The Intrepid Explorer 1st Ed 2018 - Issue 21

www.intrepidexplorer.co.za • 1st Edition 2018 R30.50 Incl. VAT

THE PERFECT WAVE Jordy Smith finds it in Namibia

BIRDWATCHERS DELIGHT Discover remote Gough Island

OVER THE HILL Backpacking across South America

KILI CRANKING

Mountain biking with RIDE 4 LIONS

a lifetime of

adventure Kingsley and Ross Holgate conquer Africa’s 7 Extreme Points In association with › LOOKING FOR OLD ARABIA – Graham Howe in Abu Dhabi › TRIUMPH OF HUMAN SPIRIT – Perseverance rules in the Wartrail Challenge › TALES FROM THE RIVERBANK – Matthew Holt cycles the EuroVelo 6 Route › IN SEARCH OF MAHALE’S CHIMPS – Sarah Kingdom in Tanzania

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CONTENTS

1 S T ED IT IO N 2018

06 Editor’s note

12

The Only constant is change

08 Contributors and credits

A lifetime of adventure

10 Competition

Modern-day explorers Kingsley and Ross Holgate’s conquering of Africa’s 7 Extreme Geographic Points

Win a trip worth R19 700 with Sun Destinations

Kili Cranking Explore Africa differently – on a mountain bike with RIDE 4 LIONS

18 24 Tales from the Riverbanks Matthew Holt on his experience cycling the EuroVelo 6 route

32 Two sides of the coin Craig Jarvis speaks to SA pro surfer Jordy Smith about catching that elusive perfect wave

36 Looking for Old Arabia In Abu Dhabi, Graham Howe discovers a rich ecosystem of cultures and traditions

42 In search of Mahale’s chimps

26

Sarah Kingdom ventures into chimp territory in Tanzania

48 Triumph of the human spirit No medals await at the end of the Wartrail Challenge, but perseverance and adventure will see you through

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

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CONTENTS

1 S T ED IT IO N 2018

54

82 Seychelles: A different kind of paradise

Over the hill and far away Laurianne Claase heads to South America for a true backpacker’s experience

Why you should pack your bags for this picture-perfect destination

The road to Manafiafy Gillian McLaren’s search for the smallest chameleon in the world

58 62

72 Wild side

News from the Outdoors

84 Store listings

Outdoor Warehouse and Sportsmans Warehouse

86 Watching the bird watchers Discover one of the world’s great seabird nurseries on remote Gough Island

Home away from home The Great Outdoors

66 Life through the lens The epic Epic with Greg Beadle

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

88 The last word SA’s kite-surfing champion Michelle Hayward-Skyon her top travel spots and her future goals

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FOR SA’S WIDEST OF TOP SPORTS

RANGE

GEAR

41 BRANCHES NATIONWIDE, STOCKING BIG-BRANDED EQUIPMENT, FOOTWEAR AND APPAREL

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E D ITO R ’ S N O TE

“ THE ONLY CONSTANT IN LIFE IS

CHANGE”

HERACLITUS OF EPHESUS (C. 500 BCE)

W

e all face changes every day – whether it is a simple change in the weather, our schedule or expected change of seasons. (For example, a change in the weather in the Western Cape would be extremely welcome right now with our drought, but I digress.)

Change affects us all and we each deal with change differently.

This only constant in life is the only thing we can be sure will happen. Now I know, as men especially, we don’t handle change as well as women do but I do see the value in change. I guess that is why some people say “a change is as good as a holiday”.

I am pleased to announce that The Intrepid Explorer has some great changes happening right now. We have teamed up with Sportsman’s Warehouse and Outdoor Warehouse along with First Ascent and Cape Storm apparel. This exciting new distribution partnership means we will extend our reach even further across South Africa. Coupled with our distribution through the major retail outlets, this will further entrench our brand.

We are very excited to be working with Kobus Potgieter and his team and are proud of the association. On a more bittersweet note, I personally will be moving on to tackle new unventured territories. It has been one magical ride starting with founding The Intrepid Explorer in 2012 and I have enjoyed every minute.

Six years later, it is time to hand over the reigns and I am sure the team and new editor will take the magazine to even further heights.

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

Like so many of the incredible adventurers and explorers who have taken this ride with us and shared their epic accomplishments and challenges, I look forward to tackling my new direction with the same gusto. Big thanks go to our amazing contributors over the last six years and I am sure they will still adorn these pages well into the future.

It is also quite apt that the first The Intrepid Explorer, published six years ago, had Kingsley Holgate on the cover and now it is a great pleasure to have him on the cover of my last edition. A final thanks to you, our readers for your loyal support all these years and I feel sure you will remain so.

So, let us all embrace change and I know I have used it before, but it is one of my favourite sayings – in closing, let me remind you of the words of Mark Twain about the value of living your dreams: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

This is not goodbye but merely bon voyage so until we meet again, remember to live the life of adventure!

Robbie Stammers Publishing Editor

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Explorer

C ONT R IB U TO RS

The Intrepid

Live the life of Adventure

Publishing Editor ROBBIE STAMMERS

› Humanitarian, explorer and

Royal Geographical Society Fellow, Kingsley Holgate has been described as “the most travelled man in Africa”, and models himself on Dr David Livingstone—often following in this great man’s footsteps through the continent. With the Kingsley Holgate Foundation, he aims to “save and improve lives through adventure” by staging humanitarian expeditions to needy areas. › Simon Capstick-Dale’s love for adventure was born in a mokoro, paddling down the narrow arteries of Botswana’s Okavango Delta.

Having documented his adventures in publications ever since, his incurable itch for experiential travel has not abated—along with his obsession for collecting passport stamps. When not boarding the next flight out of Cape Town, Simon prefers to spend his time reading non-fiction, watching hours of sport, and researching prospective travel destinations. Next stop: Vietnam. › Graham Howe is one of South Africa’s most experienced lifestyle journalists; he has contributed hundreds of food, wine and travel features to South African and British publications for more than 25 years. When not exploring the Cape Winelands, this adventurous globetrotter reports on exotic destinations around the world as a travel correspondent, and for the weekly travel show on SAfm. › Laurianne Claase made Cape Town her home base after travelling around the world, working on a dive boat in the Red Sea, on a ferry between the Greek Islands, in a Scottish country hotel, and teaching English in Taiwan. She’s the author of Caught Out: Cricket Match-fixing Investigated (long-listed for the Alan Paton Award in 2008), as well as several guidebooks and coffee-table publications on Cape Town and Robben Island.

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

› Matthew Holt is a self-confessed list-ticker.

He’s climbed the seven continental summits, skied the last degree to both Poles and, so far, climbed more than 30 of the world’s 50 most prominent peaks. He’s also chanced his luck at bog snorkelling, cheese rolling, wife carrying and bull running. A freelance writer based in Cape Town, Matthew is the author of two books: The Miles High Club and Life’s Rich Tapestry. › Sarah Kingdom is an Indian Mountaineering Federation–recognised mountain guide. Born and brought up in Sydney, Australia, she climbed her first peak when she was 10 years old. Keen to keep up the ‘family tradition’ of climbing a notable peak at a young age with her own children, but now living in Africa, she took her eldest son up Mt Kilimanjaro when he was also 10.

She regularly guides on Kilimanjaro, and has climbed and guided expeditions in Nepal, India, Tibet, Russia and Turkey. Sarah owns an 8 000-acre cattle ranch in Central Zambia, where she currently resides when she’s not climbing. › Gillian McLaren is a travel writer who enjoys interacting with people from different cultures, exotic food, scuba diving, bird and game watching. She has visited 54 countries and lived in seven of them. Photography is her latest passion. › Jacques Marais is a pro photographer/author who regularly contributes to a wide selection of premium adventure, travel and outdoor magazines, both in SA and abroad. His short stories feature in an adventure anthology and during the acclaimed ILLUME Red Bull Sports Photography Awards, Jacques was honoured as a TOP 50 finalist from a field of well over 20,000 international shooters. Most recent honours include both a Gold and Silver Award in the respected SONY Profoto Awards.

Art Director STACEY STORBECK NEL stacey.nel@anapublishing.com Head of Advertising Sales kyle villet kyle.villet@anapublishing.com Advertising Sales Manager KEITH HILL keith.hill@anapublishing.com Advertising Sales Executive PETER SAVAGE-REID peter.savage-reid@anapublishing.com Office Manager SUSAN BALL susan.ball@anapublishing.com Financial Manager LISA DE VILLIERS lisa.devilliers@africannewsagency.com ANA Publishing CEO GRANT FREDERICKS Editorial Contributors Graham Howe, Simon Capstick-Dale, Kingsley Holgate, Matthew Holt, Laurianne Claase, Sarah Kingdom, Gillian McClaren, Jacques Marais, Craig Jarvis Photography Cover: Ross Holgate Graham Howe, Sarah Kingdom, Laurianne Claase, Matthew Holt, Fiona MacIntosh, Greg Beale, Jacques Marais, Alan van Gysen In association with Outdoor Warehouse, Sportsmans Warehouse, First Ascent, Cape Storm Printer RSA Litho Distribution MDA Distribution Media Support Services PUBLISHED BY

Physical address: 176 Main Road, Claremont, 7700, Cape Town Postal address: PO Box 23692, Claremont, 7735 Telephone: +27 (0) 21 683 0005 Website: www.anapublishing.com

No article or any part of any article may be reproduced without the prior written consent of the publisher. The information provided and opinions expressed in this publication are provided in good faith, but do not necessarily represent the opinions of Cape Union Mart (PTY) Ltd, Insights Publishing or the editor. Neither this magazine, the publisher or Cape Union Mart can be held legally liable in any way for damages of any kind whatsoever arising directly or indirectly from any facts or information provided or omitted in these pages, or from any statements made or withheld by this publication.

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GEAR UP FOR SOME SERIOUS FUN! The third edition of the MTB beckons mountain bikers to discover Mauritius in an extraordinary way. Combine the thrilling adventure from your saddle with a gorgeous 5-star all-inclusive resort.

Shandrani Beachcomber is the heart of the MTB and is the start and finish for most stages.

Four exciting races: 65 km, 40 km, 22.5 km night ride and 63 km

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Your package includes: � Return airfare ex JNB � Approximate airport taxes � Return airport transfers and transfer to race start � Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily plus a selection of unlimited imported wines, spirits, softs drinks, cocktails and champagne from 6pm � Free land and water sports including waterskiing and wakeboarding � Race fee for all four stages � Entrance to the race village offering lunch, drinks, massages and bike washing services � Souvenir t-shirt Book 15 full paying clients and the 16th adult’s accommodation is FREE.

Perfecting island holidays for more than 65 years C a l l yo u r A s a t a Tr a ve l A g e n t o r B e a c h c o m b e r o n 0 8 0 0 5 0 0 c a r i n e @ b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a • w w w . b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a

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Rates are subject to availability and ROE changes. Registration closes on 07 May. 16th adult is accommodated for four nights on a complimentary twin-share basis at the Beachcomber resort booked, inclusive of the premium all-inclusive package and excluding flights, transfers and event fees. Age restrictions apply to the races. T&Cs apply.

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WILDERNESS

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A

frica on Foot Wilderness Trails is a one-of-a-kind mobile safari experience in South Africa. This is one for the adventurers and nature lovers who are looking for a unique walking safari experience in a big five reserve within the Greater Kruger.

A sister camp to Klaserie’s Africa on Foot, Wilderness Trails is a walking safari designed to offer three-nights camping in the Maseke Game Reserve, with each night spent in a

different location. The Olifants River courses through the reserve, while prominent mountainous ridges and koppies characterise the terrain, making it an incredibly diverse and interesting region to explore on foot.

The trail accommodates a maximum of 8 guests (sleeping in 4 tents) who are taken on a Kruger walking adventure of a lifetime, with plenty of stops en route. A professional Africa on Foot trained guide and tracker team will lead an informative, thrilling, and unforgettable walk in the wild. The experienced team ensures the camp is fully set-up prior to arrival. 4 classic dome-style safari tents are set-up with twin beds, comfortable linen; and come complete with their own private bathroom, bucket shower and wash basin.

Maseke Game Reserve occupies 8000 hectares of unspoilt landscape in the

Greater Kruger, and is situated between Hoedspruit and Phalaborwa in the Limpopo Province. Maseke shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park, which means wildlife roams freely between the national park and the reserve. It’s an easily accessible destination for both self-drivers and fly-ins.

The idea behind this eco-trails experience is for guests to discover the Kruger Park on a far more intimate level, and to gain knowledge about the surrounds from leading trails guides and rangers. The environment is completely cared for through the eco-friendly and low impact nature of the campsites. The campsites are entirely mobile, leaving no trace behind when the location is changed.

To stand a chance of winning this fabulous getaway, send the answer to the question below ,with your name and contact details to: susan.ball@anapublishing.com Question: Which river runs through the Maseke Game Reserve?

Includes: 3 x night walking trail for two people in the Greater Kruger. This is a mobile safari experience, where each night on trail is spent in a different location. The camp is set-up prior to arrival, and all meals are prepared. It’s a true wilderness experience combined with a bit of “glamping”!

All meals, bush walks & game drives, teas & coffees, all soft & alcoholic drinks, and conservation levy.

Value of Prize: R19700 Excludes: Flights, transfers, curios and extras.

The competition closes on the 15th of May 2018. The winner will be notified via telephone and email. This prize is not redeemable for cash nor is it transferable.

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

Africa on Foot Wilderness Trails - your big five adventure awaits.

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NUTS ABOUT RUGBY? The 3rd edition of Beachcomber World Club 10s in Mauritius is not to be missed.

An 8-team invitational featuring some of the best club sides in the world. Stay at the same Beachcomber Resort as one of the professional teams - why not join the Sharks and the Bulls at Paradis, and enjoy a game of touch rugby with the rugby legends, followed by cocktails on the 14th of June.

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Your package includes: Return airfare ex JNB � Approximate airport taxes � Return airport transfers (private transfers for Paradis) � Breakfast and dinner daily � Free land and water sports including waterskiing and wakeboarding � Game tickets for all 3 days � Beach touch rugby, cocktails and a souvenir gift Book 15 full paying clients and the 16th adult’s accommodation is FREE.

Perfecting island holidays for more than 65 years C a l l yo u r A s a t a Tr a ve l A g e n t o r B e a c h c o m b e r o n 0 8 0 0 5 0 0 r a f f i @ b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a • w w w . b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a

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Rates are subject to availability and ROE changes. 16th adult is accommodated for four nights on a complimentary twin-share basis at the Beachcomber resort booked, inclusive of breakfast and dinner and excluding flights, transfers and event fees. Transfers to and from the stadium can be arranged – please enquire. T&Cs apply.

KIN GS L EY H O L GATE

A

lifetime

adventure

OF

Driven by an ongoing thirst for adventure and a love for Mama Afrika, modern-day intrepid explorers Kingsley and Ross Holgate, together with their team of adventurers, have not only embraced every single country on the African continent but have now, on a recent world-first expedition, also succeeded in reaching all of Africa’s 7 Extreme Geographic Points.

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

13

KIN G SL EY H O LG ATE

“I

t’s taken much of a lifetime, I’ve had malaria more than 50 times and there’ve been some hardships for sure. But mostly, I have great memories of a wonderful continent that has stolen my heart and that of my son Ross and the rest of our band of delightful pilgrims of adventure, who make these wonderful geographic and humanitarian expeditions possible,” says Kingsley.

“These journeys of discovery have taken us to some of the world’s most extreme places, including the Danakil (hottest place on Earth) and the Sahara (largest desert in the world). We’ve circumnavigated the globe following the Tropic of Capricorn and traversed the length of Africa’s 5 000-kilometre Great Rift Valley. Then, in a single 449-day journey we tracked the outline of the African continent through 33 countries. In so doing, we reached five out of seven of Africa’s ‘extreme’ geographic points.”

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

AFRICA’S EXTREME GEOGRAPHIC POINTS It was a decade ago that we reached the most westerly tip of Africa – Pointe des Almadies in Dakar, Senegal, whilst on the Outside Edge Expedition to track the outline of the continent. Still on the same journey that took us through 33 countries around the rim of Africa, we reached the next yardstick, the most extreme northerly point in Tunisia at Cap Angela. Finally, after 448 days on expedition, we arrived at Cape Agulhas, the most southern point where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.

In 2010, our expedition members summited Mt Kilimanjaro and reached Uhuru Peak, the highest point in Africa.

Then, in 2011, whilst following the Great African Rift Valley, we parked our Land Rovers on the salt-encrusted moonscape shores of Lac Assal in Djibouti; at 155 metres below sea level, it is the lowest point on the African continent, with temperatures soaring to 50°C and more.

It was only natural to locate the heart of

the continent next – the sixth ‘extreme’ geographic point. In 2015, on a tough, world-first journey of discovery, the expedition team placed a beacon at the geographic centre point of the African continent, deep in the rainforests of the Republic of Congo. “That one nearly killed Kingsley,” says Ross, who these days, is the expedition leader of their iconic geographic and humanitarian journeys.

“It was a physical and emotional nightmare of endurance that became the longest seven days of my life,” explains Kingsley. “Seven days of grabbing roots to pull ourselves on our bellies through muddy goo, constant deep-mud wading,

PREVIOUS SPREAD LEFT: The madness sets in trying to find the Heart of Africa PREVIOUS SPREAD RIGHT: Tens of thousands of hours behind the wheel of the Landy adventuring to every country on the African continent THIS PAGE: Father and son emptying the calabash at Africa’s most extreme Easterly point in Somalia

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KIN GS L EY H O L GATE

Having reached the geographic centre of Africa, now only one ‘extreme’ goal remained. Despite their 30 years of expedition experience, would they be able to reach the most extreme easterly point of Africa? It is called Ras Xaafun – a remote promontory 115 kilometres south of the tip of the Horn of Africa, in the northeastern province of Puntland in war-torn Somalia. Surrounded by thousands of kilometres of inhospitable desert and mountainous terrain and cut off from the rest of the world by conflict, it is one of the most dangerous places on Earth.

