Finding your balance on a Segway – Wild X in PE

As you know “finding your balance” can mean so many different things, but mainly it means to distribute things evenly. This enables you to remain upright or steady, or in life to be sane or at least feel it. Last week Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism (NMBT) invited us to attend the launch of the Segway Beachfront Tours in Port Elizabeth. Which was something completely different to what I expected. To be honest thinking back, I’m not sure what I was expecting but it wasn’t what happened.

A Segway is an electric, noise free, eco-friendly, self-balancing scooter. The operative word here being self-balancing. It is such a brain messer-upper! It balances itself. That makes sense right? Of course when it’s standing on it’s own and you are looking at it on the stand logically, yes. But then, you have to get on to it. AND BALANCE. I am laughing now because you move your body like a snake for a short period while you adjust to “balancing yourself”.

Side note: The handle on the Segway is actually not for holding but for navigating your turns.

Wild X kit you out before your trip, which is a little scary because the “kit” includes knee guards, elbow guards and a helmet. However, I wouldn’t worry too much because I must be the person with the worst balance in the world and I didn’t fall. Not even once. (I’m excluding the time I almost rode into wall and yelled for our guide to catch me because technically I didn’t fall.) We were also orientated on the Segway with guides for about 20minutes before our tour. This made for a lot of laughs, first at others and then at the mere embarrassment that I struggle to balance.

Then we were off, our guide took us along the beach where we leaned forward and back to help us along the way. It really is a lot of fun once you get into it. My feet felt like they were grabbing on for dear life after but I laughed a lot more than I have laughed in ages. “Push your toes forward to move forward, lean in with your chin and shoulders”, and then obviously back for reverse and standing in the same place…

I struggled a lot to stand still, this should explain why I almost rode into the wall. As you know PE has the most magnificent beaches, and again to experience this in a different way is such a treat! Ian had such a ball, he was racing around forward and back (bragging and all that) as though he’d been riding forever. I took the slow, scenic route, I obviously wanted to take in every second. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!) I absolutely cannot wait to take Emilie on this tour once she is home and we are all on holiday! She is going to LOVE it!

The guided Segway Fun Rides and Tours have 4 routes along the beachfront between Kings Beach and Summerstrand on offer, as well as 3 exciting Forest Park Routes in Happy Valley. Prices are from R300 per person and at a special offer for children R250 per child. You can book at [email protected] or call at 066 004 0767.

The NMBT are launching so many new tourism products ahead of the summer holiday season which I am extremely excited about. Incase you missed it they also launched a Fat Bike Beach Tour which I posted about last week.

In the meantime – Have you Segway-ed? What was your experience like?