Epic Guest House breakfast

Start the day with an EPIC breakfast! Fresh & full of goodness, perfect way to start the day! @EpicGuestHouse #breakfast #healthy #healthylifestyle #HealthyLiving #fruits #fresh #TGIF #weekend #EpicGuesthouse

Catch a Ride... join one of our safaris!

Catch a ride.. #explore #SouthAfrica with #EpicEnabled #wildlife #rhinos

June Solstice

June Solstice - longest and shortest day of the year. Your signal to celebrate Summer Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the Winter Solstice the Southern Hemisphere. For us in South Africa this solstice marks the shortest day of the year... summer is on its way!

Happy Mother's Day!

Mothers hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hears forever!

RIP – Stephen Hawking – what an inspiration to us all!

“It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.”

“Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious, and however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” - Professor Stephen Hawking

4th - 13 August 2018 - Garden Route Tour

Join us for an awesome 10 day Cape Town & Garden Route tour.

Day 1- 5: Outings in Cape Town include: Table Mountain, city centre drive, Waterfront, Stellenbosch Winelands, Cape Point & Cape of Good Hope, Penguin colony...
Day 6 – 13: Enjoy the scenic route known as the Garden Route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth including: Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Ostrich farm, Plettenberg Bay, Tsitsikamma Forest, animal sanctuaries (optimal extra cost)... Ending in Port Elizabeth

Contact us for more info on: info@epic-enabled.com

Visit our web: Garden Route Tour for more info

The EPIC - MundoRado 8 year collaboration

2016 saw our 8 year anniversary working with MundoRado Reizen, who, like us, are also passionate about enabling travel for people with disabilities. We started our collaboration back in Aug 2008 and this September we welcomed their 8th private group in as many years with fourteen people, ready to be amazed by our incredible South African wildlife, culture and scenery!

That is not to say they’re all new to South Africa: Hillie, the tour guide appointed by MundoRado, has been with us once before, but this time she was assisted by Jenny (part of MundoRado's office Information and Reservations team), which was great to add a face to all the e-mail conversations we had and we are sure that this experience was a welcome change from office life too!

As per usual, Epic took excellent care of our travellers - not even a hand injury by Corrie, which she sustained on her flight over to South Africa, could stop her from exploring, as we took her to see an excellent doctor nearby. Soon she had re-joined everyone else on their trip to the iconic Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela famously spent much of his twenty-seven years as a prisoner.

Up in the Kruger, the group enjoyed seeing Ntombi the cheetah at the Bush Camp and her two brothers (on a game walk) who, like most male cheetahs, are seemingly inseparable!
We were lucky again and saw all of the big 5 on this tour as well as many of the less famous animals. Jessica the famous hippo was again very happy to receive all the attention from everybody and very patiently posed for all the photos.

It was great meeting you all:

Mr Jan de Priester, Mrs Tineke Heeres, Mrs Frederique van Daele, Mrs Marleen van der Veen, Mrs Corrie Eijkelenboom, Mrs Ellie Meijdam, Mrs Joyce Hamme, Mrs Wil Huisman, Mrs Veerle Heijlen, Mr Bert Stegink, Mr Toon Beckman, Mrs Geranne van der Haar, Mrs Hillie Paping & Mrs Jenny Zegers ☺    

A special THANK YOU to Barbara Van Eck for your continued support!

Befriending Cheetahs and Tasting Zebra: An Epic Experience

 
In September 2016, Epic has yet again enabled an exhilarating experience, this time for a group of travellers from England, The Netherlands and a huge family from all across America.

On the tour, they saw first-hand just how multi-dimensional and unique South Africa truly is. Robin (from a small town in California) recalls the time when they were lucky enough to see a pack of African wild dogs along the road leading out of the Kruger National Park, a sighting that “pretty much trumped any other sightings I had”, she says. Camille from Wisconsin enjoyed the beautiful days in the Stellenbosch vineyards sampling fine wines, as well as the breathtaking panoramic views of Cape Town from atop Table Mountain.

