S1 - Ep 369 - Durban - The Renowned Beachfront was a Nostalgic Delight!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2023
- We took a short drive from Amanzimtoti to Durban and our anticipation for revisiting the city after so many years was palpable, only to be met with an unexpected amount of traffic. Navigating through the bustling harbour was a captivating experience, as massive trucks diligently transported their cargo. The drive along the renowned beachfront was a nostalgic delight, evoking a rush of fond memories. The enduring beauty of Durban's beachfront was heartening to witness. While our exploration of Mini Town was enjoyable, the inability to access uShaka Marine World proved a disappointment. With this, we commenced a lengthy journey to Kloof, where we found solace in the captivating charm of the area which made for a picturesque overnight stay. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #kwazulunatal #durban #kloof #minitown #ushakamarineworld
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Hi you guys, thanks a million for this videos which brought tears to my eyes. DURBS is my city in which I grew up to know in the early sixties and later. Went to school in Durban North. Currently living in Thailand only in body, heart is still in SA. You guys are doing such a lovely job in reviving old memories of days gone by, so rewarding. Keep it up, this is what keeps the old heart beating, LOVE YOU GUYS, GREETINGS FROM THAILAND.
Greetings to you in Thailand! It was our pleasure to bring you back to Durbs today and now whenever you get too homesick, you can go for a quick drive through parts of the city again! 🚙😁 Thank you for sharing your memories and for watching our video of your precious old hometown! 🇿🇦😍
Thanks guys for your wonderful videos showing the world how breath taking our country is. A little history about KLOOF station, my Grandfather was Station Master of that same Staion in 1950, then transfered to Port Shepstone, that was before I was born. Keep up the good and GOD bless from Thailand. PS, 5 STARS to your wife, the camera operator for the professional camera work.
Hey, I have a long standing friend out there in Thailand, Mervyn Scott. A long shot but just in case you bump into each other, as Saffers all over the world.
Great video. Yes I also grew up in good ole Durbs….🏄🏼♂️
You dustbugs always make good videos..
Loved mini town, in fact loved Durban. Cheers from Australia 🇦🇺
I'm so glad you enjoyed Mini Town, they've done a fabulous job and we got to see a moving train in Durbs! 😁🚉 Thanks for coming along today! 🚙👌🏻
I think they're going to tear it down soon.😪
The 1980's were the golden years, what a joll we had in Durbs back then. thank you for a nice video.
Thank you once again ... I stayed up till 1994 on Snell p
Parade. Really great to see that it still looks well kept... Nothing like Durban. Will always be my home. ❤
We appreciate you coming home with us. I understand what you mean, it sounds like you've got some pretty special memories of this pretty city. 😊 Durban was mostly a holiday town to the two of us, but we felt this deep sense of familiarity when driving past the places we remembered and it's been quite a long time. 🚙🤩
Thank you guys so much , I am a former Indian Durbanite living in California. I miss Durban KZN alot , such beautiful weather and the beachfront was the best. Hopefully it's safe to visit again 🙏
The abandoned building on the Snell Parade was the headquarters of the Army in Durban - Natal Command. In the 1940's there was a big airfield behind those buildings. The white buildings next to Addington Hospital used to be the Children's Hospital. and next to that the Nurses' Home.
Thank you for the info. 👍🏻
We haven't visited Virginia yet. 🤷🏻♂️
@@TheKlopper3 No. Virginia is quite a few miles north of there. It was the Stamford Hill Airfield if I remember correctly. Currnent during WW2 and fell into disuse afterwards. Natal Command was where I entered thru the side gates for two years service in the July 86 intake. The entire base has been demolished and only the "White House" as it was callled still stands derelict on the beachfront.
My father was working for the Railways and I remember In the late 50's ..early 60's we took the Oranje Snell train in the June holidays and we stayed in a hotel in West Street opposite the then very impressive Lonsdale Hotel. Railway staff in those days received what they called a PTO or Free Pass once a year. We took some bus excursions to the Valley of a 1000 Hills and also to a factory where they make jam rolls,,,,I never ever put that in my mouth again 🙂. Some things in life you should rather not see for the fear of never unseeing it again....But the beachfront was really amazing that time. .within walking distance and yes there was a market where you bought the famous Durban curry. The steam train ride from Cape Town to Durban was one thing I would never ever forget. Anyway I digress now...Thanx for reviving some memories.
