall tour and cultural tours into the town

Volunteering opportunities available

I found the accommodation a little dirty

More of a rough and ready feel where you are on a deserted island – not many people on the beach

Cintsa – Buccaneers

Cinsta

Located on a hill a brief 8 minute walk to the beach

Adventure activities including surfing, kite surfing, stand up paddle boarding, game reserve drives

Volunteering opportunities available

Local tribe tours available

Free activity with free wine offered every night

The accommodation was extremely clean and tidy

More of a holiday beach feel with more people on the beach and loads of people in the water

Budget style accommodation but with a twist plus it caters for the backpackers every need

New private ensuite rooms are being built to cater for the traveller who wants more privacy.

Shells on the beach

These are my opinions and mine alone. I believe that Coffee Bay caters more for the young traveller who is just out of school and is looking to party and meeting new people.

Buccaneers has a more relaxed feel and I think caters for both the young traveller and the over 30′s traveller who wants to have some privacy during their stay.

However, (to sit on the fence even more!) I think either way you shouldn’t miss out on both of these destinations as they have their good points and always be up for any experience.

You really need to go to both if you are travelling through South Africa and I would be interested to hear if you have been to both and what you thought.

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

positiveworldtravel.com

There are many people who don’t want to just take a regular holiday, but want to give back to areas they are visiting and make a difference in other peoples lives. When I was travelling through South Africa I can across an organisation that is making big changes in small communities in Cinsta. Although I didn’t have time to stay and help volunteer I wanted to make a contribution to the project by creating a video that outlines what you can expect as a volunteer.

Volunteering in Cinsta

I sat down and spoke to Katie who works for Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees South, about life in Cinsta and her job responsibilities. After spending 3 days in Cinsta it is definitely a place that I would like to return to and the people running this program have an infectious nature for helping others.

Now check out the video on Volunteering in Cinsta…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bz82YedNVFU

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We heard about Auroville initially from a couple we met in Goa a few weeks earlier. They were talking about a place of spiritual enlightenment and place on Earth that was free from religion. I am the biggest skeptic when it comes to these types of things, but I enjoy opening my mind and seeing what is out there. However, I always approach with a fair sense of apprehension. We found ourselves a few towns away from Pondicherry and we decided, we couldn’t come to India and not succumb to any sort of spiritual enlightenment! We jumped on the next bus and we were on our way to the ‘Golden’ Centre of the world.

Matrimandir inside Auroville

Auroville Background

Auroville was conceived by “The Mother” who is the founder of this world community. She wanted a future with no hatred and harmony among all people across the world. She wanted a place where no one would be judged and be free to live from societies constraints. In the centre of the city there is what is known as the Matrimandi which is a golden orb which hosts an all white meditation chamber inside. The city was then built around the Temple and is in the formation of the milky way.

Are you intrigued yet?

Auroville doesn’t have a currency and is somewhat like a country in itself. They plainly use the barter system and there is no need for money as long as you are contributing to the community in some way. As a tourist you will need to pay for your food and drink that the locals have cleverly marketed towards us as there are plenty of organic produce for sale and hippy clothing wares.

If you would like to live in Auroville the is no cost for property however you need to be accepted by the community and then when you are finally accepted the community helps you build your house and materials are sourced for you to begin construction. The key feature of this is that everyone binds together. There is a real sense of community.

My Thoughts

Was it strange? Yes, it was definitely an extremely strange experience and in 3 days we were welcomed with open arms by all locals in the community. There are about 3000 or so people living in Auroville at one time and we never felt like we were isolated as a tourist in any way.  But it did feel a little cult like and although we weren’t allowed to film or take photos inside the Matrimandir we did end up mediating inside for 15 minutes. You can read about my experience here.

Find out more by watching the video below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibN1GepsLqk

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I never expected I would be getting a tour from a 92-year-old lady.

Yet there I was and the opportunity arose when I was staying at Buccaneers Backpackers in Cintsa to go on a tour and learn about how the native Xhosa people live, the customs and beliefs they still hold on to today.

Mumma Tofu in Cinsta

It was an interesting experience and one that I will never forget.