In 2017, a window of opportunity presented itself and so began a 12 000-kilometre, eight-country expedition journey to Puntland in Somalia to Africa’s ‘Extreme East’. It was arguably the toughest global challenge yet and certainly not without danger and a large dose of adventure for the five-crew expedition team. As always it’s a story best told from the scribbled notes in Kingsley’s sweatstained expedition journal, the one with the sticker on the cover that reads “Extreme East – Hope Crosses Any Terrain”.

JOURNEY TO THE EXTREME EAST

dragging, falling, and cutting pole bridges.

Endless backtracking and detours to skirt impassable swamps. We sank waist-deep and every step was sheer physical effort, trying to wrench our boots out of the deep, sucking mud – our knees and thighs took a real hammering.

“Swatting, cursing and scratching, sweat bees crawling up our noses and into the corners of our eyes, and constantly enduring the stinging pain of innumerable siafu (army ants) bites. But with just 1.7 kilometres of dangerous swamp ahead to reach the geographic centre of Africa, our Ba’aka pygmy guides realised we have bitten off more than we could chew, and

TOP TO BOTTOM: The Extreme East expedition team reached Ras Hafun on the Horn of Africa; Somalia is not rated the most dangerous country in the world for nothing. The expedition team travel with 25 armed security forces.

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begin turning back. Covered in blood, I collapsed my stinking, wet, aching body into a sitting position at the base of a tree that could well be over 1 000 years old.

Was this the end? I was so exhausted I could just give up and die.

“But Ross would have none of it. ‘We’ve come this far and we will not fail,’ he urged us. So using sign language, we persuaded the Ba’aka pygmies to come back and lead us on (what wonderful little people; without their bush skills, we wouldn’t have survived).

Ross pulled me up by the hand – a father and son moment – and the finest expedition team of diehards I could ever wish to journey with, gathered around in support. Seven hours later, in a daze of pain, we arrived at the GPS coordinates verified by the International Geographic Union. The hands of the Ba’aka and the expedition team slowly screwed the Heart of Africa Beacon into the ancient base of a fallen tree.”

From the start, security was extremely tight. We were warned that a single mention in the press or on social media could make the expedition team a target for kidnap and ransom, or attack from the terrorist group Al Shabaab. So, following the advice of contacts in Somalia, the expedition’s true destination of Ras Xaafun was kept top secret; such was the risk that we created a ‘red herring’ that the expedition’s endpoint was the ancient walled city of Harar in Ethiopia.

But it seemed everything was against us reaching Africa’s most easterly point at Ras Xaafun. Around Harar and down to the Ogaden Desert near the border with Somalia, tensions erupted between the Oromo and the Somali clans in a so-called ‘khat war’ (the name given to the hallucinogenic, narcotic weed that’s traded and chewed by millions across this region).

Presidential elections were approaching in the self-proclaimed, but internationally unrecognised state of Somaliland that the expedition had to cross, there was ongoing

The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

15

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Extreme north in Tunisia ; reaching Uhuru peak - highest point on the continent with expedition members Ross Holgate, Jonty Rhodes, Stephen Smith and Andre Bredenkamp; finding the centre point of the continent, Africa’s heart in the Congo

conflict in Yemen and a massive bomb blast in Mogadishu – the worst ever – killed over 500 people. Then, to add to the tension, as we were preparing to cross the border into Somalia through a dangerous no-man’s-land stretch of disputed territory, news broke of a US drone strike on an ISIS base not far from our end-goal. Our Somaliland hosts begged us to rethink, but we were committed; our contacts are in place, we’d travelled over 12 000 kilometres through eight countries from South Africa to get this far – there was no turning back.

4am next morning: protected by 25 heavily-armed soldiers with AKs and light machine guns mounted on trucks, we raced non-stop (except for a fast diesel fill-up and lunch of goat meat), flat out across challenging desert terrain. Our security detail constantly on high alert, billowing clouds of dust so thick they hid the other vehicles, it was high-speed, nerve-wracking, adrenaline-filled driving, swerving around thorn trees and dry gullies that made for

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

ideal ambush points. Fortunately, these new Land Rover Discos go like the clappers – our lives depended on them!

Bruce’s voice crackled over the radio, “We’re probably being watched by Uncle Sam right now – bet there’s a pretty surprised drone operator wondering what three Landies are doing way out here!” he joked. It broke the tension for a moment and we all got the giggles.

As the sun set, the expedition convoy negotiated a narrow, twisting, rocky mountain pass into the lowlands that stretch towards the Indian Ocean. Hours later, as a huge full moon rose, we crossed a narrow, sandy 20-kilometre-long spit of land that joins the Ras Xaafun peninsula to the African continent. Exhausted, we rolled out our bedrolls in a grubby compound in the fishing village of Xaafun, the expedition’s armed escort fanning out around the dust-covered, sandblasted Landies, and soldiers on guard inside the compound walls.

Early the next day, hearts pounding and eyes constantly scanning for threats, we tackled the final 30-kilometre easterly stretch to the rocky headland of Ras Xaafun, boulderhopping the Landies across a moonscape of limestone and coral hills, and gullies littered with black volcanic debris.

And there it was! Set on towering, 200-metre-high cliffs above the Indian Ocean, we didn’t expect Africa’s extreme east point to be so dramatically wild, empty and beautiful. After six adventure-filled weeks and now constant danger, imagine the team’s sense of relief and elation as we attached a commemorative plaque of Peace and Goodwill written in Somali and English to the crumbling remains of the old Italian-built Ras Xaafun lighthouse.

We hurriedly verified the GPS coordinates supplied by the International

Geographic Union, erected a small cairn of stones to mark the most extreme east point of Africa and solemnly emptied the Zulu calabash of water carried all the way from South Africa’s most easterly point. The Mayor of Xaafun village and soldiers from our tough security detail wrote messages of peace and goodwill in Somali in the expedition’s Scroll. They too, had never been to Ras Xaafun.

Somehow, we made it to Africa’s most extreme easterly point. We all felt emotionally drained by the dangers of the journey, but reaching Ras Xaafun is the ‘missing link’ – we’ve now succeeded in reaching all seven extreme geographic points of Africa. It’s a world-first for any expedition team.

“It’s a lifelong dream come true,” concludes Kingsley. “Yes, we must be crazy to travel to one of the most dangerous regions in the world at this time, but as always, we were touched by the strength of the human spirit and the goodness of ordinary people we met along the way. I pay tribute to our extremely brave team and the wonderful people who also risked their lives to help us reach Ras Xaafun safely. We had a window of opportunity and took our chances; the ‘Zen of Travel’ was most definitely on our side.”

All Kingsley Holgate expeditions and adventures have a strong Cape Union Mart-supported humanitarian element and the Extreme East expedition was no exception. Both en route and in Somalia, the team distributed lifesaving mosquito nets to mothers and children in areas where malaria is rife, provided reading glasses to poor-sighted elderly villagers and in droughtravaged communities, handed out individual LifeStraws and also family-size LifeStraw units that each provide 30,000 litres of filtered drinking water to needy families and local clinics.

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28 - 29 JULY 2018

WHEN SPORTS AND LEISURE PAIR UP Four races and a five-star premium all-inclusive resort set the tone for trail lovers for the 5th edition of UTRB, where every trail is an invitation to discover the most breathtaking parts of Mauritius - across fields, forests, mountain paths, clifftops and pristine beaches.

Four picturesque trails: 47 km, 25 km, 10 km and the new 100 km

UTRB EXCLUSIVE OFFER A 4-night stay at Shandrani Beachcomber Resort & Spa valid 26–30 July from

R17 340

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Superior double or twin

R22 320

from

Superior single

Your package includes: � Return airfare ex JNB � Approximate airport taxes � Return airport transfers and transfer to race start � Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily plus a selection of unlimited imported wines, spirits, softs drinks, cocktails and champagne from 6pm � Free land and water sports including waterskiing and wakeboarding � Entrance to the race village offering lunch, drinks and massages � Finishing t-shirt and medal plus an invitation to the closing gala on the 30th of July Book 15 full paying clients and the 16th adult’s accommodation is FREE.

Perfecting island holidays for more than 65 years C a l l yo u r A s a t a Tr a ve l A g e n t o r B e a c h c o m b e r o n 0 8 0 0 5 0 0 L i z e l l e @ b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a • w w w . b e a c h c o m b e r. c o . z a

800

Rates are subject to availability and ROE changes. Age restrictions apply to the race and registration closes on 09 July. 16th adult is accommodated for four nights on a complimentary twin-share basis at the Beachcomber resort booked, inclusive of the premium all-inclusive package and excluding flights, transfers and event fees. Race registration fees are not included.

T&Cs apply.

Kili

J AC Q UES M A RA I S

CRANKING

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The Intrepid Explorer issue 21

www.intrepidexplorer.co.za

If you loved the film Out of Africa AND have a thing for mountain bikes, then you have to add the RIDE 4 LIONS multi-day MTB tour to your bucket list.

There is no other adventure anywhere in the world with more bang on the bike.

Photographs and text by Jacques Marais

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J AC Q UES M A RA I S

I’

m cranking along a rugged track ascending into the verdant ridges of the Chyulu Hills, rising high above Kenya’s Great Plains. Dawn light pierces the dense canopy of the montane forest blanketing the mountainside, and I feel like I may be the first human ever to lay MTB tracks along this remote and far-away route.

As far as the eye can see, these “green hills of Africa” – as immortalised in the Ernst Hemingway book by the same name – are tranquil and still, except for the occasional raucous touraco. Then another sound drifts in on the fresh morning breeze… the clanging of Maasai cow bells and muted lowing signal the approach of a herd of cattle.

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I hop off the bike under the spreading branches of a gnarly lucky bean tree, prop the Giant Trance against the twisted trunk, and wait as the herd of dappled Ngunis avalanche alongside me on the narrow mountain track. A young Maasai herder joins me, plunging his grand spear into the loamy ground before offering me a sip of blood and milk, probably as close to a traditional African energy drink you’ll ever get.

And I think to myself, “Man, Kenya is wonderfully wild”, followed immediately by the realisation that no other cycling experience can ever match #Ride4Lions anywhere on this planet. This is true, and undeniably so, as this off-road tour offers an unrivalled view of Africa from across the bars of your bike, while simultaneously exposing you to the rich and diverse

culture of this unique part of East Africa.

This 4-day MTB Stage Tour – organised by the professional crew from Great Plains Conservation – proved to be one of those inimitable events where the whole becomes so much more than the individual parts. Along the way, you will

PREVIOUS SPREAD: Moses Soipei takes in the sunset over the Great Plains region of Kenya, a key riding destination during the annual Ride 4 Lions MTB Tour.

THIS PAGE: Estelle van Kerckhoven pedals through a river crossing on Day 1.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Riders navigate jeep tracks through Amboseli National Park, with Kilimanjaro rising up in the distance.

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JAC Q UES M ARAI S

crank more than 200km of wilderness track and elephant trails, passing Maasai giraffe and long-necked gerenuk.

At times, you will need to portage your mountain bike through near-impassable lava flow fields, traversing tracks trampled by untold generations of elephants. And as you ascend into the peaks, you’ll discover fairy-tale stands of mist forests, making this a mountain bike journey like no other.

FOUR UNFORGETTABLE DAYS Close your eyes and imagine this: wide-sky horizons, unmatched Out-of-Africa hospitality, iconic landscapes, and the most incredible wildlife encounters you could imagine across the handle bars of your bike. Here is how your four days of unforgettable cranking will unfold: Amboseli Day 1 starts off in the iconic Amboseli National Park, and I pedal off ahead of the group to grab a few photos. To the south, the imposing bulk of Kilimanjaro towers high

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above, while all around the ecologically diverse wetlands of Amboseli – fed by glacial run-off from high mountain ice caps – unfolds as far as the eye could see.

This unique and water-rich environment draws wildlife from the arid plains, and within less than an hour, we’re dodging herds of buffalo, huge tuskers and errant hippo lurking in the marshes.

Camp for the evening is set up next to a small stream, with giant fever-tree towering over the luxurious tents. Massage therapists, a chill area with an endless supply of ice-cold Tusker and White Cap Lager, an excellent bucket-shower system in private en-suite bathrooms… it is very much the stuff of MTB dreams.

Kimani to Crater Camp On Day 2, the gravel roads give way to 4x4- and game tracks, making for more technical riding and at times, we’re surrounded by herds of Maasai giraffe galloping full tilt. Acacia thorns make way for occasional villages, kraals and herds of

Nguni cattle, with tough portaging via volcanic flows, all the while keeping a wary eye open for buffalo and lion.

The final ascent to Crater Camp is along the “Green Hills of Africa”, following eroded tracks winding amidst dense savanna dotted with lucky bean- and hardwood trees, a favourite grazing habitat for huge herds of ellies in the area. Armed rangers were deployed by Big Life Foundation to ensure our safety, until we eventually reach our camp perched upon the edge of an ancient caldera.

Crater Camp to Plains Camp The day of the “big climb” dawns as we ascend rutted switchbacks to crest the Chyulu ranges. Day 3 makes for hard riding via dense thorns and montane forests, eventually giving way to mountain fynbos.

Another hour of cranking finally gets us into a waving grassland ecosystem, surrounding ethereal pockets of mist forest for which the area is so renowned.

Our lunch stop is situated in the shade

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Stunning overnight camps, the luxury of Ol Donyo Lodge, and local Maasai culture make this one of the most amazing MTB journeys in the world.

of an ancient tree, with five-star finger foods, iced tea and Kenyan ground coffee on offer. Persian carpets, ottomans, and plump cushions… it truly is like a scene out of an Arabian Nights fairy tale. From here, a 17km downhill “champagne section” blasts us back into an arid world of baobab, thorns and searing temperatures.

Superb sightings of giant eland, Maasai giraffe, plains zebra – as well as a gorgeous flap-necked chameleon – spur us on as we crank endless game trails to the gorgeous “Plains Camp”.

Ol Donyo Lodge The final day – as can be expected on such an unforgettable journey – is always a bitter-sweet affair. After a quick flight with Craig Millar from Big Life Foundation to grab some aerial shots, I crank hard to catch the field. Fortunately, there are no buffalo encounters amidst the whistling thorns, but we do see dozens of stately giraffe as we continue our iconic crank.

A raucous Maasai welcome and tables groaning under delectable food awaits at Ol Donyo Lodge. My legs are finished, but if I had the choice, I’d immediately set off and do the whole #Ride4Lions again. The

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ululating transports us into a frenzy of air-jumping and back-slapping, but deep down I find myself lamenting the fact that I’ll be leaving this incredible country come morning. But one thing is for sure; I will undoubtedly be back.

ACCOMMODATION & TRAVEL The bush camps where you stay along the multi-day route is sure to amaze and inspire you, with all sites carefully selected to highlight key aspects of this incredible destination. Luxurious tents, each with private en-suite bathrooms boasting an ingenious bucket-shower system – are spread amidst colossal fever-trees, with full access to massage therapists and other specialised staff.

Tired participants are sure to appreciate the chill zones, all with endless supplies of ice-cold Tusker and White Cap Lager, as well as the fairy lights and lanterns beckoning you towards a dining tent, where tables bend under a delectable spread of gourmet cuisine.

Ol Donyo Lodge – your destination on the final night – is a highly regarded, luxury 20-bed wilderness destination, nestled against the foothills of the Chyulu Mountains. The lodge serves as the finish venue for #Ride4Lions, and the understated décor, excellent service and unimaginable natural surrounds make it the perfect destination for this incredible event. It is no wonder Ol Donyo is rated as one of National Geographic Magazine’s Unique Lodges of the World.

GETTING THERE Kenya Airways and a wide range of other international carriers fly daily to Kenya from major centres around the world. Once at Wilson Airport in Nairobi, Great Plains Conservation will transport you to rustic luxury of Nado Soit for Night #1.

For more information or to book your place on this exclusive mountain bike journey, visit www. greatplainsconservation.com

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MAT T HE W H O LT

TALES FROM THE

Riverbanks Cycling the length of the Danube is a fantastic way to experience central Europe, for better and worse.Matthew Holt recounts his experiences on the EuroVelo 6 cycle route.

Photographs by Matthew Holt and Fiona McIntosh

M AT T H EW H OLT

“N

o hour of life is lost that is spent in the saddle,” wrote Winston Churchill, albeit referring to an equestrian one, but the sentiment rang true, at least while we were planning to cycle the Danube.

Rising in Germany’s Black Forest and emptying over 2 800km later into the Black Sea, the Danube touches ten countries, hosts four capital cities and has seen Europe’s history acted out on its banks. Of more practical use, it’s accompanied most of the way by the EV6 cycle route.

Purchasing two touring cycles with panniers and Kevlar-sheathed tyres, Fiona and I headed for the start and immediately encountered our first problem, with the Danube’s source a matter of debate since Roman times. We first visited Donauschingen, a stately if sleepy town, priding itself on being the official ‘Donauquelle’ (or Danube source).

In the grounds of Furstenburg Castle was a mirror pool and white marble statue of a mother symbolically pointing her daughter, young Danube, towards the Black Sea – though, disappointingly, the water immediately vanished back underground.

Next, catching a train to Triberg, we cycled up to the tiny hamlet of Martinskapelle at 1094m. Near a small chapel and tavern, we found a shallow pool, carpeted with coins, also claiming to be the Donauquelle – by virtue of being the source of its longest tributary, the Breg. This time, the water disappeared into a muddy field.