It sounds like you've got some pretty awesome memories of Durbs and other parts of KZN too! 🚙😁 I completely get that the steam train ride from Cape Town to Durban is imprinted forever in your memory banks, that must've been a fantastic experience which you were very fortunate to have had. 🌊🚂 I won't ask about the jam rolls, it sounds like you're still traumatised by that experience! 🤢 Thanks for watching and for sharing some of your precious memories.
Welcome welcome welcome to beautiful Durban Shunting ground lovely Victoria embankment and lovely beach front and many impressive building know for sure that you guys had a fantastic time in Durban ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you, thank you! We did indeed have a fantastic time in beautiful Durban. It was so good to be back in the city again after almost two decades. There is certainly no shortage of beautiful buildings on that long drive next to the ocean, we loved it! 🚙😍
I just arrived from Durban (Ballito).Oh God that place is beautiful.
There's no denying that, it certainly is! I'm sure you had a fantastic time too! 🚙🤩
How lovely. Mini town still exists. And well looked after. These videos are quite uplifting tbh. Thanks
Locally it's the "wrong version" of "Kloof" (rhymes with "hoof"). But really it's Kloof. And then there's a "both" in the Botha of Botha's Hill, too.
There was a steam train that would run on certain weekends up to through Botha's Hill to Cato Ridge, but I haven't heard it toot for quite a long time, now, so that might have ended. One of the problems they had was a lack of drivers. It takes literally years of training to become a steam train driver, and the world is running out of them. (And most of the volunteers who ran the train don't have the time to go and learn the trade.) It probably stopped at that pub, even? (And the station in Hillcrest has also been converted into a pub - again, not looking so busy these days, if the parking lot is anything to go by. You might find that some of the people that kept these things going gave up and emigrated - or semi-grated down to your part of the world, as the saying goes - after the Zuma Riots of ... two years ago? (I forget, now.)
The City Hall is apparently built to the same plans as the Dublin City Hall.
The nice looking building at about 35:00 or thereabouts? That was the Childrens Hospital. It's been under restoration for years, now (since a good while before COVID). It doesn't look like it's back in operation, yet, and it looks like someone has decided the original brick didn't look as nice as plaster and paint - so the restoration aspect has been "creatively" interpreted. I wonder what will become of it? (Investors offered to buy Addington Hospital, and even rebuild it at a more central location, but nothing came of it. Maybe I just heard all that wrong.)
To me, the beachfront is nicer than it ever was before, today. They got rid of the cruising cars all the way down to Marine Parade, and pedestrianized the place. They got rid of some of the older buildings that were right down on the beach, and "gave the beach a bit more space". (Unfortunately, now they've called in the leases on the amusement park, and it's closing down. I don't get why.) Best thing they've done is actively restore dunes and dune vegetation. (Just block access, put up "sack barriers" that catch a bit of sand, plant dune plants, put down a bit of organic mulch, and water to get it started, and then from there the dunes rebuild themselves, back to what they were in the glorious days before they got "tidied up" by someone. It was quite smart after the World Cup in 2010, and extremely heavily policed, so safe. It's gotten a bit scruffier since then, and you don't see quite as many police around as you did. I hope that's not a steady 'trend line'.
It just about hurts me to hear the pride the guys who did the "cleaning up" to create the golf course near the river, back in the 1920's, took in removing the really challenging huge trees that got in their way, though. There's plenty of space inland, in less rare habitat, locally, for golf courses - that don't require all kinds of ingenuity to get rid of all the enormous trees in the way.
Anyway, good to see you felt Welcome in the Jungle.
Yup, it's the Afrikaans pronunciation of Kloof that we'd go with, but almost everyone in Kloof, called it Kloef, so when in Rome! 🚙😁 The repurposed Kloof Station was fantastic to see and a true example to so many other abandoned stations. I can think of a multitude of ones we've seen on our travels that could work very well, but of course there is the ever-present stumbling block of funds and fear from investors about whether they'll recoup that investment. I didn't want to leave Sonia alone in the vehicle and go for a long walkabout, but what we saw of the beachfront looks fantastic and Durban still filled us with a degree of the same excitement we always felt when visiting the city. There is no shortage of natural beauty either, so it's good to hear that some dunes and vegetation have been rehabilitated. 🌊🌳 It was all-in-all a fantastic experience being back in Durban for a short while.
I cannot believe how amazing Durban looks. So clean. The last time I went to Durban was in 2005. My family and I just had a quick walk around the beachfront and it was filthy.
caught it on a good day. its generally disgusting.
