Sugar cane and ocean views

It was a holiday within a holiday. Touching down on the newly minted runway of the King Shaka International Airport, we were greeted with warm sun and dear family. Granny and I flew down for 6 days to celebrate her sister's 80th birthday but we didn't really need an excuse to visit the family. As we drove away from the airport, the landscape of sugar cane fields and ocean confirmed that visiting Durban was the best decision I made this year.
Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal, is as far from the prairies as you can possibly get. The city lies on the eastern coast of South Africa and the warm currents from the Indian Ocean provide a sub-tropical setting. Even in winter, a winter that gets down to 13 degrees, the city is hidden under a lush canopy of trees, cycads, and other tropical vegetation. Some of the city's oldest roads almost never see sunlight, as the dense foliage from the trees on the avenue wind themselves into a natural archway.
The city is also set upon the hills that slope towards the coastline. I thought my childhood terror of Durban's steep roadways was foolish, but I was proven wrong. Many a time during our visit, I sat with my hands over my eyes as our vehicle hurtled down the incline. On the afternoon we arrived, my sweet, great Aunty Joan and my dear grandmother nattered away about life in the front seat of the former's vehicle, whilst I hungs on for dear life as we zoomed around Durban. Whoever said elderly people drive slowly have obviously not met my Aunty Joan.
But, regardless of my fear of steep inclines, the trip went exceedingly well. Gran and I spent the afternoon in the aquarium, both of us fascinated by the jellyfish and sharks. My cousin, Annette, took me up to Valley of 1,000 hills, where we visited a traditional Zulu village. I bought curry powder at Victoria Street Market in the city centre, and even spent the morning swimming at Umhlanga Beach. (when I say "swim", I really mean "attempt to not get knocked senseless by incoming tide.") We did many, many other things, but I won't bore you with all the details.