And, finally, after returning to Donauschingen to retrieve our panniers, we visited the third contender for the river’s origin, on the town’s outskirts, where the Breg and Brigach merge to form the Donau (in the course of our journey, the river was never actually called the Danube). If no wiser as to the actual source, we at least now felt free to head towards the Black Sea. To be honest, I harboured some concerns as to my readiness for this marathon trip, having never repaired a puncture or relinked a chain. And though we carried spare inner tubes and spanners, this was purely for effect - with our contingency plan being for Fiona to flag down help, while I hid.

It was therefore disappointing that just beyond Donauschingen, with no other

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cyclists around, my front brake locked half-on, reducing me to a grinding crawl.

Fortunately, luck favours the hapless and after a slow 10km we came across a cycle shop in Geisingen, where a mechanic realigned my wheels, adjusted my brakes and pointed out that the grating noise was due to a bent mudguard.

On our third day, after 240km, we reached Ulm, beyond which the Danube is navigable by small craft. Every 200m along the bank was a marker counting down the distance to the Black Sea, which - with well over 2500km to go - was dispiriting rather than helpful. Fortunately, the countries after Germany weren’t so meticulous.

We spent a week cycling 650km through Germany - and you can’t visit for that long without mentioning the war. In the small village of Herrlingen, we found the grave of General Erwin Rommel, who commanded Hitler’s armies in North Africa and Normandy. The “Desert Fox” died in October 1944, aged 52, officially of wounds suffered during an Allied bombing raid. In fact, having participated in a failed plot to assassinate Hitler, he was coerced to swallow a cyanide pill – with the truth being concealed to avoid upsetting public

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To be honest, I harboured some concerns as to my readiness for this marathon trip, having never repaired a puncture or relinked a chain. morale and only emerging after the war.

Leaving Deggendorf after an overnight storm felt like venturing out after a bombing raid. Scores of trees had blown down across the cycle path, forcing us to lug our laden bikes over prostrate trunks.

Later that morning, we reached Passau, where the river Inn and Ilz join to double the Danube in volume. Cycling up to the old cathedral to catch a noon recital featuring Europe’s largest organ, we arrived a few minutes late and had to listen from outside, sheltering under the eaves from the persistent rain.

Just beyond Passau, we entered Austria, where we spent three days following paths right beside the river, staying in family-run inns, catching small ferries from bank to

bank. The most picturesque section was the Wachau, with its rolling green hills, terraced vineyards and hilltop ruins of Kuenringer castle, where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned in 1193.

Austria wasn’t all chocolate box scenery, however, and just past Linz, we cycled up a

PREVIOUS SPREAD, LEFT: Cycling into Belgrade PREVIOUS SPREAD, RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM: Besides the Dunarii in Romania; Arriving in Budapest was one of the trip's highlights THIS PAGE: War-torn Croatia was still under reconstruction

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M AT T H EW H OLT

steep rise to KL Mauthausen. A wooden gate led through thick stone ramparts into a courtyard containing rows of wooden huts. One of the Nazi regime’s first concentration camps, it opened for business in August 1938, initially for political opponents, but with the guest list soon including Jews, Soviet POWs and captured Allied spies.

The ingenious guards devised over 60 methods of execution, including marching inmates up the 186 “Stairs of Death” from the quarry, carrying rocks weighing 45kg, till they collapsed, and pushing others off a cliff in a so-called “parachute jump”. One way or another, over 150 000 prisoners perished before Mauthausen was liberated in May 1945. Despite being up on a breezy

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rural cycling in Serbia; Decebalus Rex eternally facing off the Romans; Catching the ferry to Mohacs

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hill, the camp retained an oppressive atmosphere which no amount of fresh air could erase and it was a relief to freewheel back down to the river.

The route out from Vienna took us through the Prater Gardens, past the iconic Ferris wheel and alongside nudist beaches on the Donauinsel. Shortly after that, we slipped across the former Iron Curtain via an open rusty gate on the now unmanned frontier with Slovakia. If we wondered whether crossing into Eastern Europe would make any difference, we soon found out.

Spending the night in Bratislava on a “botel” moored to the bank, we awoke to find a severed lock instead of Fiona’s bike, notwithstanding the security guard and alarm. “Romanians”, replied the police officer definitively, when I enquired as to the prospects of solving the case. The rest of that morning was spent purchasing a replacement cycle.

Next came Hungary, where the route predominantly followed busy tar roads or rutted dirt tracks. The compensation was Budapest, with its soaring spires, Gothic ramparts and elegant bridges. As a general rule, as we moved further east, the cycling conditions deteriorated, but the travel

experience got richer, at least in an adventurous sense.

The last Hungarian town on the Danube was Mohács, where battles in 1526 and 1687 bookended the unwelcome Turkish occupation. We specifically wanted to visit the museum housing a display of Busós costumes - full length sheepskin outfits, with cow horns and wooden masks daubed with blood - which the Hungarians wore to scare off the Turks.

Delighted to receive foreign visitors, the curator arranged for our cycles to be safely stowed and procured an English-speaking guide, only for us to then discover that the small town of Mohács boasts two museums.

It was with some embarrassment that we extricated our bikes and entrance fees, and went off in search of the right one.

Crossing into Croatia at Udvar, the river became the Dunav, the currency became the Kuna and I belatedly discovered large wads of Hungarian Forint cached in a pannier. The city of Vukovar was under reconstruction, which was essential for residents, if inconvenient for cyclists – but then the Croats had more pressing priorities than the EV6.

In 1991, when the nation of Yugoslavia

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LEFT: Farewell ('Drum Bun') to another sleepy Romanian village RIGHT: Ovid in exile in Constanta

disintegrated in ethnic cleansing and rape camps, 2000 Croats held out here against 36 000 Serbs, despite heavy shelling for nearly three months, till they ran out of ammunition. We passed the derelict station and battered water tower, preserved as a monument to the battle, and a memorial to 260 Croats who were herded by Serb paramilitaries from the city hospital and shot over pre-dug pits.

It was therefore with some trepidation that we crossed into Serbia at Backa Palanka and our concerns seemed immediately justified. The local men, almost without exception, looked like identikit war criminals, with closely cropped skulls and the brawny physiques of ex-cage fighters. Stumping our prejudices, however, they were unfailingly helpful, made good cappuccinos and even insisted on servicing our bikes for free. The entire population seemed to be on a charm offensive and visiting Serbia proved an unexpected highlight of the trip.

The most dramatic section of the route was the 50km stretch through the so-called Iron Gates, where the Danube forges a narrow canyon through the mountains separating Serbia and Romania. Carved into a cliff on the opposite Romanian bank was the face of Decebalus Rex, the last king of Dacia, reputedly as strong as 10 men, who fought the invading Romans till 106 AD, when he slashed his own throat to avoid capture. Completed in 2004 after 10 years of chiselling, the monument cost one million Euros and was funded by a colourful Romanian billionaire, Iosif Drăgan, who – aged 78 – married a 22-year-old.

The only drawback to Serbia was the cycling, typically on badly surfaced roads, with no hard shoulders, through unlit tunnels, with traffic roaring past. It would have been terrifying even if Serbs were the world’s most considerate drivers – which they’re not. We quickly learned that while white van drivers are the same the world

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over, in Serbia one must also beware of red cars.

“Don’t worry, you’ll be safe in Romania,” assured the young hotel manager in Drobeta-Turnu Severin. “All our thieves have gone abroad.” Even if we weren’t entirely convinced, this was welcome news, since Romania would account for nearly one third of our route.

For over 400km, we followed the Strada Dunarii, or Danube Road, built in the 19th century and still carrying more horse-drawn carts than motor vehicles. Day after dreary day we trundled through one-street villages, with cottages boarded up or “For Sale” daubed on their walls. The residents sat morosely outside the single grocery shop, drinking beer and smoking, while the children would race over to slap our palms – possibly mistaking us for cycling celebrities, but more likely because they had nothing else to do. It was depressing and also quite hazardous, and after a few days of palm slapping I’d developed tennis elbow.

We met several people cycling the Danube in stages, but only one other couple doing the whole hog in one go – George and Anita Whitehead who, coincidentally, lived 15km away from us in Cape Town. They were quintessential South Africans: Anita’s panniers contained enough provisions to stock a roadside kiosk, while George could relieve himself without dismounting. We cycled together for three days in Romania, before parting to the mutual relief of our livers.

Tiring of the Danube Road, we crossed over to the south bank into Bulgaria. And it was refreshing to have a change, even if Bulgaria was hotter and hillier, with even fewer roadside amenities. Two days later, we returned to Romania.

Now, if there’s one word synonymous with cycling in Romania, it’s “dogs” – and not one or two yapping mutts, but packs of slavering, rabid monsters. We’d heard horror stories of cyclists being taken off

their bikes and were advised to carry pepper spray. Fortunately, however, we’re partial to man’s best friend and found the local canines to be congenial creatures – at least till a pack cornered Fiona and one sank its fangs into her calf.

The last couple of days were a grind, over incessant hills, into a constant headwind, with the temperature over 35 degrees Celsius. Passing ancient monasteries and Roman ruins, we didn’t care. We had our heads down and minds set on reaching the end.

At Ion Corvin, just 70km west of the Black Sea as the crow flies, the Danube turns sharply north up to Romania’s borders with Moldova and Ukraine, adding an extra 200km to its course. We took the easy option, following the Danube-Black Sea Canal due east to the port of Constanta.

Ovid described Constanta as a warstricken, cultural wasteland on the remotest margin of the empire – but then he’d been banished here for life in 8 AD by Emperor Augustus, for complicity in a failed palace coup and his pornographic poetry.

Conversely, after cycling nearly 2 800km in a month, we found its restaurants and bars to be the height of civilisation. To avoid second thoughts, while Fiona was in hospital having a tetanus jab, I sold our bikes.

But, of course, we couldn’t say farewell to the Danube like this. The river’s official mouth is at Sulina, which – ironically, given all our cycling – is only accessible by boat.

After taking a bus to Tulcea, we caught a water taxi into the Danube Delta.

A cosmopolitan port in the 19th century, Sulina’s attractions now comprised a dilapidated lighthouse, small beach (where we swam), old cemetery (hosting several foreigners who’d drowned here) and restaurant serving “crap” (apparently Romanian for perch). More importantly, for us, there was also a marker board on the far bank signalling 0km, heralding the official end of our journey.

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C RAIG JARV I S

TWO SIDES OF THE COIN Two perfect waves – one a left and one a right – separated by a subcontinent, both surfed by pro surfer Jordy Smith.

Photographs by Alan van Gysen

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W

hen Donkey Bay came into the collective surfing consciousness in 2008, it shook our little world. That a wave this great, arguably one of the best waves on the planet, existed in a little corner in Namibia redefined what many of us believed in surf travel.

Sometimes you don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth, to the remote Marshall Islands, to Lofoten, Norway in the Arctic Circle, to find perfect waves.

Sometimes they are just around the corner.

When South Africa’s top professional surfer Jordy Smith, a perennial world title contender on the Championship Tour, found out about the wave, he wasted no time in heading out to surf the endless sand bottom barrels of Donkey Bay and work on various areas of his surfing technique and performance.

While Donkey Bay is one of the longest left waves in the world, it is also one of the hollowest. It’s the perfect location to sharpen your backhand tube riding skills.

Jordy is a natural footer, standing with his left foot forward. This means that when he surfs a left-breaking wave – a wave which breaks from left to right when

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looking at it from the shoreline – he has his back to the wave.

Surfing with your back to the wave is not a disadvantage in any way, but when the surfers ride in a tube – when the wave breaks over the surfer and they ride behind the curl – it is sometimes hard for the surfer to see where he or she is going.

Jordy decided that Donkey Bay was the place to refine this skill.

Many waves on the World Surf League Championship Tour are left-handers. The Billabong Pro Tahiti is an exciting event at the infamous left-hand wave called

PREVIOUS SPREAD, TOP TO BOTTOM: A serendipitous discovery way up the Mozambique coastline saw current 4th placed World Surf League surfer Jordy Smith find a prefect, secret wave; Donkey Bay in Namibia is one of the world’s longest, most hollow waves in the world and is extremely challenging to surf THIS PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Jordy rests up against the photographer’s boat to hide from the sun and to regroup his strength for the next session; Mozambique holds many secrets for the intrepid surfer

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C RAIG JARV I S

Teahupo’o, and the legendary Billabong Pipe Masters that takes place at the notorious Banzai Pipeline on Oahu, Hawaii, the most dangerous wave in the world.

All of the waves require skill, knowledge and experience, and while Donkey Bay

TOP TO BOTTOM: ; Donkey Bay is an incredible wave, and the current is so strong that after every wave, surfers have no choice but to come in and walk up the miles-long sand point; West Coast means cold water, and a good wetsuit and boots are basic requirements before venturing out

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doesn’t get achieve the same heights as these other venues, it is a technically complex wave to master.

“It’s definitely one of my favourite waves when it’s on,” said Jordy of Donkey Bay. “It is a challenge to ride it well, but when you get one of those good ones, the slightly bigger ones, you can most definitely catch the wave of your life out there. I guess that’s why I keep coming back.”

The training at Donkey Bay has definitely shown benefits for Jordy, who finished fourth on the Jeep Leader Board of the 2017 World Surf League Championship Tour, the

premier global surf tour.

“I realised that the world title race is not a sprint,” said Jordy, “It’s definitely more of a marathon, and of pacing. You need to hold back at certain times and you need to push hard at other times. I’ve improved my skills at pacing, and I’m going to put them into place again this year.”

Jordy spends his year on the road, and has a base in Cape Town with his wife Lyndall, and another base in Durban with his parents. He also takes residence in California, where he remains close to the massive surfing hub. Still, when he sees an opportunity coming, he drops everything – if possible in his packed contest schedule – and heads for Namibia.

Over the huge land mass and adjacent coastlines of the African subcontinent, there are hundreds of waves for surfers to ride; from the cold and blustery of the Cape, perfect Jeffrey’s Bay, warm Durban, and further north into Mozambique. In an almost unbelievable stroke of luck, Jordy and friends discovered another perfect, diametrically opposite wave in Mozambique.

The wave they found was a right-hander.

Looking out to sea, it broke from the right to the left. For a natural-footer like Jordy, that would mean facing the wave while surfing.

When the wave tubed and he was behind the lip, Jordy had perfect vision and could see exactly where he was going.

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C R AIG J ARV I S LEFT: Jordy Smith has just turned 30, and his his heart set on a surfing world title. Maybe 2018 will be the year Jordy wins the title for the first time for South Africa since Shaun Tomson in 1977

Sometimes you don’t have to travel to the ends of the earth to find perfect waves. Sometimes they are just around the corner.

Their wave – called The African Kirra after a similar breaking wave on the Gold Coast of Australia called Kirra – was hollow and as long as Donkey Bay, but it had one different aspect to it. The water was warm.

In Namibia, the water is naturally cold.

Surfers use ¾ millimetre thick rubber wetsuits, rubber boots and hoods to keep warm, and even then with wind chill,

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they are often uncomfortably cold.

Donkey Bay faces the Atlantic Ocean, and the cold Benguela current feeds the Namibia coastline.

Over in Mozambique, however, surfers are at play in the Indian Ocean, and the warm Agulhas current feeds south along the coast, bringing warm water to these areas. Even if the weather is bad, windy

or raining, surfers will still paddle out in board shorts, or run the risk of overheating while surfing.

There is always a lot of paddling at African Kirra, with a strong wash sweeping down the beach. When it becomes too much to fight, or if the surfers travel too far down the endless point, they catch a wave in and run up the point, desperate to get back out as fast as possible and get another few perfect rides.

“The first time we went there we weren’t really looking for it,” said Jordy of their initial discovery. “My wife was with us and we were kind of cruising, looking for a place to chill and have some lunch. Then we saw the wave and it was quite incredible. I surfed until the sun went down that first day.”

The discovery in Mozambique was another incredible unearthing, but has way less impact on the surfing world than Donkey Bay. When it’s good, it is more appealing with warm, translucent blue water, but as with all waves, there are certain conditions that bring it to life.

The combination of conditions – wave size, wave direction, wind speed and strength and tide movement – is extremely rare in Mozambique, and the wave only comes to life a few times a year. To be able to go on a strike mission – a sudden and unplanned surf trip to meet a forecast swell – is difficult to pull off in Mozambique, while the waves heading for Donkey Bay are easier to track and surfers have a little bit more lead time to plan their trips up west.

Nonetheless, Jordy and friends have scored it a few times. The waves have always been epic, and they are all getting better at reading the swell charts and making forecasts for the area.

With the wealth of information out there for surfers to peruse for free, it is becoming an almost exact science to pinpoint and predict an upcoming storm, as well as when will be the best time to arrive at a certain surf break.

The two waves are right up there with the best on the planet, and they’re both accessible to South African surfers, with Jordy leading the way and helping us look further than the beach down the road, or the wave around the corner.

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GR A HA M H OW E

GRAH AM H OWE

LOOKING FOR

Old

Arabia Exploring the origins of Abu Dhabi, Graham Howe uncovers a rich eco system and a culture steeped in traditions

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I

was kayaking in the mangrove swamps of Abu Dhabi, paddling through the narrow channels of the eastern marshes. An allwomen party of American dragon boat racers overtook us, dipping their paddles in unison in the clear blue water to the chant of a coxswain, practising for the annual races.