I got so excited seeing Durban ❤❤❤❤❤😊😊😊
To be honest with you, so did we! I think we'll always be excited when we visit Durban, because of the memories. 🚙😊 I hope you enjoy our video.
I was born in Addington hospital in 66and then some. I hope that you guys indulged in the mandatory bunny chow washed down with a cold black label.😀
So Durban is your birthtown, how cool! 😁 We were just happy to see some of the old places we knew back in the day and it was fantastic to feel the same excitement we felt every time we used to visit the city. There is a feeling in Durbs that we don't get anywhere else. 🌊🏖 I'm a huge bunny chow fan, but we didn't happen upon any curry places on the roads we travelled on, so missed out on having one in Durban itself. 🤷🏻♂️🍞
FYI also:
1. Old Natal command was since sold to Anant Singh and it is aimed at becoming Durban Film City
2. Addington Child hospital is being revived and depends on donors in terms of prgress made. But lots of decent work has been done to revive.
Indeed Durban can be very clean, looks like they are finally returning the city to cleanest, judging by 'wrong turns' you took, for if by Dalton hostel back to Umbilo road its' that clean, then Durban has finally heard our cries as SA.
a very heartbreaking trip - I lived in Durban for 55 years. I hope you see more of the real Durban before you leave. Some of the areas you drove though were very dodgy.
What we saw of Durban, was very 'real' to us since that's where most of our memories were made and it was important to us to see some of those places again. We left KZN almost three weeks ago already and, as always, we're very happy with everything we saw. Of course you will know the city inside and out and we don't, which makes whatever we happened upon, super exciting and rewarding. 🚙😁
Hi there, thank you so much. As an ex-Natalian, wow - the memories. Having spent 20 years in Cape Town and now living in the N Cape, the lack of litter, vagrants and persons selling all kinds of merchandise at robots and stop streets, so prevalent in both CapeTown and the N Cape, is absolutely amazing! If nothing else, the municipalities seem to be functioning much more effectively in KZN, as is the enforcement of bylaws. Thank you so much again.
nope this is not true. Its dirty and very dangerous. beggers at pretty much every robot and serious crime. Durban is decaying badly.
The big white building that your were asking about at 17:56 was Natal Command, the specific building is the headquarters building, all the other buildings were demolished unfortunately due to incompetence in eThekweni Municipality, who owns the property, it was left abandoned for several months in which the interior was completely stripped and anything of value was stolen. I served there 1982 to 1984.
Thank you for the info. 👍🏻 It's so sad when buildings aren't preserved, it sounds like there were quite a few that were destroyed. I just don't get it. 🤷🏻♂️ You must have some interesting memories of time spent at that location.
@@DustBugsTravelYes plenty good memories I was really sadden when they demolished the base.
I was waiting for Durban! What a nice trip and took me back to the years I had a flat on the beach front.
But I can see it has changed. I love Durban and spent many happy hours there during my holidays. The harbour
is interesting to go through. So much cargo arrive there from all over the world. I often went to look how
the ships arrive. The huge vessels but on the sea they are like pieces of wood. Thank you guys for this trip
it was so rewarding and in the confort of my lounge I could revitalise my past experiences there. Well done
and the next trip you will see me in my seat at the back!
Great to hear that you also used to spend some serious time in Durbs! 🚙😁 I hear you, and the city has indeed changed, but there is still the sense of fondness for this place which we had so many fun times in. 😍🏖️ That will never go away. A wrong turn led us right to the industrial area and the port, which was actually quite cool to see. We realised that it was indeed a major port, there are endless goings-on over there! Trucks and ships and everything in between, it was wild! 🚛🚢 I will look for you on the backseat again on Wednesday, I look forward to it!
Durbs.... whoop whoop🎉 was my Sunday drive that. Yacht club south beach and they had a market there early early days 1990ies on the north beach infront of the Sun Hotel. No man I loved this. Very very nostalgic.....Aaah you guys❤❤❤❤
It was great to see Durbs again! 🚙🤩 I have no doubt that you know the city much better than we do, but I remember the flea market opposite the Sun hotels very well. We still have some special wooden items we bought for Sonia's folks there. I'm so happy you came back to Durbs with us today!
