On board and visiting Toulon - day 3 and 4

We flew out of Durban on Emirates on Thursday evening, connecting in Dubai in the middle of the night and flying to Barcelona Friday day. Friday night we spent in a hotel with other conference members taking the extra night in the city. We boarded the ship Saturday and first thing Sunday morning we docked in Toulon, France.

My first impression was that the coastline was not smooth as you see it on the map and Toulon was a beautiful little port waiting to be explored. The market was the most amazing with an array of foods, fruit and veg we do not see in South Africa. Options were to catch the bus to the cableway up the mountain, find a bus to the beaches or go back to the ship for lunch and re-charge our batteries after a hectic first night of many cocktails on board the ship... most of which I could not remember the next day and Llewellyn was reminding me of the antics I got up to. After lunch we took a taxi at the pier and decided to lounge on the nearby beach for the afternoon. A pleasant day of recovery in France.

A new feature was this "street" in the middle of the ship filled with shops and a meeting venue for the evening street parties.

 

After one or two cocktails, I was sure I could nail the FlowRider.

Tied up at the dock in Toulon

The incredible 3500 passenger luxury liner Liberty of the Seas

Taking the ferry to the other side of the harbour to the town centre

They just dont do this variety in our local Spar

Looked like the car guards from South Africa convention - are these Frenchmen?

Plenty to buy and well presented

The rugged coastline with bays, coves and peninsulars

A windy day but nice to relax on the beach in Toulon

We loved the cavalcade of trendy Citroen cars alongside the dock

Even an icerink on board the ship

Ready to sail, Captain! Cabin 2556

Med cruise - day 1 and 2: Durban to Barcelona via Dubai

Homes in the sands over Dubai

Egypt (left), Israel and Jordan (top) and Saudi Arabia (right) as we fly over the Gulf of Aqaba

Suez canal as we fly over the Gulf of Suez

Our eastern Mediterranean cruise for the KFML SpecSaver's Conference took us on Emirates from Durban to Barcelona via Dubai. We had been to the middle east last year, so the flight over the region was impressive. We flew right over the Gulf of Aqaba at the top of the Red Sea, where you can see Egypt on the left, Saudia Arabia on the right and Israel and Jordan squeezed in at the top. We then flew over the Sinai Peninsular crossing from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Gulf of Suez and we could see the Suez Canal, as well as Cairo and the Nile and the fertile area around it, before hitting the Med coastline. Equally impressive was seeing the toecap of the boot of Italy from the air as we crossed over to Sardinia and on to Barcelona, where we could see our ship, the Liberty of the Seas docked in the port. As we have been to Barcelona before and were pretty tired from our trip, we made it to the beach to catch some sunshine and work on a tan for the cruise.

Sardinia on the left meets the toe of Italy on the right

Big screen TVs on the Emirates Boeing 777

Arriving over Barcelona to meet our ship Liberty of the Seas

Beachfront of Barcelona

Barcelona Cathedral



 

 

We are starved of variety when you consider the Barcelona markets packed with everything delicious to eat

 

Mariannhill legacy

The Mariannhill Monastery 30km west of Durban

Baby croc sheath for a sword

 We thought we would visit the Mariannhill Monastery near Pinetown today for a milkshake and a look at the musuem there.

 

The monastery was founded in 1882 and I used to go past it as a kid as the road from the west of Durban went that way to the south coast, before the present N3 and M7 and N2 roads were built.

 

It's run-down and the weather was a bit shitty for the 1st day of spring so we ended up finding somewhere else more cosy for thise milkshakes.

Llewellyn hams it up with a dentist's chair in the museum

54 Today

I decided that as you get older it is more difficult to remember all of the things that went before so I'm going to try and make each birthday memorable. Taking loads of phtotographs also helps and the advent of the digital camera has changed everything. I have precious few photos of my childhood and youth, largely because cameras and photography were not that popular, or maybe only in my family, and I was the only one I remember who ever bought a camera. Processing of films was expensive and I also recall coming back from holiday to find my spools had got overexposed and heat-damaged in the car and the photos ruined. You also never knew whether a photo would come out ok, until you completed the spool and took it in for processing at the local chemist.

