The adventures:
The travel to Durban from Maseru is impossibly long. It took 12 hours from Maseru to Durban and 10 on the way back. On a positive note, due to the upcoming World Cup South Africa's public transportation system is slightly more efficient than Lesotho. We stayed in two awesome hostels. The first was on the Wild Coast about a 50 meter walk from the beach and had an incredibly laid-back atmosphere. There was a ping pong and pool table, a swimming pool with a nice patio set up, and outdoor showers--all for 100 Rand a night. We spent the first day lounging on the beach. The next day we ventured up to Durban Proper where we spent the remainder of the trip lodging in another sweet hostel. This one also had all the accessories, but I found the people at Nomads the best part. They were worldly, sarcastic, down-to-earth, and fun. Plus, they were awful at pool, and we all know how much I like to win! While in Durban we went to Ushaka (a water park) where we rode on the largest water slide in Africa, we attended a rugby game, we enjoyed the the nightlife, we ate Indian food, we went to a mall (wasted day, my opinion), we spent more time on the beach, and we went to an open-air market. All in all the vacation was adventurous and a success considering we went with no plans. It is tough to plan without internet. But lets be honest, plans set you up for failure.
Lessons Learned:
1. For day to day living I choose the city life. Being close to the city means sporting events, more often than not there are things to do, and places to dine. When I go on vacation I prefer to leave the city for more adventured oriented activities (hiking, kayaking, and biking). I enjoy visiting places few people in their lives will ever make it too as oppose to places everyone gets a chance to see. Durban had the city scene. I was able to enjoy myself, but then again I can have fun in my hut alone.
2. From now on I will take independent vacations or travel in groups of two or three. On vacation I like to maximize. In a group of 13 that is difficult. In a group of 13 that refuses to split up that is even more impossible. I could not go off on my own because we had to use incredibly expensive metered taxies (and this vacation was on the government) to get from one location to the next. Not to mention Durban has a high crime rate so it was not safe to travel alone. There was drama, hurt feelings, and a little too much tension for my ideal trip. Live and learn.
3. I miss my friends. My friends and I have common interest. Weird, I know! On vacation we like to do the same things. We enjoy vacationing in the same places. We do not like drama! Their my partners in adventure! How was that for a 3rd grade paragraph?
4. This country (Lesotho) is incredible, you do not need vacation. Everyone is so friendly, people want to help you. You do not have to constantly look over your shoulder or be paranoid about getting mugged. There are no dress codes. In Durban you have to wear close toed shoes in ALL bars/clubs. And I missed the lack of rules in Lesotho. There are absolutely no rules, especially for the white population.
Durban, Zero for Seven:
1. Eat Mexican Food. Not a Mexican Restaurant in sight! Fail.
2. Apple iPod Cord. Attempted. Wrong Mall. Fail.
3. Find a surge protector. Do South African surge protectors exist? Fail.
4. Passport Pictures (needed for visas for upcoming vacations). I used to get annoyed by CVS, Wallgreens, and Eckerds on every street corner. You never know what you have until its gone. Fail.
5. Music on the beach. This goal was lame and should have been easily accomplished. As luck with have it, my iPod was dead throughout the trip. In Lesotho I never get to sit around and listen to my music. Fail.
6. Pedicure. My feet have always been exceptionally dirty. They are even more disgusting in Africa. Fail.
7. Try something new. I went to a rugby game. I have never done that before. However, I was thinking more along the lines of sky diving or worlds largest swing. Half credit.
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