The contrast was startling beyond the flat scrubby mangroves, the high-rise city of Abu Dhabi arose out of the sands like a mirage – a hazy silhouette of designer glass and steel skyscrapers reaching up to the sky. Fifty years ago, before the oil boom, Abu Dhabi was a small fishing and pearling village, a coastal settlement of traditional low-rise mud and palm dwellings. Look at it now.

Pulling ourselves along by gnarly roots, we spotted migratory birds like striated mangrove, eastern reef and grey heron wading in the shallows, feeding on the rich nutrients. Our guide reached over and pulled out a large spanner crab buried in the sands then released it. A flock of pink flamingo paraded through the salt flats in the distance. It was an idyllic morning to be out in a kayak.

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Abu Dhabi lives up to the meaning of its name, Land of the Gazelles. The dainty deer resembling springbuck are often spotted at dawn and dusk grazing on the sweet green fairways of the golf course.

Birdwatchers come here to spot raptors like saker falcons, Egyptian vultures, hawks and marsh harriers, as well as curlews, flamingo and common golfers.

The city authorities have left one symbolic sand dune untouched within the city limits to remind the urbanised Emiratis of the desert where they come from.

According to an old Bedouin proverb, “He who forgets the past has no future”.

Faced with rapid urban development, conservation of the fragile marine eco-system of the Arabian Gulf is a pressing concern. The territorial waters of Abu Dhabi are home to the world’s second biggest population of dugongs (sea cows) and a key nursery for Hawksbill turtles, loggerhead and green turtles as well as humpback and bottlenose dolphins.

I met Arabella Willing, a resident British marine biologist who is a key player in wildlife conservation initiatives in Abu Dhabi. Based at the Park Hyatt Hotel, she takes tourists on eco tours by boat out into the Gulf to learn about the fragile coastal habitats of the Emirates.

During the turtle laying and hatching season from April to August, her main activity is protecting the nesting zone on motor-free resort beaches. I joined one of her daily educational nature trails along the beach on Saadiyat Island While identifying a ghost crab’s burrow and a “mermaid’s purse” (a carpet shark’s empty egg case) on the beach, she explained that the endangered whale sharks feed on fish eggs laid around the oil rig platforms out in the Gulf – while the dugongs feed on meadows of sea grass and the hawksbills on the healthy coral

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sponge. She says, “We have superhero coral on the reef off Saadiyat Island. The marine life is unique, especially the coral colonies, and can survive global warming here.”

My lesson in turtle ecology continued on the beach. Worldwide, only one Hawksbill turtle survives into adulthood of every one thousand eggs laid. Many turtles are killed every year trapped in fishing nets, boat strikes, plastic entanglement, coral bleaching – and hunted by fishermen in the Caribbean engaged in the illegal sale of the valuable Hawksbill tortoise shell.

One hundred of the world’s 8000 breeding pairs of Hawksbill turtles nest in the Gulfand have a strong homing instinct A single turtle lays one hundred eggs into a nesting hole at a time. I was fascinated by the fact that warmer temperatures in the sand mean a higher proportion of newborn turtles are female – while colder temperatures in the lower part of the nest mean more males. I wondered about the symbolism – hot-blooded females, coldblooded males? – and about the impact of global warming on gender. Arabella wants to put microphones in sample nests to be alerted by the “pipping” noise the turtles make when they use their small beak to hatch out of the egg.

We also spotted fragments of pearl oyster on the beach – once the major industry in the Gulf before the oil boom of

the 1950s. A visit to the beach has never been quite as interesting as in Abu Dhabi After a sunset stroll along the high-rise corniche, I went looking for old Abu Dhabi among the Arab dhows in the old harbour. Illuminated by old hurricane lamps, these romantic lateen-sailed wooden fishing boats tied up along the pier were laden with lobster pots and fishing nets used to catch the giant prawns, crabs, lobster, hammour (a delicious local fish) out in the shallow waters of the gulf.

The stalls in the old seafood market were piled high with fresh fish on ice. Dozens of fishmongers hawked their wares in the covered market. Shopping like the locals, I bought the freshest looking fish (look for clear eyes is my motto) directly from a friendly man who stood under his official fishmonger #66 sign bearing his name, Ahmed Saaed Al Rumaithy.

I then paid a small fee to a cook at one of the many small kitchens to charcoal grill it, baste with a spicy sauce (each kitchen

PREVIOUS SPREAD: The ancient art of falconry is still widespread in the Emirates today OPPOSITE PAGE: a date in Al Ain: The ancient oasis is a Unesco World Heritage site, listed for its 3000 year-old irrigation system THIS PAGE LEFT TO RIGHT: Hawking on camelback: The traditional way of hunting hares and bustards in the desert; hunting with saluki (Arabian greyhounds) and falcons in Abu Dhabi THIS PAGE (INSET): The Bedouin nomads traditionally hunt using the native saker falcon

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has its own special sauce) – and serve it with rice. It is a seafood meal I will remember for the rest of my life.

One evening we enjoyed dinner with our host, Mohammed Abdullah Farah Abdull Rahman Al Hashimi from Visit Abu Dhabi, the national tourism agency. In Arabic on his business card, his name looked even more impressive. A wonderful host, he epitomised the Arab spirit of hospitality. He demonstrated how to use pita to slide the hot lamb, chicken and sausage from kebab skewers as long as Arabian daggers cooked at the table over a pyramid of coals – served with divine dips from hummus, tahini and moutabal (brinjal), exotic kibbeh, fattoush and tabbouleh salads.

The Emiratis have modernised within a single generation – yet still proudly stick to their traditions. “I bet you’re wondering what I’m wearing under my kandourah

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(long white outer white robe)” declared Mohammed. Seated at the head of our table, he held forth, explaining the Arab dress code. Dining al fresco on the pier in my t-shirt and board shorts on a sultry hot night, I felt under-dressed.

We were given a lesson in the Arab dress code –a symbol of identity. Our genial host discussed his attire from head to foot – from the white sifrah (a straight cloth head-dress) held in place by a regal black agaal (cloth band) to the loose, white dishdash (robe) which keeps a man cool in a hot climate (summer temperatures can hit the fifties!).

Twirling his tarbouche (a white cotton cord), kept under the mouth to ward off any bad odours, all our host was lacking was the traditional bisht (a long dark dress robe worn on more formal occasions) and the asaa (a slim wooden cane).There’s culture in the clothes – a sense of balance between

past and present, tradition and modernity.

I spent an enthralling morning learning about the ancient art of falconry at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital, the biggest facility of its kind in the world (see my column in the previous edition of The Intrepid Explorer). It forms a key part of major conservation initiatives in the United Arab Emirates aimed at breeding captive-born falcons, and conserving the wild native saker falcon and falconry as an ancient Bedouin heritage.

Hassan, our Bedouin guide, explained that falconry is inscribed as a UNESCO world cultural heritage in eleven countries, including Abu Dhabi.

I had a date in the old date market at Port Zayed in Abu Dhabi. Rows of date sellers sell dried and fresh yellow dates from all over the Middle East – as well as dried apricots and figs, and dates covered in chocolate or coconut, stuffed with almonds and nuts. I was tempted by a tasting of the free samples offered to me by a smiling salesman from World Gold Fruits I counted twelve varieties of dates in mounds from the VVIP (very very important) majdhool dates to the ambar, Saudi, UAE and Palestinian dates – which varied from R175 to R420 per kilogram. I also bought Arabian coffee infused with cardamom, as well as pistachio halva, exotic date syrup, pomegranate oil and bulger wheat. I was tempted by the exotic beard oil, which the well-groomed bearded locals use – made from jojoba, argan, basil, rosemary, peppermint and watercress. Imagine wearing that herbal poultice on your face!

The UAE is home to an estimated 42 million date palm trees – more than anywhere else on the planet. How they do a palm census I have no idea. To try and find out, I made my way along the desert highway to Al Ain, one of the world’s oldest desert oases located 140 kilometres to the east of Abu Dhabi on the border with Oman. One of the newest Unesco World Heritage Sites, it was listed in November 2011 to preserve its ancient bronze age beehive tombs, mud forts and water irrigation system, which has fed the oasis for 2000 years.

The biblical oasis lies at the heart of this old garrison border town. I felt a rare sense of serenity walking in the shade of the tall palms, through gardens irrigated by the falaj (water channels) and ancient wells via

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GR A HA M H OW E

ABOVE: The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with its 82 marble white domes and soaring minarets LEFT: Al Jahili fort (1898), the old summer palace in the oasis of Al Ain

a vast network of underground tunnels excavated from bottomless desert aquifers.

Our veiled guide told us Al Ain is one of the largest and oldest oases in the world, with 147 000 date palm trees planted on 550 farms on 1200 hectares of desert. We strolled through a verdant orchard of apple, pomegranate, fig, mango, papaya, lemon and banana trees cultivated using water supplied by the ancient falaj system, bringing life to the desert.

I wanted to buy a camel at the old camel market, but it was closed. I explored the magnificent Al Jahili fort (1898), the old summer palace built by Sheikh Zayed the First. For centuries before the advent of air-conditioning, the ruling sheikhs used to escape the heat and humidity of the coast in mid-summer to find sanctuary in this cooler, more temperate mountainous region. The Al Jahili and Sultan’s forts are protected by cannons, thick mud walls, high round towers and crenelated battlements, built around courtyards with rooms, grain storage, mosque, wells and barracks for the British Trucial Oman Levies soldiers based here in the 1950s. Today, the

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forts are exhibition spaces and oasis museums displaying ancient artefacts.

Entering through the gates of Al Jihili feels like passing into the lost world of the French foreign legion. I was enthralled by the exhibition on Wilfred Thesiger (1910 – 2003), the last of the great British explorers of the twentieth century. Known as Mubarak bin London, the son of London, he spent four years on two epic expeditions by foot and camel crossing the windblown dunes of the empty quarter (“Rub al Khali”) of Arabia from 1946 – 1949. He wrote many legendary books on his travels, including Arabian Sands and The Marsh Arabs.

Spending his life travelling overland in the desert through Iran, Iraq, Syria, the Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Oman, Thesiger wrote of the Arabian desert, “It was very still, with the silence which we have driven from this world … In these empty wastes I could find the peace that came with solitude, and among the Bedu, comradeship in a hostile environment”.

Living like a nomadic Bedouin, Thesiger ended his epic journey of 16 000 km in Al Ain – and so did I! He lived according to an

old Bedu proverb, “The more possessions you have, the more you are robbed of your freedom”. He would barely recognise Abu Dhabi or Al Ain today – over the last fifty years, the region has leapfrogged straight from the 19th into the 21st century, funded by the oil boom. When Thesiger arrived in Al Ain in 1948, he came by camel, before the highway was built. There was nothing here but desert oases as recently as the 1960s.

The spectacular windy twelve kilometre road from Al Ain to the summit (1300m) of Jebel Hafeet is better than any rollercoaster – and rated one of the top ten mountain roads in the world. The view of the desert plains from the summit is spectacular. I spotted a wild falcon soaring high above – and thought of Thesiger who describes hunting for Arabian tahr (wild goat) on these mountain slopes, using falcon to hunt bustards and wild hares – riding out into the desert with Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founding father of Abu Dhabi.

Looking back, Thesiger wrote “I felt the lure of the unexpected, the compulsion to go where others had not been … In the desert I found a freedom unattainable in civilisation … No man can live this life and emerge unchanged. He will carry, however faint, the imprint of the desert, the brand which marks the nomad; he will have within him the yearning to return.” *Graham Howe was a guest of www. visitabudhabi.ae and Development Promotions in Johannesburg - call 011 463 1170 or visit www.dev.prom.co.za

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S ARAH KIN GD OM

In search of

MAHALE’S

CHIMPS Sarah Kingdom travels via ferry to remote Mahale Mountains National Park in Tanzania in search of wild chimpanzees – and comes across some interesting adventures along the way.

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aiting in Mpulungu, we seemed to be the only people in Zambia who knew the Liemba was coming…

The Liemba, a somewhat dilapidated passenger and cargo ferry that has seen better days, runs along the eastern shores of Lake Tanganyika. Stopping along the way to pick up and drop off passengers, between the ports of Mpulungu in Zambia and Kigoma in Tanzania, the boat is a lifeline for the people living along the lake.

Built in Germany in 1913, the Liemba (originally called the Goetzen) was taken apart, packed into 5000 boxes and shipped

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to Dar Es Salaam, then part of German East Africa. From Dar Es Salaam, the boxes were taken by train to Kigoma, where she was finally rebuilt and launched onto the lake in 1915.

During the World War I, the Liemba was converted into a gunboat and used by the Germans to control Lake Tanganyika during the early part of the war – ferrying cargo and personnel across the lake, and providing a base from which to launch surprise attacks on allied troops.

In July 1916, during the German retreat from Kigoma and in order to avoid the ship falling into allied hands, her captain had her scuttled. Eight years later, a British Royal Navy salvage team raised and decided to rehabilitate her, eventually

returning her to service as the Liemba.

Today, at over 100 years old, she is the last vessel of the German Imperial Navy still actively sailing anywhere in the world.

The Liemba has had a colourful past.

From cargo and passengers, to naval gun ship and back. She was the inspiration for CS Forrester’s novel The African Queen, and the subsequent movie starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart.

In 1997, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees used the Liemba to help repatriate more than 75 000 refugees who had fled Zaire during the First Congo War. In May 2015, she was used again by the UN, this time to evacuate 50 000 refugees who were fleeing from the troubles in

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Burundi. Nowadays, the Liemba has settled down to a more sedate, if rather unreliable, ferry service.

Ferry operations ostensibly run twice a month between Kigoma and Mpulungu, though we found ourselves waiting in Mpulungu for a ferry that everyone said wasn’t coming. Despite having it on good authority that the Liemba was on its way (we knew a guy working on board), the port authorities in Mpulungu were adamant it would not be arriving that day, the next day, or in fact any day in the foreseeable future!

We waited patiently, and two days later it appeared on the horizon, forcing the port staff to concede that perhaps we knew what we were talking about after all.

Accommodation on the Liemba ranges from a handful of first class cabins, to a seating area for about 600 third class passengers, with a couple of second class compartments in between. We managed to secure ourselves one of the first class rooms… though remove all images of the QE2 from your mind when picturing our “state room”! We had a bunk bed that took up half the room, a small metal sink in one corner, one plastic garden chair and, thankfully, a working fan.

As third class is situated below decks, in the sweltering bowels of the ship, the majority of passengers prefers to sleep up on deck, draped in a variety of yoga-like of positions, on all available surfaces. One family had come prepared with a double mattress that they ensconced themselves on for the duration of the journey. It was quite common to find someone had gone to sleep in the doorway of our cabin; leaving us to knock loudly on the inside of our own door to wake them up, before we could open our door and leave.

There are only three proper docks on the route up the lake (Kigoma, Mpulungu and Kipili), at all other stops, passengers and goods have to travel between ship and shore on small wooden local boats. This provided hours of entertainment, watching as joining or departing passengers scrambled from one bobbing boat to another, often in the middle of the night.

Looking down from the upper decks I saw generously proportioned ladies in their “Sunday best”, toting enormous handbags, being hoisted unceremoniously aboard, and babies were passed like packages from one set of arms to another; all while the oarsmen on the smaller boats struggled to keep things relatively stable, and countless instructions and advice were shouted from all sides.

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The boat had left Mpulungu basically empty, doubtless because no one in Zambia, aside from us, knew the Liemba was coming and so no one had time to prepare any cargo or get ready to travel themselves. With each stop along the way passengers boarded and the empty hold gradually filled up with bags of grain and an endless variety of other cargo, the ships crane working overtime.

Having started in Zambia with just a few boxes of apples and oranges and apparently very little else in the way of cargo, by day

PREVIOUS SPREAD: A Pensive Hadija after a hunt. Photo by Paul Otten THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MV Liembe to shore. Photo by Rhys Mansel; arriving in paradise... Greystoke Mahale. Photo by Sarah Kingdom; on board the MV Liembe OPPOSITE: The Kungwe Beach jetty. Photo by Sarah Kingdom

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S ARAH KIN GD OM

two the deck was crammed with chickens and ducks, numerous motorbikes and bicycles and an extensive and aromatic collection of dried fish heading to the market.

We woke one morning to discover two large containers full of live tropical fish had somehow been hoisted aboard during the night and were now ensconced like giant aquariums, complete with filters, on the foredeck.

Travelling at the “stately speed” of 11 knots/20km an hour… half way through day three we passed our destination, Tanzania’s remote and inaccessible Mahale Mountains National Park, a hour later it was our turn to clamber down the side of the Liemba and into one of the flotilla of wooden boats waiting below to ferry passengers ashore.

Six boatmen wielding homemade wooden oars paddled us to shore, while we balanced our luggage precariously on our laps and a guy with a bucket worked even harder than the oarsmen, bailing out the bottom of the leaky vessel. Reaching the shore and a quick haggle over the cost of our “water taxi ride” and we were back on dry land and ready to start the next leg of our journey to Mahale and some of the last remaining wild chimpanzees in Africa.

As there was no designated stop for the ferry at the park, we

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now had to retrace our steps back south, down the lake, to the point where we would be collected by the Greystoke Mahale Lodge boat the following day.

An hour’s haggling with the local motorcycle taxi, or “boda boda”, drivers ended with us holding tight to the luggage rack on the back of motorbikes as we went on a hair-raising ride. With every bump or sudden application of brakes, I found my nose buried in the “wet sheep”-smelling hair of my driver and we were clearly quite an amusing spectacle for the locals, attracting much laughter and jokes as we passed through each village. A night in a mud hut in the local village and another boda boda ride the following morning and we were more than ready to leave “civilisation” behind and spend some time with our “closest living relatives”.

Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, is home to a thriving population of chimpanzees.

The park is one of the few in Africa that can only be experienced on foot.