@@DustBugsTravel im chuffed to be back seat driver. Don't miss an episode !!!!! All 369 of them.....💕💕💕💕💕🙈
Hi guys amazing video full of memories can't say I reckonise much totally ultra modern beach parties warm sea shame the Beach Hotel with the Cockney pride bar are gone so much to see and record the accommodation 5 star as the name says Buckinghamshire place lol drone footage shows the big kloof and the leafy suburbs the video brought back so many people thanks for taking me along just a little story as I waited outside the local clinic for a covid booster a couple of my age were talking I said excuse me is that a SA accent they said yes we are from Durban as we chatted they said how they had met in the Cockney pride bar and they went on to be married small world cheerio till the next one I have pic of rickshaw guys
How cool that you met expats from Durban, love that story! You'll recognise that accent anywhere! 🇿🇦😍 Small world indeed! I'm glad you were reminded of good times in Durbs! I don't blame you for not recognising much, the place has changed quite a bit, but is still as fantastic as we remember it. You made me chuckle with your reference to the warm ocean and the beach parties, that's what I remember most about the year I lived in Durban too! 🏖️🤣 Thanks for coming along today!
Whow, remember my family holiday visits with my parents in Durban and LM in the 60's and early 70's....last visit in Durban was 1992. Great video
Good times in old Durbs and LM, I remember Sonia's folks also talking about LM, and Beira. 🚙😁 Your family trips sound awesome, I'm sure you have plenty of good memories. It was good to see Durban again and good of you to join us!
Hi, what totally stunned me was how clean it seemed.
For a city as big as Durban, we thought the same! 👍🏻🚮
Ah, Durban, dear Durban! I was born there, and 35 years later I happened to settle there for about 11 years. It was a great time for me, and even though I witnessed parts of the city sinking into serious decline, the its character somehow endured through it all. Encouraging to see from your video that the beachfront looks very much improved on what I saw with dismay on a brief visit about six years ago. Did I hear mention of the Rachel Finlayson pool being filled with water? I certainly hope so! That particular feature of Durban's beachfront was such a long established and beloved institution, it would heart breaking if they closed it permanently. Thanks a million for this latest stop on your marvellous itinerary. Your appreciative following surely includes thousands of homesick overseas South Africans!
Thank you for returning with the two of us to your birthtown! 🚙😍 I do agree with you, it might not be the same place, but we also felt a deep fondness for Durban well up in us as we arrived in and drove through parts of the city. The same kind of excitement we felt as youngsters when we arrived to have a good time! 🌊🏖️ By all accounts, the pool appeared to be operational, but I am unable to confirm that for sure. We've seen several functioning pools on the coast of KZN, so I'm hoping that this one can be added to that list. Whenever you feel homesick, you can jump on board and take a drive down Snell Parade with us, you're welcome any time! And, rest assured, the beachfront does look fantastic and was a joy to see! 🇿🇦🤩
Hi you two! Thank you for sharing your fun in Durbs. I enjoyed every minute! Despite it being a big bustling world class city, its modernity joined together with its history makes it a very special place.
It has developed since I was there 30+ years ago, but the blue sea, blue sky and the green surroundings are still the same. Your drone view was breathtaking! The model Mini City is something very exceptional.
I was not surprised that you traced the Kloof station with its rusty loco. It was also good to see that you could start your day with cuppas after your night in Buckingham Palace!
Thanks again and
Keep safe!
It was fantastic to be back in Durbs, let me tell you! 🚙😁 You haven't been there in three decades and we in two, so it was super special to set foot on Durban soil again. The place has changed much, but the special vibe is still there. It was so cool to drive along the ocean again and see all those familiar, and not-so-familiar, buildings. We saw the Kloof Station in the dark and just had to return the next morning to check out the loco. You know the drill by now! 😍🚂 I thoroughly enjoyed Mini Town, those folks have done a brilliant job and I even saw a moving train! 👍🏻🚉 I so appreciate you taking to the streets of Durban with us.
In Kloof (“Kloef” as the locals say) hope you did went through the gorge and stopped at the old railway stations in Gillitts and Botha hill. That’s our area. Love it up here
I'm sure you love it there, it's super beautiful! We were lucky that we happened to book our accommodation in Kloof, otherwise we would probably not have happened upon the old Kloof Station. 🤩🚂 Our host wanted to take us to the Nature Reserve to see the gorge, but the gates were closed. Fortunately I had flown the drone earlier that morning as far as I could and got some nice footage of the gorge. You're indeed very fortunate to call this area home! 🚙🌳
Hi, glad u make durban look so good, and I'm glad u showing mini town...its closing soon
Oh no, that's so sad! 😥 There were quite a few visitors and they were doing maintenance on the day of our visit, so I'm rather surprised to hear that news. They did a fantastic job and young and old alike enjoyed their exhibits very much by the looks of things. 🚉🛩️🏬 The rest of Durban looked good too, we were very happy to be back! 🚙😁
Incredible trip guys, Durban is a very busy city but some fantastic sites.
