Four Friends Forever

With their Matric year now over, 4 friends headed for the beach to celebrate. They booked a bungalow down in Rocky Bay south of Scottburgh, far away from adult supervision, that was until today, when they wanted to go to uShaka Waterworld in Durban. I got the call yesterday, asking for me to be taxi, and of course I said yes. I dropped them off at the entrance, took this photo in memory of their last days as children. Next year they are separating, going to different institutions to study further but these 4 will be friends forever.

Makaranga

Off Igwababa Street in Kloof just inland from Durban is the botanical gardens of Makaranga that is littered with stone art by Zimbabwean sculptors. 30 acres of enchanted gardens that you just want to find rest and allow the days to pass on by.

Even the neighbour’s cat thought of passing up his time here as mischievous fairies danced along bubbling brooks enticing the little boy which was bitten by a crab.

Big Fat Geek Wedding

Yes this is how the big fat geeks get married, a beach style wedding with a beach so near that you could smell the ocean. Necia and Craig tied the knot at St Henry’s Marist Brother’ College overlooking the harbour of Durban.

A group of friends and family witnessed Craig and Necia walk down the path and stand before the marriage officer where they said their vows to each other. Craig said an extra vow to Emma, promising to be a good father to her and husband to her mommy, nice touch. Then it was party time with Mr and Mrs Nicholson. The food was good and then it was dance the night away with good friends. Friends like Gary shown below.

And I will end this series of memories with a photo taken by Anika, shown below in the red dress, of me and Lynda well behind my hat.

Nightmare Hotel Chantecler

After last night’s disaster dinner at The Chantecler Hotel in Bothas Hill, we didn’t want any fancy place so we ended up at Durban South Beach just as the weather closed in. So here we were enjoying Strawberry Daiquiris, yes a pink drink Richard, while watching a few brave surfers trying to catch a wave or two. It wasn’t the best Daiquiri I’ve ever tasted but it help us forget last night as the stormy weather started to threaten.

As for evening before I am sure I am going to use The Chantecler Hotel experience on how a waiter/waitress should not treat their guests as the launch our Food Crit Blog, so watch this space. I’ll leave you with a little insight on what transpired, my meal of spare ribs arrived to our table 15 minutes after ordering and no one else's at our table, an hour and a half later the 4 pizzas arrived. To make matters worse the quarter chicken order was totally forgotten and never placed through to the kitchen. Not once did the waitress come tell us that the kitchen or that she had a problem, we only found out after I had to get up and walk to the kitchen to seek out our waitress. Not to mention no front of house nor restaurant manager was seen at all during the entire traumatic experience.

Sigh, now that nightmare is off my chest, where is my pink drink.

iShaka Marine World

Today was dedicated to iShaka Marine World where Matthew spent the day enjoying the water slides while I watched from the sides. But I was not alone as Lynda joined us as she too is on leave and staying with her parents in New Germany.

While Matthew was having fun, Lynda and I explored to aquarium. It was here that I found these lovely examples of the Pterois Miles or the Devil Firefish. They brought back memories of my first ever sea dive at the reef called the Crèche off Ponte De Ouro, Mozambique. As the group of divers dropped from the surface to the reef, we landed in a school of Devil Firefish. I eyeing out these venomous fish in the ebb waiting for the rest of the group to join. It was an interesting first dive for me.

uShaka Marine World

Matthew and his Great Grand Mother