Photo by Robin

Indeed, this was a trip of new experiences: Robin tasted ostrich for the first time. Hayden, from a small town in Nevada, tried a dish of zebra meat! Of the zebra, Camille notes that it tastes similar to steak and is not nearly as gamey as venison is (and that the food in South Africa is delicious and far cheaper than in the US!). 

Photo by Hayden

Zebra may be a meal that Ntombi the Cheetah would enjoy! Introduced as private game reserve's mascot, Ntombi (who has been hand-reared ever since she lost her mother) greeted the guests by allowing them to stroke and pet her. Getting this close to a wild animal (she roams and hunts in the wild) was definitely a thrilling, unforgettable experience - and it was not the only close encounter!

Bushbabies, porcupines and genets were among the regular visitors to the campsite. This particular bunch of critters has become quite comfortable with people: some of them are bold enough to steal a few sips of your drink right from the cup (and then steal your heart by being friendly and cute, of course)! If that’s not cute enough for you, our guests also witnessed a newborn elephant trying to gain balance while having a mud bath, and some newborn hyena cubs being groomed by their mom (aww!).

Of course, an African safari is not going to be all small, fluffy creatures. The Big Five were all spotted: majestic lions, elusive leopards and stoic buffalo. Upon seeing two male rhinos fighting, one traveller says that he was surprised they were so quiet whilst engaging in their tussle; he expected to hear grunting, snorting and generally angry sounds and not just the sounds of horns clashing.

Good thing that they all came down to Cape Town and had a day’s rest at Epic Guesthouse! Ineke and Maria from The Netherlands relaxed underneath the spring sunshine on the balcony, the fresh Noordhoek air and sea views a welcome change. There is definitely something different about the atmosphere as you get nearer to the southernmost tip of the continent: many researchers say that the air at Cape Point is of the cleanest and purest in the world.

The tour was an all-round success. New friends were made amidst the new experiences (everyone particularly enjoyed the jokes of Mary from the UK). Camille says that South Africa is truly a magical place, and Hayden loved Table Mountain so much that she didn’t want to leave.  

You could experience all this and more for yourself! Visit epic-enabled.com to see all we have to offer - see you soon!

Until then, here's an interactive map of the adventures had this month (and that you could experience too!)

My frightening tent experience

Hyenas, are Africa’s biggest carnivore after lions and there are three subspecies living throughout the plains of Africa; the Brown hyena, Striped hyena and the Spotted hyena. The more commonly seen hyena is the Spotted hyena, also known as the laughing hyena, which has coarse, short and sandy coloured fur with dark spots.

Large, with a dog-like resemblance and distinguishing sloping back, it makes for an unusual sight. They belong to the hyeanidae family and weigh around 60kg, with females more muscular, aggressive and larger than their male counterparts due to three times as much testosterone. The females have a pseudo-penis, used for urination, mating and the birthing of cubs, which can make delivery a potentially dangerous and difficult process.

Hyena's are highly vocalised animals, who make sounds such as wails, howls and cackles. They don't cackle to pass the time or for fun, but rather as an indication to others of their age and social status or to communicate their frustrations. They are intelligent, adaptable and social animals, with males who baby-sit and a dominant female who leads the clan of between 10 to 40 individual hyenas. 

Hyenas have powerful, bone crushing jaws and teeth that are capable of breaking down an entire animal corpse. They eat a varied diet, from different species of antelope through to other herbivores such as zebras, warthogs, and young giraffes, hippos and rhinos. Commonly perceived as scavengers, hyenas not only feed on the left over or stolen carrion of other predators but are opportunistic and skilful hunters. 

Spotted hyenas live within a matriarchal society in a range of habitats, such as savannas, grasslands, woodlands and sub-deserts. By far the most commonly seen hyena in the Kruger is the spotted hyena. As these hyenas hunt and scavenge mostly during the cover of darkness, you will see many at night if you hang about near the fence in the camp sites at the Kruger, as I (Keira) did on my safari trip as a member of the Epic Enabled team.

 

After my very first hyena sighting I was instantly spellbound with watching these characteristic, wild animals with their grinning faces and humped backs. With my tent unintentionally pitched in a no-tenting area from the night before, I was a mere few metres from the fence erected by the park in order to keep the wild animals and human beings safely separated from one another.

