Catching up
After picking Greg and Nicholas up at the airport we booked in at the Biweda Nguni Penthouse. At the ages of 15 and 17, they have lost their little innocent boy faces and instead, in front of me stood two young grown men.
This influenced my plans for the week, because my plans included activities fit for the 10-year olds I once knew. But luckily in Durban this isn¡¯t a problem. The Biweda Nguni Penthouse was a three minute walk from South Africa¡¯s biggest aquarium in uShaka Marine world.
Something fishy
uShaka Marine World is huge! The aquarium is a shipwreck-theme. We saw fishes, some of whom I can¡¯t even pronounce the names of properly, but I think the day¡¯s highlights were the dolphin show and shark tank. I think all three of us were highly impressed with the shark tank. You come face-to-face with one of the world¡¯s most feared predators and all that¡¯s keeping you safe is a few millimetres of glass.
We spent most of the day at the aquarium and Nicholas and Greg were very disappointed when I said no to shark cage diving. I was sure their parents wouldn¡¯t be too happy if they did it, especially because I wasn¡¯t keen on doing that myself either. At the dolphin show, Greg and Nic had the opportunity to feed a dolphin. Needless to say I think they enjoyed themselves. I know I did. (There are also super tubes and shops there.)
A few days in the sun
For the next few days we spent our time on the beach. I tried to surf with them, but gave up and decided that I would be safer lying on the beach tanning. Skimboarding was an entirely different story. After falling down a couple of times, I eventually got the hang of it and was able to do the ¡°one-step¡±, which is the way you have to position of your feet when getting on the board and maintaining your balance, without fail.
Later in the afternoons we took a walk through the flea markets where the boys would buy all the usual tourist curios like African bracelets and masks. We took a rickshaw ride which was quite amusing because the rickshaw men wear the most colourful and interesting costumes.
The Tony Hawk skate park
When I told Nicolas and Greg that we were going to the shopping mall for the day, they didn¡¯t look very happy at the prospect, but on the way there I added that there was a skate park at the Gateway Shopping Centre that was designed by Tony Hawk. I think this was Nic¡¯s highlight during the entire trip. Although both boys are big fans of Tony Hawk, their reasons for liking him differ: Nic is the skateboarder while Greg has all his games.
For the next two days Nic would skateboard, while Greg and I would watch. We had take-aways for lunch, went to go watch a movie, play in the game arcade and of course went the boys went on the cooking wave machine. The cooking wave machine is the only artificial double point break in the world. On the last day we took on the Rock! The Rock is a 22m-high freestanding climbing wall. I¡¯ve wanted to climb it for ages, but had to help Greg a little. Nicholas seemed to get the hang of it rather quickly. It must be said that Durban¡¯s Gateway Mall is something really different to your average mall and definitely one to experience.
I think Durban was the perfect choice for Nicholas, Greg, and myself to enjoy a bit of fun. The beaches are beautiful, the weather almost always perfect and the city offers everything a teenager, or anyone who is still young at heart, needs.
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