S1 - Ep 373 - Umhlanga - The Highlight was Discovering a Picturesque Lighthouse!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ก.ย. 2023
- Our journey from Pietermaritzburg to Umhlanga was quite a trek, but the moment we arrived, we were met with a delightful surprise. Umhlanga proved to be a stunning destination, boasting many ultra-modern buildings, ongoing road upgrades, and immaculate streets diligently maintained by municipal workers. The highlight was discovering a picturesque lighthouse gracing the beach, and strolling along a fascinating pier. As we navigated the tranquil streets, the sight of well-maintained apartment buildings and grounds, houses and gardens exuded a sense of serenity, and even the Temple we visited stood in splendid condition. Our appetites led us to a satisfying lunch purchase, where I couldn't resist trying a spicy Bunny Chow. Although the heat was intense, the flavour was utterly delightful, just like the town of Umhlanga. #DustBugs #adventuretravel #southafrica #southafricavlog #travelongravel #kwazulunatal #umhlanga #pietermaritzburg #bunnychow
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My goodness, if you hadn't told us where we were I would have thought you & Sonja had taken us to a 1st world country, absobloodylutely magnificent. Thank you, enjoyed this trip 🚙🚙🚙🥰
Yup, it was awesome to see a well-functioning, clean, neat and incredibly beautiful town in our own country! 🇿🇦😍 So glad to hear you enjoyed Umhlanga with us!
Beautiful, but miss your travels on the gravel roads through the historical old towns & seeing the old buildings.
Don't you worry, we'll always return to gravel whenever we get the chance, it will always be our first love! 🚙😍 We wanted to see KZN again though after almost two decades and wanted to revisit places we, and especially Sonia, have very deep and fond memories of.
Me too
Umhlanga is a great example of the miracles modern money can perform. :D (Go to Königswinter on the Rhine, and everything's cleaner and trimmer than down in Cologne. Go to Monaco, and Nice starts looking a bit shabby by comparison. Rinse and repeat.)
They have quite a big nature reserve at the lagoon, but to explore it you would've had to leave Sonya alone in the car for quite a long time (because you first have to walk across the boardwalk over the wetlands, and then over the bridge over the lagoon, and then climb up and over some fairly big dunes. Anyone else visiting through you might want to make a note of the nature reserve, though.
Umhlanga is clearly an affluent town and it was fantastic to see a clean and beautiful coastal town where things obviously work. The number of munipal workers out-and-about and actually working also sent clear signals of a well-run town. It must be fantastic to live there. 🤩🌊 Thanks for the info on the nature reserve. 👌🏻 They're always cool to visit, although I skip them for the most part, unless I can catch a glimpse not too far away from the vehicle.
Thanks for the tip on the nature reserve. I'm from the UK but I'll be in KZN during Oct/Nov.
So that's two reasons to visit now, Bunny Chow being the other.
I would say that Umhlanga is the Sandton of Durban. Home of the wealthy .Nice to see a clean town. Money talks. My mouth was watering when I saw Curtis eating that lovely BunnyChow. I made a lamb curry and the recipe said 4 tablespoons of chili powder. Wow !! A nee a magtie, there was no way I was brave enough for that. So only added half a tablespoon . That light house is such a classic. Beautiful clean beach. and what lovely weather for you. I wonder if that was a statue of Joseph Smith on top of the steeple of the Mormon church ? Sonia cracked me up too with that comment about walking backpacks. Loved it ! 😂
Umhlanga is clearly a prosperous town, that was very evident everywhere we went. 🚙🤩 Four tablespoons of chilli powder! 😳 I think that one would've knocked you back. I think you put that half a tablespoon in my bunny chow, it was super spicy and my eyes were watering quite a bit. I loved every mouthful though, I haven't had one in many years! 🍞 I have no idea whether that is Joseph Smith on the steeple of the temple. I tried checking online, but wasn't able to find anything about that. What a gorgeous building that is though and the grounds were absolutely magnificent too! 💒🌳 The walking backpack is sitting next to me with a wide grin! 🎒😁
Unfortunately, the water is not that clean. If you have it privately tested, it is full of contaminants.
@@MartinPienaar-nv5ik So the advice is do not swallow any of the water if you go for a lekker swim. Also make sure you have a good shower afterwards. What a shame. Safer to swim at my old beach Herolds Bay.
Oh my, upmarket deluxe!!! Umhlanga has completely morphed since I was there last. Had a timeshare at Breakers. The money has moved to the North Coast. An eye opener of note.
It is indeed a gorgeous place and I think the folks who live there, must love it. You must've had some pretty good times there, Breakers still looks like a fantastic place! 🚙🌊
What an amazing pleasant experience, Well done.A suggestion , who ever is in charge of Umhlanga needs to be consulted by the ruling party and opposition for advice of how to run things. This is certainly an eye opener. Hope eternal !
