Wobblything's World

Heading into the middle of nowhere...

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Hello from deepest darkest Scotland!

I've inserted a picture just in case you don't fully appreciate how remote I am. There is a distinct lack of roads around here and the ones that do exist are single track roads with pull over areas every 50m or so.
This adventure started last Wednesday when my brother and I left Cheltenham and, well, headed north. Luckily we had a couple of overnight stays booked or the drive would have been horrendous!!!
We did some exploring in Liverpool on the way to our first stop. The town is 'Beatles' crazy and you can go to a museum and learn (and hear) all about them.
The Liverpool docks are full of cafes and restaurants and you can go on a little tourist boat to explore the area around the harbour. On the 30 March 2012, it is the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic which had strong links with Liverpool. Although she never actually visited the city, her managing company, White Star Line, had their headquarters there and many of the crew lived in Merseyside.

We also found a great photo spot on the beach with a very photogenic lighthouse posing especially for us. I love it when that happens...

It was a gloriously sunny day and after taking some pictures and working up an appetite, I just HAD to indulge in some typical northern England fare. Pie, chips, gravy and mushy peas. It was delicious!!

After an overnight stay in Chorley which involved meeting up with old friends over a Chinese take-away, we started our journey north again. Onward and upward... Later that evening, we eventually arrived in the Edinburgh area.
The next day, we explored all the little coves and harbours that sit along the coast in Fife. Little cafes, fish & chip shops, fishing boats, friendly locals and picture postcard scenery.

We met up with the third person in our party and after more photography, we made good use of an 'all-you-can-eat' Chinese buffet across the road from the hotel. Hmm, pies and Chinese food will NOT do my waistline any good but I couldn't resist those spare ribs.....
The next day we headed, you guessed it, north. Onward and upward...again. Last stop in Inverness to stock up on groceries for our self-catering cottage and to meet with the fourth and final person in our party. For the next 3.5 hours, we drive in convoy deeper and deeper into Scotland. When we finally started seeing mountains, rivers and lochs, I know we are close and it was after 18:00 that we finally arrived at our cottage, just outside Lochinver - our home for the next week.
The cottage is perched on the banks of Loch Culag. When you look out over the loch, you can't see another single house. I feel completely isolated and in the middle of nowhere. From the hustle and bustle I'm used to, it's just so quiet and still, I love it.

The next day, the guys head out to capture beauty with their big, mean cameras and I pack my little camera bag and some nibblies and head out to a nearby forest. Within one hour, I experience hail, sleet, rain, snow and sunshine. What crazy weather is this? Ah, it's Scotland, of course!
I spend a wonderful day walking around Culag Woods.

Moss covered trees, some steep hills, a little beach and a viewpoint that shows you both the little town of Lochinver and the surrounding mountains and countryside. I sat there for ages just breathing the fresh air and feeling the chilly wind on my cheeks. It was really a fantastic day.
The next day, I join the guys for an early morning sunrise photo trip.

We find a beautiful still loch and watch as the sky turns different colours and light is slowly painted over the water, trees and stones. Then, as if that wasn't enough, after breakfast we head out to another spot but this time up a hill with panoramic views across the countryside into valleys, the sea and mountains. There is a short YouTube video here if you'd like to see it: YouTube video of view and below, another picture.

My brother and I leave the two guys to continue shooting and we head over to explore the coastline. It is STUNNING. There are so many little islands dotted along the coastline that it looks like a Scottish Halong Bay.

As we wobble our way across the rocks on the various beaches here, I smile as I realise how many beaches I've been on in the last 2 months. From thundering surf in South Africa in January to little ripples of surf along the south east coast of England in February and back to thunderous surf on the north west coast of Scotland.

The world truly is an incredible place. Who would have thought that I'd be experiencing sunshine and thunderous surf in Scotland. It just goes to show that things might not be exactly as you expect them to be.
So get out there, explore and find out for yourself just how amazing the world can be...

My travel plans for 2012 reveal themselves...

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:41:00 +0000

Hi everyone

Well, we're almost at the end of February and besides 2 weeks away visiting my best friend for one week and exploring some beaches on England's south coast for another, I didn't actually travel for this month. But, that's exactly how I planned it...
In any business or hobby there is always a time when 'admin' needs to be done. Try as you might, you just can't escape it. Well, I had a pile of admin scheduled for February.
Firstly, I had a load of possessions that needed to be sold on eBay and I'm pleased to report that the hefty sum of £320 has been added to the travel fund. Also rather unexpectedly, a refund cheque arrived from the tax man for £550. Quite easily the easiest £870 I have ever received in my life. But it all helps and both were quickly deposited before they self-destructed. This all means that I have now got rid of all the excess stuff that was left over from my move from Germany. Very satisfying...
I also wanted to go though a load of my photos and upload them to various stock photo agencies. I'm pleased to say that although one of them rejected all my submissions, another accepted them so it just goes to show, don't give up after your first attempt.
I have also spent a great deal of time updating my professional profile in LinkedIn. I decided that being known as a Service Manager for Lufthansa was not going to do my writing career any favours. Now it's all updated and I have managed to connect to many writers and editors which means my network of contacts in the writing industry is growing.
As you all know, I currently write for Pink Pangea and now I also write for South Coast Style and Travel Write. I am chuffed to bits about this...
I have been writing like crazy and submitting to editors left, right and centre. As I don't have a lot of patience, it is always hard waiting for their responses but I guess it's a great lesson. Responses can take anywhere from a few days to a few months.
Lastly, I've been planning some new travels. March will be a busy month as I am away in both Scotland and France. In Scotland, I will be joining my brother (who is a photographer) and 2 other photographers on a trip to the very north west of Scotland, near Lochinver and Cape Wrath. This area is quite remote, in fact so remote that we are excited about our accommodation having Internet access in one room!!! I think I'll just move my mattress in there...
We plan to photograph some gorgeous landscapes and since one of these photographers is a professional, I hope to learn and pick up some food tips.
As part of the trip, we will visit Sandwood Bay which is only accessible by a 4 mile walk and Smoo Cave which has rumours of ghostly sightings.
Should be interesting...

Then in France, it's back to Brittany to help an old friend of mine destroy part of his house in order to build another part of it. Call this a working holiday...I get a bed if I help with the work. I love doing this as I get a real sense of achievement whenever I've been there.
After my hard labour is done, my brother and I will be heading to the Loire Valley to visit some Chateaux. This area is very well known as a wine making area so some wine sampling will be compulsory, of course.
April has me at a wedding, an Il Divo concert and a 50th birthday party. Unfortunately, they are all on weekends so it's hard to go travelling for too long. However at the end of April is my long awaited trip to Ireland with my friend, Anja, from Germany. We plan to tour for roughly 10 days and see coastline, cities, galleries and national parks. Looking very forward to this.
May and June I will be heading to Canada and America. I have some wonderful old school friends, neighbours and work colleagues that have kindly offered me places to stay during my travels and I will be surely taking them up on this. My travels will take me from the east coast of North America to Canada and on to central north America, 9 different offers and nearly 2 months of travel. How wonderful will that be???
July I will be volunteering at a home stay farm somewhere in Europe. This means that in exchange for food and accommodation, I help on a small farm or small holding. I learn skills that I wouldn't ordinarily learn but I get a free bed (if you know what I mean!)
August....something very different for me...I will be heading to Thailand and learning to become an 'English as a foreign language' teacher. I will be based on the small island of Koh Samui and it looks stunning!!! It's 4 weeks of intensive training and then they help me find a job. I contacted a friend of mine in Bangkok and asked for some advice. She has already been a great help and I'm very much looking forward to seeing her in Bangkok.
So I guess that's about it. I know I've been quiet these past few weeks but I hope you understand why now. It's simply because I am planning some great things :-)
What are you planning for this year?