The only way in or out of the park is by boat and in the entire 161 300 hectare park there is not a single road. This is a wholly unique wilderness, a long way off the beaten track; but the lake, the beaches, the extraordinary forest and, of course, the chimpanzees make it a journey well worth making.

As the boat arrived at Greystoke Mahale, we truly felt like we had arrived in paradise. Crystal clear waters, tropical fish swimming beneath the boat and a white sandy beach. Our luxuriously appointed thatched rooms, combined with gourmet three course meals, afternoon teas and sundowners would fill the next days with such luxury that we would never want to leave.

If trekking five to six hours a day, up very steep inclines in humid jungle conditions is not for you, then cross Mahale off your bucket list! We would spend the following days tracking and observing a group of chimps referred to as “M” group.

The group’s territory is approximately 3 900 hectares, and covers beach, lowland forest, hills and valleys… much of it almost impenetrable. The seasons determine where in their range the chimps are to be found. Different fruits ripen at different times and in different places. So knowing what is on the chimps “shopping list” will determine where they are most likely to be found; this is where your local trackers are indispensable.

Day one was a long trek. Two hours hiking straight up hill, accompanied by Greystoke Mahale’s perpetually smiling “three musketeers”, our guides, Mwiga, Mathius and Butati. The group was dripping with sweat and our clothes clung limply to our damp bodies.

Nothing can adequately describe the adrenaline rush that kicked in when we heard the calls of the chimpanzees in the forest. Time, distance and aching bodies were all forgotten, as their shrill calls echoed through the forest canopy. Energy levels instantly revived and we carried on through the dense vegetation, getting closer to our target, anticipation growing. Suddenly there they were…

We were too slow to catch the main group of chimps, who had moved off by the time we had dragged ourselves up the slopes.

They had been hunting red colobus monkeys, and after a successful hunt had descended, at speed, back down the mountains we had worked so hard to climb!

Fortunately, a group of three had remained; mother, baby and

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LEFT: Alofu... a little bit of quiet time. Photo by Nomad Tanzania RIGHT: Baby love... a helping hand. Photo by Mbali Mbali

another female. Mum was eating the remains of the monkey carcass. Baby, clearly bored witless, swung in the trees, hanging by one arm and then the other, performing aerial somersaults and occasionally reaching out to play with the tail of the red colobus monkey that his mother was chewing… a gruesome toy.

After this tantalising view, we didn’t manage to see any chimpanzees for the next few days and had to wait patiently for the trackers to find the seemingly elusive M group. Finally we got word on day four that the trackers had located them and off we set up the mountains again.

Knowing what to expect didn’t make our climb up through the rainforest any easier! Again we could hear the spine-chilling calls of the chimpanzees hunting colobus monkeys. Another successful hunt and we could hear the whoops of excitement.

We reached the group in time to witness group politics playing out. The alpha male took possession of the kill and dragged the progressively bedraggled corpse through the forest with the others in hot pursuit. Once in sole possession, though, he was somewhat distracted by the proximity of an attractive female and he was obviously having difficulty deciding on his priorities… food or seduction… quite a dilemma!

Humans are supposed to maintain a minimum distance of 10m from the chimpanzees at all times, though this is sometimes easier said than done. The group is constantly on the move, completely indifferent to us humans, regularly passing us and sitting very close by.

We had been warned not to be startled or to run away if charged at by any of the chimps, and whilst this seemed good advice, it was not as easy as it sounds! Chimpanzees are many, many times stronger than humans and rather intimidating… at one point, holding my ground as six young males charged downhill, whooping and screaming, passing close enough for their hair to brush against my bare legs, took considerable will power.

In the mornings, chimpanzees descend from their night nests to feed. Once their tummies are full they become vocal and this is the best time to locate them. Rama, another of our knowledgeable guides, this time from Kungwe Beach Lodge, told us that at 10am we should expect to hear them. Indeed at 10:05 we heard the first calls.

Chimps are amongst the noisiest of all wild animals and this certainly makes finding them in the dense undergrowth a little bit easier.

We located a group of around 15 individuals under dense foliage. Too dark and too confined for photography, we put aside

cameras and spent time just watching. An infant played nearby with his elder sister, we laughed as we watched him pretend to be a “grown up”; stomping on the ground and doing mini displays with puny twigs and leaves. Some of the older males arrived and we saw a more gentle side to them, as they tickled and patted the infant, before settling down to groom one another.

Another day and another five hours of trekking. Having started the day on a visible path, as soon as we heard the chimps vocalising, right on cue at 10:01, we veered sharply off the trail and spent at least two hours “bush bashing” through prickly vines and thorny vegetation. Samjee, another of our guides, took the lead, machete swinging, hacking a trail through the undergrowth.

We spent much of the day on hands and knees crawling under bushes, scrabbling through dense undergrowth and using vines like ropes. When we had first heard the chimpanzees that morning, they were clearly celebrating another successful monkey hunt, but by the time we reached them there was no sign of the meat. Many of the group were high up in the trees and we only caught glimpses of them. We sat down and focused on the ten or so individuals on the ground close at hand. This was our last day in Mahale and we used the opportunity to quietly observe the group relaxing in the shadows.

Eventually it was time to leave, and we headed down to the lodge. But Mahale had not finished with us yet. Halfway back we found a lone female chimpanzee with her baby up a tree beside the trail. The baby bounced up and down on branches, trying his best to intimidate us, performing some daredevil mid-air stunts.

We could have watched him for hours, but time was up and we had to go. We returned to camp battered, bruised and bleeding, but content.

Mondays and Thursdays are “rest days” for the chimps, so there is no trekking on those days. Rest days coincide with the twice weekly flights at the Mahale airstrip (a 90 minute boat ride away).

Our last morning in Mahale was on one of these rest days. We spent the early morning in a wooden dhow out on the lake. Whilst there are lions, zebras, giraffes, roan, sable and hartebeest on the other side of the Mahale Mountains, that part of the park is almost inaccessible and we wouldn’t get that far. To round off a perfect trip though, we did see a lone leopard sitting calmly on the lake shore, watching us passively as we passed by in the boat, looking just like the cat that had just got the cream.

Greystoke Mahale... www.nomad-tanzania.com Kungwe Beach, Mbali Mbali Lodges www.mbalimbali.com

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TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

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S IM O N C AP S T IC K-DA LE

There is no shiny medal for crossing the finish line at the end of the three-day Wartrail Challenge. That’s because those who dare aren’t ‘been there, done that’ types. Wartrailers share a yearning spirit of adventure – and to triumph over oneself is the greatest reward of all.

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SIMON CAPSTICK-DALE

T

he Led Lenser Wartrail Challenge presented

by Fluid Kayaks, is a multi-sport endurance event in March which traverses the scenic northern reaches of South Africa’s Eastern Cape highlands.

While the Wartrail was founded 18 years ago, Adrian Saffy and Michael de Haast of Pure Adventures took over organisation of the event in 2005, and have admirably carried forward its legacy of unbridled adventure. When Adrian first took part in the race the year before, he competed alongside only 11 other athletes, with no marshals stationed along the route and without the help of GPS navigation.

Today, the Wartrail is a muchanticipated event on South Africa’s endurance race calendar and attracts many of the country’s top multi-discipline athletes. Though Adrian insists it is not

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exclusively the stomping ground of die-hard athletes, but for anyone with a bold sense of adventure.

“The Wartail is more a test of the spirit than the body. You must be reasonably fit, and willing to go up against extreme conditions. But seventy percent of what it takes is in your head. The reward at the end is that you will undoubtedly come out a

PREVIOUS SPREAD LEFT, TOP TO BOTTOM: The Wartrail Solo Challenge begins with a 56km run in the Witteberg mountains; Participants paddle the Orange River to the finish, having completed 239km.

PREVIOUS SPREAD RIGHT, TOP TO BOTTOM: The 118km second-leg cycle is from Balloch to Mdlokovana; Competitors reach an altitude of 2700m on their mountain run.

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The Wartrail is completely uncut. Out in the wilderness there’s nothing man-made – only skies, mountains and valleys. You get to explore parts of the country very few people have ever seen before.

OPPOSITE PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Wartrail Solo Challengers wait at the race start in Lady Grey; Running in groups helps participants stay on course and keeps up morale; The biking section is also high-altitude, reaching 2250m; The Eastern Cape’s Witteberg mountains provide a majestic backdrop for the Wartrail.

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Steep mountain ridges require competitors to keep their wits about them; Most entrants are not paddling specialists and the 65km final leg can be demanding; A two-man team arrives at the finish under the Hertzog Bridge in Aliwal North.

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stronger, richer person,” he says.

The 239km Wartrail Solo Challenge comprises a 56km run, 118km cycle and 65km paddle – one discipline per day – and athletes are responsible for all race logistics and their support crew.

For competitors, the serene and unspoilt Witteberg mountain range is their playground for three days, which provides a majestic backdrop. With no designated route to follow, athletes must make use of GPS units for navigation and time their progress throughout each leg accordingly.

“It’s tough waking up feeling broken and finding the motivation to get up and do it again. On Day 1, the high-altitude run literally takes your breath away. Then you’re on the bike in the morning for a long ride – feeling less excited than at the start – and must deal with a few slippery causeways and hairpin bends. On the paddle to the finish, river conditions can be unpredictable. There are rapids, shallow banks and a 10km gorge section, which can be very tricky.”

There are sections of the Wartrail which

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SIMON C A P S T I CK - D A LE are largely unchartered outside of the event, and for good reason. Sheer cliffs, loose rocks and even mudslides are a risk to competitors. Having to negotiate barb-wire fences, cattle and washed-away roads are all also part of what makes the event an extraordinary, soul-strengthening experience.

“The Wartrail is completely uncut. Out in the wilderness there’s nothing man-made – only skies, mountains and valleys. You get to explore parts of the country very few people have ever seen before.”

Erratic weather, which also affects river conditions, poses another challenge for participants, especially in this highland region where one can experience what feels like four seasons in a day. From heavy downpours and energy-sapping headwinds, to nauseating heat and poor visibility due to mist, athletes must be adequately prepared for any eventuality.

“On the Wartrail you are at the mercy of nature and the elements. The route remains exactly the same every year, but the weather is notoriously unpredictable.”

While these dramatic changes in climatic conditions mean that each Wartrail is always different from the next, it is these unknowns which Adrian believes bring so many competitors back each year.

HOW TO ENTER THE 2019 WARTRAIL Time is up for entries to the 2018 Wartrail event, taking place 16-19 March, but athletes keen to test their mettle next year will soon be able to enter.

There are a number of race formats available, which includes the three-day 239km Wartrail Solo Challenge. Other options are to complete just a single leg of the route, or all three legs as a three-man relay team.

New in 2018, the Non-stop Wartrail combines all three legs of the Solo Challenge back-to-back in a single day. Teams of 2, 3 or 4 members enter the event, which is based on the concept of adventure-style racing, where tactics around seconding and transition come into play.

For more information on the Led Lenser Wartrail presented by Fluid Kayaks, please visit www. wartrailchallenge.co.za Facebook – @LEDlenserwartrailchallenge Twitter – @pureadventures

THE THREE LEGS OF THE WARTRAIL SOLO CHALLENGE

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Q&A: CHRISTIAN GREYLING Intrepid Explorer caught up with 33-year-old Christian Greyling who won the Wartrail Solo Challenge on his first attempt in 2017. › What is your competitive background in multi-sport endurance events?

I was a keen adventure-racer from 2008-2012. The Wartrail was always on my bucket-list and I saw it as a great opportunity to be out in nature and have some time alone to think. › What physical and mental obstacles did you have to overcome on the Wartrail?

It was very tough – mentally more than physically. You reach a point where your body breaks down and you must rely on your mental strength to keep going. › Which leg of the Wartrail is the most gruelling?

The toughest section for me was the paddling as there are no downhills.

The scenery does not change regularly, which makes it more repetitive. › Did weather conditions affect your race?

Yes. There’s always a surprise waiting for you in the Witteberg mountains.

In 2017, we had to endure a serious heatwave as well as a water shortage. › Personally, what is the biggest reward in competing in the Wartrail?

The Wartrail broke me down and reminded me that God will always provide. It was a decision-making weekend, which changed my life for the better. After returning home, I quit my full-time job and started a new business with my wife. › What, in your experience, makes the Wartrail unique compared to other multi-sport events?

It is less ‘packaged’ and predictable than many other events. Not having a specific route to follow means every day is a real adventure. › What are your thoughts on the Non-Stop Wartrail event, and will you enter?

The absolute next level of toughness! I have entered a few adventure-style races before, but I’ll have to prepare myself both physically and mentally before competing again.

The Run (56km) The adventure begins with a high-altitude run in the Witteberg mountains from Lady Grey to Balloch

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The Cycle (118km) On Day 2 athletes get on their mountain bikes and cycle – still at a dizzying height – to Mdlokovana

The Paddle (65km) For the final leg, competitors paddle along the Orange River to the finish in Aliwal North

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L A UR IA N N E C LA A S E

over the hill and far away

South America had been on our bucket list since before we were married. Pushing 50, we finally got around to it – a three-and-a-half-month flashback to our salad days, backpacking through Asia and the Middle East in the 1990s.

I

Independent travel has changed in the last 25 years. Poste restante and pay phones, travel books and travellers’ cheques have given way to WhatsApp and smart phones, websites and digital wallets.

Word-of-mouth is now by Wi-Fi. We’ve never had it so good.

We had a better-padded bank balance than back in the day. But, at the time, the rand was 14 to the dollar and the cost of living in each country was an unknown

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factor. We had to budget – one of the time-honoured tenets of the backpackers’ bible – along with: • ‘Thou shalt travel light’; • ‘Thou shalt not cleave to planned itineraries’; and •‘Thou shalt go among the local people’.

We estimated a budget of $100 a day for two, excluding flights; downloaded

TrailWallet, an app that allows you to capture every expense and whittled our packing down to one carry-on bag each.

Admittedly, we strayed from the true path, and pre-booked flights and accommodation for the first three weeks, but thereafter we made our way – on public transport mostly – from south to north, staying with local hosts in Airbnb’s and pensiones, and tracking the Pacific coast.

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L AURIAN N E C L A A SE

ARGENTINA OPPOSITE PAGE: The Andean Mountains are 7 000km long and pass through 7 countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru, Chile and Argentina.

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: From Buenos Aries to Bogota, the streets of Latin America are an outdoor art gallery; Off to the airport with our carry-on packs weighing in at 10kg; The Belen Market in Iquitos, capital of the Peruvian Amazon; Hotel Nacional, Havana, Cuba; It’s a dog’s life in Latin America.

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At the start of September, after 21 hours in transit via São Paulo in Brazil, we touched down in Buenos Aires, the tango capital of the continent. On any given night, whatever the neighbourhood, you’ll find a milonga. While the rest of the weeknight world slumps in front of the TV, here, women slip on their heels and men don their cravats to congregate in social clubs across the city. With old-world etiquette,

the men approach the women, coyly ranged across the room, and they glide and dip, sweep and fall to recordings of scratchy violins and long-dead crooners.

As much as their milongas, porteños (the people of the port) enjoy their meat and their mate. This is no place for vegetarians unless you’re prepared to live on the local herbal tea. The locals never leave home without their gourd-like flask (guampa) and steel straw (bombadilla).

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Much like the rest of Latin American, Argentinians love their dogs – but not cleaning up after them. We had to watch our step.

A distinctly European city of crumbling grandeur and contemporary flair, four days were too few to sample its many delights.

But we tried. We attended mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral, where the current Pope was once Archbishop, and the ballet at the sumptuous Teatro Colon. We wandered in the rain through a stone city of the dead, to find Evita Peron’s burial place in the Recoleta Cemetery, and visited the museum to Argentina’s unofficial patron saint.

URUGUAY From Argentina to Uruguay in an hour, by high-speed ferry, across a river they call “the sea”. Some 200km across at its broadest, the Rio de la Plata is the widest estuary in the world. We disembarked to stone walls, cobbled streets and tree roots pushing up the paving. Colonia del Sacramento is one of the oldest towns in Uruguay, dating back to 1680. The low, clay-roofed buildings, the 18th-century fort and 19th-century basilica reflect the town’s Portuguese roots.

A two-and-a-half hour bus ride brought us to the capital, Montevideo. 19th-century Italianate palacios, art deco mansions and post-modern skyscrapers edge the palm-lined plazas and parks where food trucks ply a busy trade. Uruguayans enjoy free health care and free education, and gay marriage is legal, as is marijuana. “Don’t tell the USA,” quipped our walking tour guide.

While Catholicism is the dominant religion of Latin America, football is the one true faith. We bought our tickets for a local city derby at the stadium where Uruguay won the first FIFA World Cup in 1930 and

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joined the yellow-and-black throng of Peñarol fans at their home ground. It was a family affair. Fathers, their biceps proudly tattooed in the team logo, held aloft babies swaddled in the team strip. Amid yellow smoke and billowing banners, we ate churros out of paper bags, shared mate with our neighbours and were swept up in the rousing singing from the stands.

CHILE From the lake-studded south with its ski-slope volcanoes to the sun-seared deserts and surfing hot-spots of the north, Chile proved to be a country of contrasts.

Landing in the capital, Santiago, the plane erupted in applause at our successful crossing of the longest continental mountain range in the world. The Central Andes ends in southern Chile, which is where we finally touched down.

The Lake District is the Bavaria of Latin America. Glacial lakes and snow-cone volcanoes frame fertile farmland, well-fed cows, and Lutheran churches, thanks to the influence of 19th-century Germanic settlers. Gnomes are big here, as are kuchen, marmalade and pork. In Puerto Varas, my fish calzado (stew/soup) came

with sausage and smoked ribs. The seafood of the south is a gastronomic delight. At the Puerto Montt fish market, in a little hole-in-the-wall restaurant, designated by a number rather than a name, our seafood platter came with abalone.

