Life in Durban

It is a Sunday morning and I am taking it easy: writing, reading and preparing for our new departure in a couple of days. Now, the plan is that we will be sailing out towards Noisey Be in northwestern Madagascar around Wednesday, October 25th, if the winds agree with our desire. Sometimes Frank says that if we don’t get the right winds, we will just go straight to Australia but I think we will still try to go to Madagascar and to the Seychelles…but nothing is for sure in this adventure. So, for all those who want to write real letters, Frank will probably post an address for the Seychelles, but we might only be there before Christmas. Snail mail is really slow coming to and from this part of the world: at least two weeks in both directions, but please don’t give up if you feel like writing. The other day, I was a little disheartened to find out how long mail took and a nice lady at the Point Yacht Club reception told me: “sweatheart, this is Africa”… For the least, I do hope that many of you have been or will soon be getting my cards and letters!
Durban is quite an interesting city with the highest Indian population outside of India, mostly blacks (Zulu), Afrikaners, and some white people, definitely the minority. Signs are written in English, Afrikaans and Zulu. In Cape Town and Knysna, the black people mostly spoke Xhosa. I am glad to be able to differentiate Xhosa, Zulu and Afrikaans, but I haven’t learned much of either language yet, it would be nice. It is not easy though to go up to people since there is a certain factor of danger… the poor people always check out my shoes when I run, so I try to run faster, but some neighborhoods are not at all safe here. We don’t go there.

Besides meeting some really welcoming and interesting people at both the Royal Natal and the Point Yacht Club, we’ve done some fascinating things in the city. The Indian market full of spices and colours was an eye-opener to the varieties of spices and roots and foods we didn’t even know existed. The Zulu art is beautiful, I especially like all the joyful bead necklaces and bracelets. We saw a beautiful Imax movie on life in the Kalahari desert in Botswana about lions, elephants, zebras and springboks, went to Ushaka Marine World with a nice aquarium and a fun dolphin show, and the best of all, for me at least, was surfing school. I’ve never surfed before and did manage to get up twice on the board: what an amazing feeling it is to be sliding on top of a wave! Now, I really want to learn.

As always, we’ve checked out some wonderful restaurants and bars and tasted local specialities and we also had a cocktail party onboard that was quite fun. Monday and Tuesday, we will be busy getting the boat ready, buying provisions and saying goodbye to our new friends. If we do go to Noisey Be, it should be a trip of about 10 days, but I will try to be writing underway and I am sure, Frank will, too. I think starting from now until Australia, we will be in small places, which I prefer, but internet access will surely be scarce. I will just write into my blog and send you postcards and letters.
Thinking of all of you, feel free to write back through the website, ask questions if you want to. Tell me about life where you are! Help me stay connected!