Life is a beach...

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 20:16:00 +0000

Hi everyone

After nearly 2 weeks away, I am back in Cheltenham preparing for my next trip which is to Scotland next week.

I've been down to the south coast of England and when I arrived, it was so cold, I woke to snow outside. Little did I realise that I would be visiting a few beaches over the next few weeks...

I spent some time photographing a beach called Selsey Beach. It was cold, windy and grey but there were still plenty of photo opportunities about.

I then headed inland for a week. The weather was still freezing cold and this is what the washing line looked like outside the house I was staying in...

Then some WONDERFUL birthday celebrations in London which involved realising how old I was when meeting some school friends who I haven't seen for nearly 22 years. Cocktails were drunk with ridiculous enthusiasm and later, with a wobbly head, I headed to China Town where my sister and her husband, joined by my brother, treated me to a chinese dinner.

On the road again, back down to the coast but this time in Kent. First stop was Whitstable and Herne Bay, both on the north Kent coast. It was so weird because having just come back from South Africa and experienced hot, muggy weather and powerful (warm!!) water crashing into me as I frolicked in the waves, here I was in my jeans, coat, scarf and hat watching flat, chilly water, rippling on the sand. It was so chilly, my cheeks actually ached and the sun was doing its best to warm me up and failing miserably.

Saying that, the beaches here in the UK *can* be pretty. The colourful beach huts and beachfront amusement arcades give you a wonderful 'holiday feel' although it is far from the 'holiday feel' you'd get in somewhere like South Africa. But let's face it, warm waves; pristine beaches; palm trees; banana trees; hot sunny weather and sun bathing aren't everyone's thing.....I think.

But there are some similarities. Sand (not all UK beaches are pebble beaches!), waves (albeit different sizes), beachfront seafood restaurants, arcades, ice cream parlours, bars, people walking their dogs, runners, kids building sand castles, etc. It's just the feel of being by the sea that is the attraction for so many people.

One beach which really stood out was Botany Bay. Think white cliffs of Dover in miniature - so striking. I loved the way you could walk between the stacks and explore the private beach around the corner...but watch out for the tides!

In a small town called Reculver, you are treated to a pretty ruin, called Reculver Towers, best viewed at sunset. They stand on a hill directly on the coast and at sunset, you are treated to the most incredible golden colours washing over the rough stone. Now I'm not sure if you get ruins like this on beaches in South Africa.

I also stayed in the little seaside town of Ramsgate and, in true Colleen-Foodie style, ate some seriously good food. I had mussels one night in a quaint little restaurant nestled into one of the harbour walls. A huge bowl for under £7 was well worth it.

All in all, I had a great trip. I've discovered that I love beaches no matter where they are and even though I love the hot, sunny South African weather, I also love being wrapped up warm with my coat and hat and just enjoying being on the beach.

It's carnival time in Germany

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:40:00 +0000

Watch your ties, boys!!!

Two years ago I was given the opportunity to spend a whole weekend experiencing the carnival in Germany. So you've heard of the Rio carnival... Colourful street parades with glitzy costumes, elaborate feather headdresses and ongoing parties. But have you heard of the carnival in Germany? Women cutting men's ties? No? Well read on...
The festival season in Germany starts on 11 November at 11:11 am, but the actual Carnival week begins on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. Carnival parades are held on the weekend before and especially on Rose Monday, and sometimes on Shrove Tuesday.
In German-speaking countries, two different types of Carnivals are held:

The Rheinish Carnival is held in the west of Germany and is famous for celebrations such as street parades and fancy dress. Cologne Carnival is the biggest, most well-known and most alcoholic.

Me as a witch with a cow

On Carnival Thursday (called "Old Women Day" or "The Women's Day"), in fond remembrance of an 1824 revolt by women, women storm city halls, cut men's ties, and are allowed to kiss any man who crosses their path. It's true!!! I have a photo somewhere of me cutting a manager's tie. The guys all expect this and are well up for it - they wear old ties just for the occasion...
The "Swabian-Alemannic" Carnival, known as Fastnacht, takes place in Southwestern Germany, Switzerland, Alsace and Western Austria. It traditionally represents the time of year when winter is over.

Tigers at the bus stop

My experience of carnival was outrageous fun. I joined the masses of 'fancy-dressed' people and headed for a suburb of the city of Cologne. Saturday night, dressed as a witch, complete with green hair and bushy eyebrows, I partied the night away singing and dancing and enjoying good German beer for just 2€ a glass (small glass, not a pint glass). It was incredible and the funniest part was getting on the train with cows, puppies, nurses, French waitresses and other characters. This was after all, a normal day for German people and they didn't even notice their fancy dress.

Street Parade

Me as a clown

Sunday saw me dressed as a clown and this time cheering a street parade just outside Dusseldorf. Sweets and small gifts were thrown into the crowd and people would line the streets with goodie bags waiting to see what they could catch from the passing parade. Musical bands, drum majorettes, acrobats, singers and guitarists made up the lively entertainment. Well and all the weirdly dressed people. Almost everyone dresses up and at times I would look around and think I'd woken up in some sort of weird dreamland.
Afterwards we all headed to the bar for more celebrations where I shared a conversation with a man dressed as a priest, another as a prisoner and another with a scary plastic hand. Don't let anyone ever tell you the Germans are too serious - they really know how to party and have a good time.
If you're ever in Germany around this time of year, make sure you make a plan to join a carnival experience, it really is fantastic fun...

You feel right at home when
EVERYONE is in fancy dress

Street Parade

I'm one year old today

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:29:00 +0000

What an exciting day!! Exactly one year ago today, I started my blog.
Back then I had no idea where it would lead. Since then I worked my notice at work, resigned, sold 95% of my possessions, and decided to go travelling around the world. Since then, I've posted, tweeted and facebooked and I am starting to feel a real part of the travel blogging community.

Read my very first post here.
However, I still have a long way to go, much more to achieve and many more places to visit and write about.

What I now want to achieve with my blog is quite different to when I started. I still want to share my travel adventures with everyone but I would like to start sharing my food experiences too. I get to taste some fantastic foods and it's so exciting to tell others about the
flavours of exotic foreign food. I will start a 'Foodie Friday' theme on my blog and tweet the link every Friday.

My writing has also grown into a major part of my life and I am now continuously on the lookout for places, tours, hotels, spas, countries, hostels or activities that need or want articles written about them. I already contribute regularly to 2 online travel-oriented companies, one based in New York and the other in South Africa; and I've had various other short articles published.

My goal for this year, besides more exciting travel, is to merge all three of these passions into one travel/writing/foodie blog. I am already searching for a catchy name and this whole blog will be redesigned, rebranded and recoloured so it's a VERY exciting time.

