Nicola Ann Art
Feb 10
by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Beach, Nature, Off-Road, Sugarcane, Sunset, Umdloti beach 0 comments tags: 4x4, Adventure, BeanOn Photography, Indian Ocean, Jimny, KwaZulu-Natal, Moonrise, Off-road, Rugged Terrain, South Africa, Sugarcane fields, Sunset, Suzuki, Suzuki Jimny, Umdloti, Umdloti beach

Umdloti sunset and moonrise

While briskly walking along beach late afternoon, the cloud formations shouted out, get in to the sugar cane fields, up that hill and capture what’s about to be a stunning Umdloti sunset and moonrise.   With my camera equipment already in my car, we tackled the tracks amidst the fields; changing to low range 4×4, we ploughed through the soft red earth and climbed to reach the peak, the ideal viewpoint. Seized by a dramatic vista – composed of Boeings flying alongside the setting sun, heading towards King Shaka Airport, Sibaya Casino to the left and the moon rising over the Indian Ocean.   A basket filled with picnic food was the only thing missing…
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Dec 24
by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Cycling, Nature, Off-Road, Safari, Wildlife 0 comments tags: 4x4, Adventure, BeanOn Photography, Challenge, cycling, Early morning, Gwahumbe Game Reserve, Jimny, KwaZulu-Natal, Off-road, Rhino, Rugged Terrain, South Africa, Suzuki, Suzuki Jimny, Wildlife

Fancy mountain biking with a rhino?

Can you even imagine mountain biking with a rhino…?   Well, unfortunately – of course I did it hoping for the ultimate experience, a beastly encounter that would make the heart drop to the foot and adrenalin force the blood to violently pump – it didn’t happen while on two wheels.   After exhausting ourselves by bicycle through the spectacular Gwahumbe (Saturday morning, 13 December) a favourite private game reserve for a day visit (because of the rugged landscape, and amazingly it’s just over an hour’s dive from Durban), we jumped in to my Jimny.   The climb down to the hippo pool brought us head-on with the rhino. We ensured we kept our distance, and that he was aware of our presence. A non existent exist strategy caused the brain to deal with many jumbled thoughts – in other words, we were trapped. He appeared to be relaxed, and while munching the grass on the edge of the track he glanced in our direction and moved closer and towards us.   I felt my body stiffen, my heart do somersaults, goose flesh ripple all over my body the moment his nose touched, albeit it a gentle touch, the Jimny’s nudge […]
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Jul 28
by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Nature, Off-Road 2 comments tags: 4x4, Adventure, BeanOn Photography, Exploring, Jimny, Off-road, Rugged Terrain, Suzuki

#ResistanceIsFutile

Another warmest thank-you to both Suzuki Pinetown (“the best dealership in town”) and Travis from Shift Group for a spectacular 4×4 adventure at Nkonka Lodge this past Sunday, 27 July, 2014.   10x Jimnys, 3x Grand Vitaras, 1x Sx4 and the 1 x unmentionable – at least the chaps at Suzuki see it as a challenge to convert the so called “traitor” – all met at the Pinetown dealership for coffee and muffins first thing, and in convoy made our way to the farm. Almost every 10 minutes, just after taking the Richmond turnoff, I longed to stop and capture the beauty in panoramic form; however, I also couldn’t wait to venture off road and explore the unknown. How many time do I need mention: #ResistanceIsFutile?   After about an hour’s drive, 20 minutes on gravel, beneath the perfect blue African sky, the sun heating up by the minute, we reached the extensive land surrounding Nkonka Lodge. Land that could not deliver more stunning vistas set in the virgin terrain of the Umkomaas Valley in KwaZulu-Natal, just outside Richmond, en route to Pietermaritzburg.   After a pit-stop to quench thirsts and absorb the stunning beauty near the river, we set off deeper in to the bushveld […]
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Apr 10
by Nicola in 4x4, Adventure, Nature, Off-Road, People, Uncategorized 0 comments tags: 4x4, Adventure, BeanOn Photography, Challenge, Early morning, Jimny, Killarney Track, KwaZulu-Natal, Off-road, Pinetown, Rugged Terrain, Shift Group, Shongweni, Suzuki, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Suzuki Jimny

4×4 training – let’s get stuck!

Thank you to both Suzuki Pinetown and Travis Duggan from Shift Group for the well organised 4×4 training, or rather adventure, that took place at the Killarney track in Shongweni, a week after I purchased my first ever 4×4 vehicle. Impeccable timing!   Never-ending thrills beneath a sky as blue as the Indian Ocean streaked with wisps of cloud, a sun throbbing hotter by the hour and a breath or two of air in a valley surrounded by red earth and green lush shrubbery! What more could anyone want?   A bevy of Jimnys and Grand Vitaras were all eager to get their tyres caked in thick dirt and washed off at the river crossing both at the start and end of the semi-challenging route.   Did you say a river crossing? Driving my spanking new car through water with rocks and slime and… “Cars do not like water,” Travis informed the group, all glaring at him with expressions like a kinetic strap pulled tight. Was that supposed to make me feel better? “But the Jimnys can safely absorb water up to the Suzuki badge.” As the river appeared that it would only reach mid-rim I started breathing again and felt […]
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