Roger has often seen the Tugela River mouth from the air and going there during our trip was a definite requirement. The route from Mtunzini to Ballito passes the Tugela Mouth village so we stopped at the beach for lunch. After lunch we went for a walk along the beach towards the river mouth. The interior had a lot of rain resulting in the river and sea to be coffee coloured and loads of debris being washed up on the beach. The vastness of the mouth and the volume of water is simply daunting…
Our next stop was Mt Moreland. The village is situated in a Conservation area, surrounded by hectares of natural wetlands and the Mdolti River. The area is established as a tourist attraction with the arrival and nightly roosting of 3 million Barn Swallows during spring and summer, and is managed by the Mt Moreland Conservancy. The area was in the news when the King Shaka airport was being planned because it lies on the approach path of the runway which posed a threat to the birds and the aircraft. We were hoping to find a spot to park Ufudu and the trailer for a week while we return to Jo’burg. Unfortunately there was nothing that would be suitable and it was already after 16h00 so we decided to continue. We will be back to witness the swallows coming in to roost after our Jo’burg trip.
Pauline and Andrew always go to Dolphin Holiday Resort in Ballito and have only good things to say about it so we decided that we will have to see what makes them return time and again. What a pleasant place it is. Friendly and accommodating people, spacious campsites and all the amenities you could ask for. Even tea and cream scones twice daily in the communal area! They were also quite happy for us to leave Ufudu and the trailer on one of their less popular stands while we are away (for a small fee of course).
While getting things ready for storage Roger discovered a very cryptically coloured Praying Mantis on a tree on our campsite.
Suzi needed her annual service so Roger asked the Suzuki dealership in Umhlanga if they would take us to the airport and keep the car for the week, doing its service at the same time. They were most accommodating and did this with a smile. They will also be collecting us from the airport once we get back.
We had 6 nights at our home in Rosebank. The main reason for our return was my post-op consultation with the orthopaedic surgeon. He is happy with the foot so all is well there. We took the opportunity to see friends and family so our time was hectic. A lunch with Roger’s niece Sarah, who was visiting from Australia for the first time in 3 years, warrants special mention. (I postponed my doctor’s visit to coincide with Sarah’s visit.) Sadly Kevin, Bruce and his partner Sarah could not join us.
We return to Ballito tomorrow (3rd) where we will be spending some time exploring the area and to get a few things sorted out with our gear in Durban, where we will also be visiting friends.