Of course, I plan to travel too. This year, the plan is Scotland, France, Ireland, the US, Canada, Vietnam and Cambodia, just to mention a few. Lots of shorter trips to Europe too. Wherever the cheap flights take me...
So today, there will be balloons, cake and champagne. Last year I was checking if 'I could', this year is going out and 'doing it'!!

Happy birthday, Wobblything's World!!!

Time to Laugh, Laugh, Laugh

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:27:00 +0000

Life can get too serious and that is why some people will pay money to go and see other people who spend 2 hours making fun of all the things that irritate them or that they are too afraid to talk about.
That's exactly what happened this weekend. Even though Gloucester Guildhall's 'Big Laugh Cafė' advert claims, 'This show contains material that may offend some people', it
is still the longest running monthly comedy club.
In the comedy room you'll find cosy seating, hot pub grub (nachos, chips, etc), a well-stocked bar and 3 hilarious stand-ups doing their rounds and even some music and dancing after the show.
I arrived just 5 minutes before the starting time of 21:00 and found there were very few seats available (note to self: arrive earlier next time). Eventually some seats were organised, sharing a table with another couple. After a delayed start due to one of the comedians arriving late because of severe weather, the host, Bethany Black, warmed us up ready for the acts.
She pointed out, quite correctly, that she might not look anything like we were expecting and I must admit, the tattoos, haircut and dress style did have me wondering if I had accidentally wandered into a theatre for a 1980's gothic rock concert, but her style of humour was excellent. Her tales of broken-down lesbian love affairs and failed romance plans had the whole audience rolling in their seats. I wish I could go into further details but I fear certain words would cause this post to appear in less than pleasant search results on the Internet. She was awesome.
The 2 stand-ups were excellent. A black Marlon Davis, who was able to laugh at the stupidity of racism as well as highlight the funnier moments of his upbringing; and a New Yorker, Des Bishop with a lot of sex on his mind.
Even though Des was born in the US, he was raised in Dublin and started his act by pointing out that the reason for this was because he already had a drinking problem age 12 and his mum thought a boarding school in Dublin would cure him.... She clearly doesn't know anything about Dublin. Needless to say, he doesn't touch alcohol now.
His teetotalling didn't seem to hinder him and what followed were hilarious stories about his experience of testicular cancer (with more serious messages thrown in and aimed at various men in the audience) and various sexual escapades. I remember at one stage, my cheeks and stomach were aching so much from laughing and I really can't remember when I last laughed so much.

Sometimes life does get serious and that's when we step forward, pay our money (in this case a mere £12) and get someone to point out that life really is better tackled with a laugh.

Check the line-ups and buy tickets here:
Big Laugh Café

Why it's good to check dates in your passport.

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:52:00 +0000

My stomach sank. Was she serious???

'Can you just explain that again?' I asked.

The check-in girl smiled sweetly and probably thought that I'd never travelled in my life before.

'When you arrived in South Africa back in September, immigration only allowed you to stay until the 23 December 2011 so you've stayed over a month longer than you're allowed to.'
She waited patiently, allowing her words to sink in - I was obviously showing signs of shock and disbelief. I asked the dreaded question.

'So what happens now?' I play scenes in my head of me phoning my mother from jail...

'You pay a fine to the South African embassy in London.' she replies.

'How much will it cost?'

I didn't want her to tell me. I was on a serious budget and had already spent more in South Africa than I should have during my 'illegal' 4 month stay.

'Roughly R1000 (£82/$128/€97) per month but you've overstayed by a month and a half so it will be a bit more.'

'CRAP!!'

Ok, so this blog hasn't seen swearing before but as you can imagine, I was gutted. I felt sick but at the same time, I was kicking myself. I normally don't stay for this long so I've never bothered checking the date but honestly, how could I be so stupid. I've travelled all over the world, why do I think South Africa is going to be so different.

The plus side (and only plus side) is that they are still going to allow me to fly.

'You can pay the fine when you get back to London.' the check-in girl continued.

This was a relief to hear because my bank card had been stopped because they were suspicious of the money being spent in South Africa. I wonder what would have happened if I wasn't able to pay..

I hang my head in shame and join my friend who'd been patiently waiting for me throughout my embarrassing ordeal. We have a milkshake with extra chocolate to try and make light of the situation but it's useless, I've stuffed up good and proper.

After the milkshake, my friend and I say our goodbyes and I bravely make my way to immigration. I smile sweetly and hope, so badly, that my South African immigration officer is having a lazy day and won't notice the dreaded date in my passport.

After some pleasantries, she says kindly,

'Oh my lovie, do you know what you've done?'

I smile sheepishly and answer, 'Yes, I'm really sorry. I've been back to South Africa so many times but never stayed this long so I've never noticed the date.'

'Don't worry, I've done something like that before too and I should know better.' She smiles.

I feel better...still stupid but my heart rate has slowed. She called me lovie, she's hardly going to arrest me. We fill out paperwork, she ruins the moment by telling me the fine is R1500 (£123/$192/€146) and she disappears to photocopy my passport. This is when I notice the guy next to me also having problems.

'Is everything okay?' I ask.

'My passport has expired!' he replies.

'Oh no! Will they still let you fly?'

'Yes, of course, I just pay a fine.'

Okay then...

My immigration officer returns, I sign my 'I am stupid' form, wish the other passenger well and make my way towards the gate.

I consider my and my fellow passenger's fines. I overstayed my welcome and his passport has expired. Both cured quickly by paying a fine...

So it's true, money does indeed make the world go around.

My 4 Months in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:11:00 +0000

So the day has arrived when I leave sunny South Africa after 4 months of enjoying family, sunshine, friends, beaches, animals and damn fine food. Here are some highlights of my time here:

Because I flew out on an emergency flight with British Airways because my Mum was ill, I called Emirates to tell them that I wouldn't be there for the first leg of my flight but that I WOULD be there for the return. No go - being a no-show for one part of your journey with Emirates airlines, cancels all other parts - oops. Luckily I was refunded £500 of my £600 ticket.
Learnt all about pacemakers and how amazing they are. (for those of you who don't know, they are little metal & plastic boxes inserted just under the skin above the left breast. Attached is a plastic coated wire that threads through a vein and has a little arrow head which goes into the heart. Inside the little box is a programmable battery which, after having some software downloaded to it, is able to send a small electrical signal to the heart at a predetermined rate, to make it beat. Without it my mum's heart rate is 30 beats per minute; with it, it is a healthy 70.)
Spent a week travelling to and from Entabeni hospital in Durban, which even in the circumstances, offered breathtaking views from the Berea hill above Durban to the harbour on the right and all the way avross to the beach front on the left.
Experienced the peaceful Essenwood flea Market in Durban located in amongst cool shady trees and boasts all sorts of stands from food to arts & craft. Watched some really good traditional gumboot dancers who danced for a minute after receiving donations in their little tins. Click here to read about it.
Enjoyed a relaxing week on the coast near Port Edward. Saw monkeys, proteas, huge waves, giant grasshoppers and exotic birds. Read about the fish eagles here and the peacocks here, see pictures here.
Visited the smallest desert in the world - The Red Desert. See pictures here.
Learnt how to be towed in a car with a VERY short rope. The last time I was that stressed, I was at work.
Jumped off a cliff in Oribi Gorge nature reserve to do an amazing bungee swing. Read about it here and see pictures here. It was THE most frightening thing I have ever done.
Managed to do all my family's Christmas shopping on a budget (this is an achievement because I am not earning any money at the moment.)
Had Christmas at my Mums house with family and friends was Germany.
Fixed and extended some wiring in my mum's house.
Regrouted the shower floor and walls in my mum's house (twice! Well...I discovered I needed to mix it with bonding agent and not water, sigh, that is another story completely..)
Cycled along Durban's vibrant beachfront on a gorgeously sunny day and got sunburnt
Visited the huge Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban, built especially for the football world cup in 2010. Declined the bungee swing in favour of the one at Oribi Gorge and to be honest, the scenery at Oribi Gorge was a million times better than a football stadium.
Had a great 5 days in Bazley Beach down the south coast. See photos here.
Had a red-lipped Herald snake in our garden on holiday. See the picture here.
Ate some amazing foods including bunny chow, pap & sous, rusks, biltong, milk tart, prawns by the 100's, calamari bodies and heads, mussels, peppermint tart, Marie biscuits, braai'd steak, lamb chops, boerewors, samp & beans, fudge, avocado pear & marmite toast, pickled beetroot, mint top deck chocolate, Check out Flickr page here...
Helped feed the poor (and not so poor) at a local church
Visited the sugar cane areas of the Natal North coast. See photos here
I lost 3kgs (not sure how I managed that on holiday but I did)
Lightened my hair blonde...twice
Made friends with the nicest car guard in South Africa. See his picture here...
Made a new zulu friend, Phumzilli and had Zulu lessons
Learnt why it's important to have travel insurance - read about it here.
Partied the night away with my mum at a family friend's 70th birthday party
Frolicked in the huge waves with my cousins at Glenashley beach just outside Durban, see a picture here.
Had a visit by not one, but 2 friends from Germany
Saw my best friend here on holiday from UK. This was the first time we'd both been back in South Africa for nearly 12 years.
Have driven inland and photographed the awesome 'Valley of 1000 Hills'. Photos not yet on Flickr but keep checking back here.
Spent a week bird watching in my friend's garden in Durban north
Visited Howick Falls just outside Pietermaritzburg
Had a pink stripe put in my hair (well, why not!)
Ate an obscene number of prawns with all different sauces including peri-peri and garlic butter
Trained my mum on Internet, email, Facebook and her new smart phone. She's done remarkably well for 71 years old. I just know she's going to love them all.
Walked around the exotic gardens of Makaranga Garden Lodge in Kloof.
Fell asleep to the sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking
Woke up to the sound of Indian miners and Hadedas (i.e.NOISY birds - this was sometimes NOT a good thing)

It was a fun time and a special time. It will be hard to leave today but there is a whole world out there waiting to be explored and it is what I have worked hard to do. My camera and notepad are packed and I'm ready for my next adventure...

Rhino poaching in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:38:00 +0000

I was reading through the newspaper the other day and it struck me how rhino poaching is spiralling out of control in South Africa.

Black Rhinos are teetering on the edge of extinction (fewer than 5000 remain in the wild) with the white rhino following closely behind. They are being killed at a crazy rate at the moment. Reason? Their horns are reputedly a great aphrodisiac and more recently they were rumoured to cure cancer. The horns are now officially worth more than gold. I know what I'd rather be wearing...

Apparently 30 rhinos have been killed this year already, 11 of which were in the Kruger National Park. Last year 488 were killed - that's more than one a day!!! It's an all time record. Half of these, again, were in the Kruger National Park.

Even though arrests are on the increase, the poachers always seem to be one step ahead. The sentence for rhino poaching has been increased to up to 16 years in prison but authorities say it isn't enough to catch the actual poachers, it's the big organisations and their king pins which need to be stopped.

It's incredibly sad because the animal is often shot with a tranquilliser dart to bring it down and then the horn is butchered from it's face with a chainsaw, leaving a huge gaping bloody hole. The animal wakes up in incredible pain and often doesn't survive the incident.

There are many charities that are helping towards this cause and if you feel strongly enough to want to donate, the one to contact in South Africa is the 'WWF South Africa' on www.WWF.org.za

Because once they're gone, they're gone!

Swimming with Sharks, crocodiles or hippos

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:51:00 +0000

What creature would you rather swim with? Sharks, crocodiles or hippos?

This conversation came up when I spent a sunny afternoon yesterday with my cousins just outside Durban. One cousin lives up the north coast in a small town called Zinkwazi. She told us a story that a few years ago, there was a wandering hippo that journeyed all the way down from St Lucia (MUCH further up the north coast) and decided to make Zinkwazi its home.
Now if you don't know, hippos are very, very dangerous animals. One bite from them will send you on an EXPRESS journey to the pearly gates!! Their teeth are long and don't have to be sharp because the power in their jaws will soon have you skewered. This travelling hippo was eventually tracked and shot after several reports of people being mauled. Nope, you definitely won't catch me swimming with hippos.

What about crocodiles? Well I thick this one is pretty obvious. A scaly creature grabs you with razor-like teeth, pulls you under water and then thrashed and spins you underwater until you drown, drags you to its shallow water nest and snacks on you over a number of days. Nope, this one is not even up for discussion. Swimming with crocodiles is purely for, well other crocodiles...

I have swum (well, dived!) with sharks on numerous occasions and to be honest, they are incredibly beautiful creatures. All but a few species, have a very distinct way of behaving when they are unhappy giving you plenty time to exit the water before becoming their next snack. They actually raise their pectoral fins and swish their bodies from side to side and it gets increasingly more aggressive until they eventually charge you. But you see, they're kind enough to tell you, 'If you continue to irritate me, I AM going to eat you!!'
Now wouldn't YOU swim with such a considerate animal?

When I first moved to England from South Africa, I was often asked, 'Why do you want to move from such a beautiful country to a cold and rainy country such as England?'
Last night it became clear... Because I don't want to get eaten by creatures with scary teeth ...

Happy swimming!

If 2011 was good, then 2012 is going to be GREAT...

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 11:54:00 +0000

I spent some time yesterday thinking about what I wanted to achieve this year and it got me thinking about what I achieved last year. I had a super exciting year last year filled with trips from Istanbul to America, from UK to South Africa. The highlight of course, well, there were 2 actually, the day I resigned and the day I left work. After some severe soul searching, I decided to leave my office behind and travel the world. The writing only came later and as a direct result of this blog...

Here is a brief summary of my amazing time last year:

January: The first highlight of my year, playing with my new camera. It is a Panasonic Lumix GF1 (nicknamed Geoff) and I absolutely love it. It came with a 14m - 45mm lens and I have since bought a carbon fibre tripod, a 45mm - 200mm lens and various filters and bits and bobs. My favourite travel accessory. My first big outing with my new toy was to Kloster Arnsburg, north of Frankfurt in Germany. It is an abbey ruin but beautiful to photograph. Here is the link to my photo set on Flick.
This is also the month I started thinking seriously about resigning.