George and I had moved my temporary home, after a few glasses of papsak wine, so I could be closer to the hyenas. It was only when the sun had risen had I noticed it was a not a tenting area, but despite this I decided to leave it where it was for the final night.  

On the second night of our stay in the Skukuza campsite under the full moon, I patrolled the borders of the fence, just my trusty torch and I, once everyone else had retreated to their rooms for the night. After quite some time watching numerous hyenas pass by, and hearing others cackle in the distance, the distinctive and somewhat scary roaring of lions, and the sound of rustling in the bushes, I decided it was time to get some sleep.

Feeling a little scared of what could be out there, I put my boots, torch, and phone near the escape compartment of my tent just in case I needed to make a run for it. A few minutes after my head hit the pillow, I sat up in a state of panic to the sound of loud sniffing near the head of the tent. I was sure it was too loud to be a hyena and thought it might be a lion.

Alone and scared, not sure if the animal was behind the fence or by some chance had made it into the camp and was directly outside my tent, I grabbed my phone and dialled the number under the name ‘Alfie’ in my contact list. I hastily explained there was a loud sniffing sound and I was scared, to which the reply was, ‘’Where are you?’’. ‘’I’m in the tent,’’ I said to the man I thought was my boss.

A surprised tone answered, ‘’Why are you in a tent?’. It hit me this was not the Alfie I had intended to call but rather a friend from back home. I quickly ended the call and hung up after a quick response of, ‘’I’ll call you later.’’

After deciding I would make a run for the nearby bathroom, I picked up everything I needed for my escape and fled, just to have what sounded like the mystery animal pounce at the fence. As soon as I reached the safety of being on the inside of the four walls of the bathroom, I called my parents in hysterics as I closed all the windows. After my parents succeeded in calming me down a bit, I waited in the bathroom for up to 20 minutes in the hopes that someone would come in for a midnight bathroom stop.

After I figured it didn’t seem anyone was coming I decided to run through the camp, not sure if I was being followed or not, to reach the Impi truck where I knew Charles was sleeping. Not only did I run through a huge spider’s web in my haste to reach the truck, but I got lost and ended up on the opposite side of the camp before finally making it to my destination. In hindsight I remembered a vital piece of advice is never to turn your back on a wild animal and run!

I explained my frightening adventure to Charles and was told that lions hang around often outside the fence and he had seen his fair share! Alone at night, in a tent just metres from the fence keeping the wildlife out, and being a fairly anxious person by nature, it sure was an experience I will never forget and one I would never replace. Maybe it was an elephant who got whiff of my scent or was munching on grass nearby or was it a lion who had picked up on the smell of a human as he was casually strolling by? We can only guess…

-Keira

'Disability is not contagious'

Uel Maree

It had started off as any other regular day at a youth outreach camp beside the Berg River, a river which Uel Maree who was 27 at the time had dived into many times before during that summer of 2011.

Uel dived head first with hands out in front of him into the flowing river, hitting his head in the process. He was instantly paralysed and was floating face down in the water for 45 seconds until another leader came to his rescue. He describes an experience of a feeling of peace wash over him. Once he was taken out of the water and laid across the ground, the only physical sensation he felt was that of the African sun hitting his face. He was then airlifted to Milnerton hospital for treatment, where he spent up to 100 days adjusting to his new condition.

Classified as an incomplete C5 tetraplegic, Uel is cared for by his parents in their home set in the picturesque village of Hout Bay. Originally from Durban, now 31 years old, Uel was an avid outdoorsman who loved days at the beach and exploring the surrounding mountains after moving to Cape Town four years before his accident. Naturally one of his biggest concerns was losing his sense of freedom and energetic lifestyle due to the unfortunate accident.

Happy go lucky by nature, once Uel was given the life-changing news that he was paralysed from his shoulders down, he refused to accept the news as his fate, instead focusing his energy on staying positive and working hard to regain any movement possible. He is now able to move his arms though not his hands and fingers quite yet.

Uel in hospital shortly after the accident.

His family, consisting of three sisters and his parents, were left devastated yet remained hopeful that Uel would make a complete recovery someday. The accident served as a test to true friendship, with his friendships remaining intact and unchanged. As a devoted Christian he describes his relationship with God as having grown stronger since the accident and that his faith has never faltered.

Uel expressed that the hardest part about leaving the hospital and coming back home was the realisation that no medical professionals would be around in case of an emergency. He described that it felt peculiar to be back in his parents’ home after having lived without them for seven years.

Over time he has come to understand the new condition of his body, knowing what specific sensations and headaches indicate. He has since become used to spending lengthy periods of time at home, watching movies, series and documentaries with the occasional get together with friends. His dad adapted a microphone stand to have a tablet attached to for which he uses a specially designed finger glove to type messages and claims he is just as fast as anyone else.

Smiley Uel, with his wheelchair.

When asked what he felt was important for people to understand about those with disabilities, he stated that, ‘’disability is not contagious.’’ He strongly believes that able-bodied people should be educated on how to interact with those with disabilities and that children should be taught from a young age about how to deal with people affected by disabilities.

Uel, an ex KTV presenter, has given numerous talks to teenagers and church goers, and attended fundraisers to talk about his personal struggle with disability in the hope of instilling knowledge and awareness. He aims to raise awareness about disability in rural areas and wants to get medical aid regulations with regards to disability changed as well as the import duty on wheelchairs lessened.

He jokingly replied, ‘’don’t dive into muddy water,’’ when asked what advice he would give to other people about the situation. Uel urges others that find themselves suddenly paralysed to, ‘’take it slow and realise that they might be in it for the long haul, don’t focus on the can’t rather focus on what can be done.’’

Ambitious and keen to get involved within the disability sector, Uel recently got involved with Accomable, a site dedicated to listing accessible properties, for which he scouts out accessible accommodation around the globe. A gofundme page has been set up in Uels’ name with the goal of raising funds for an accessible vehicle. Being 6.2 ft, it is a struggle and potential risk to load Uel into a standard car.

‘’But whatever may come,’’ Uel is adamant he is ready for it. And as he so wisely says; ‘’Through my accident I have realised that today is all we’ve really got. We aren’t promised tomorrow so let’s make today count.’’

We can all learn a thing or two through the adversities, daily struggles and determination to live life to the fullest from those dealing with disabilities. 

The exciting world of adapted sports for wheelchair users

Para-archery. 

Sports played by people with a variety of disabilities, including physical and intellectual impairments or disabilities, are commonly referred to as adapted sports. Many of the sports have been modified based on an already existence sport to enable people with disabilities to get involved with sports. However not all adapted sports are based on an able bodied sport, with several having been created solely for those with disabilities in mind of which there is no equivalent sport for abled bodied people.

There are many benefits to playing sport for those with disabilities, such as a feeling of independence, reduced dependency on pain and depression medication, and fewer secondary medical conditions. Playing sport is wonderful for the mind, body and soul.

A wide range of sports can be played by wheelchair users; either solo or as part of a team; on land or in water; and competitively or just for fun. Some involve speed while some involve precision but all involve skill and practise. Sports included in the wonderful world of adapted sports, but not limited to are; mono skiing, wheelchair golf, wheelchair sailing, horseback riding amongst many more enjoyable sports.

Para-archery

The very first para archery competition was held in the year 1948 and was one of the original Paralympic sports back in 1960. Anyone with a physical impairment may take up para archery, which may entail shooting at targets with the use of assistive devices if required. Para archery competitions fall under specific categories for the archers depending on which of the 3 different classifications they fall under.

Hand-cycling

A hand-cycle offers one of a kind ride for those enabled adrenaline junkies! It is powered rather by the use of arms than a pair of legs and the brakes are found on the handholds. It was developed in the 1980’s to create different means of human-powered transport; ever since it has been rising in popularity. Having been developed in a variety of styles it works well for many different forms of physical disabilities. It was first included in the 2004 Paralympics and has been popular to watch in the games since.

