SOUTH AFRICA: 30 January 2018 Leaving Durban for Royal Natal via Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu Natal

As we are almost three months behind on our blog, we may soon load photos with captions until we have caught up. Wi-Fi is not always available here in Namibia and when it is, our priority is making future campsite bookings and organising our itinerary which has had to change several times due to weather, travelling with children and not booking early enough. However, each time it has worked out for the best.

We left late (11am) from Durban, things always take longer than expected at the beginning. So instead of getting to Royal Natal in the Drakensbergs, we stayed our first night at Glensheiling Camp Site. On our way there, we stopped at Pietermaritzburg for lunch at the Tatham Art Gallery Café. We found a car park in the centre of the city and were approached by a parking attendant who issued us a parking ticket for the time we thought we needed.  When we returned we simply paid the extra parking time thus avoiding a fine. We like this system; maybe the CCC could try this approach!

We found the Tatham Art Gallery and its well-known café. We arrived just after a large group so had to wait some time for our food but were able to view the gallery during this time.  The gallery has some contemporary African art, old English & European paintings and some modern masters such as a Picasso sketch and a Matisse bronze.  The lunch was really good and we chatted to a fourth generation English university lecturer who suggested we look at the pipe organ in the town hall which he claimed was the largest in the Southern Hemisphere.  The security officers at the Town Hall looked a bit bemused that we wanted to see the organ but eventually a senior man gave us a tour.  The organ was very impressive as was the large hall in which it sat.

For those of you who have followed my Facebook page, you will know the story of Oliver taking this photo…

… Unbeknown to Oliver, this guy was a Hawker, trading without a licence on the street. We parked our car right here beside him before heading off for lunch. On our return to the car, we watched a tubby policeman spot the Hawker and the chase down the street began. We followed in our vehicle watching with delight and amusement as the policeman tried to catch the fit Hawker as he ran down and across the street. Eventually, the cop gave up and the Hawker escaped.  Oliver was keen to join the chase and help but we continued on our way to Glenshieling.

Heading north again on the motorway we soon came to Howick where we stopped at the Howick Falls. The falls were impressive and when the sun came out there was a nice rainbow above the pool at the base of the falls.  There was a sign at the viewpoint pointing to other falls around the world and to one in New Zealand of which we had never heard.

We met an interesting man from Malawi selling bead craft and jewellery. Nicki and the children had a fun time trying on various items and we bought some jewellery which made him very happy. His brother who was selling batik which looked rather bedraggled having been sitting in the rain looked rather dejected that we did not buy anything from him.

Then continuing up the motor way we pulled off at Nottingham Road for dinner but all the eating places had just closed. However, we managed to buy some sausage rolls and we ate these in the late sun. Sophie and Oliver enjoyed the see-saw and other play equipment outside before we headed to Glen Sheiling campsite.