February: I started my blog on 11th February. It's hard to believe that a year has gone so quickly. I can still remember very clearly my first few entries and how I was scared to tell anyone in case they laughed.   Check out my first entry here.
It has morphed a lot since I started and I hope that it is now an entertaining look into my travels along with some travel tips along the way. Coupled with my photos, I hope it gives those that don't get a chance to travel, a look at some fascinating places around the world.
I also travelled to Dresden this month. Various entries: Intro   Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4

March: A trip to Wuerzburg in Germany - read about it here, then over to the UK to visit friends and family and a visit to Gloucester Cathedral. Blog entry here, pictures here. I also visited Winston Churchill's birthplace, Blenheim Palace. See photos of the UNESCO site here
Also on schedule was a long awaited trip to Istanbul with my friend, Christel. Check out the amazing memories from the trip here. A beautiful mystical city with so much more to see than I was expecting. Spice markets, mosques, museums, underground caverns, gorgeous food, friendly people and lots of cats (??). What do you mean I need a VISA for entry? Read about it here. Is it s church or a mosque? 2 Bizarre Bazaars   Travelling Standby and heading home

April: Ah, the memories. 12th April, after much suspense and excitement, I resigned from my job. My boss was sadly shocked but we chatted openly about my new plans which was nice. I quit! I have to give 3 months notice and I gave 3.5, I leave end of July. I now start one of the most exciting countdowns of my life.

May: Back to the UK for another visit. Building up to a trip planned to America in June and lots of documentation in preparation for my handover at work. End of May, I am booked off work, AGAIN, with stress. I also am starting to have a MASSIVE clear out at home, selling my stuff, throwing out and making various charities happy. I sell at flea markets, on eBay and at work. Read about it here and check out the picture of my kitchen covered in post-it notes!!!
I write an emotional post about why I will miss Germany, read it here.

June: June was both an excellent month and a hard month. After being booked off for stress 3 times in the last 8 months, the doctor eventually tells me I have burnout and I need to rest. Rest! I can't rest, I have got a massive handover to do at work and loads of travel to plan. REST! he says and booked me off for 2 weeks in June. He insists I still take my holiday to America. It's just as well because I am flying Business Class as it is probably my last flight as a Lufthansa staff member.
In America, I drive in a Ferrari and find a temporary cure for my stress, I hike up waterfalls, I cycle a weird bike with no gears and the stress starts to disappear. I visit the crazy Last Vegas, experience the wonder of Yosemite, I walk through the Valley of Fire (don't worry, it's not some strange biblical place!) and experience the heat of Death Valley. I was even able to do a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon. Now, THAT was an experience. I also watch two AMAZING Cirque du Soleil shows. By the time I return to Germany, I am more certain than ever before that I want to go travelling.

July: This was my last month at work and was a hectic combination of getting rid of the last of my furniture, the last of my junk, handing over the last of my work, saying goodbye to various people, organising not 1 but 2 farewell parties at work, packing and decorating. 18 Days to go.    12 Days to go No more working days   A hectic time filled with wonderful memories, people and places that I will never forget. I made some very dear friends in Germany who I will NEVER lose contact with and I am so grateful that my time there was so happy. An interesting journey back.

August: A day trip to Bristol with its lovely cathedral, another trip to UK to visit my best friend and sort out some boxes which I am storing in her loft. This was the weekend of the riots in London and even though I was in London that day, I didn't so much as see a bit of smoke let alone crazy rioters. Thank goodness.
I write another post about what I will miss in Germany.
I spend just over 3 days in a small seaside town called Sidmouth, to relax a bit from the past few months. Photos here.
I start writing for Pink Pangea - an online travel resource for women. Very chuffed.
Next trip coming up is a camping trip to Wales. We spend 2 nights in the Brecon Beacons National Park, 2 nights in the Pembrokeshire National Park, and 2 nights in the Snowdonia National Park.

September: France is on the itinerary stopping off at Calais, walk the sea defences and explore the cobbled streets of St Malo, admire the rock formation at Etretat, eat salt marsh lamb and explore the monastery at Mont St Michel and build a camper van in Pontivy.
Have you heard of "Minimalism"? Its about learning to live with only what is necessary and getting rid of clutter and junk. I notice a theme in my past blog posts...
I put all travel on hold and fly urgently to South Africa as my Mum was really ill. (Well to be fair, I WAS going to South Africa anyway, I just brought my flight forward a week!)

October: My mum has a pacemaker fitted and is well on her way to recovery, I discover things really have changed in the new South Africa, and we all enjoy a week down the south coast breathing in the fresh sea air and watching the most beautiful birds. Check out monkeys, proteas, giant grasshoppers and massive waves here.

November: One of my Frankfurt Skyline photos is selected for sale in National Geographic's photographic stock. As you can imagine, I am over the moon.
I discover why it's good to have travel insurance... I discover I am missing work...(yes, you did read that right!)

December: I write about the amazing things one can do in Durban.
I conquer the World's highest gorge swing and realise that 38 years can indeed flash before your eyes in 2.3 seconds. More pictures here. I cycle along Durban's cycle path in the amazing African sunshine.
Merry Christmas :-)

As you can see, it was an absolutely AWESOME year. Life is truly what you make it and there is no reason for us to settle for anything less than what makes us happy. We only get one shot at this so don't muck it up.

Here's to a FABULOUS 2012.

New year, new challenges and new passport stamps

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 21:31:00 +0000

Happy new year!!!!
Yes, okay, it's a bit late but I have been away to a place called Bazley Beach down the Natal south coast and had no signal for Internet.
What did you all get up to for new year? Hope you had a good one.

The very first thing I remember seeing this year was a crystal clear sky full of the brightest shining stars you could ever imagine. Bazley beach is VERY small and doesn't even have street lights so the night sky didn't get any light pollution and was just simply breathtaking. I stood there for ages trying to memorise the star patterns.
I used to write a lot about seeing the positive side of things when I first started this blog. I am a firm believer that no matter what happens (to a certain degree), you can always find something positive. On this occasion, my new years celebration wasn't quite my scene but the night sky that I was treated to took my breath away and I will never forget that sight. I did try taking a photo but my camera wasn't sure what I was trying to do and refused to co-operate. Hey Ho, you win some, you lose some.

I have big plans for 2012 so let's hope the Mayan calendar isn't correct and the world isn't going to end this December.
I need some quiet time when I get back to the UK and plan to head somewhere with mountains and lakes to get some fresh air and get out walking a bit. After that some short trips to Europe, perhaps a part time
job to bring in some cash, then off to Ireland with a friend before planning some trips further afield to America, Vietnam and Cambodia.

I plan to write more and get some more published and maybe even start to generate some money this way. I plan to get more photos sold through my agencies and work on improving my photography.

On a more personal note, I plan on being more honest with people and not be afraid of what they might say. I often keep quiet to keep the peace and am slowly learning that it isn't in any way shape or form, effective. We'll see how that resolution goes.

Do drop me a comment and let me know if you've made any resolutions or what things you plan on conquering this year.

It's going to be a fantastic year, I know because I am going to MAKE it so :-)

Take care

Christmas in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 13:48:00 +0000

'I'm dreaming of a white Christmas' or so the festive season song goes...
But what happens if you're in the southern hemisphere and the chances of you having a white Christmas are as slim as you keeping ALL of your new year's resolutions? What do you do? What do you eat? What so you drink? What are your typical traditions?