With their love of dogs, music, colour and art, Chileans are the hippies of the continent. They’re also the most jingoistic. We found ourselves in Santiago for the annual independence celebrations and joined the holiday crowds for the Day of the Glories of the Army parade. Patriotic Chileans queued to take selfies with their soldiers, their kids decked out in the red, white and blue of the national flag.

We bused on, heading north toward Peru through the Atacama Desert, littered in colonial ruins and copper mines, the desiccated graveyards of 19th-century nitrate miners and pre-Colombian geoglyphs carved into the hills of the driest desert on earth.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, Cartagena, Colombia; The indigenous Mapuche resisted the Spanish conquest and survived in southern Chile; Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta, Havana, Cuba.

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L AURIAN N E C L A A SE

LEFT TO RIGHT: Jamaica meets Colombia on the laid-back island of Providencia; You can tell a llama from an alpaca by its banana-shaped ears.

PERU Peru has its ups and downs. Literally. From coastal desert and Amazon rainforest to the high Andean plateau (altiplano), you can travel from sea level to over 4 000 metres in a single day. And we did.

Fortunately, altitude did not present a problem, but Peruvian buses are not for the faint-hearted. These are some of the highest roads in the world: at times, single lane – and often gravel – with precipitous drop-offs, changeable weather and fatalistic drivers. On one particularly hairy ride, the four-man bus crew had to rebuild a section of the road before we could pass.

Eyeing the Marignon River some three kilometres below my window, I was ready to walk.

Taking a sho’t left from the Gringo Trail, we didn’t join the Machu Picchu crowds.

Instead, we had Kuelap all to ourselves. The pre-Inca fortress in the northern cloud forests of the Chachapoyas is set to rival Peru’s greatest tourist attraction, with the completion of the country’s first cable car.

We explored Arequipa, dubbed the white city, not for the three snow-covered volcanoes that surround it, but for some of the finest Spanish colonial architecture outside of Cuzco, intricately carved from white volcanic rock. We got carpal tunnel syndrome from photographing the 437-year-old convent of Santa Catalina, slurped pisco sours and sampled the local Andean delicacies of alpaca steak and deep-fried guinea pig.

We stayed with a Quecha Indian family on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world; visited the 5 000

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year-old desert ruins of Caral; ascended the foothills of the Cordillera Blanca, the highest tropical mountain range in the world and walked in Amazon rainforests that spend half the year under water.

COLOMBIA After a week on the Peruvian Amazon River, we rendezvoused with a passing fast boat. Eight hours later, we arrived in the Colombian border town of Leticia, where Brazil, Peru and Colombia meet. Thence, by air, to Bogota, the gritty, vibrant capital city, shrouded in cloud and surrounded by cloud forests.

Colombia has five distinct regions, encompassing the Andes, the Amazon, the Plains of Orinoco and the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. After two months on the road, we opted for some down time and settled on the Caribbean coast and islands.

At the end of the rainy season, Tayrona National Park was hot, wet and muddy.

Howler monkeys greeted the dawn, caimans slumbered in cool lagoons, and heaving seas sheltered coral reefs of tropical fish.

We walked the ancient walls of Cartagena, heavily fortified against pirates because it was from here that the precious metals plundered from the New World were stored before being shipped to Spain. The picture-perfect old city is set against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers, apparently built on money laundered from cocaine.

Some 850 kilometres off the northern Colombian coast lies the island of Providencia, our first – and only – Englishspeaking destination. Many of the locals

are the Jamaican descendants of African slaves, imported by the British to cultivate tobacco and cotton. The original pirates of the Caribbean also called this home. We could see why – warm sea, palm-fringed beaches, crab and crayfish fresh off the boat and reggae vibes. Irie, mon.

CUBA Back in Bogota, we boarded our flight to Havana, 18 hours after Fidel Castro died.

Nine days of mourning put Havana’s celebrated nightlife on hold and Cuba’s fabled cocktails were hard to come by. The ban didn’t seem to apply to state-run entities however. The landmark Hotel Nacional, once home to the mafia consortium that had run Cuba before the revolution, and now a national monument run by the State, was selling bottled beer for a cool R60 and Cuban cigars for R150. I couldn’t help but wonder if Fidel was turning in his grave.

While still stuck in a communist past of crumbling infrastructure, queues and shortages, Cuba is also catching up with the 21st century. Access to Wi-Fi had come in the last 18 months; private ownership of property and limited private enterprise is permitted, gay rights have been recognised, travel restrictions eased, and artistic expression is emerging after a long hibernation. Travel is easy, accommodation ample and comfortable, the food abundant, the cigars smooth, the classic cars cool and the cocktails – eventually – free-flowing.

We’ll be back, we said. And we were.

But that’s a story for another day.

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the road to

manafiafy GILLIAN MCLAREN braves the road from Fort Dauphin, in southern Madagascar, to Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge, to try to spot one of the smallest chameleons in the world.

B

eing in a 4x4 is essential. I wonder how the locals make it on bicycles with several family members and a load of essential commodities. One man is cycling with three sacks of charcoal. This road has to be experienced to be believed. We cross several flowing streams; bridges made of wooden strips, plus seriously rocky patches, as well as eroded tar that is a metre higher than the road we are traversing. The scenery is spectacular.

I shout, “please stop� and jump out of the vehicle to photograph a man that is carrying two enormous Jackfruits on a pole, Asian-style. The man obliges and waits patiently as I fiddle with exposures on my camera. I am astounded and intrigued by fields of carnivorous Pitcher plants, which I have read about, but have never seen. My Malagasy guide has to hold my hand, as the terrain is marshy. I hope not to slip as I squat to take a close up shot.

My guide is a fountain of information and I scribble down notes as he tells me about the customs and traditions of the local tribe.

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They spend more money on burying their dead and constructing tombs, than they do on their simple homes. The spirits of departed ancestors are revered and feared so must be treated with honour.

We stop for me to capture images of the tombstones decorated with Zebu horns, taken from the cattle of the deceased man that are slaughtered when he dies. Beef is not usually eaten; but all cattle are consumed when someone passes away. This may take a considerable amount of time if the man is wealthy.

The area has a high rainfall, so we frequently have to cross deep pools of water. My driver is a careful man, who observes each obstacle before tackling it. He is used to this road, so knows the challenges. He easily manoeuvres over, or around, whatever we find on this unusual national road.

We find our way blocked by a bus that is stuck in the red mud.

The Malagasy passengers are ferrying all their goods and chattels by hand, from the bus over the bridge, to lighten the load. Men

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to my great excitement we find a leaf chameleon, one of the smallest chameleon species in the world! This adorable Palleon species is minute, yet perfectly formed discuss the best way to get the vehicle going again. Sticks and stones are placed behind the wheels. I am delighted with the spectacle and this opportunity to chat with some of the locals.

My driver bypasses the bus and bridge, to steer our Land Cruiser through the river.

When a herd of Zebu – the beloved Nguni-type cattle that the Malagasy men treasure – blocks the road, I sit patiently, enjoying the pretty colours of their hides. They are the banking system of

OPPOSITE PAGE: One of 100+ Pandanus species found in Madagascar, lining a pool on the road to Manafiafy THIS PAGE: The elongate leaf chameleon, Palleon nassus naasus

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these men, who sell them when times are tough and they need finances. In addition, cattle are used to establish or maintain relationships during marriage arrangements, or where forgiveness must be sought.

In the village of Ampanasatomboka, Malagasy houses are right on the road, with faded cloth hanging as a curtain over the doorways. Cocks strut in the road, chased by the small boys that own them. A black pig, with six identical black piglets, roots for food. Small piles of tomatoes are for sale outside some of the houses. A fisherman carries his catch skewered on a stick over his shoulder.

Despite the entertaining nature of my journey, it is a joy and relief to reach Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge, where smiling staff – bearing tropical welcome drinks – greet me. My villa is on the beach, under a canopy of littoral forest trees. It is a gorgeous spot, but I don’t have time to linger, as I only have a day

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to find the chameleons and lemurs that I hope to photograph.

After a tasty dinner on my private deck, I head to S9 forest of Ambandrika for a night walk, wearing a miner’s type headlamp.

At the entrance to the forest, my sharp-eyed guide spots a White-lined chameleon. We walk slowly, shining our hand-held torches into the vegetation, as a Nightjar calls. A rustling above us alerts us to the presence of fat-tailed dwarf lemur, one of the nocturnal species found in this patch of forest.

Careful searching reveals a juvenile nose-horned chameleon and then – to my great excitement – we find a leaf chameleon, one of the the smallest chameleon species in the world! All Brookesia and the the two Palleon species are tiny and this one is minute, but perfectly formed.. I am permitted to hold him in my hand and he plays dead! My heart is beating so rapidly I battle to concentrate to photograph this amazing reptile. Even if just to see this diminutive creature, my trip to Madagascar has been well worthwhile.

› GETTING THERE: Airlink flies daily from OR Tambo International Airport to Antananarivo, in Madagascar. The Business Class is a more comfortable choice, where you will be served a tasty meal complemented by pleasant South African wines. Airlink flies direct from OR Tambo International Airport to Nosy Be on Sundays at 09:30 to arrive at 14:00. www.flyairlink.com

organise your trip to Miavana Island Sanctuary and any other places you may wish to visit in Madagascar. Many of the best lodges are remote, so require charter flights – which only operate on certain days.

ASISTEN guides speak several languages and drive carefully in luxury vehicles, to negotiate the busy traffic or challenging roads. Services of private jet, yacht and security detail are available. www.asisten-travel.com

› ORGANISING YOUR TRIP: ASISTEN Travel is a 100% Malagasy destination management company that can

› HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION: • Mandrare River Camp

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Set on the banks of a wide riverbed, under spreading Tamarind trees, luxury en-suite tents provide the perfect base to explore the surreal Spiny Forests of southern Madagascar. This intimate camp is close to the Malagasy village of Ifotaka, and opposite the sacred ancestral forests of the Antandroy Tribe, with its diversity of lemurs and chameleons. www.madaclassic.com/mandrare/home.htm • Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge Six spacious wooden bungalows are positioned along the beach, under a canopy of indigenous trees, opposite a small island of littoral rainforest – home to an array of

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GIL L IAN M cL AR EN

OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Bedroom of a wooden bungalow at Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge; view of the ocean, from a breakfast table in the dining area pf Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge; Madagascar pitcher plant, Nepenthes madagascariensis; White-lined chameleon, Furcifer lateralis THIS PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Malagasy man carrying fruit in woven baskets on a pole; tombstones decorated with horns of Zebu that were eaten at the funeral of the deceased; juvenile nose-horned chameleon, Clumma nasutum

fauna - and close to a forest with lemurs, four species of chameleons and other endemic wildlife. Ideal for wildlife excursions, visits to simple fishing villages and beach relaxation. www.madaclassic.com/manafiafy • Sangany Lodge Warm hospitality, consistently delectable food and the position of six villas on a stretch of private beach, close to snorkelling spots, a great choice in Nosy Be. The tree house - with a splendid view of the bay and ocean beyond to Nosy Fanihy – romantic for a honeymoon or special anniversary. www.madagascat.co.za/madagascat-

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Madagascar is a unique destination, for its endemic flora and fauna. Some species of wildlife are so rare and specific in their habitat that they are found in only one forest on the island. I am ecstatic to have seen four species of chameleon during one night walk, including this exceptionally petite Palleon nasus, which is difficult to find in the leaf litter. I have valiantly journeyed down the road to remote Manafiafy Beach and Rainforest Lodge and have reaped a splendid reward.

holidays/2017/5/8/sangany-lodge • Masoala Forest Lodge To trek in primary rainforest in north-eastern Madagascar, with its vast numbers of endemic species of plants and animals, to closely watch whales, swim in cool mountain streams, visit small fishing villages, pirogue in the mangrove area and have an adventure of a lifetime; stay in a tree-top tent at this exceptional lodge. www.masoalaforestlodge.com • Miavana Opulent and refined five-star eco-lodge on Nosy Ankao is in a league of its own, with private villas and public spaces, fine dining

on gourmet cuisine and prize-winning wine, helicopter flips to nearby islands and dedicated service from well-trained staff. www.timeandtideafrica.com/miavana • Maki Cat – Catamaran Charter 8-berth motorised catamaran - that accepts a minimum of 4 passengers - with a crew to cook the fish that you catch, serve your caipirinha as you return from your scuba dive and spot whales and dolphin pods as you laze on deck. www.madagascat.co.za/madagascatholidays/2016/6/3/maki-cat-from-1683-ppnbd-005-minimum-4-people

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the

great outdoors Membership at Nature’s gym won’t cost you a cent so get out there and experience our beautiful country’s diverse and majestic landscapes Sportsmans Warehouse has everything one needs to hit the mountains with the best clothing and products one could possibly want. Trail running is seriously addictive, and it’s incredibly good for your body and mind too. Here we showcase some of the best of the best for this season and in the case of some of you who don’t want to hit the mountain and would rather stay in the comfort of your own home, check out the incredible Nordictrack treadmill.

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www.intrepidexplorer.co.za

T RAVEL GEA R

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T R AVEL G E A R R1 999.90 PER PAIR

MEN’S & WOMEN’S SALOMON XA LITE TRAIL RUNNING SHOES offers a lightened chassis for extra comfort and freedom of movement. Less weight means longer play time on your next trail run or outdoor adventure.

R849.90 EACH

FIRST ASCENT MEN’S & WOMEN’S APPLE JACKET We’ve taken a bite out of the original Apple, reducing the weight with super lightweight Microtex fabrics of this windproof, water resistant shell to 95g. With improved breathability from laser cut vents underarm, this full zip jacket offers a fresh performance.

R2 199.90 PER PAIR

MEN’S & WOMEN’S NEW BALANCE 880V8 RUNNING SHOES Fuelled by an ultra-responsive TruFuse midsole foam, the 880v8 running shoe delivers a dynamic fusion of cushioning, responsiveness and durability.

Lace up this dependable running partner for long mile days.

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T RAVEL GEA R R10 999.90 PER WATCH

GARMIN FENIX 5 SAPPHIRE MULTISPORT GPS WATCH Up your game with the Garmin Fenix 5 Sapphire Edition in black with a black band and a sapphire scratch-resistant lens. This fitness watch was designed with multi-sport athletes in mind and records data useful to runners, cyclists, swimmers, climbers, hikers, skiers, paddlers, and more. The Elevate wrist heart rate monitoring enables you to track your heart rate data without having to wear a chest strap and calculate your calories burned and monitor fitness intensity more accurately. For enhanced location and distance accuracy, the Fenix 5 Sapphire is equipped with an EXO antenna with GPS and GLONASS reception to help you stay on track. When it’s time to rest after a long day of exercise, your Fenix 5 will monitor your sleep and record periods of restful sleep or movement.

FITBIT ALTA HR ROSE GOLD Move to the beat of your heart with a slim heart rate wristband that tracks activity, sleep and exercise, displays notifications & sends Reminders to Move.

Get continuous, wrist-based heart rate tracking & simplified heart rate zones Track steps, distance, calories burned, active minutes, hourly activity & stationary time. SmartTrack automatically recognizes select activities and records them in the exercise section of the Fitbit app

THE NORDICTRACK T14.0 FOLDING TREADMILL is a heavyweight treadmill that is both powerful and feature rich. It has a big motor, large and well cushioned running deck, a very high top speed as well as decent incline. 3 continuous horse power motor.

0-22 kph speed, 0-12% incline. 51 x 152cm running deck. 32 workout programs. EKG Grip Pulse Sensors. Bluetooth heart rate strap enabled (sold separately). FlexSelect cushioning. iFit Bluetooth enabled (sold separately) iPod compatible. SpaceSaver design, EasyLift Assist. Dual AutoBreeze fan.

135kg user capacity. Dual 3” Speakers. 7” Smart HD Touchscreen.

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R2 999.90

R28 999.90

*All prices in this feature were correct at the time of going to print.

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LThe IFE T HR O Uduring G H stage T H2Eof theLE NAbsa S Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Arabella Wine lead bunch of riders 2018 Estate in Robertson, South Africa on the 20th March 2018 Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

LIFE

THROUGH THE

In this edition of Life Through the Lens we feature the incredible photographic coverage of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic by Greg Beadle

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LENS www.intrepidexplorer.co.za

L IFE T H RO UGH T H E L ENS

T

his year’s Absa Cape Epic marked the 15th edition of the Untamed African MTB Race and what an incredible race it was. The Prologue kicked off at the University of Cape Town on Sunday 18 March on a course that zig-zagged around the majestic slopes of Table Mountain overlooking Table Bay and Robben Island before heading to Robertson

for the start of Stage 1.

This year the weather gods were kind enough to deliver a superb mix of conditions which even included a dollop or two of drizzle. The race covered 658km and 13530m of vertical ascent spread over eight days. It visited three towns, Robertson, Worcester and Wellington, before culminating at Val de Vie Estate – resulting in one of the most successful Absa Cape Epics ever.

The battle between the cross-country riders and marathon

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racers was incredible but, in the end, the most consistent partnership would win. As such it was a case of something old and something new on the top step of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Men’s and Women’s category podiums when experienced campaigners triumphed with new partners.

In the men’s race Czech Jaroslav Kulhavy notched up his third win, this time with young American Howard Grotts (Investec Songo Specialized). The powerful Kulhavy and accomplished climber Grotts made for a formidable combination and eventually dominated the category despite constant attacks from their chief adversaries – Cannondale Factory Racing and Canyon Topeak.