Paraplegic swimming

Paraplegic swimming is a fully inclusive sport available for people with a variety of physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities. Not only is swimming a great means to keep fit but is also greatly therapeutic for those with disabilities. One may not have a great sense of freedom and mobility when in their wheelchair but once they experience movement of their body in the water a sense of freedom washes over them.

Wheelchair basketball. 

Wheelchair basketball

Wheelchair basketball is played by athletes with disabilities in the Paralympic Games with the Wheelchair Basketball World Championship played two years after every Paralympic Game. Players take over a standard basketball court using their wheelchairs, while retaining most of the key rules and scoring of regular basketball, and using a 10-foot basketball hoop. Modifications to some rules are due to taking the use of wheelchairs into attention.

Wheelchair dance sport

Wheelchair dance sport is an elegant sport that was started in Sweden, back in 1968, with leisure and rehabilitation in mind, for wheelchair users. Wheelchair dancing is when at least one dancer is in a wheelchair and includes standard types of dancing such as waltz, tango, slow foxtrot, samba, jive and more. This sports comes with a variety of physical benefits, including helping to maintain physical balance, flexibility and coordination among others.  

Wheelchair rugby

Wheelchair rugby began in 1976 and was created by five Canadian wheelchair athletes, as a sport for quadriplegics in mind. It is mostly played between two teams of up to twelve players of mixed female and male players on both teams. The game is played on an indoor court based on the same measurements as a standard basketball court. Players use manual wheelchairs that have been custom-made and specifically designed for wheelchair rugby.

Wheelchair tennis. 

Wheelchair tennis

Wheelchair tennis was created by Brad Parks in 1976 and is one of the official Paralympic sports. The sport was adapted for those with lower body disabilities and is played in specially designed wheelchairs. The size of the tennis court, balls and rackets are the same as typical tennis with two main differences; the use of wheelchairs and that the ball may bounce up to two times.

Wheelchair fencing

Wheelchair fencing is a version of fencing for people with a form of a disability that affects their lower body such as spinal injuries, lower leg amputations and cerebral palsy or athletes that require the general use of a wheelchair. The wheelchairs of fencers are fastened into medal frames on the floor and allow movement of the upper body only. The sport was first introduced in 1953 by Dr Ludwig Guttman and became a part of the Paralympic Games in 1960.

BIID, a deep desire for a form of disability

Jewel, a woman blinded by choice. 

Over a space of a few months, a psychiatrist poured drain fluid into a woman’s eyes, eventually leading to what the young woman had always wanted, to be blind. Usually when one loses their cherished eyesight, it comes as a difficult blow but not for Jewel Shuping who from a very young age had always dreamed of being blind. She spent her childhood years staring into the sun, started using a cane by the age of 18 and learnt Braille by the time she was 20 years old.

The serious and rare psychological disorder, Body integrity identity disorder, happens in otherwise healthy individuals with a strong desire for an amputation or another form of a disability, such as blindness or paralysis. The individual feels as though they are meant to have a disability and their body part, such as a limb or their eyes, are not meant to be a part of them.

Sufferers sometimes go to extreme and dangerous measures in the desperate hope to injure their ‘alien’ body part so badly there is no other choice but to remove it or they become paralyzed. They might use a gun or chainsaw, put their limb in dry ice, lie on train tracks and wait for a train to run over their legs or they might fling themselves from a hight in the hope of damaging their spine so severely they become paralyzed. 

Karl (not his real name), who had suffered from BIID since a child, chose the dry ice method, packing both his legs into a bucket full of below freezing dry ice and after 6 hours got himself to the emergency room. The tissue was beyond repair and within a few months, much to Karl's delight, his legs were amputated. 

Chloe, a BIID 'pretender' who longs to be paralysed. 

BIID sufferers are sometimes so intensely jealous of individuals with the form of disability they long for. ‘Pretenders’, as they are referred to in the BIID community, pretend they have the disability they want, either in private or public, such as Chloe Jennings-White who spends most of her time in a wheelchair pretending to be a paraplegic. ‘Wannabes’ are all those who have this disorder, who so desperately want to be rid of their ‘alien’ body part, and some go on to become ‘successful wannabes’. There is also another group of people who are referred to as ‘devotees’ and these individuals are mainly attracted to people with amputations and other forms of disabilities.