I was born in South Africa and didn't know what it was like to experience a cold Christmas until the December of 1998. I had 25 years of hot Christmases. I didn't know the feeling of wrapping up warmly and drinking hot chocolate in-between my gift shopping or of indulging in glühwein whilst browsing German Christmas markets. I didn't know what it was like waking up on Christmas morning and peering outside in the hope of seeing a scene from a winter wonderland, or going for a walk on Christmas day with a woolly scarf and hat and enjoying the crispness of the cold air.
My childhood Christmases consisted of waking up early (of course), drinking a cup of tea with a small dash of whiskey, opening presents and then eating breakfast while waiting for friends and family to arrive.
Once we had a full house, it was into the swimming pool for a quick dip before helping to prepare for lunch. We would have huge tiger prawns for starters, usually only 2 because of their size. This year was smoked salmon and prawn cocktail.
The men would then cook a few complete beef fillets on the barbecue (called a 'braai' here - it rhymes with eye if you can't figure out how to pronounce it). So Christmas main course would be a chunk of beef fillet with salads and always wearing silly hats that popped out of the christmas crackers. The corny jokes that were inside the crackers were all read out, people would compare what little gifts they got inside their crackers and lots of talking, laughing and eating would follow. This year it was cold meats and salads rather than an outside braai.
Another dip in the swimming pool to allow the meat to settle and create space for the next course.
Dessert was always Christmas pudding, (a moist, cooked mixture of flour, sugar, raisins, saltanas, orange peel, apples and spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg), steamed for over an hour, covered in brandy and lit before serving with custard and/or brandy butter. We would also have mince pies, small, round enclosed pastries with fruit mincemeat inside. Of course, there were always coins hidden inside for good luck. They used to be 5 cent pieces, this year they were Rand coins - must be inflation...
More relaxing and if you had strength to haul your full tummy down to the pool, another quick swim before tackling a variety of cheeses and biscuits and finally liqueurs (if you weren't asleep yet). As you can imagine, a new years resolution was always either to go on diet or to start Christmas shopping earlier the next time around.

No matter where you are or who you spend Christmas with, it is a good time to remember those less fortunate than you. It's a time to be thankful for what you've got, what you're able to eat and drink and that you're able to go to bed with a full tummy every night. It's a time to appreciate friends and family, those you got to spend time with and those who were far away.
I hope whatever you did on Christmas day, you got to spend it with loved ones and had a fabulous day.

How do YOU spend Christmas? Tell me about your Christmas traditions...

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:17:00 +0000

A very merry Christmas to all my blog readers out there.
Thank you all for your support and comments and I hope to hear from more of you next year.
I have well over 13,000 views now and so appreciate the time you take to read my blog posts or comment on them.

I wish you all an awesome Christmas day filled with love, laughter, a full tummy and a rosy future.

Take care and have fun
Colleen

Cycling Durban's beachfront path

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:09:00 +0000

Wow, as I am writing this, I have to be careful what I am leaning against as I managed to get a BIT sunburnt yesterday. My poor back hasn't seen sun like that in a while but....I loved it.
Yesterday a friend and I hired bikes and cycled from the beautiful Moses Mabhida stadium (built especially for the football World Cup in 2010), all the way down to uShaka Marine world and back again.

We passed numerous watering holes such as 'Circus-Circus' and Joe Cools serving light lunches and drinks under umbrellas to protect from the hot African sun.
We passed LOADS of kids playing in the beachfront pools all laughing and splashing and excited about their holidays and what Father Christmas might be bringing them.
We passed runners and walkers exercising their dogs, parents walking with their prams.
We passed loads of people on the beach sand absorbing hot sunny rays and swimming in the sea.
We saw people walking up and down selling ice cream ringing their bell to attract people's attention.
We saw ricksha riders in their colourful traditional dress giving people rides.
We saw police on horseback and walking around, keeping an eye on everyone and making sure that no-one suffered any theft before Christmas.
We saw dolphin shows being announced at uShaka Marine World and families picnicking on the grounds.
We saw the beautiful hot Africa sun.
We remembered to use sun block...on our backs and ended up with sunburnt knees. :-)

It was a fantastic few hours. The bike hire cost just R40/£3/€3.66/$4.77 an hour but they require a photographic form of ID (plus R100/£7,69/€9,15/$11,92 deposit),which they KEEP for the hour. They're quite strict so make sure you return in the hour.
Day hire rates are available at R200/£15,37/€18,31/$23,84.

We are hoping to go back soon and do the Adventure Walk over the stadium's arch but that will have to wait until next year :)

Zinkwazi Beach and craft fairs

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 05:44:00 +0000

I spent 2 lovely days in Zinkwazi last week. This small town hides on the north coast of Kwazulu Natal, South Africa.
Even though it is really small, it has a charm that made me wish I could come back to stay for longer.
Nestled in amongst sugar cane fields on one side and the gorgeous Indian Ocean on the other, this spot is ideal for a tranquil holiday away from maddening crowds. A lovely cafe serving drinks and light meals has a shady courtyard which provides an opportunity to watch monkeys playing in the trees or the odd African millipede trying to climb up the creeper-covered walls.
Zinkwazi has all the amenities you might need, the best of which is a bar and restaurant right on the beach. Limited parking is available here but the spot is perfect. Walk along a wooden walkway over the sand, waves crashing on your right, and you will discover an oasis of beer, cool drinks, food and social activities.
Judging from the fishing/sail fish photo catches on the walls, the locals (and holiday makers) love their fishing. And understandably so, there were some big catches, including a monster fish at over 35kgs.
The reason for my visit was to help my mum sell her homemade cards and Christmas boxes at a craft fair being held here. It was a lovely atmosphere and the crafters were all really friendly people. There were comments that there was some real talent displayed. I was so impressed by the community spirit here - everyone knew each other, asking about the family, commented on the goods for sale, offering to help. It was a great feeling.
A big thanks to my cousin, Sue, for organising everything and manning the table for the rest of the duration of the fair.
If you'd like to see more photos of this area, go to my Flickr page on www.Flickr.com/photos/wobblything and check out the 2 sets titled 'Zinkwazi Beach' and 'Natal north coast'. Comments welcome.

Today I am off to hire a bicycle and ride along the Durban beach front.

Are you doing what makes you happy

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:25:00 +0000

I was going through some old blog posts yesterday and came across one where I had dinner with a friend and we had a really interesting conversation. Are we doing what makes us happy?

Yes, it sounds easy but at the same time it's difficult. Sometimes we think we need more time and sometimes we think we need more money. It's always a case of 'I'll be happy when I get this...' or 'I'll be happy when I do this...' but the reality is, we never get around to doing it.
Or the worst is doing thing that we think we're expected to do but not what we really want to do. Here is an extract of the blog post:
___________________
'We had a fantastic evening and the topic of conversation kept heading back to how to live your life the way YOU want to live it and not the way "society" wants you to live it. You know the story, you get engaged and immediately people will ask "When are you getting married?", you get married and immediately people will ask "When are you having children?". There always seems to be the "right" thing to do at any given point. Get a job, buy a car, get married, have kids, go on your holidays each year, etc etc.
Well, what happens if you don't want to own a car and prefer travelling by bike, what happens if you want to live with your partner and NOT get married, what happens if you don't want kids, what happens if you want to leave your job and spend your time travelling around the world seeing all the wonderful things it has to offer? "Society" will frown on you, tell you it's too risky, tell you "That's not the way it should be done".
So my question to you all is, are you really doing what is making you happy or are you doing it because that is what is expected of you? Will you be on your death bed at some point in the future and be happy with the choices you made or will you be thinking "I wish I had done things differently". I know what I will be thinking... :-)'
___________________
Here is the link to the blog post if you'd like to read it:
http://colleensetchell.blogspot.com/2011/03/snickers-steaks-and-society.html

Are you doing what makes you happy?

