Just an update after being home a couple days. What a trip it was, and worth it for anyone who has the opportunity to come to South Africa. There are pot shops, grow shops and social clubs in almost every town. Love watching this cannabiz boom here in SA. The quality and variety of cannabis available is unreal, something Marc Emery said during his trip to South Africa a couple years ago.
My first proper stop was Jeffreys Bay, a once small surfers paradise that has boomed in the last decade or so and turned into a small town. Stopped at a place called Turtle House, coffee shop, social club, headshop etc. Lovely place and great setting:
Amazing to find a book you had some work published in , Cannabis Indica was on their shelf of interesting cannabis titles, saw the lebanese I had grown out featured on page 92/93. So a put my money where my mouth was and bought the book.
Next stop was to an activist and organic grower, medical user, OomBoom. What a wonderful experience, beautiful garden using permaculture principles and very knowledgeable too. Had a cup of green tea, some tasty joints and bought a couple of his very well branded tshirts.
Next stop was St Francis Bay. There are two cannabis shops, one for CBD/THC medicine and the other other a CBD Vape Club called PineApple Express. It was a good time to stop and buy some craft beer from The Brewing Company, delicious pale ale.
Next was a quick but way overdue stop in Knysna to meet a cannabis artist and activist from Cannabiz Art, Marylou Botha, a cannabis warrior. It was an awesome experience to finally meet her and her cool family in wonderful surroundings. Drank coffee in crooked handmade cups, smoked delicious weed and caught up on cannabis culture over a couple joints. She also kindly gifted me some of her handmade cannabis soap.
I also got to meet a reputable breeder known as Garden Route Genetics. Josh has been breeding for 15 years and kindly gave me some top strains, Black Kronic and Lilac Kronic. I think we going to see alot more about Josh and his genetics in the future.
Next stop was in a town known as Plettenberg Bay. Its a buzzing town with so much on offer including great beaches, outdoor trails, shops, sun, sea, restaurants and cannabis activities. First stopped off at a very cool Hemp shop, Simple Seed, in the high street. Really nice selection of CBD and hemp items, from textiles to through to soaps, balms, scrubs, CBD oil, hemp hats. The owner was informed about all his products and knew lots about the benefits of hemp.
Stayed overnight at a very old friends house, had drinks and joints catching up during the evening with our family. Went for an early morning wake and bake walk through forests outside the town of Plett. Walked by Wiskey Creek Gorge and smoked it up.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLiwx9ysPSQ/
In the morning my friend wanted to take me to the local canna social club just down the road from him. Damn we drive through the gates of DankiPa farm, smell and see a beautiful garden on a hillside with a coffee shop overlooking a river and the sea. A simple signup form to become a social member and once a member you reimburse to the Club the plant management fees in exchange for the produce. As per the constitution in South Africa. Their cannabis garden is unreal. Organically grown outdoor variety of strains from original exodus cheese through to strawberry sherbert and a variety of pure sativa’s. Many of the plants are grown from clone by a seasoned master grower and his team. They manage a large space with many upliftment projects on the go. They have a local community of ladies rolling joints, providing them a sustainable salary, delivering perfectly rolled pre-rolled joints for club members to enjoy with a view. A couple joints later, we were late for lunch. What a great experience!!
Back through Port Elizabeth on the way back home and went to the Pottery coffee shop, nursery and social club. Their membership processing is a bit longer, but you can buy a day pass. I walked around their fully stocked shop of a headshop, custom glass rigs, bongs, grinders etc, also have a inhouse produced nutrient solutions and small growshop supplies store. I enjoyed a cup of coffee while speaking with the very talented owner of the social club, who was definatley in high spirits about the success within the community about this slick venue. Two cups of coffee and off to the latest growshop to open in Port Elizabeth with a dude from Sunshine coast Genetics.
The Gro Bro
The Gro Bro is a friendly, welcoming smile, clean shop, packed with indoor and outdoor products. The owner Hugo is a gem, keen to answer questions, show you around, talk about the best products for your growing needs. I was introduced to him via Sunshine Coast Genetics, another gem and had a lekker long conversation about growing cannabis, preventative maintenance, nutes etc. Loved the fact that he specializes in organics, his preferred method, however he does stock synthetics too for the commercial dudes.
Saw many top brands in the shop, GH, Biobizz, Dirty Hands, Organic Matters, Umya Nutrients, the trim bin bag, some futuristic life time warranty grinders made from medical grade plastic endorsed by Snoop!!! And then my favorite, a top shelf of Fullmelt Filtration Bubble bags. I was sold, I knew this is my new favorite local grow shop. If you in the area, looking for knowledgeable service with a smile, Hugo at the Gro Bro is your man. 10 Frank Street, Newton Park. I will be back for sure.
A couple more pictures of views over Buffalo Bay and some clones I collected along the way.
*: By The Way Port Elizabeth has just changed its name to Gqeberha a couple days ago. So any mentions in future I mean Gqeberha.
The Map route I travelled, from the sunshine coast through the garden route of South Africa.
