Blogs from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, Africa - page 7

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This post was written on 16th October as I didn't have internet acces on the 6th October. It took two hours to go through passport control!Many people in front of me were worried that they were going to miss their connecting flight. Once I finally got through I then found out that some of out group of 16 had arrived and some were soon to arrive since we were all on different flights. One chap, Paul, was the only other member of the group to be on the same flight. We then met our guide Sidney who took us to a small hotel to wait for everyone to arrive. We finally left about noon and stopped at a wimpy for lunch. I'd never eaten in a wimpy before!! We then travelled through the Drakensburg mountains to ... read more
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Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Shelly Beach May 29th 2016

I should have written this entry a while ago....but here it is...the last few weeks have been slightly on the run. Long amazing week-end diving with Tiffany....than 10 days between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. If you have followed the news lately, let say that Congo is in the middle of a turmoil for the moment. So getting around is just a little more "interesting"...and not really for those without contacts to tell them....stay in...or yes, you can go around and venture outside of your hotel! Safe I stay....worked I did a lot...but as always around Africa....it's not because we see demonstrations on international television....that life doesn't continue the daily routine, just around the corner! Next went another week-end in KZN with Tiffany...another great sunny week-end...followed by few days around Bangkok, Phuket, Saigon...Bangkok...and now back in the lounge ... read more
There is always great food and decent wine around....and a huge smile from Tiffany!
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Sharks coming from below....

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Umhlanga May 28th 2016

Nach der Wild Coast ging es wieder auf derselben Rumpelpiste weiter Richtung Norden. Einen kurzen Zwischenstopp legten wir in Margate ein. Wir waren wieder in der Zivilisation angekommen: quasi Lignano nur mit schöneren Hotelburgen und viel schöneren Stränden! Leute waren auch dort keine am Strand, aber für den Strand hatten wir diesmal eh nicht allzu viel Zeit. Mussten wir doch beim Waffle House einkehren und eine Runde Minigolf durch eine Bananenplantage spielen! Danke für den Tipp, liebe Sigi und lieber Spoony!!! Abends luden wir uns dann bei Freunden von unseren Freunden auf ein "braai" (Grillerei) ein und wurden herzlichst empfangen, obwohl Ros und Mark uns noch nie in ihrem Leben getroffen haben. So was nennt man Gastfreundschaft und wir haben einen äußerst netten Abend gemeinsam verbracht. Am nächsten Tag trafen wir Ros sogar noch zum Frühstück ... read more
Margate
Margate Beach
Margate

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Underberg May 23rd 2016

Matt stopped the car at the side of the road, on a sheer slope near the edge of an unfenced drop to a smudge miles below. 'I can't do this,' he said. I don't know whose bright idea it had been to drive up the Sani Pass, the only 4WD track into Lesotho from the Drakensberg region up an unsealed and ridiculously steep road that zig zags for 21 kms to the Lesotho border. The unsealed road is in appalling condition with twists and turns up near unbelievable gradients. One skid and you're over the edge saying goodbye to the world in true Thelma and Louise tradition. You are not allowed to drive up it unless you have a 4WD. Companies do tours in buses with mega-grip tires, and locals in shonky trucks crawl up and ... read more
Dramatic Sani Pass


My feet were cold but my heart soared as I watched the sun rise over the Northern Drakensberg ranges from the patio of our room. Anywhere else in the world, such a view would cost half your holiday budget but in wonderful South Africa, it's completely affordable. The sun rose slowly over the panorama from left to right, colouring the peaks, crags and sheer rock walls in shades of rosy pink deepening to crimson. It highlighted the trees in their autumn foliage in glowing yellows and oranges. My mind played a string quartet, something sweet and almost tearful. Who needed the theatre when this live play was so absorbing, ever changing and beautiful? The mountains gained definition, shadows and features, and the woods and fields before them greened. The show was over for today. We passed ... read more
Wow, what a bird
What a fab reflection
Gentle bushbuck grazing

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Durban April 1st 2016

We never thought we would ever be able to visit South Africa but here we were in Durban. The capital of Kwa-Zulu Province, it is reputed to be the most Indian city in South Africa as well as the busiest container port in Africa. We arrived early in the morning but it was about 10am before we were able to get off the ship and take a shuttle bus to the beginning of the “Golden Mile” - Durban's world famous surfing beach. It was deserted for most its length but, at one point, preparations were being made for a surfing competition due to start the next day. As we walked away from the beach and into the centre of the city we began to meet more people. There were a lot of people hanging around the ... read more
Beach
McD's Friendly staff
At Victoria Market

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Durban March 27th 2016

Happy Easter everyone! In the meantime I've been back in Curaçao since 3 months and the blogs-entries are running behind. We left Swaziland and entered South Africa via the Mahamba border crossing. We drove for about 7 hours to get to our next hostel. On the way we stopped in Piet Retief for lunch and later in Bergville to buy some groceries. Our hostel was beautifully located along the R74 road, isolated on a big field, surrounded by a lot of grass, trees and a big lake on a short distance. The Drakensberg Mountains are located nearby and that’s what draws most people here. The tiny country of Lesotho is also nearby but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to visit. The hostel was fun, we met several travellers there who we kept meeting in other ... read more
Our first view of Durban
Entrance towards the hostel near Royal Natal N.P
View from our hostel near Royal Natal N.P

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Shelly Beach February 1st 2016

Interesting to see that a few sharks, a little white ball and some amazing wine can change the destiny of a family!!! Do you blog from your home town? This is a question that is coming back pretty often on Travelblog. I have been coming back at least twice a year to Shelly Beach....this place will be my home from 2018...but not yet. And for once, I'm not doing the first move, Tiffany is doing it! The young lady is now 13 years old, and in 4 years time, she will be entering University...times fly! Few months ago....while speaking with Leslie about boarding school, Tiffany said...this sounds cool! And today, it's Tiffany big move. She is entering a cool boarding school, an hour drive North-West of Durban, short of 2 hours drive from where I plan ... read more
The little girl and the bull shark!
At Eland Reserve, next door from the sharks...
I'm proud of my little lady!

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Durban August 23rd 2015

Since these oaks were from Durban….and I needed to go that way, Stuey was nice enough to offer a ride all the way! Super lekke!!!! So bright and early, well earlier than I thought these guys would be up, we hit the road and found a niiiiiice brekky spot a few hours down the road. After some good farm fresh business we rolled into Durban and to the door of my hostel EZ PZ as if it was their job! It was braai night at the hostel too so all I needed was some meat! I chose a “21 day lazy aged” steak. Whatever that means it was good over the coals. Bread was good as was the salad! The Florida Road is where a lot of action is in Durban but I only window shopped, ... read more

Africa » South Africa » KwaZulu-Natal » Underberg August 21st 2015

Today was a fun filled day tramping around the mountains. I met a guy from Colorado (a transplant like myself) on a motorcycle journey all around Africa. Super good guy and turns out quite fit as I learned when we went up 614 meters over about 100 meters…basically climbing a land latter. He crushed it, but in my defense we had gone about 18 km already. Lol. We got to the top and had lunch with some baboons around and then proceeded to get lost on the way down, but we made it. All in all about 23km hiked with that fun summit lunch. I was fairly knackered, but a braai with some bicyclers from Durban sounded nice tooooo. These oaks were going to make the 21 km trip up the sani pass into Lesotho on ... read more
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