Enjoying dry raw meat in South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 06:26:00 +0000

If you've not heard of it, one of the main South African specialties is a dried raw meat called Biltong. Before I even start, it is NOTHING at all like the American jerky. Nothing!!!

Biltong is made from medium cuts of meat (not always the fillet but not the cheap stewing cuts either). It is spiced with peppercorns and salt and kept in a special drier until the meat has lost almost all it's moisture. Different people eat it different ways, I prefer it slightly more moist (but then I also eat my steak medium rare so that figures) but my mum, for instance, likes it really dry.

It makes for a tasty, high-protein snack and can be bought at almost any supermarket. While it tastes okay bought from the supermarkets in their little bags, it's MUCH better bought from specialty biltong shops where huge trays of the sliced meat are laid out in front of you. You pay by weight and can choose from beef and buck, such as springbok or kudu and sometimes even ostrich. You can have plain biltong, periperi (spicy paprika), garlic and a normal salt and pepper mix.

Click here to see a picture of some biltong which I actually bought in England but it's made the authentic way http://flic.kr/p/aaw41K

I'll see if I can get more photos of this delicious treat for you.

Conquering the World's highest gorge swing, pt 2

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 07:08:00 +0000

So as promised here is a little more about the incredibly scary gorge swing, I did last Thursday.
I was really excited about doing it. I've done 100m+ abseils and swam with sharks - I was ready for a little adrenalin.
When we arrived at the site and I saw the stunning (and HIGH) waterfall, I was still excited and not at all nervous. We watched a staff member do a demo jump - he did a crazy somersault as he jumped. Needless to say, he's done the jump a good few times. We all cheered, confirmed that 3 of us were going to do it and headed to the nearby hut to pay.

Once paid, we headed to the harness area, got kitted up and started heading down. The waterfall has a small drop of maybe 15 metres which leads to a ledge (as seen in this picture) and then it is from this ledge that you do the jump.

We were all attached to fat safety ropes (which is a good thing, right?) and lead to the edge. Then, when it's your turn, you sit in the firing seat and lean backwards with ALL your strength. Why? Because when he attaches the bungee rope and disconnects your safety rope, the 35kg bungee rope PULLS you towards the edge. Your jump master has to hold the back of your harness to prevent you from being pulled off the edge.
Then slowly, you edge your way to the red splodge (also seen in this photo) on the end of the ledge and as soon as both feet are there, he counts, 'Three, two, one!!' and simply let's go of your harness....

I jumped, throwing out my arms and legs parachute-style, and instantly was shocked at the speed. I let out a waterfall-stopping scream and then slowly my whole body started twisting so that I was heading face down. My brain kicked in and told me, 'Holy crap, you're falling!!!' so I panicked, stopped screaming (now too scared to scream) and started flailing my arms and legs in an instinctive attempt to stop myself from falling. All this happened in about 3 seconds (sad but true) before the rope caught me and the swing flicked me out showing me the most beautiful gorge valley. A river flowing over black rocks below, thick bush everywhere and stunning cliff faces. The swing was now rocking me back and forth gently, my heart had gone back to it's usual place and I had time to appreciate the view.

It takes about 10 minutes to be pulled back up again but it is beautiful. You get to look directly up a 165m waterfall and watch the water cascade over the top and, as seen in this picture, get drenched while you are suspended helplessly below. (This doesn't however happen to everyone, my friends were dry).

As absolutely awesome experience. I would love to do it again, perhaps this time with my eyes open (oh, did I fail to mention that? :-) ) I reckon that will be even better value for money.

If you missed yesterday's post with a picture of me jumping, click on this link or paste it into your browser:
http://colleensetchell.blogspot.com/2011/12/conquering-world-highest-gorge-swing.html

Conquering the world's highest gorge swing

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:00:00 +0000

More to come very soon :)

Prawns, prawns, prawns

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 06:07:00 +0000

If you truly love eating prawns, dripping in garlic butter or spicy peri-peri sauce, and always felt you could do this all day, head down to Simply Fish on Florida Road in Durban, South Africa, where on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, you can eat as many prawns as your belly will allow for just 129ZAR. That's just $16, £10 or €12. Not bad, hey?

Check them out here.

I'll soon be doing a blog post on some of the great places to eat in Durban and no doubt, Simply Fish will feature somewhere on the list.

Happy eating...

Some amazing things to do 'when' you visit Durban, South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 08:34:00 +0000

I am sure you'll visit the city of Durban when you come to visit South Africa and if it wasn't on your list, then stick on!!! Here are just a few things which you can do in the city and immediate surrouding area. I will do another post in the next few weeks about what you can do further inland. There is really so much to do here that I could write solidly for a good few years before I've covered everything.

As at today, the exchange rates are as follows:
£1 = R12.77 $1 = R8.14 €1 = R10.95

* Feed your adventurous side - visit the Moses Mabhida stadium (not for the faint hearted)
Built especially for the Football World Cup, the stadium can be seen from almost all over Durban. The structure's highly visible arch has provided a few activities guaranteed to give you amazing views and a healthy (??) dose of adrenalin.
Adventure Walk - attached with safety ropes, you walk over 500 steps to reach the top of the arch. They are VERY fussy about shoes so make sure you wear trainers or proper closed walking shoes. Times are 10:00, 13:00 and 16:00 and costs R80.
http://www.mosesmabhidastadium.co.za/attractions.aspx?id=3
The Swing - This is the only stadium swing in the world and the largest of it's kind anywhere. You drop/swing 106m over the pitch and pay R595 for the privilege. Open 09:00 - 17:00 daily and again only comfortable walking shoes allowed. Vomit bags not included.
http://www.mosesmabhidastadium.co.za/attractions.aspx?id=1
Skycar - An enclosed glass tram which works it's way up the arch to reward you with 360 degree views of the city. Open daily from 09:00 - 18:00, last trip at 17:30 and costs just R50
http://www.mosesmabhidastadium.co.za/attractions.aspx?id=2
If all this height stuff is not for you, normal stadium tours are avaiable throughout the day. You pay R20 for a 30 minute general tour or R75 for the professional 90 minute tour.

* Bring out the child in you by visiting UShaka Marine World - Here you are spoilt for choice with various attractions such as the aquarium (which is the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere), a waterpark, a reptile/snake park, shark cage diving, lagoon snorkelling and shopping area. They all have separate prices or you can save money by going for a combo ticket.
http://www.ushakamarineworld.co.za/rates-a-times

* Breathe in some fresh sea air by walking along Durban's beachfront.
Walking the 6km Golden Mile of Durban's beachfront can allow you to see the true spirit of the city. Start at the pastel Miami beach art deco style Suncoast Casino and make your way all the way down to UShaka marine world. On the way, pass zulu women selling handmade zulu trinkets and beadwork, soft serve ice cream, sand sculptures, beach swimming, great places to eat ranging from fast food bars and outside seating to the more fancy hotel restaurants, nibble on 1/4 pieces of pineapple dusted with curry powder and even watch surfing lessons.