In the women’s race Dane Annika Langvad and American newcomer Kate Courtney (Investec Songo Specialized) were in total control from the Prologue, eventually securing the former’s fourth win out of four starts by a whopping 46 minutes and bagging every stage expect for the Grand Finale at Val de Vie Estate.

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Jose Hermida andJoaquim Rodriguez of team MERIDA FACTORY RACING during stage 2 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Arabella Wine Estate in Robertson, South Africa on the 20th March 2018 Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS Jaroslav Kulhavy of team Investec Songo Specialized during stage 7 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 24th March 2018 Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

L IFE T HR O U G H T H E LE N S

Thomas Bundgaard and Benjamin Justesen during stage 5 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 23rd March 2018 Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS A rider during stage 5 of the 2018 Absa Cape Epic Mountain Bike stage race held from Huguenot High in Wellington, South Africa on the 23rd March 2018 Photo by Greg Beadle/Cape Epic/SPORTZPICS

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Discover the bushveld magic “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.�

Experience a Tented Bush Camp, set up inside the Dinokeng Big Five Game Reserve, where the big five roam free in the African Bushveld.

Sit around a crackling fire, discussing the days adventurers then go to sleep listening to the sounds of the African Bushveld.

Wake up to the beautiful bird calls and amazing Sunrises.

Tel.: + 27 (0)10 300 5774 Cell:+ 27 (0)82 494 0491 E-mail: info@thorntreebushcamp.co.za Website: www.thorntreebushcamp.co.za thorntreecamp thorntreebushcamp

O UT AN D A B O U T

on the

wild side

Here’s the inside scoop on the outside world! We look at some of the astounding feats accomplished by intrepid explorers young and old; the latest developments and products; as well as events and causes in which you, The Intrepid Explorer reader, can become involved. So get out there and make the most of the outdoors!

Compiled by Robbie Stammers

GO EXTREME OR GO HOME IN THE HI-TEC WALKERBAY XTREME The HI-TEC Walkerbay Xtreme returns to Hermanus between 27 and 30 April 2018. The event has been growing in popularity and is considered a firm favourite among elite and recreational sport enthusiasts alike.

With 13 disciplines to choose from, the Walkerbay Xtreme offers something for everyone – from adventure seekers, professional athletes and fitness fanatics to the recreational outdoor enthusiast looking for a new challenge and a fun-filled sporting holiday in one of SA’s favourite adventure sport hotspots.

In addition to the old favourites – the Big 6 Xtreme, triathlon, MTB Criterium, functional fitness challenge, open water swim, surf-ski and SUP events, kids’ treasure walk, and the popular Swim-Run-Jump Challenge – the organisers have added a street mile sprint, off-road triathlon, junior triathlon, a shorter open water swim, and a mountain bike challenge to the 2018 event mix.

While similar formats exist, the Big 6 Xtreme is the only competition in the country that sees athletes competing in six events over the course of four days.

An added drawcard to the 2018 Walkerbay Xtreme is the prize money on offer – R100 000 in prizes split across a number of events.

The Walkerbay Xtreme is unlike any other event in South Africa. It is an urban adventure and multisport challenge rolled into one that promises to test the speed, stamina and strength of every athlete participating, no matter their fitness or skill level.

But what makes the WBX truly special is its inclusivity. Whether you are an age grouper at sporting events, a recreational outdoor enthusiast, or a family keeping fit and healthy, there will be an event for you.

The action is centered in the heart of the village between the old and new harbours, providing an equally thrilling experience for supporters and spectators.

With the professional backing of Old School Group, a leader in Sports Tourism and renowned for their award winning sporting events, you are guaranteed of an event that is extremely well organised, meticulously detailed and unquestionably world class.

Online entries are open. For more information, visit www.walkerbayxtreme. com or email entries@walkerbayxtreme.com.

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O UT AN D ABOU T

savour 15 years of greatness The famed Wacky Wine Weekend takes place from 31 May to 3 June 2018. This well–established event has become a wine institution in the social calendars of people across the country, attracting wine connoisseurs, novices and families & friends alike travelling far and wide to “taste the lifestyle”.

2018 marks Wacky Wine Weekend’s 15th anniversary and the offering this year includes produce from over thirty-five established wineries and tourism establishments in the Ashton, Bonnievale, McGregor and Robertson region. The participating wineries will be opening their cellar doors to showcase the finest vintages in the Robertson Wine Valley. Over the

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course of Wacky Wine Weekend, award-winning wines can be savoured through tours, pairings and interactive tastings by exceptional winemakers. Live music, food stalls with hearty country cuisine and fun activities for children complete the well-rounded entertainment experience.

Early bird weekend passes are now available from Webtickets at R160 per person (offered until end of February 2018).

Normal ticket prices will resume from March 2018 at R200 per person. The official festival website www.wackywineweekend.com will explain the festival ins and outs in greater detail, and list accommodation and several

transport options.

Book your accommodation in time and be sure to make your way to the lush Robertson Wine Valley, the perfect country escape, being a mere two hours from Cape Town on the famous Route 62.

For additional information, please contact the Robertson Wine Valley office on 023 626 3167, events@robertsonwinevalley.com or www.robertsonwinevalley.com

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O UT AN D A B O U T

experience the in style

tented bushveld

Thorn Tree Bush Camp is situated within the Dinokeng Big Five Game Reserve, where Rodney and Elzabé, the owners, have the true nature lover in mind when having as their guests. That is to come and experience the amazing African Bushveld and its beautiful animals, sunrises, sunsets and nature in the most tranquil of settings.

Their tented bush camps are set up is such a way that you can enjoy the tranquillity of nature, where the stars are brighter at night.

Here where lion roars, jackal bark, bush babies cry, owls screeches, insects sing and so much more that can be heard at night, while you sit outside next to your fire or lay down to rest. At Thorn Tree Bush Camp you get away from the hustle and bustle of busy city life, enjoy a true South African ‘braai’ under the stars with the sounds of the wild and nature surrounding you.

Take a game drive to view the BIG 5. Come and experience South Africa’s beautiful sunrises and sunsets that colour the skies above with a pallet of brilliant colours.

They have given special attention to detail and comfort, www.wildfrontiers.com when setting up their unique Bush Tented Camps, each with its own style and setting. All the camps and tents are set-up to offer an exclusive setting, catering for various group sizes.

Try a trip on the wild side with all the comforts of “Glamping”. If self-catering is not your thing or one does not TAKING YOU TO THE HEART OF THE ACTION want to braai, there are a 7 restaurant/bar/diner options available inside Dinokeng Game Reserve.

GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

For more info go to www.thorntreebushcamp.co.za or e-mail: info@thorntreebushcamp.co.za

TANZANIA KENYA UGANDA RWANDA ETHIOPIA ZIMBABWE BOTSWANA ZAMBIA

CONTACT US

reservations@wildfrontiers.com

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CALVARY Latin word meaning “place of the skulls” This is my craft ~ It represents honoring the animal after it’s dead, seeing the beauty in its remains and maintaining respect for the life that has been... and giving it “new life”.

Its also a reminder that we only live once* My skulls will be appreciated by the interior decorator, hunter, collector and animal lover alike.

All my skulls are unique, because they are hand carved with the utmost love and care - not one design will be the same.

The complete finished product can be purchased or send me one of your own skulls to be carved.

It will get packaged and couriered to you anywhere in South Africa.

Please send an email if interested or contact me on my cellphone.

I trust that as an owner of one of my skulls, you will appreciate this ancient art of bone carving, as much as I did making it.

Artist: -Yolandi Diesel-

Email: calvaryskulls@gmail.com | Cell: 072 665 7041 | Facebook: Calvary Skulls

O UT AN D A B O U T

EDITORS BOOK CHOICES THIS EDITION

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LIVING SHORES

MY GREAT EXPEDITION

INTERACTING WITH SOUTHERN AFRICA’S MARINE ECO SYSTEM

SEES TRAVEL-WRITER JUSTIN FOX ENTER THE CHILDREN’S BOOK MARKET

Originally published in 1981, Living Shores was for many years the standard reference for marine science students but was also embraced by a popular market for its fascinating insights into marine and coastal habitats and the life they support. After a long absence, this best-selling classic is back, and completely revised and reworked to incorporate the many spectacular discoveries that have emerged over the last four decades concerning about our oceans and coasts. This book is the first of a twovolume set, and examines the different marine ecosystems and how we interact with them. It discusses the dynamics of the oceans and continents and explores the ecology of coastal systems, including rocky shores, beaches, dunes, estuaries, islands, kelp forests, coral reefs and the open ocean.

Richly supported by exquisite full-colour photography and numerous explanatory illustrations and diagrams, this book will prove invaluable to students and teachers, but will also appeal to anyone with a fascination for nature and our marine world in particular.

George Branch has been a popular lecturer and an NRF A-rated scientist with many accolades. He is world renowned for his research on marine ecology. Margo Branch is an award-winning biologist and illustrator with wide interests in research, interpretation and education.

Both are widely published authors of popular and scientific works, including the well-loved Two Oceans – A guide to the marine life of southern Africa, and have a passion for communicating the excitement of marine life.

What happens when a six- year- old boy is taken on a Grand Tour of Europe in the early 70s?

Well, if that boy is Justin Fox, then the magic of that trip ignites a lifelong taste for adventure and new experiences resulting in an award-winning travel writer.

Justin reflects on that very first trip in his charming new book, My Great Expedition, his first children’s book. This seasoned writer turns his hand to reliving the sights and sounds of the places he visited with his parents in 1973, and in simple language he gives young readers a child’s perspective of experiences that can shape their lives.

The Europe of 1973 was as exciting as it is today and, while our methods of communication may have speeded up, the magic of each of its cities still has the capacity to enthral and capture a child’s heart. Flying out of Cape Town is always a thrill and back in the day, even more so and the young Justin was armed with a map, crayons and a plastic plane to chart his route from Cape Town to their final destination in Greece.

The trip takes in London, Paris, Munich, Vienna, Rome and Athens before a final sojourn on the Greek Islands. For any parent who is taking their child on an overseas trip this book will delight and encourage a ‘journal’ of what has been seen. And while today smart phones may well invite pictures, the words and view of a small child can create a world to be savoured long into their adult lives.

JUSTIN FOX is an award-winning travel writer, novelist and photographer based in Cape Town. He was a photojournalist at Getaway travel magazine for more than a decade and subsequently editor of Getaway International. His articles appear in a range of international publications, while his short stories and poems have been published in various anthologies. Justin has written more than a dozen books.

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O UT AN D A B O U T

keep powered up mate Taking your 4x4 into the bush is a wonderful way to commune with nature but there are some things even the most intrepid bush whacker doesn’t want to do without. One of these is power – for your vehicle as well as those necessary accessories such as a fridge and lights. The good news is that Charging Systems Africa (CSAF) has just introduced a compact, light, tough, advanced dual battery management system to the South African market.

The Projecta IDC25 ‘Intelli-Charge’ 25A 9-32V, 3 Stage DC/Solar Battery Charger, designed and manufactured in Australia, provides a host of intelligent features for safer and more reliable charging than its competitors.

A key feature is the unit’s ability to charge simultaneously from both solar and alternator (9-32V) inputs without the need to manually switch from one power source to the other. The IDC25 can also function as an MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) solar controller up to 25A, maximising the power generated from solar panels. And, when operating on vehicle power, the unit offers dual charging modes for compatibility with both ‘smart’ and conventional alternators, making it ideal for just about every vehicle.

The charger supports multi-chemistry batteries including GEL, AGM, WET and Calcium. An added bonus - the unit has periodic equalisation capability to remove acid stratification from calcium batteries.

The charger also automatically adjusts its output based on battery temperature. This allows the unit to operate (at a reduced charge rate) in extreme temperatures of up to 80° C without damaging the battery.

There are a host of other safeguards, such as spark-free protection, plus it is shock, vibration and dust-proof. If mounted under the bonnet, additional wiring allows you to set-up an in-cabin LED indicator to remotely display charging and fault status.

The IDC25 is backed by a 2-year warranty, the RSP is R4 445 and it’s available leading automotive and four wheel drive outlets.

the manor house re-opens at

tintswalo safari lodge The Manor House at Tintswalo Safari Lodge has reopened after an extensive refurbishment of the exclusive-use villa, which is situated within the Manyeleti Game Reserve (bordering the Kruger National Park, the Timbavati and Sabi Sand game reserves).

With 5 bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms, spacious lounge and dining areas and deep, shady patios that are ideal for relaxation and entertaining, the traditionally styled safari lodge boasts fresh new interior design, as well as luxurious new bathrooms, including two with outside baths for indulgent soaks under starlit skies.

Welcoming children of all ages, the familyfriendly destination is equipped with a swimming pool and rolling lawns protected by game fencing, overlooking a waterhole that offers excellent game viewing 24/7.

Tailor-made, age appropriate Kids Programmes are offered with activities that include ranger tracking, paint ball shooting, jewellery making and baking with the chef.

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Manor House guests enjoy the services of a private chef and service staff, as well as a dedicated game ranger with safari vehicle for twice daily game drives in the game-rich reserve which is known for excellent sightings. Rates are all inclusive of all meals, drinks and safari activities at R48 500 per night (maximium 10 guests) from 1 March to 30 November 2018.

For more info go to www.tintswalo.com

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POWER FOR LIFE. CHARGING MOBILE CONNECTIVITY WITH BREAKTHROUGH SOLAR TECHNOLOGY

Fast-Charging

Portable

Durable

Waterproof

Made in the U.S.A

S U N S T R E A M E N E R G Y. C O M FIND OUR PRODUCTS AT

O UT AN D A B O U T

10 extraordinary reasons to attend wtm africa WTM Africa is a vibrant, culturally diverse, must attend businessto-business travel and tourism event, with a diverse range of destinations and industry sectors to African and International travel professionals.

Join travel professionals from 70 countries and regions over three days in Cape Town, South Africa. WTM Africa is an international event providing a platform to showcase your products to serious buyers.

We know that you don’t need too many reasons to spend a week in glorious Cape Town, but just in case WTM Africa have put together their 10 reasons why you absolutely need to attend this extraordinary three-day show in Cape Town from 18 - 20 April 2018: 1. Make the right contacts – WTM Africa is the meeting place for the African travel industry and in 2017 we facilitated 8,905 pre-scheduled meetings and an incredible amount of US$ 365,950,813 business!

2. WTM Africa 2018 focuses on both inbound and outbound travel within Africa, offering attendees a comprehensive exhibition that brings together both aspects of the travel industry.

3. WTM Africa 2018 takes place in Cape Town in April. Through research conducted with stakeholders within the travel sector, this is the best time in the annual buying cycle for both buyers searching for new and exciting products to offer their clients.

4. Through our Buyer Insights Programme, we are able to assist exhibitors in both presenting and positioning their products to international and local buyers.

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5. A host of international speakers from across the globe will focus on pertinent topics and travel trends affecting the modern travel industry.

6. FESTIVALS! WTM Africa festivals give everyone the opportunity to socialise after the traditional working hours in a fun and vibrant atmosphere. Those attending will experience the culture, hospitality and cuisine with each hosting exhibitor offering something unique.

Relax and experience different food and drink from 4:30pm on Wednesday 18 April.

7. Attendees can enjoy a world-class diary system with the functionality to request meetings with fellow exhibitors and the ability to block out times in the diary.

8. Trending bolt-on events with international and local speakers: 9. Local and international digital influencers will be on hand to help you learn more about how to further your marketing objectives through online platforms and partnerships.

10. The world-renowned WTM Buyers’ Club will once again form a core part of WTM Africa. Buyers’ Club members have purchasing power and are primarily tour operators, travel agents, wholesalers and private travel arrangers with a reputation for generating business.

Travel Professional in both the outbound and inbound tourism sectors are encouraged to join us at WTM Africa in Cape Town this year. To make sure you don’t miss out, register to attend on africa. wtm.com today!

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ADVE R TO RI A L

seychelles a different kind of paradise Besides the Seychelles being picture-perfect, this holiday destination is quite easy to get to and caters to all ages – young and old, with its back-to-nature experiences and fun-filled adventure activities.

C

ontrary to what many sun-seekers might believe, a Seychelles holiday is not just about lazing about on the bleached-white beaches, cocktail in hand... well, there is definitely plenty of that to be had, but if you’re ready to step away from the sun lounger in search of some added thrill, this beach paradise will reward you with an enticing mix of adventurebased activities that will leave you feeling energised and inspired.

The Seychelles on land Once you arrive in the Seychelles, start out by discovering the hidden corners of its glistening atolls on your own terms, meeting the local Seychellois people, and treating yourself to some of their roadside Creole cuisine. Think fresh mangos, papaya, and pineapple paired with freshly caught fish brushed with ginger, garlic and chili and fired up in coconut husks, or try a little bat meat in your curry, if you dare. It’s an adventure in its own right.

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Don’t forget to bring your trail shoes, so that you can work up an appetite and stretch your legs along some of the tropical hiking trails found in the rocky middles of Praslin and La Digue Island. Level up by conquering Morne Seychellois, the highest point located in Mahé’s Morne Seychellois National Park, sitting at just over 900 metres above sea level. Then, channel your inner flying fox as you whizz through the evergreen canopies on a zipline at Ephélia Resort. Or, while you’re at it, opt for some rock climbing up (and abseiling down) the 19-metre-high granite peaks located nearby.

The Seychelles at sea If the ocean is more your thing, don your mask and fins for some excellent snorkelling or scuba diving in the pristine underwater gardens located within the various marine parks. An impressive 30-metre water clarity reveals an unparalleled kaleidoscope of tropical fish and abundant marine life. Keep an eye out

for green sea turtles, which can also be seen shuffling ashore to lay their eggs.