We were also very impressed with how clean and neat the town was and well-maintained by all indications. It was indeed a breath of fresh air! 🚙👌🏻
All I can say is whow, did not expect it to be só clean, well developed and looked after. Amazing what the eye in the sky can do.
I agree with you on all fronts. It was fantastic to visit Umhlanga and to see how beautiful and clean it is. Super busy too, but that's what makes the place prosperous, so we have to accept that. I'm so happy you hopped on board to explore Umhlanga with us. It's always fun when you do! 🚙😁
Lovely built up Umhlanga Rocks once a sugar cane plantation a city on it's own 👌👌👌💝💝💝🌹🌹🌹💕💕💕💯💯💯
I can't even imagine what it must've looked like back in the day! 🎋 It really is a big, bustling and beautiful place now. I'm sure the folks who've lived there for a long time, must miss the quieter days sometimes. 🚙😊
My comment went walk about again...😅
I was saying you should see the queue of ships end of Nov....goes all the way to Ballito waiting to dock at durbs harbour.
Lovely video....waiting for Ballito...lived there for 4 years not so long ago. Covid inbetween 😮😮
Toot toot
Naughty comment, I so wish I could explain why that happens! 🤷🏻♂️ Wow, I would love to see that queue of ships, I was happy with the few we saw and I thought that was many! 🤣🛥️🛳️⛴️🚢 You seem confident that we were headed to Ballito. You better be ready and waiting on Wednesday to see if you're right! 🚙😁 So glad you enjoyed Umhlanga, your old neighbour, in the meantime!
Ballito is calling yoo0o0o0o0o0ou😁
😁 You'll have to check on Wednesday, when our next video comes out, if we answered that call! 🚙🤩
DaZen food is always stunning
We thoroughly enjoyed lunch that day! 😁🍞🥪
I'd never have recognised the place form when I was there 3 times in the early 80's. We always stayed in the Umhlanga Sands hotel. It was just a village back then.
Interesting that you were also there last in the 80's, about the same time as my wife, Sonia. And also in the Umhlanga Sands, I believe it was a very cool place! The town is big and busy now, but still very beautiful. Thanks for coming back there with us in 2023! 🚙😁
Walking backpacks, just couldn't stop laughing 😂😂😂
I know! I didn't even see them, but I could imagine them vividly in my mind based on that description. 🤣🎒
Sonja comes up with some funny stuff!
Hi you two! What a great city. Blue (hot?) skies, beautiful beaches, white braking waves and a real blue sea with ships! The huge buildings are really amazing, so neat. The suburbs did not disappoint with the palms, green gardens and other trees. The Ribcage Pier was also very special. The view from that 2020 temple (cathedral?) is astonishing. Thank you for a very, very enjoyable ride. I think any overseas watchers of your video will definitely start flocking to Umhlanga now! I must say I do miss going with the Bugs on the Dust roads!
I'm ready for the next trip, wherever to.
Keep safe!
Hello there! Umhlanga is a fantastic place! The weather was just fine, but not quite hot nor humid yet, which we were grateful for. 😎☀️ This town was for us a revelation everywhere we went. The shops, the buildings, the residential areas, the beaches, all looked clean and neat and very beautiful with the typical KZN vegetation weaved in everywhere between. 🏤🏡🌳 That 2020 church building definitely had 'Temple' on the inscription at the entrance. Such a simplistic design, but so beautiful amid incredible green grounds. 💒 We'll always return to the gravel roads, but we just had to go and check out the coastline of KZN, where we haven't been in many years and where Sonia has some very fond memories. Gravel will always, always remain our first love and they were in rather short supply in this area. 🚙😁
Yay Curtis you got the best kind of bunny. You probably felt it the next morning though🥵😄
The bunny was fantastic, I just had to have one! 🍞 Luckily I didn't feel any after-effects the next morning! I was very happy about that! 😁
I want to migrate to this country. Beautiful blue skies 😍
I know what you mean. The skies are truly beautiful here, even when it's cloudy! ☀️☁️🇿🇦
So nice to see Umhlanga again. We had a timeshare at Umhlanga Sands. Great memories. Thank you.
