MINI HOLIDAY

At the last possible minute, I texted Warren on Wednesday before last weekend and asked him if he was cool with me going to Durban for six days with my family, stress levels had me feeling crazy and I just decided I needed to go.

After rushing out as much work as I could to clients early Thursday morning I drove to my parents house and hopped in the car with my dad and oldest brother and we zoomed out of the city to join my mom, little sister, little brother and two of his friends.

I love the drive to Durban, as we leave Johannesburg and move into the country side and as far as you can see around you the land is flat and yellow with farm lands. As we near Harrismith, the sort of half way mark small mountains start to form, the air as you step out the car in Harrismith is cleaner and the first real mountains surround the little town. We continue on reaching Van Reenans pass and the farm lands are replaced with moutains and forrests for the rest of the way to Durban.

We always slip right into routine when we arrive in Durban, bags are unpacked in minutes so as to avoid the feeling of arriving and skip over to living. The mad rush to reach the beach before sunset to have the first surf, first taste of the sea after after months apart. My trip was simple as it always is, no planning required, wake up to tea and all get ready for the beach, 7am dawnie in the hopes of getting good surf before the wind picks up. I'm not crazy enough to get in the cold water in winter but happy to have breakfast on the beach with my mom and watch all the others paddle out.



Little sister getting out of the surf









North beach





We stayed on the beach till everyone was either freezing or starving, then they would fight over who sits cramped under the surf boards and we'd head home via some surf shops. The rest of the day was filled with a combination of eating, sleeping, reading or watching movies and finally we'd head back to the beach for a sunset surf. I chose to run along the beach front on one of our afternoon beach visits, a rare treat.

 


My dad

 


Older brother Rory getting out of the surf



We ate well, holiday food; enchiladas, homemade hamburgers, Friday night we had pizza's from Caminettos, a little India pizza place in Overport city. This is our favorite take-away place in Durban, you don't get a better combo than Indian food on Pizza!

The trip was exactly what I needed, it reminded me that the rushed schedule of home wasn't neccesary, that second cups of tea and afternoon reading, long runs and early nights were all part of soaking life in a little more. I left renewed, ready to tackle the things that seemed so insurmountable before I left.