Thanks for taking me along.
Take care and drive safely. Cheers from Phil in the UK.
They connected the Elangeni and Maharani to make it one of the largest accomodation blocks in South Africa.
No way! I had no idea. We loved both those hotels very much and stayed over quite a few times! Thanks for the info! 👌🏻🏨
I was wondering about that.
Excellent video! Thanks a lot! We want more!
Thank you both for such a wonderful (and lengthy) visit to Durbs. It brought back warm memories of the 70's for me as SAA cabin crew doing overnight stops there. My wife and I get so much enjoyment out of your videos- usually my wife's first greeting on getting home from work is 'there's another Dust Bugs!' and she's and Aussie. So, you do it well. Be blessed and we'll see you on the next one.
Thank you for your very kind comment, it made both of us smile rather widely! 😁 I'm glad you were also happy to be back in Durbs. I'm sure you have loads of great memories of the time you spent there with your colleagues. There may have been serious changes in the city since, but the beachfront still has the vibe and we were happy to feel it again! 🤩🏖️ Please tell your Aussie wife thank you for being such a loyal and excited viewer of our channel. We appreciate both of your support so much.
AWESOME
Thank you so much! 🚙😁
Thank somuch for a lovely interesting video information mooie of S.Afrika 👍
Hi DustBugs Travel, when visiting Durban again you must make a turn at the Victoria Street Market.
Remember holidays as a kid in durbs. Was able to walk the city as a young girl. Pleased to see how clean it is tbh
You took the wrong turn there and went through the indusrial and docklands. But still good to see old Maydon Wharf which used to be the main route out of Durban to the south for many decades. Great vid, keep it up.
I still remember the Maydon Warf, just around the sugar silos, you could fish there then, I believe it is no more allowed.
🤣 You clearly know Durban very well! I was stuck in the wrong lane and did indeed end up taking a wrong turn! It turned out great though, the harbour and that side of town turned out really fascinating to us. The port and surrounds are super busy places as one would expect of a major port like Durban. Thank you for watching our visit to Durban, including its industrial area! 🚙😁
@@DustBugsTravel Thank you! It was great!
Was always an interesting route into town, definitely beat the southern freeway!
Love..
Love all your travels
Can't you please let us know the day of week and time..
Keep safe always
Granny Dee ❤
We'll try and mention the date in the begining of each video from the next series. I know you'll forgive us if we happen to forget! 😁 This video was shot on Tuesday, 1 and Wednesday, 2 August 2023 from the late afternoon on Tuesday onwards. Our videos are always one to six weeks behind our actual travel dates since I only edit and upload once we're back home. I appreciate you watching! 🚙👌🏻
Hi again, Curtis I have complete confidence in your driving but phew i was nervous in that traffic, I held my breath , thank you Sonja for reminding me i could breath again😊. was there 30 odd yrs ago. Stayed @ Siversands, I'll leave Durbs for the youngsters thank you 😄🚗🚗🚗
I'm glad we could show you Silversands again, that must've brought back some good memories! 🚙🤩 The traffic was wild and I took a few wrong turns, but fortunately it just led to more interesting things and places, so all was good in the end! I enjoyed being back in Durbs again!