* Shop until your credit card goes limp at Gateway shopping centre - a monstrous shopping centre with over 350 stores and 70 restaurants which should certainly satisfy every taste. Movie theatres and an adventure hall with climbing adds a bit of extra excitement. Here's an extract from their website just to give you an idea what we're dealing with here:
'Gateway has 18 movie theatres, an IMAX theatre, 6 Nouveau Cinemas, a playhouse called the Barnyard Theatre, more than seventy restaurants, more than 350 stores, the Wave House, an arcade and theme park called Fantasy Forest, a 4000 sq. metre skate park designed by Tony Hawk, the highest indoor climbing rock in the world, a gym, the highest fountain in Africa,tenpin bowling, clubs, dodgem cars,Valet Parking, Kizo Gallery, Palm Court, 1 on 1, adventure golf, MTN science centre, a Nissan 4x4 track and a science theme park.' With over 1.8million visitors each month, this is pretty serious stuff...
http://www.gatewayworld.co.za/

* If you've still got money after visiting Gateway and it's burning a hole in your pocket, visit Sun Coast Casino and Entertainment World and donate it to the tinkling machines.
26 Hectares of casino, movie theatres, restaurants, show theatres and hotel, this place gets over 750 000 visitors a MONTH!! Yup, 3/4 of a millions people can't be wrong...
http://www.suncoastcasino.co.za/Pages/default.aspx

* Get a rickshaw ride on Durban's beachfront
With less than 20 official pullers now operating, this traditional ride is still an exciting way to explore the beach area. Adorned in fancy head dresses covered with beads and traditional decorations, the pullers shout and exclaim while they ride which kind of makes it a weird but cool experience.

* Learn that sharks don't always have to be feared at The Natal Shark's Board
The natal sharks board are responsible for the shark nets which protect the bathers along a 320km stretch of Natal coastline. With only 6 attacks each year and since 1990, only 26% have been serious, shark attacks are not as common or serious as everyone is led to believe. Unfortunately sometimes sharks are caught in the nets and die. These are then used to further study the sharks as well as being used in shark dissection demonstrations. These are Tues, Wed and Thurs at 09:00 and 14:00 and cost just R35. The centre is open throughout the week if you'd just like to vist and check out the pictures and display boards and chat to staff. If you fancy an early morning boat trip out with the guys to check the nets and learn a little more, it will set you back R250.
http://www.shark.co.za/

Get a good dose of nature by visiting some local nature reserves.
The Umhlanga Lagoon Nature Reserve (slighly north of Durban) where you can see the southern most occurrence of guinea fowl, the Beachwood Mangroves Nature Reserve where you can see mangrove swamps complete with the little mudskipper creature which is half-frog half-fish, fiddler crabs, molluscs and bird life (which can be viewed from the bird hide) or the Virginia Nature Reserve.

Check out the birds (of a feathered variety) at Umgeni River Bird Park. Reopened in 2010, it now breeds 17 of the 23 endangered bird species. There are 3 walk through aviaries with several natural waterfalls and even a 'Free Flight Show' where you can see some birds in flight. Showing every day (except Mondays) at 11:00 and 14:00.

There is tons more to do here but the only way you can find out is to get on down here and experience it for yourself.

The calm after the storm...

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 04:56:00 +0000

I woke this morning with the sun streaming through my bedroom window. I'm really tired this morning - last night we had an absolutely outrageous storm. The rain was pelting the roof so hard, you could hardly hear yourself think, let alone sleep; the flashes of lightening coming what seemed to be every few seconds, lit the room better than my bedside light and the thunder....yes the thunder. I lost track of how many times I jumped before I decided to try and sleep with my pillow over my face and my thumbs wedged over my ears.
People often say that a storm is God rearranging his furniture and rain is God crying. Well let me tell you, last night he was clearly troubled and not at all happy with his furniture arrangement.
The rumbling and cracking felt like the storm was right over the top of my bedroom. Whew, when South Africa has a storm, it REALLY has a storm.
But, this morning the air is once again calm. The sky is almost clear, I can hear all sorts of birds chirping good morning and there is a slight cool breeze.
It's going to be a good day...

What happened to sunny South Africa?

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 19:56:00 +0000

Hi everyone
So here I sit listening again to the crazy frogs making a noisy racket outside my bedroom window. It has rained every day except 9 days in the 2 months I have been here. The locals say it is normal for the spring but I say, 'Where is my sunny South Africa?'.
Not knowing whether you can wash your clothes or eat outside or even read a book outside because every day for at least a couple of hours, the the sky opens and heaven cries.
On the plus side, everything is beautifully green and in full blossom. The grass looks lush, the bird bath is full, the roses are blooming and my absolute favourite part, the crickets are chirping.

It's the one thing that I love about South Africa. Memories as a kid of sitting outside at night, watching the fire glow after eating some great steak and chops and listening to the sound of the crickets chirping. It's still one of my favourite sounds. When I hear it, I can shut my eyes and be filled with wonderful memories, I can feel relaxed, safe and warm - I wonder if the little creatures even know they have that effect on me :-)

Lately though, because of all the rain, we have a small pool forming at the bottom of our garden which means the crickets have to now compete with a serious choir of frogs which just do not sound cool. They sometimes croak so loud, we have to close our windows.

It's been raining again today and the crickets are sleeping allowing the frogs and their repetitive sound to fill the warm evening air.
I'm off to bed peeps, sleep tight x

Money and jumping off cliffs

noreply@blogger.com (Colleen Setchell) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 19:18:00 +0000

So here I was missing the structure in my life and what happened? I seem to have got a job... Nothing fancy just a little admin job answering phones and doing some Internet stuff and only for 2 weeks.
It's strange because I am not DESPERATE for money but it would certainly help to get a little here and there. The salary for this job is absolutely awful but I am not worried, just because I was earning a good salary in my last job didn't guarantee I was happy so salary is not a good indicator of job satisfaction. Maybe if I had learnt that lesson sooner, I might have left sooner, but anyway...
I am actually looking forward to this little job because it means I meet new people, learn some new bits and pieces and no matter how small, I always believe we should be learning new things. Who knows where this might lead...
I have also been writing a lot and have been in contact with various magazine editors. I took a chance with one and offered him a story about myself trying to overcome my fear of bungee jumps/swings by going to a wonderful nature reserve called 'Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve' and....wait for it....doing the bungee swing from 100m cliff. Sigh...I must be mad. Anyway, the editor came back and said that normally they didn't commission freelance writers but my idea sounded good and I should go ahead and write it and he would look at it. This is great news as I would get some genuine feedback. Cool bananas :-)
I am off to spend a couple of days in Durban north from Sunday relaxing on a beautiful wooden decking overlooking a sparkling blue swimming pool and listening to the amazing birdlife. I am sooooo looking forward to it, you wouldn't believe it. It is the home of my oldest friend, Angelique who kindly offered to let me stay, bless her little cotton socks. Tell you all about it soon.
Gosh, it's one month to Christmas, have you started your Christmas shopping yet?
Chat with you soon x