 

Remembering this birthday, turning 54, was made a little easier in that my flying school, Ayre Aviation held it's first Awards Ceremony for students and I received my PPL Certificate and wings.

 

My amazing daughter and Llewellyn always help to make my birthdays special and I am enjoying a margarita mixed in my new cocktail shaker and having a laugh at the awesome cards Kate-Lynn always puts together for me. Lynn also baked me a birthday cake and I enjoyed slices at both the Bluff and Toti offices. After the evening awards ceremony we all had a braai at the Virginia Flight School's poolside. A great evening and a great birthday... thanks everyone for making it special and memorable.

 

Mom's 80th Birthday Invitations

It's my amazing Mom's 80th Birthday on the 18th October this year and we are putting together a luncheon in her honour that weekend, Sunday 21st October 2012, and Rob and Ros Galway, her brother and sister-in-law have kindly agreed to host the luncheon at their home in Alverstone. 

Kate-Lynn made the invitations which I have sent out today. It is a bit shameful as one used to print things like this and post them to people, but I have instead emailed the invitation to most of the guests who have email addresses and will need to follow up somehow for those who don't, to try and close the gap. If you feel you should have received an invite, please let me know and I will include you. durbanstadiumview@gmail.com  - Dave 083-7033329

  

August Birthdays

August is a hectic month with a spate of birthdays.. here enjoying a birthday lunch for the twins (now 12) are myself, lauren, Caitlin, Llewellyn, Calvin, Kate-Lynn and my mom.

Gold for Durban

The news of the month has been the Olympic Games 2012 in London which is finishing this weekend. South Africa scooped 6 medals and Durban's own Chad Le Clos walked away with Gold and Silver for his butterfly successes. We are so proud of you Chad!

The Olympic Games is close to my heart too as I served on the Durban Bid Committee for the 2004 Games competing with Cape Town and Johannesburg for the National Nomination when South Africa put forward it's bid city for the Games. Cape Town finally won this bid (I believe by default, as Durban has the space and infrastructure) and then lost to Athens who then hosted the 2004 Games.

Cheers for another term

Kate-Lynn, Lynn, madhatter Dain and Mark for his send-off at the airport

Mark flies back to Stellenbosch for the last term

Couchsurfers make it to Tanzania

Our Couchsurfing buddies Jebb and Daniele (left) and (centre) have made it to Tanzania. Setting off on motorbikes - Suzuki DRs - they travelled around Lesotho to Uppington, then through Namibia to Windhoek, and east through Botswana to Maun. Then on to Zambia and have arrived in Tanzania. They are seen in the photo with another Couchsurfer Alton (right) who also crashed with us.

Follow the trip of the bikers on their blog here - ZA to TZ

Day at the Races

The Durban July is Africa's biggest horseracing event and one we usually don't miss and about the only party we ever dress up for. It's a day of fashion, drinks freely flowing and a small bet on the main race.. alas first time I have won nothing!! Yellow Zebra, an eyewear supplier treated us to tickets in their marquee and we had a superb day in the sun.

Fathers' Day

I know that many fathers were revelling in the Top Gear Durban Festival on Fathers' Day today, but I was happy chilling with the kids, enjoying the incredible weather in Durban this weekend, braaing and being thankful to have such awesome kids. Llewellyn's kids and my mom joined us and we got some beautiful photos of the kids in the sunshine...

Stunning photo of Llewellyn's and my kids



Enjoying some pudding after a yummy meal

Fathers' Day lunch with the family



Couchsurfing again

Alton from North Carolina was in Durban during his summer/our winter vacation and met up with my kids for a night on the town. Most of our Couchsurfers take their lives in their hands using the mini-bus (cheaper) transport around South Africa.

Couchurfers visit

Always interesting to host travellers from around the world and last night Jedd from New Mexico arrived with his buddy Daniele from San Francisco intending to ride motorbikes from Durban to Tanzania. Quite a project but something Jedd has done before in South America.

My son Mark is back in Durban and we all met up at the guesthouse for a welcome braai.

Couchsurfers Jedd (left) and Daniele (back) join mad Dain, Llewellyn and I at the guesthouse for a traditional braai

My son Mark (left) and his mate Dain