I enjoy watching your travels so
Much especially now that I live in the USA. This comment is F.Y.I. and not intended as a complaint. I was just a little disappointed in your Durban travelogue as you didn’t show any shots of the actual Durban Beach which not only is beautiful, and the memories of my childhood, but also of many South Africans tourists who vacationed there year after year and swam, surfed, watched entertainment at the Cuban Hat. Many walked for miles along the sea shore. I didn’t get to see even a grain of sea sand as you have previously shown of Port Shepstone, scottburgh, Amanzimtoti and many others. You also missed the great entrance into the Port/Harbor where all the ships sail in. Not only to load up containers for world wide shipping, but into which many world war 11, ships Sailed to pick supplies, but also where many of our families who fought in the war, sailed from to Europe. My mother , Aunt and us children tearfully cried our goodbye’s to fathers, Uncles and cousins as they sailed away to fight. Some of them never to return. Across the harbor, (you drove all along the esplanade and missed monuments that are historically important to Durbans history) is Salisbury Island, was (not sure if it still is) a very important Naval Base. It would have been wonderful if you could have spent less time driving past all the hotels and Mini Town, and filmed North and South Beach, the beach itself and the actual waves on the seashore. The Olympic size swimming pool, and children’s pool and play area. The small boats that children and parents drive around a pool in and many other fun activities, that Durban is known for. The drive along Mayden Wharf, and seeing endless stretches of Containers and trucks, preparing to load onto the ships was too boring. The big sugar buildings you saw, belongs to the largest sugar can company called Huletts. The sugar stored in those buildings comes from all the sugar all the cane fields and mills in Natal and is loaded into the Holds of the ships for export to other countries in the world. Those large cranes sticking out above the buildings are operated by crane drivers to load cargo onto the ships. It’s a very dangerous job and requires a lot of skill to accurately position the cargo and balance the crane so that it doesn’t tip over for loading the cargo. Just driving on and on through all that area was time wasted that could have been more wisely used. Durban deserves better than that. There is also the Beautiful Botanical Gardens which is so close to entering into Durban off the freeway. Close by, is The beautiful manor house that the King George of England, the Queen and the “then” Princess Elizabeth and Margaret stayed in when they visited South Africa in the late 1940’s. It would have been so nice if you used your Drone to take more shots and spent less time in “container and mini land”. I know you can’t cover everything, but maybe researching and videoing more
important areas in in the cities would make it more enjoyable. In closing, I really want to thank both of you for all your wonderful videos that you share with us. You are AMAZING and work so hard to get everything done that you do. Please keep on sharing your travels with us. Baie, Baie dankie, vir alles wat Julle doen. 😊❤️
Phew! Thank you for taking so much time to list all the things we 'missed' in Durban, according to you. It's important that you note that our videos are how we document our travels and what we do and see, so they essentially serve as our memories. We have chosen to share them with folks who may also enjoy them. They're not intended to cover every single place of interest in any town, city or place we get to, nor will they ever be. It is simply impossible to do so in the limited time we have to travel. If you're looking for videos like that, you're most definitely at the wrong address. We're very happy with what we saw in Durban and it reminded us of many happy times we spent in the city. We're not a documentary or a history channel, we're a travel vlogging channel and this is how we'll continue vlogging and documenting our travels. We'll never burden ourselves with excessive research, we travel for fun, it's really as simple as that.
It's also important to note that safety is always the most important consideration. Sonia is unable to walk for long distances, navigate stairs or uneven surfaces and I'll never leave her alone in a location and wander off where I don't feel completely comfortable that she, and I, will be safe.
So, in short and in closing, we will always include what we find enjoyable and can unfortunately not include what everyone else would like to see and not what we'd like to see. We happened to love driving past the hotels since that is where most of our memories lie and which is most important to us. If you feel we wasted our time, that is entirely your opinion. It's our time to waste.
I suggest you spend the money, fly to South Africa, spend as much time as you want in Durban and any other place you wish to visit. That just may be the only thing that will satisfy you. 🤷🏻♂️
Please accept my apologies. I did not know that you were sharing your vacation travel and memories that you have of the places you visit. I truly am sorry. I honestly thought that you were documenting these places for a broader viewing public not only for your travels. I have been blessed to fly back to South Africa on a few occasions to visit family and friends. I am 85 years old now and therefore long air flights are less of an option for me. So unfortunately your well intended advice is becoming out of reach for me. I am also truly sorry to hear of Sonia’s challenges. I did as much as I could both health wise and financially as I can.
I do watch many other documentaries as well. Yours is the one I go to first because of the relaxed and wonderful communication you and Sonia have with each other. Your love and respect for each other shines through. I have watched all of your other videos and have referred you to all my family and friends. I kept hoping that one day, you would do one of the Natal South coast, where I grew up (Winklespruit and Durban. I was so excited when I saw you were doing Durban and thought the actual beach would be part of your video because that is what attracts all the holiday visitors. I noticed that in your other videos near an ocean, you walked onto the beach and videoed the seashore. I was expecting the same with Durban. I will continue to watch your travels and refer them to others people I know, (along with the others I watch). Once again I sincerely apologize if I offended you, it was not my intention but only to share with you some of my memories. I hope that some of the may also have some value to you.May God, our Heavenly Father, bless you and Sonia in all you do, with peace, safety, joy and happiness. I will keep both of you in my prayers and will pray for Sonia’s health also.
