And so it begins. Ignominiously, but it begins nonetheless.
We (Kayla & I) arrive at 13:15 local Durban time, on Monday 16th. after 2 night flights.
I remember most distinctly the Air Canada check in. After recent firings due to various bankruptcies, everyone had just heard that 300 more of these very check in folk were to be chopped in 2 weeks. I wondered if we would actually arrive in Heathrow or London Ontario.
We were lucky, David, my man about town when I'm not, told me to get to the airport early as they were multi overbooking tickets. We got there 3 hours before the time on our ticket - usually its 60 - 90 minutes. We get terrible seats. I ask why, and am told that you need to be there 2 hours ago to get "decent" seats. "Impossible!" I remonstrate. However, we are straight in, and we are boarding with 20 minute to go before we depart. New flight, new number 2 hours earlier than our tickets suggested departure time.
Air Canada SUCKS! What a pile of wankers, they start serving dinner around 11:30 Toronto time, 4:30AM local London time. Come 7:00AM local UK time, it's down the aisle with "Duty Free" fare. All lights still on, no peace.
London at 10:30 local, our buddy Alex, picks us up, and we feast and catch up all day, only occasionally catching a few ZZZZZ'z. We are late for check in (again), but luckily get 2 seats in the upper deck on our South African flight.
Now these SAA guys really have got their act together! Socks, portable toothbrush, even eye covers (extremely good for sleeping) all supplied in the travel kit, full menu for food and WOW! lights out within 2 hours of take off. ALL lights out ALL night. We awake to Southern Zim airspace.
All our bags arrive, we present our Canadian passports, waiting anxiously for any sign of our oncoming 10 days of quarantine, and in 30 seconds are out in the arrivals area. Piece of cake after all - this is Africa remember. We transfer to the internal terminal: Joburg does not "feel" bad this time, and within fifteen minutes, are waiting for our last flight to Durban.
A short plane hop later, and we are in Durban, and Mike & Kerry are showing us the "Comrades" marathon, (no not some left wing freedom thing, real Comrades in Arms as it turns out), which takes place annually this weekend from Petermaritzburg to Durban -90Km to be run in 12 hours or less. It's very popular with 13000 - 14,000 entries this year. We later find out one Japanese runner (65 year old), was mugged for his running shoes. Sounds as if South Africa is much the same as ever.
Our host and hostess Mike and Kerry, are, as ever, extremely welcoming. It's great to be back. I scan the stars and pick out the Southern Cross, my constellation of choice. It's the middle of winter here, almost cold, refreshing even. My plan is complete and jet lagged and mentally bedraggled, we finally fall into a wonderful bed for the sleep on a flat surface, of the well travelled.
Tuesday AM and Kerry takes us into town. The van has been pummelled by something somewhere and it needs some extensive bodywork. It's a mess, complicated by the fact that everything inside (yes everything) has to be taken out. It's loaded into the top box and Kerry's car, and the cruiser is off for a lengthy body job. We head of to the harbour for a huge lunch, and then return to Mike & Kerry's to wait for the van.
Still, being stuck here does have its advantages. Instead of pony trecking through the Drakensburg (highly recommended), we spend the week with Mike & Kerry who takes time off work for us, (thanks Kerry!). Wednesday for a lazy day, shopping, getting maps and updating our research with maps and inquiries for Mozambique.
Thursday and we are up for dolphins in the Indian Ocean. Huge amounts of them all around us.
Check on the van, and try to convince the guy to have it ready by Friday ("I'll try"). It's certainly improved, but still looks a long way off. On the way home, I pick up a night stick (as used by all fascist police pig dogs), half because Aiden wants one, and half because we may need it. God help us if we do, I'm sure whoever we level it at will be far better armed than us!
Kayla really missing friends and some form of peer group. Getting through 2 books a day now. We find a place for music and get some books for her ever increasing repertoire. Its Kerrys sons birthday, and we have a part where Kayla plays Happy Birthday on her flute.
I find out that emailing will not be too easy via a phone line direct to my Toronto link, too bad. More shopping, and finally, we try the pool. It looks very inviting, but it's about as cold as I remember my swimming lessons from England - that means it's about 10 - 12 degrees. I do not hang around here too long.
We feel pretty much at ease here, not totally paranoid yet. We are of course very aware of where we are. Most places are surrounded by barbed, razor or electrified wire. Armed response signs and dogs are popular too. We have 3 here, Scotty, Charles & Sally are our daily guardians.
Everytime you park your car, there is a guy (both white and black) who looks after between 5 - 25 vehicles. For this, you give them R2.00 (about 25cents). This is their source of income. Not much to live on eh? The other side is that you can buy a 3/4 bed house, with a pool and an acre or two in a really good neighbourhood complete with said security fence, for $CAN100,00 - $150,000. I have to say that if SA ever sorts out the crime problem, it will be instantly be bought up by Europe and North America. Don't hold your breath for this though. Zim has properties that are about a tenth the cost of this. It's almost worth retiring for.
Saturday, and finally, we have the van back. They did a pretty good job. We had to wait an extra 2 hours while they washed and cleaned it. Our freight agent Jose (FANTASTIC! guy), has looked after all the details. This extends even to the point of allowing me to totally wreck a book case made of Dexion angle iron in his warehouse to have some parts to use for repairing the storage space frame. This was also pretty buckled and buggered. Spent the morning waiting, the afternoon with Juliet who again was someone we met last time at one of the time shares. It was a birthday party, so we had cake and drinks and chats to catch up.
Good to feel settled and in control of my life again.
The evening finds us sawing up the remains of the bookcase for our frame remake and bolting the vans storage bits back together. We are done by 8:00PM, and relax, TV time.
Sunday morning sees us packing for our first real leap into Africa this time around. In the afternoon, its culture time. The KwaZulu-Natal Symphony orchestra is having a concert in the park. This is a botanical garden and it is a very pretty place. Lots of tropical plants, tree's and animal - especially birds, mingle with the stirring strains of "The Lion King" and "Star Wars Meddly".
The Junior band plays first, acoustics are crap in Botanic Gardens, but the overall effect is magic. 
The real symphony is pretty good, especially the soloists. Some of the pieces are pretty populist, others esoteric, but what the hell? Wine, cheese, tasties etc (Kerry is an excellent cook) add to the mix. Lying on the grass watching spoonbills and sacred ibises come in to roost in trees that were surely planted when Victoria reigned, was something special.
Tomorrow, and we are off into the Draks. Finally our trip begins.
Odometer: 305677 Distance Travelled: 0Km Actual Distance: 0Km
