Photograph: Siba at the helm of his helicopter

The bus dropped Mellow Yellow and me at a tourism centre metres away from the Bloukrans bridge, the world’s third-highest bridge and the world’s highest bungee jump.

After I got out the bus I assembled the front wheel back on to Mellow Yellow and rode through the tourism centre in search of the backpackers’ lodge. I passed a circular-shaped building that housed a museum. In front of it was a small helicopter.

The backpackers was a log cabin, built on stilts above the ground.

Inside I met a neatly-dressed young man and we started chatting in a friendly way.

He turned out to be the pilot of the helicopter, which offered flips to tourists, usually around the immediate area of the Bloukrans bridge, the deep gorge in which it was situated and the dramatic cliffy coastline.

His name was Siba. I suggested that he give me a ride. He agreed and after a quick drive back to his machine as he called it, I found myself sitting in its front seat. While I could still feel the saddle of my bicycle on my rear end, the ground around me got further and further away.

Next minute we were above the forest greenery, which dropped down to great depths as he flew over the gorge. Then he headed towards the bridge. The ocean was in the distance.

It was a quick flip, the main purpose being to return the machine from the tourist centre to its night lodgings.

COMMENT: Have you ever been in a chopper, or would you like to have a flip in one?