PS. I especially enjoyed your videos of KrakeelRivier, Willowmore, Baviaanskloof,Joubertina. The Strijdom family history was of Particular interest to me as Joost Strijdom is my direct ancestor on my fathers side. His father Machiel Stephanus Strujdom was born in Krakeel my father in Willowmore.
He is a cousin to J.G. Strujdom (my second cousin). The Strijdom family contributed to the monument you videod. I was so grateful to you for showing that. I spent a great deal of my childhood vacation at Krakeel riding on the back of those tractors transporting thousands of boxes of 🍎 and pears to the KO-OP sorting and packing sheds. from there to be loaded onto the Apple Express at Krakeelrivier Train Station for transport to Port Elizabeth for international shipment to Europe. The Strijdom families orchards also in Joubertina, and all along the Langkloof All of which you video’d. Thank you so very much for that.
@@user-dl1vc8yf8dwhat a very small world😮 3 generations ago my family farmed next to Zandvlakte in the baviaanskloof and were friends with jg strydom's family.
I appreciated your input on all the historical aspects of durban... it certainly has the most fascinating history. You may enjoy Durban Down Memory Lane on Face, where a lot of it is documented.
Hi @2:28 that's a Dry dock. Love your travels!! Drive safe!
Thanks for the info, much appreciated! 🚙🛳️ I'm glad you enjoyed our video!
Durban by da Sea, West Street always in my mind as the best place as a kid been going since I was 3 there
I understand and agree fully that Durban had to have been one of the best places for any child to go on holiday! Super exciting and fun stuff to do and lots of it! Thank you for watching our video! 🚙😁
The fence barrier is to prevent the kids from the schools rushing over the road. Making sure they cross in the designated area.
Last time I was in Durban was 1988. Even back then it was huge, and super busy, and some of the rudest drivers in the country on those roads! Yes, the beachfront does remind one of seapoint, and Bloubergstrand too. Even parts of PE now.Still doing well, I am glad to see. Love the little train! The little city is so cute! Where you stopped to view the old building, I saw a black cat on the roof going back and forth. Most impressive sports stadiums, Must be wonderful to see a game of soccer from there. What a beautiful area you chose to stay over in.Its a little ...um...as the sun sets you might see....oooh! I got out fast, as fast as I could go sir! I wasnt scared, but pants like that, I didnt care for, no sir!
We seriously lucked out with our accommodation, that's for sure! It was super roomy and comfortable and the perfect place to just kick back and relax! 😍🏡 Mini Town was for sure a standout and to see a miniature moving train, was a close second to seeing a real one steam past! 😁🚉 They did a fabulous job there and I hope they're given the opportunity to continue providing folks young and old with great entertainment. 🤞 It was good to be in Durbs again, that feeling of being back in this city brought back the excitement of old we used to feel when going there for a long week-end break! 🤩🏖️ It's busier than I remember it though, but then again we never hung around at the port and the rest of the city, it was all about the stretch along the beachfront for us. The Moses Mabhida Stadium was fantastic to see in person, I always thought from pictures it's a pretty one! ⚽🏉
You guys captured the magnificence of Durban.
That means a lot to us, thank you! 🚙🤩
My part of the world again. DUST BUGS TRAVEL you are doing a splendid job bringing back nostalgic memories. I haven't visited that beachfront since 2000. I would love to visit AND walk the new promenade.
I hope you get the opportunity to go back one day soon and do just that! We hadn't been there since 2004 and we still got that magical holiday feeling one always used to get in Durbs. I'm happy that we can remind you of some happy times you spent in the city, I'm sure there were many of them! 🚙😊
Nice video, actually a big contrast to what people say about Durban. They say Durban is filthy and rotting, but the video showed total opposite of the romours.
Jussie ouens! You is mos dik jollers! 😅 I was crying like a baby. My hometown.
The abandoned\vacant building at 21:59 was the old Natal Commands building of the SA Defence Force. All regional matrics started their 2 year National Service duty from there where they got treed aan and send on trains to wherever in the country.
Another one at 35:35 was the childrens hospital that was recently refurbished after been closed for years, no idea what it is going to be used for.
Interesting info, thank you. We had absolutely no idea what half of the buildings were that we saw as we were driving past, so I appreciate you filling in the blanks! 🚙😁
@@DustBugsTravel Only a pleasure I was in Law Enforcement in Durban for 38 years so I know it quite well.
thanks for the memories.
