Kichaka, and Bungee Jumping...

Well this should amount to a busy post. I'm trying to catch up after nearly a month of amazing traveling.

I'll start this post with Julie, Dion, Karina and I leaving Wilderness to head up the Transkei. Our first day wasn't far, we were going to Bloukrans bridge to do the highest bungee jump in the world - 216m (720ft).

This road trip would be done South Africa style; rolling out in Dion's little Nissan truck, Karina and I sitting in the back with Dion and Julie in the cab. Karina was wearing these awesome tiger pants and some overall shorts. The reason I'm describing this is that she looked a bit like a character from a childrens television show. It was hilarious! The Bloukran bridge was a short drive away; maybe 2 hours and in short order we were out and getting our gear on.

Picture: Karina and I in the back of Dion's Buckie (truck)

Now I have never bungee jumped before so I don't have any idea as to what to expect but I have been getting really calm like I do before a big multipitch climb. It seems that through climbing I've started to relax before doing things I perceive to be scary. I have jumped out of an airplane before when I was in Australia. The 14000ft sky dive was great but I think it was easier since I couldn't see the ground and I was attached to someone. I think the decision to jumping off a perfectly good bridge and you can see the ground below you takes a different level of commitment.

To warm up for the jump we took a zip line to the center of the bridge. the zip line was called the Flying Fox and covered the distance from the edge of the ravine to the jump platform. The 30 second ride was a nice warm up and in moment we were all at the Bungee platform.

They do the jumps by weight and since I was the heaviest I would have to go last. Karina started going to the edge and without hesitation did a beautiful swan dive off the edge. Julie and I were able to watch on a close circuit video feed that was showing on the platform. She looked effortless and graceful.

The brought K back up and got Julie into position for her jump. Karina and I watch this time from the other side of the platform where you can look down to see the jumper. Julie jumped and sailed into the abyss below.

My turn came soon and I was standing at the edge. You can't walk to the edge so you have two guys drag you there. These moments leading to the jump where they attache the cord to you feet was good. It was a nervous excitement, the anticipation of something while not letting my brain hijack my precense with thoughts of how it would be. Now at the edge looking down I realized how how we were.

The technicians allowed the cord to gently slide off the platform to hang in the air below. A gentle weight tugs my feet as I stand at the edge resisting the urge to pull back against the tug. The technicians the count to three and I launch myself into the space below.

Picture: Me Bungee Jumping.

The thing I remember was seeing the concrete fall away above me as I accelerated down and the rush of the wind. I'm not afraid but I feel myself tensing up as the weird tickle in my stomach takes hold from the acceleration. I tell myself to relax and enjoy the moment of freedom. My jaw unclenches not having realize I was tense there. The moment is quite and I feel the next 4 seconds of free fall at peace knowing I am here.

The cable starts to elogate and I'm slowing down. My smile spreading across my face as the blood rushes to my cheeks and then I go sailing back up in the air. I try do spins in the air on my way back up using my arms as a skate would in a spin. It works but only marginally.

A minute of bouncing and wigging like a worm on the end of a hook and then a smiling face shows up to clip me in and raise me back up to the jumping platform. I relax in the harness and wait; enjoying the last moments of hanging in free space.

Picture: Julie and Karina doing one of their legendary self portraits. Notice Tiger Pants

Having all jumped (Dion was taking pictures only) we headed back to the car for some Sparking Wine that J and K had bought for the occation while on the wine tour in Robertson. The time getting late we headed back to Nature's Valley where could get out and walk on the beach before retiring to a wonderful backpackers called the Wild Tongue.

The next morning Karina and I were up before the sun. We started the day by doing some stretching and yoga on the deck while watching the sun rise over Nature's Valley. This would prove to be a good start to the day since our destination was Kichaka private game reserve. We hoped to be there by 2PM so we could go out on safari in the afternoon.

The drive was not terribly exciting with the exception of getting slightly lost on route due to sketchy directions from the cook at the lodge. We arrived around 3PM to meet Darryl who would be a guide while at the reserve.

I have to say, Kichaka was top shelf, a five star establishment. Our bag were carried into our rooms which was breath taking. I regret not taking a picture of the interior but that is life. The wood finish was amazing. The decks look out of a water hole where the animal would come to drink. The bathroom was beautiful and raise up just behind the bed. The windows were massive, you could see out into the grasslands from any point in the hut.

We had a quick tea and set out on Safari. The wind was really blowing so we weren't holding our breath that the animal would be out since they usually take cover when its windy.

Darryl was extremely knowledgable and taught us about the local plans and insects as well as the animals. We tried eating termites which I have to say were quite good. They taste of cinnamon. I forgot most of the plants he told me about. I could remember them if I saw them but I couldn't recall the names.

In short order he had sported a mother and baby rhino which we were able to approach quite closely in the truck. We got some good pictures before moving on for a nice sundown location where he broke out the bar.

The sun down was breath taking in South Africa. The sun changes such a wonderful shades of organe and red, something that we miss because the show is hidden by the mountains in Vancouver. On our drive back to the compound we saw an Ardvark running through the night.

Dinner was rich and we didn't stay up late because the sun-up Safari started at 6 AM. The morning was cold but we had a few glasses of tea and coffee to warm us up. The predawn light was tickling the horizon when we started out.

Picture: Lions

We drove across the property stopping only to take in the sunrise which was as glorious as the sunset. Darryl in a short time had located the two male lions on the property. We found them lieing in the grass at the bottom of a valley.

They were HUGE and beautiful. We were able to approach them to a distance of maybe 15 meters and got lots of great pictures. I have always loved cats and this was one of the biggest I had ever seen. We took the Lions in for about 20 minutes before setting off to find the Elephants.

Darryl was amazing at tracking the Elephant herd. We moved along the valley floor and found the herd at a branch in the road. It was funny to watch them tear clumps of grass from the ground with their trunks and then beat clump against the ground so that it would release the dirt from the roots before eating it. We saw some quite young elephants as well.

Picture: Elephants sniffing the air.

We drove out of the valley to find a location overlooking the Elephant herd to have morning tea and watch the herd through the binoculars. On the way back to the compound we saw some Hippo, Giraffe, Zebra and Hartbeast.

After a generous breakfast we packed up and hit the road as we had to cover some ground to make it up to the Transkie. We made it as far as Buccaneers Backpackers before we lost the light. So we spent the night.

That is a nice section for the first leg of our trip. I'm going to make another entries for the next few weeks. For more pictures click this link: More pics.