This complex and mysterious condition is called Body integrity identity disorder, as it refers to the strong desire to alter their body integrity and identity. The individual’s physical body does not match the idea of their physical form.

The cause of BIID remains unknown but there are two main theories that try to explain why the disorder occurs. One puts the blame on the brain that is not able to provide the true plan of the body, and the brain then sees the ‘alien’ body part as not actually being a part of the person. The individual then has the strong desire to be rid of the body part. The other theory is a psychological one, the BIID sufferer, at a young age, may have seen an individual such as an amputee, a paraplegic or a person with another form of a disability, and ever since began to have thoughts that is what makes the ideal person.

A misunderstood and often judged condition, it usually leaves its sufferers feeling alone and confused and only sure of one thing, they feel that they are not in their true human form and are desperate to be in the body they were meant to be.

New Zealanders in South Africa

The group from New Zealand with Table Mountain.

The group from New Zealand arrived in good old Cape Town for a 4 day tour of the city and the surroundings to see what this outstanding city is known for, such as the V & A Waterfront, the iconic Table Mountain, and Cape Point as well as visiting the penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Alfie also took them on a drive to indulge in some wine tasting in charming Stellenbosch.

From Cape Town the group headed for a safari adventure, hitching a ride with the Epic Enabled accessible truck for the Kruger National Park, followed by 3 nights in the private game reserve. They did safari drives by day and played games together at the fire pit at night under the stars.

Highlights

The group saw a vulture in it's nest high up in the branches of a tree. 

They saw the Big 5 which South Africa is so famously known for. Two leopards were even spotted; one very close to the road in Kruger and another spotted with a kill at the private game reserve where lions were even present at the same time!

Anne (a repeat Epic Enabled traveller) had some lucky experiences such as playing with Honey the local honey badger at the private game reserve. A porcupine tried to get under Anne’s chair who eventually gave up deciding to rather sit next to her while she stroked its nose.'' 

Comments

‘’I’m passionate about all the animals and love being in Africa, especially the private game reserve, wish everyone could experience an Epic adventure. Was great to catch up with all the people again and see old animal friends. SA is such a special place. You are so privileged to live there, most beautiful country on Earth. Most magical trip ever, lots of ticks off the bucket list.’’ ~ Anne Larkin 

''Many thanks for another fantastic time with you in Cape Town and the Kruger. On our return to NZ the guys have been buzzing with all their experiences and are wanting to get back on the plane for a return trip. Being able to see the animals in their natural surroundings - up close and personal - is a highlight.'' - Moira Lipshaw

At Cape Point.

Experience a magical coastal tour

Table Mountain, one of the 7 natural wonders of the World. 

Cape Point, Cape Town.

Special! Book this magical and accessible compact tour and pay only R31, 150 per person sharing. The tour takes place during the African summer months from the 2nd of December till the 11th of December 2015 ending in Port Elizabeth, also known as the friendly city. Small and personalized tour with only 2 seats left. Grab your seats now!

The tour kicks off exploring Cape Town, indulge in some wine tasting in the historic town of Stellenbosch, shop till you drop at the V & A Waterfront, and take an exciting cable car ride up the iconic Table Mountain, on the way during a coastal drive to the Cape Point, where the two oceans meet, stop off and meet the penguin colony at Boulders Beach.

Knysna, Garden Route. 

Next witness the enchanted Garden Route, known for its glorious mountain ranges and selection of peaceful beaches, with two nights in Sedgefield followed by two nights in the Tsitsikamma forest. This is your chance to enjoy picturesque drives along the coastline and take in the fresh air. There are options (at extra cost) of entering the Cango Caves, jumping aboard a boat for a cruise on the Knysna lagoon or visiting the elephants for a ‘hand in truck’ experience or ‘back safari’.

For further information or a detailed itinerary please contact us on info@epic-enabled.com or give us a call on +27 21 785 7440. 

-Keira