Sure, anytime! I'm hoping that they were mostly fantastic ones! 🚙🤩
you wouldn't believe the half of it! thanks again.@@DustBugsTravel
Glad to see you stopped at stokers in the morning.
It's a cool place, I just had to check it out in daylight! 😁🚂
I wish one day you'll make videos on Randfontein and Krugersdorp. The places I grew up.
My uncle did the stone on the church when it was built lived in glenwood durban but stayed in kloof at the then fields hill hotel because to far to travel
What a fantastic stone church that is. Your uncle did a magnificent job! 🚙💒
😂 We are getting sushi from Friend House Kloof tonight
U might be in time for the inchanga choo choo train ....
We didn't know about the train and are long back home in the Western Cape already. I'll try and remember when we return to Durban again one day and hope that it will still be running then. 🤞🏻🚉
The abandoned building was Natal Command , i spent 18 months of my national service there . At the same time of the Magoos Bar bombing .
Thank you for the info. It's a real shame that such a gorgeous building stands abandoned like that. Thank heavens it's still in fair shape, from the outside at least. 🤷🏻♂️🏛️ You must have had some interesting times there.
The old Buildings after Addington Hospital was the old Children's hospital... Part of it is Currently being used and is called KZN Children's Hospital.. For Autistic and special needs kids.
Thank you for the info. 👍🏻
U missed the Roma Revolving Restaurant in John Ross House🙄
And you missed everything else we saw! 🚙😁
@@DustBugsTravel Beautiful Video Nonetheless.. It's my city, makes me want to explore it more often 😎
Outside of the idiot commercials from ignorant Amerika, nice video!
We lived in the US for a number of years and love the country and its people dearly. 🇺🇸 Name-calling and attaching negative labels to anyone or anything just aren't our vibe.
Where to next?
You'll see on Wednesday! 🚙😁
@@DustBugsTravel I can't wait.
No people on the beach-front, all those open parking spaces?
We were there on a random Tuesday afternoon out of holiday season in August, so we didn't expect any more people than we actually saw. 🤷🏻♂️
As a durbanite all my life, it is sad how revolting it has become.
Despite the safety warnings and obvious decay in some areas, it was good to visit Durban again after a very long absence. 🚙
Hi, where was the fly-over at 53:43?
This was at Kloof, outside of Durban. 🌳
Thanks, @@DustBugsTravel Wishing you the best on the rest of your travels.
nice city..... are u afrikaner?
Durban is indeed a very nice city. 🚙😁 I'm an English-speaking South African. 🇿🇦
@@DustBugsTravel i thought the term Afrikaner are ethnic white south african. so any white south africans are called Afrikaner.
just like me i am Branco Brasileiro or (White Brazilian)
Giant pigeons in "mini town" 😅
Exactly! It'll take about eight of them to fill up the plane! 😁🐦🛩️
0:28 0:29
I'll respond to your later comment. 🚙😁
My birth place and hometown. Born on the beachfront and first school was there too.
They keep the tourist areas nice but West Street and Smith Street and all those absolutely iconic colonial arcades with marble, wrought iron and exquisite decoration and detail are real 💩 holes now with informal traders and the smell of urine and worse. It is absolutely disgraceful and one of the reasons the very best city in Africa is now dubbed Dirtbin😢
There was no place with the atmosphere and character of Durban. So, so very special and totally unique.
At 18:00 that big white building is Natal Command. It's criminal what they've let hapen to it.
The history of Durban during WWII is fascinating to read up on.
The white building next to Addington was the Childrens Hospital.
Thank you for all the info you provided. Neither of us knew Durban very well at any point, so it was good to learn some new facts about your beloved city. 👌🏻 We were warned many times about going to Durban, but we just had to make a turn in the city we once loved so much. The vibe is still there along the beachfront and it was good to see it all again, especially the places that we used to know quite well. That gorgeous Natal Command building should really also be fixed up, surely it can be utilised for some purpose. 🤷🏻♂️🏛️ i appreciate you watching our video of your precious hometown. I can tell how much you love the place. 🚙😍
Another little tidbit, the City Hall is an exact replica of the Belfast City Hall in Ireland. I sang in an eisteddfod there in the '70's. Oh my, Durban was a fascinating, beautiful, evocative place. They say its better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, but i just feel such sadness at the decline of this City above all cities.
Then the 2021 looting happened