If you prefer to keep your head above water, try your hand at some surfing, kayaking and SUP-ing, or head out on a glass-bottom boat excursion, hopping from island to island while bottlenose dolphins weave in and out of the spray alongside the bow.

During October and November, there are also lucky sightings of Southern Right whales and Humpbacks as they migrate to the warmer waters to breed. Avid birders should make their way to Bird Island. As its name implies, the island is a haven for some of the most gloriously beautiful birds in the world.

A holiday in the Seychelles proves that it’s not all about those glitzy hotels and private beaches. This is a different kind of paradise that will reward you with a generous dose of back-to-nature activities and beach-based adventure, just a 5-hour flight from Johannesburg.

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STOR E L IS TI N G Byls Bridge Promenade, Centurion (012) 665 0768 centurion@swh.co.za

EASTERN CAPE Beacon Bay Retail Park, Beacon Bay (043) 748 2027 eastlondon@swh.co.za Moffett Retail Park, Fernglen, Port Elizabeth (041) 368 7400 portelizabeth@swh.co.za FREE STATE Game Value Centre, Fleurdal, Bloemfontein (051) 421 3820 bloemfontein@swh.co.za Northridge Mall, Helicon Heights Bloemfontein (051) 433 2180 northridge@swh.co.za GAUTENG East Rand Value Mall, Boksburg 011 823 3203 eastrand@swh.co.za

Kolonnade Retail Park, Montana Park (012) 548 5131 zambezi@swh.co.za Atterbury Value Mart, Faerie Glen (012) 991 4926 atterbury@swh.co.za The Glen Shopping Centre, Oakdene (011) 435 3888 theglen@swh.co.za Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Menlo Park (012) 348 3921 menlyn@swh.co.za Mall of Africa, Waterfall City (011) 517 2402 mallofafrica@swh.co.za

Watercrest Mall, Waterfall (031) 763 1405, hillcrest@swh.co.za

Canal Walk Shopping Centre, Century City (021) 552 0163 canalwalk@swh.co.za

LIMPOPO Thornhill Shopping Centre, Polokwane (015) 296 0889 polokwane@swh.co.za

Eden Meander Lifestyle Centre, George (044) 887 0300 george@swh.co.za

Secunda Value Centre, Secunda (017) 631 3040 secunda@swh.co.za

Tokai-on-Main, Tokai (021) 713 0180 tokai@swh.co.za

NORTHERN CAPE North Cape Shopping Mall, Royldene, Kimberley (053) 832 3016 kimberley@swh.co.za

West Coast Village Shopping Centre, Sunningdale (021) 554 523 westcoast@swh.co.za

The Palms, Vanderbijlpark (016) 933 8284 vanderbijl@swh.co.za KWAZULU-NATAL Ballito Lifestyle Centre, Ballito (032) 586 100 ballito@swh.co.za

Shop 70-71, Stoneridge Centre, Greenstone ext, Edenvale EASTERN CAPE (011) 452 1957 Shop 6B, Beacon Bay Crossing, Beacon Bay, modderfontein@odw.co.za East London Shop UL 02, Six Fountains Lifestyle & (043) 748-3688 Decor Centre, Hans Strydon Drive, eastlondon@odw.co.za Six Fountains Ext 5, Silver Lakes Shop 1, Maritime Park Retail, William (012) 809 1507 Walmer, Port Elizabeth pretoriaeast@odw.co.za (041) 368 2831 portelizabeth@odw.co.za Shop 15, Platinum Square Shopping Centre, Wanterfall Park, Rustenburg FREE STATE (014) 537 2621 Shop B3, Game Value Centre, rustenburg@odw.co.za cnr Currie & Vereeniging Avenues, Fleurdal (051) 421 0087 Six Fountains Lifestyle & Decor Centre, bloemfontein@odw.co.za Silver Lakes, Pretoria

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34 Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch (021) 689 8171 rondebosch@swh.co.za

Somerset Value Mart, Somerset West (021) 851 1318 omersetwest@swh.co.za

Shop G4, Fourways Crossing Retail Centre, Fourways (011) 465 2051 fourways@odw.co.za

Centurion Gate Development, c/o John Vorster Drive and Akkerboom Street, Zwartkop, Centurion (012) 663 1450 centurion@odw.co.za

The Pavilion, Westville (031) 265 0144 pavilion@swh.co.za

Nelspruit Crossing Centre, Nelspruit (013) 755 5092 nelspruit@swh.co.za

Retail Crossing West Rand, Wilgeheuwel (011) 475 0250 westrand@swh.co.za

Rocnic Industrial Park, 75 North Rand Road, Hughes, Boksburg (011) 823 3110 boksburg@odw.co.za

WESTERN CAPE 1 Bill Bezuidenhout Avenue, Tyger Valley (021) 914 1801 tygervalley@swh.co.za

Rosebank Mall, Rosebank (011) 327 6778 rosebank@swh.co.za

Park Meadows Shopping Centre, Kensington (011) 615 9932 parkmeadows@swh.co.za

GAUTENG Shop 25, Newmarket Shopping Centre, Newmarket Park (011) 907 5511 alberton@odw.co.za

Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga Ridge (031) 566 1130 gateway@swh.co.za

MPUMALANGA Highveld Mall Value Centre, Witbank (013) 692 5677 witbank@swh.co.za

Woodmead Super Value Centre, Woodmead (011) 802 8208 woodmead@swh.co.za

Blackheath Pavilion, Blackheath (011) 476 6882 cresta@swh.co.za

Platinum Square, Cashan, Rustenburg (014) 537 2627 rustenburg@swh.co.za

Princess Crossing, Shopping Centre, Roodepoort (011) 768 0167 westgate@swh.co.za

Fourways Crossing Retail Centre, Fourways (011) 467 0997 fourways@swh.co.za

Stoneridge Centre, Edenvale (011) 452 0753 modderfontein@swh.co.za

Cascades Shopping Centre, Montrose, Pietermaritzburg (033) 347 1707 pietermaritzburg@swh.co.za

(012) 809 1507 pretoriaeast@odw.co.za Shop 3, Retail Crossing West Rand, cnr Hendrik Potgieter Road & Nick Diederichs Boulevard, Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort (011) 475 4562 strubens@odw.co.za Shop 38, Bedworth Value Centre, Bedworth Park, Vanderbijl (016) 985 5116 vanderbijl@odw.co.za

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NORTH WEST Matlosana Mall, Klerksdorp (018) 462 7484 klerksdorp@swh.co.za

The Point Mall, Sea Point (021) 439 7172 seapoint@swh.co.za

NAMIBIA The Grove Mall of Namibia, Kleine Kuppe, Windhoek (00264) 61 300 359 windhoek@swh.co.za

Woodlands Booullevard Shopping Centre Shop 310B, Pretorius Park, Pretoria East (012) 997 2370 woodlands@odw.co.za

Shop 2, Highveld Mall, Witbank (013) 692 5700 witbank@odw.co.za

Shop M9, The Home Centre, Springfield, Durban (031) 263 0851 springfield@odw.co.za

West Coast Sunningdale Lifestyle Centre, Sunningdale, Parklands (021) 554 3245 westcoast@odw.co.za

WESTERN CAPE Livingstone Lifestyle Centre, Willowbridge Village Centre, Bellville 18 Waterval Crescent, Woodmead,Sandton (021) 914 1357 (011) 656 3903 bellville@odw.co.za woodmead@odw.co.za Shop 47, Eden Meander Lifestyle Shop 17-18, Monatana Value Centre, Centre, George cnr Zambasi Drive & Calliandrea Street, (044) 887 0567 Montana Park, Pretoria george@odw.co.za (012) 548 3171 zambezi@odw.co.za 34 Klipfontein Road, Rondebosch (021) 686 3922 KWAZULU-NATAL rondebosch@odw.co.za Shop G106, Cascades Lifestyle Centre, McCarthy Drive, Montrose, The Interchange, 5 Dynagel Street, Pietermaritzburg Somerset West (033) 347 0404 (021) 851 2304 pietermaritzburg@odw.co.za somersetwest@odw.co.za

Shop U106, Cornubia <all, Mount Edgecombe (031) 502 2637 cornubia@odw.co.za MPUMALANGA Shop 67, Nelspruit Crossing, cnr Madiba Drive & Samora Machel Drive, Nelspruit (013) 752 4720 nelspruit@odw.co.za

NAMIBIA The Grove Mall Of Namibia, Kleine Kuppe, Namibia (00264) (61) 300 359 windhoek@odw.co.za

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U N TA M E D

UNTOUCHED

The Western Capeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Premier wildlife destination lies at the foot of the towering Warmwaterberg Mountains.

More than a Big 5 wilderness reserve, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the vastness of the landscape, the alluring stillness and isolation amid raw beauty and boundless plains that make Sanbona unique.

U N F O R G E T TA B L E

Nestled amidst the lush vegetation in the South-Western corner of the majestic beauty that is the Kruger National Park, Jock Safari Lodge emerges at the pinnacle where the Mitomeni and Biyamiti rivers flow as one.

A space for breath-taking wildlife sightings.

T +27 (0) 21 010 0028

T +27 (0) 13 010 0019

reservations@sanbona.com

reservations@jocksafarilodge.com

www.sanbona.com

www.jocksafarilodge.com PROPERTIES OF THE CALEO FOUNDATION

HOWE TO TRAV E L

WATCHING THE BIRD WATCHERS On a visit to remote Gough Island, one of the world’s great seabird nurseries, Graham Howe learns all about the birds and the bees

B

ird watchers are a strange breed.

My first encounter with the mysterious species of twitchers was in Durban years ago when we were kept awake all night by the mournful drone of a nondescript LBJ (little brown job) which took up residence in our garden.

After several sleepless nights, we called a local ornithologist to ask how to get rid of our unwanted guest. “You should record its call – and play it back to it” he suggested, “They don’t like rivals. It’ll probably bugger off.”

When I described it and mimicked its incessant fog-horn call, he gasped, “It sounds like the rare buffspotted flufftail.

You’re very lucky!” he said, “Does it make a long drawn-out call, like ‘Woooooooeeeeee’? Or does it go ‘Ooo-ooo-ooodueh-dueh-dueh’? It could be a redchested flufftail!” It turns out twitchers – named after the twitch or chase to sight a rare bird – have their own language.

I recalled the encounter last year on a Ponant expedition cruise to the remote islands of the South Atlantic. Some of the passengers had travelled to the end of the earth to “tick” rare endemic species, like the flightless steamer duck and Cobb’s wren in the Falklands – a new species identified recently on Carcass island by a farmer after he shot a specimen to make sure – as well as the flightless Gough moorhen, Inaccessible Island rail, yellow-nosed albatross and Tristan thrush.

Watching the intrepid birdwatchers out on deck in all kinds of weather, photographing sea-birds soaring in our wake, I was slowly drawn into the rituals of their secret society. Armed with powerful binoculars, missile-like zoom lenses, a bird book and a warming whisky flask, they spotted albatrosses, shearwaters, teals and terns, petrels and prions.

After a verified sighting, they triumphantly added a “mega-tick” to their “life-lists” of birds. Been there, spotted that.

Bird watching is a very scientific hobby – and you need the eyes of a hawk. What looked like a speck in the sky to me turned into a debate on deck as to whether it was one of a dozen different kinds of petrel – and

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how to tell the difference between a giant petrel and a great-winged petrel – or twixt a sooty albatross and a light-mantled sooty albatross. The finer points of birding elude me.

En route, I got to know John Fox, an aptly surnamed twitcher, who patrolled the deck day and night. He’d migrated all the way from Tennessee to see the sea-birds of the south Atlantic. A grizzled old sea-dog like Captain Ahab, he had notched up a count of two thousand out of over ten thousand species of birds.

When I asked him how he liked exotic Buenos Aires, where we all met up before setting sail, he told me, “The highlight was my visit to the local sewerage works.” It turns out the world’s sewerage and rubbish dumps are the places where twitchers hang out on holiday.

When in Argentina, never mind the tango. Birdwatchers prefer to talk about the courting rituals and mating dances of albatrosses, how it takes these birds ten years to reach sexual maturity and how they mate for life. Twitchers are romantics at heart.

At lectures afloat in the South Atlantic, the Ponant team of naturalists gave suggestive presentations with names like “Sex on the Beach” which drew a good crowd – and turned out to be about the secret sex life of seals After landing at remote wilderness reserves in the Falklands, South Georgia and Tristan da Cunha, our last call was Gough Island. One of the world’s great nurseries, home to over ten million seabirds, Gough is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site. Five days’ sail from Cape Town, stranded in the roaring forties, this island is suffering from a plague of one million alien killer mice eating the chicks.

Circumnavigating the small, 65-square kilometre island aboard Le Lyrial, we were enthralled by the steep cliffs, cascading waterfalls and eroded rock pillars of this volcanic island. We were welcomed by a chorus of northern rockhopper penguins and sub-Antarctic fur seals lining the

rocky shore.

Gough is twitcher heaven. Visitors are prohibited from landing as it is one of the main breeding sites for the rare Tristan albatross, northern rockhopper, the endemic Gough moorhen and Gough bunting, and three million nesting pairs of great shearwaters. A dozen passengers at a time took a zodiac birdwatching cruise along the wild east coast led by naturalists.

Clumsy great-winged petrels struggled to take off, pattering furiously on the surface of the water. Our guide asked, “Did you know petrel means Little Peter and is named after the apostle who walked on the water with Christ on the Sea of Galilee?” I retorted, “Do you know why you never see a tern on its own? Because one good tern deserves another!” (It’s an old Spike Milligan joke).

One of the passengers called out, “Look there’s a foca (phoque is French for seal)!”

“Looks like a mother-foca with two pups” I joked.

You learn a lot from watching birds and watching the bird-watchers. I even discovered that penguins are classified as flightless marine birds – and are only found south of the equator. I spotted seven of the world’s seventeen species of penguins on our Ponant expedition – and ticked them off on my own bird list. If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em.

Graham Howe was a guest of Ponant luxury cruise expeditions- see www.ponant.com. For bookings, call Development Promotions in Jhb - www.devprom.co.za, 011 463 1170.

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T HE L AST WO RD

We shoot the breeze with

michelle hayward-sky, SA’s current kite-surfing champion, › You became the kite-surfing champion in 2017. How long have you been involved in the sport and what do you love most about it?

I’ve been kitesurfing for almost 10 years now and what I love most is that even after doing it for so long, I still love it. In fact, I enjoy it more and more, year after year. I also love the feeling of freedom and peace that it brings. › What are the top destinations that you would still love to travel to?

Maui, Hawaii is on the top of my list! It has always been a place I’ve wanted to visit. I also still need to try Mauritius for kitesurfing. And I would love to go somewhere where it snows, like Switzerland, so that I can try skiing and see snow for the first time. I have travelled all around Africa, but I still want to see more of it by visiting Morocco and Namibia. › Which favourite places have you already ticked off your bucket list?

My first trip outside of South Africa was a missionary road trip up to Malawi, which allowed me to explore African countries and first sparked my love for travel. Visiting New York was also definitely a tick on my bucket list, what an amazing city! But for kitesurfing, Aruba was also a really great once-in-a-lifetime trip. › What is the weirdest food/drink that you have ever tried?

I ate some very strange and unrecognisable food in Zanzibar at the night market, which I regretted immediately! › You’re a professional kitesurfer, so you’re obviously an adrenaline junkie too. What other adrenaline-inducing experiences have you had?

I am a huge adrenaline junkie! I’ve been abseiling, paragliding, ostrich-riding and kitesurfing on Lake Malawi with hippos and crocodiles, and I still want to try

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skydiving. One thing I am not interested in trying is shark-cage diving. It just seems very unnatural to me and I would prefer to encounter sharks in a more peaceful and natural way. › If you consider your own upbringing, are you a bush baby or a cityslicker?

I grew up in a tiny farming town in the Eastern Cape called Alexandria, with the nearest city being 100km away. I spent my childhood on farms; horse riding, camping, exploring the bush, hunting, tracking wildlife and game viewing was a regular occurrence for me! By the time I was 13, I knew how to drive a bakkie and make a fire. I absolutely love living in Cape Town now, but I will always be a bush baby by heart. › What is the most memorable experience you’ve had with wildlife?

I’ve been blessed to have some amazing moments with wildlife. Some of my favourites have been seeing animals like elephants, lions and cheetahs up close in their natural environment. I also got the opportunity to drive a game vehicle and got close to four giraffes that then lined up right next to us, from big to small! In the sea, I’ve had one occasion where I kitesurfed close to a humpback whale – a very memorable and scary experience indeed. › If you were stuck on a deserted island, would you know how to make a fire without matches and how to catch dinner?

I would know how to make a fire, but I’m not sure how successful I would be at catching my dinner. I may have to end up foraging for berries! › What is your signature dish you serve your friends and family?

That’s hard to say since I am always

entertaining and cooking for friends – it is one of passions! My friend Andy taught me how to make his signature Thai Red Chicken Curry and it has become one of my go-to dishes and one of the most requested meals by my husband.

› Braai or sushi?

Oh that’s a tough one, but I am going to have to go with sushi. › Beer or wine?

Red wine › Camping or luxury lodge?

I may be a bush baby and all, but I would choose the luxury lodge! › What are your pet peeves when it comes to people?

I especially hate it when people are disrespectful to others, unnecessarily angry and constantly swear or blaspheme. › What is next on the cards for Michelle Sky Hayward? What is the next goal?

My number one goal is to start traveling more. I want to see the world and kitesurf in as many places as I can. I also want to use my sport to reach people and inspire them to live their very best life.

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