It was the perfect day to do the township tour, the weather wasn’t the best for the beach, so I was happy to join the tour and learn more about the local community and connect with them directly.

We were dropped off at a local village which was made up of traditionally built Xhosa style houses. These houses are circular in shape and made from mud and topped with a thatched roof with a small opening to allow smoke from the fire to escape.

We we greeted at the car by a lovely old lady named Mumma Tofu and she scrambled over to give each of us a hug and hand shake and was very open in allowing us into her home and share with us the many traditions she had grown up with.

Mumma Tofu comes to greet us

What A Character

Right from the beginning of Mumma Tofu’s presentation I knew we were going to be in for a wild ride. She was outspoken and confident in calling a spade a spade and telling us exactly how it is. Through her long life she has seen and experienced many things and now enjoyed educating tourists about the ways of life for the Xhosa people. After spending some time at the Coffee Shack in Coffee Bay and Cintsa I realised when Xhosa people spoke there were certain phrases or letters that were pronounced with a clicking sound at the beginning or end of the word.

Mumma Tofu

Xhosa People

There are approximately 8 million Xhosa people spread across South Africa with the Xhosa Language being the second most spoken language after English in the country. Mumma Tofu later informed us that the Xhosa language has 15 different click sounds which is derived from the now extinct Khoisan language.

Watching Mumma Tofu perform her act in front of you is worth going on this tour, she is so animated in her delivery and she is extremely passionate to get her point across about her people and the day-to-day traditions amongst the Xhosa people.

From what I gathered, the women pretty much do all the hard labour driven jobs around the house, all whilst looking after and attending to the babies. The men only take the cattle out for grazing and smoke a lot and build the house that the family lives in. It sounds like bloody hard work living as a women in a Xhosa community, but Mumma Tofu sounds like she wouldn’t have it any way. I guess this is exactly what she is used to.

The women working to grind corn into maize

Mumma Tofu then describes how you find your partner and how the men need to pay the daughter’s family in cows in order to gain her hand in marriage. Ten cows are the standard for asking to marry a man’s daughter. Once marriage  a number of different things which signifies she is married and also if she is a virgin or not. There are different aprons and dresses worn to indicated to others that she is taken, somewhat like we use a wedding ring. Also an elaborate bright head dress is always worn when outside the house and Mumma Tofu stresses that she would never, ever leave her house without her head dress.

With her raspy voice she then proclaimed the men go off into the mountain at the age of 15 to become a man and she was unable to tell us what happens in the mountains as the men are forbidden to tell and the women never dare ask what goes on in the preparation into manhood. All she could tell was that sometimes the 5 men would go into the woods and only 4 would return. It would never be spoken of what may of happened but that is the way of life for the Xhosa people. There are many in grain traditions and ceremonies you must go through before attaining your wife.

Holding hands with Mumma tofu

One of the major things you look for in a wife as a Xhosa man is that you woman need to be a good grinder. By that I don’t mean the bumping and grinding done on the dance floor, but she must be able to grind corn for her husband and her family, so this is a skill that is taught to young women at an early age to seek a man for marriage. A man will watch the women grind before asking for her hand in marriage. Mumma Tofu informs us that the women must be a good grinder so that the maize which is produced is smooth and free from lumps and bumps. This will make sure the man is satisfied for his life with good food for himself and his family.

The end of our tour with Mumma Tofu

A sign of wealth for the Xhosa people is the number of children you have and the more the better. It is also better to have daughter and not sons as you will receive more wealth by marrying off a daughter in the form of cows and not having to pay for the hand in marriage of your son.

Being the age that she is, her train of thought tended to run a little left and right and then she eventually came back to telling her original story, but I found that this added to my experience as I was hearing these stories which directly happened to her and not from a museum staff member.

Being around this character warmed my heart and it was the ultimate way to learn about the customs and cultures of another South African way of life. It was most memorable for the person Mumma Tofu is she was extremely entertaining and a vibrant young woman at heart with many stories to tell.

If in Cintsa you have to jump on this tour to learn more about the surrounding Xhosa people in the area.

My travels to South Africa were made possible by Hostelling International South Africa. All opinions are my own.

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