Durban

We arrived in Durban a while ago now - staying at the Salvation Army Thembela Home.  A 45 resident home for the elderly (excluding us!).  Although it's not a 5 star hotel, it has been somewhere to lay our weary heads at night - plus the old folks have been wonderful.  Giving us advice on what to look out for on the streets (loads of pick-pocketers), don't show any valubles in the car cause when you stop at lights they will grab & run, don't be on the beach for New Years, put anything you have in your boot so when we park the car & leave it it wont be stolen etc....  Lovely people tho.  No tv in our room, but the one tv there is - it's blurry & it has a high pitch squeel.

Security is tight here too.  The home is all locked up at 8pm - front & back doors are locked so we have nowhere to go to if we want - luckily we are all stuffed so by 830 we are asleep!

The sun rises so early here - @5am it's just insane - and it gets dark early @7/730...  So we are kind of glad that we do most of our touring in the early morning before it gets hot.  And although it's only 30o, it's humid & feels hotter.

 

Just like we have seen everywhere else, the top of the fence has rolled barbed wire for added security - just becuase it's a salvo home doesn't mean to say they are exempt from break ins etc..

 

Ok, lets get on to uShaka Marine World.  Did you know that Shaka was King Shaka?  That's right!  Shaka kaSenzangakhona, also known as Shaka Zulu, was one of the most influential monarchs of the Zulu Kingdom. He was born near present-day Melmoth, KwaZulu-Natal Province.

 

Our 1st day was Wet'n'wild & Seaworld all in one - $15 each to get in - unlimited fun!

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Entry to theme park - on the beachfront of Durban

Panoramic view of the dolphin show arena 

View of Durban beach from the 'cocktail lounge' in Wet'n'wild.  Thousands would have been here for the NYE fireworks, & tons of people would have been pick-pocketed

One of the waterslides we went on

The 'squid' waterslide





Today (2nd Jan) - we went to Phezulu Safari Park & it was magical. 

 

Entrance to Phezulu

 Here are some of the aminals we saw - no explanation is required (I hope)

 

A male Impala

Baby wilderbeest feeding from mama

 

Before the safari, we saw a traditional Zulu dance - they explained how the man courts the women & becomes engaged, to the wedding ceremony.  It was awesome!  The groom pays the bride's family 11 cows for the marriage, that way the parents know that he is genuine about marrying.  The 3 days before the wedding, they celebrate by meeting both parents and other celebrations.  When the woman agrees to marry to man, she gives her necklace to the man - that way everyone knows he is taken.  When they are married, she wears some kind of headwear and a top to cover her boobs.

 

 

 

They sing to the beats of the drums which is totally awesome.  They are so lively & have lots of fun.

 



There was also had croc feeding - they whistle & clap for all the crocs to come out of the water & meet at the end of the pen, then the feeding begins.  Not all the crocs had meat - they don't need a lot to eat - they also don't get fed during winter as they can't digest the food properly, so they will regurgitate it up..  (croc feeding pics below)

 

 

 

The other show they put on for us was about some of the other animals they have at the park.  Lizards, snakes, tortoise's & alligators - I even got to hold a baby alligator - check it out: