Living life on the edge with Liquid Nitrogen ice cream haha

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I passed the budgie while I was pottering around making my breakfast this morning and it whistled at me. I stopped and looked at it and whistled a little tune to him, and it whistled back the right sound at the right pitch. I tried another simple tune and it imitated it again perfectly. Clever little bird.

Ellie and I pottered around the house all morning then went out at 12.30 to pick the girls up from school. We took them for the most incredible ice cream where they pour it in to a glass bowl surrounded by liquid nitrogen and it bubbles and freezes right before your eyes. Absolutely wicked! For anyone visiting Durban - it was at a bar called Fusion if you want to try it out.
After ice cream, we went to the beach as both Summer and Hana had been asking Ellie to take them on a Rickshaw where a man in a headdress pulls you along in a cart. We could only find one, rather than two carts but the guy said he was happy to fit us all in for 80 rand (£8). We got him great publicity as we whooped and screamed each time he leapt up to make us tip backwards. It was hard work for him but lasted only a few minutes and we gave him a nice tip so he had made a tenner in a very short space of time. After the Rickshaw we walked the pier and watched the surfers. There were guys there on body boards and I decided I’d give that a go when I get to Oz. I have tried surfing but its difficult so will try to get the hang of it using a body board first.

The Durban rugby team called the Sharks are playing tomorrow and the whole city gets lively to support their team. Some guys had designed huge sandcastles to honour the team and the girls’ school had arranged a Black and White non-uniform day for the kids to get them excited. On the way home we drove past some Western Province supporters and stopped the car to shout over to them. Even though they supported the rival team, they were really friendly and Ellie explained you get very little violence over sports over here which I was surprised at. I’d heard so many people say SA can be a dangerous place.
We had a lovely afternoon and the weather was great. It was the perfect day to end my South African holiday.

I hate being ill and was worn out when we got home so had a nap for an hour or so. This cold is really doing me in. I have felt tonnes better after the mega Thai chicken curry last night though.

At 6pm, I took Ellie, Laura, Ross, Summer and Lily out for a meal to thank them for having me stay over the last week. Hana was at a friends’ ballet play which was a shame but it had been arranged a while ago. They wanted to go to a family restaurant called Spur which has a big play area for the kids (including a TV room) and you can leave them to have fun while you have a few drinks.
We ordered lots of starters to share then I had chicken fajitas for my main. The foods good and it’s very reasonably priced. We had a great time, did a few shots and then their friend Caroline joined us for a few glasses of wine. We were taking the mick out of Ross’s unusually flabby elbows - he’s just got loads of skin there!

Ellie and I jumped in a taxi at 8.45pm to meet her new boyfriend (Nick) and his mates. I’d better be careful what I say on here as I’m not sure if she’s classing him as that or if they’re just dating at the mo. He’s a really nice guy; I definitely approve which I think meant a lot to her. Friends and family’s opinions are always really important in things like this.
We had tonnes of drinks in Bootie Bar and I ended up snogging Nick’s mate who was really nice too. I can’t remember his name which is embarrassing, ooops! Some older guys came in wearing rugby shirts for the oppositions' team for the game tomorrow and I was amazed at the friendly banter that went on with everyone, even when they’d all been drinking and things can easily get out of hand. It would kick off royally if City supporters went in a United pub back home (or vice versa). It’s so much friendlier over here and Ellie said she’s never even seen a bar fight in South Africa. The older guys were loving the attention and lots of people started having photos with one of them. Turns out he’d been in the Big Brother show a few years ago and is quite a celebrity.

We went back to Nick’s apartment for another drink but it was late (about 3am); I was feeling drunk and had a flight to catch tomorrow so all of a sudden I just decided I had to leave. It was a shame for El as she’d not got to spend much time with Nick while I’ve been here, but she totally understood. Nick had been the designated driver for the night as he’d been hungover from the night before so gave us a lift home.
So… my final night with Ellie! It was a given that we weren’t going to behave and go home for our 12pm curfew. Looks like I’m gonna have to travel to Oz with a stinker of a hangover tomorrow!! But I wouldn’t have expected any different.

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