Despite any mis-pre-conceptions, Durban is one of our more enjoyable stops and gives us the opportunity to hang out with the Goldswain family. Warren (Goldswain) used to work with Alicia at Foxtons estate agents in west London before moving back to his native South Africa. Luckily for us, Alicia and Warren remained Facebook buddies and when he found out South Africa was part of our trip, he suggested a stop-over in Durban.
The first night there, Warren shows us around the waterfront and then the bar/restaurant area; Florida Road, where we have dinner and meet some of his friends. Being the great guy he is, he offers us a place to stay in his home, which is an offer far too good to refuse. The house is beautiful, has great views and is an extremely comfortable place to stay. It's so nice being able to stay in a real home with a soft bed, hot shower and nice food. We spend quality time with Warren, Bevan (his brother) and Robyn (his mate), sitting on the large balcony, chatting and smoking shisha. (well mostly watching Warren and Robyn smoke)
Another benefit of knowing Warren is being able to hang with the locals. We are invited to his friend's Pool Party the next day where we experience our first South African Brai (BBQ). We spend the whole afternoon drinking Windhoek, Hansa & Savannah (some choice Southern African drinks), eating, and generally having a good time around the poolside. And to top it all off, we go out for half price sushi in the evening. A very distinctive evening as it is at a Chinese restaurant!
One of Durban's biggest attractions is its Aquarium and Seaworld complex. It's a really good day out, with dolphin shows, seal shows, a huge aquarium and a water park. While our Durban friends work, we spend the day with the fishes.
Our last day in Durban is spent at the mall. There are some really massive malls here and Alicia is keen to check them out. Also we've been contemplating getting a laptop and this seems like an ideal place to look at them. After 4 hours at the mall, we leave with a pair of Oakleys, a laptop, and a lot of debt.
On our last night we're all invited to Jeff Goldswain's home (Warren and Bevan's dad) for an evening brai. Jeff's house is on top of a hill and overlooks Durban; the views are amazing. It's a great night, with good food, good wine and good company. Plus it's the last time the Goldswain family is going to be together before Christmas, so they exchange gifts after dinner. Jeff made us feel part of the family by giving us an impromptu present; a couple of wooden statues from Zimbabwe!
The next morning we say goodbye to the Goldswains and Durban. We're off to find the Hole In The Wall...
