Durban Hilton

... trees that grow in water, if you haven't seen one you should google it they are neat. and there was a bunch of crabs and Phillip got to see a crab and he had never seen one that big before. Then we went to the beach! We literally got 20 minutes for playing/swimming but it was still fun :) the indian ocean is brutal! The waves are huge!

And that night a monkey tried to come into our ...

... we had Joshua from the Congo; he did not speak French but was saying that they have 450 different dialects there. Just before we set off every driver give us a little speech about the times and what's going to happen on the way. Joshua told us I quote "We have a 2 hour drive nonstop, I can stop for toilet but not for smoking unless it is weed!" Everyone sort of laughed but I think he was not joking at all. He ...

... and such for $2-3. I’ve re-gained enough weight that I’ve even started working out again, something I’d almost sworn off while traveling, but it’s nice to feel strong. Skinniness/weakness as the measure of health is a false goal. So I get all domestic for the second time in my trip, first in Livingstone, now in Durban. Hopefully I can get even more so in Maputo and environs. I’m tired of watching my back. Next stop Swaziland.

... passed pleasantly with good food, good company and realtively few complaints about warm holidays. On the 26th my group of 4 took off for Bloemfontein (history here has been edited to exclude the temporary 5th traveler that accompanied us because she is inconsequential as to the events I would like to relate to you). Tricia, Ashley, Julie and I made it to Bloemfontein, successfully rented a car and were on the road by midday - me in the right ...

I didn't have much time to spend in Durban, the place where my working career began, amongst other things. I always manage to relate economies back to it, since I spent a lot of time visiting companies, government departments and educational institutions in those years. The main problem I have now is that it seems things have changed quite rapidly back home. When it comes to beers I still think in terms of my student days, largely because it was a vital part of my ...

... birds that he inherited from an ex-fiancée. One is an African Grey Parrot, and the other is an Amazon Blue something. They both talk and whistle all the time, which I hear as everyone leaves their doors open when they're home. The one bird makes a whistle that sounds just like the fox whistle that some people do when they find someone attractive. Unfortunately, I have to constantly remind myself that it's just coming from a bird. :-)

... time for the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit at University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, as an Operations Director. Before being sacked as Deputy Executive President in 2005 (I need to verify this date still), Mr. Zuma headed the government's National Aids Council and the Moral Regeneration Campaign. He doesn't believe in pre-marital sex, but he does believe in having multiple wives (he has four currently) and sex ...

... another truck, this one a smaller version of the one we had just spent a week on ! Then the rest of the tour group boards, all old, these ones even had hearing aids, but they were nice little old ladies at least. From there it was about a 3 hour trip through the moutains on the bumpiest road imaginable. When we reached the top we crossed the border and into a real village. The guide took us into on persons hut and ...

... strip of land between the beachfront and the harbour. It was the first phase in the redevelopment of the Durban Point into a new tourist and lifestyle hub of the city Lunch was boxed in white pie boxes good idea - and we were able to eat it while looking out at the Durban Harbour and Durban Harbour Head (a hill) with freighters of the world being loaded, tugs pulling them, etc, at the National Sea Rescue Institute. After our busy day, I fell asleep just about immediately.

... Indian Market and then the meat market. The Indian one was ok, believe it or not, they were selling everything Indian, like curries, spices as well as brass sculptures and other artifacts. The meat market was a bit more fun, goats heads and the fur and bones from every type of anumal. The street vendors were selling clothes, fake watches and everything else you can imagine. Walked through the area were ...