So cool that you also spent holidays at Umhlanga Sands. You must've had some fun and happy times there. 🏖️😎 Sonia says as far as she remembers, it was a fantastic place and it still looks in great shape. Thanks for joining us! 🚙😁
Yes, I have been in this area. In a place called La Lucia. My sister in law and fandamily used to live here, and back in 1988my hubby and I took a holiday in the eastern free state, in Golden Gate, and drove through from there to La Lucia for a family reunion. My parents in law also came out, and father in law was a real braai expert, so the first morning there was a skottelbraai brunch! Totally amazing, we had such fun! It was mid July and so warm, especially after the free state! Parents in law are passed away now, so good to have the memories. Love the lighthouse! The marble church is very impressive, but for me it has a....umm...different sort of vibe. Load shedding and driving by a huge sign saying Porsche....load shedding lowest common denominator of all. I know wine o clock! My favourite! That spicy food will clean the sinuses for sure!
The bunny cleared the sinuses and tear ducts, let me tell you. Much more spicy than I thought or remembered, but it was fantastic to have one again! 😁🍞 A skottel brunch used to be our favourite mid-morning treat when we were visiting a National Park. You're making me drool with all your reminiscing of those special times you spent with family. Gone, but never forgotten. 😊 That marble temple was simplistic in design, but very beautiful all the same. 🚙💒
Ha Anna, het woord fandamily was nieuw voor mij! Dus de betekenis heb ik even opgezocht 😅. Fijn dat schoonpapa goed was in braaien. Met jouw Nederlandse roots ben je tijdens de winter mogelijk goed in gourmetten? Dat is in die periode namelijk een soort favoriete maaltijd in ons land en waarbij deelnemende familie leden de mafste combinaties in hun eigen pannetje creëren 😊. Verder erg grappig dat Curtis bewijst dat ook mannen na hun 50e last kunnen krijgen van een ‘opvlieger’ door het eten van zo’n bunny 😂
I see you're laughing at me and my hot flush while eating the bunny! 🥵 I'm watching you! 🤣🍞
@@DustBugsTravel 😜
@@ingeborgvanderveer789 Fandamily is gefabriseerde woordt. It is me making word salad again! 😂🤣 opvlieger.....😂😂..love your sense of humour, thanks for the lekker laugh, needed it this morning! ♥️
Bunny looks Awesome!
Good food adds to travel programmes
And the bunny was awesome, although a little more spicy than I had anticipated! 🤣🍞
Awesome cenery
What a beautiful place..I l9ved it😊😊😊😊😊
I'm so glad you enjoyed Umhlanga. It is indeed a very beautiful place! 🚙😍
Wow, I was impressed with Umhlanga, must more than Durban or Amanzimtoti. We were there a couple of years ago just for a morning and wow, has it grown. I think that first part of your visit was not there at all when we were there.
It's a very pretty place. Very busy, but very pretty all the same. There are some pretty fancy builidings there in the first part of our visit. Wow! 🏤😍 If you think it has grown in the last couple of years, imagine what it looked like to us who hasn't seen it in a very long time. 😳 We don't really even know how long ago we were there last. Glad you enjoyed Umhlanga!
Love your channel so beautiful and interesting!
Like Sonja said a clean neat well organized town. Really a pleasure to ride through it. The beach is stnning and so clean. Wow the big church is on a sort of a small holding. I normally dont buy any curry in Natal as it is too hot for me even though they claimed it is mild. A very nice trip and a pleasant drive. Thanks so much for this trip. I will take my seat on the next one
Let me tell you, you're 100% correct. That bunny was SPICY! 😁🍞 I hadn't had a bunny in a long time, so thoroughly enjoyed it despite, the heat. That temple is such an incredible building and the grounds are enormous and spectacular. 💒🌳 I was so happy that they allowed us in to walk around and that I could film. The town of Umhlanga seemed like a well-oiled, beautiful machine and it was an absolute joy to visit and see. Pickup is usual time and usual place on Wednesday! 🚙👌🏻
My hometown when I was at school/varsity in the 70's and 80's. I can only recognize the lighthouse (obviously😊) and Beverly Hills Hotel. It's a complete concrete jungle by comparison
I always go to Hyde Park holiday resort just behind the Umhlanga Sands.♥️👍
That's a name we don't know. The location must be superb, I bet you have some fun times there! 🏖️🌊
Wow that town is really immaculate and the roads are in first class condition. Looking at the number of prestige motor car showrooms I think it's probably a fairly affluent community, pot-holed roads and expensive cars don't go well together.
Bunny Chow... eye wateringly good😂. I've not had one for years, I need to make that right asap.
Thanks for sharing another great video.
My home town 😍 it's a bit chaotic but I miss it so bad 😅
Your hometown is indeed rather busy, but the beauty all around totally made up for that! You were lucky to have called Umhlanga home! 🚙😍
@@DustBugsTravel it was so lovely, we stayed in the older (more affordable side🤣) you guys drove through, gateway mall is so crazy in December I wouldn't go out 😅 I wish I was in the back seat with you guys I really love your adventures 😎
My parents used to have timeshare at the Umhlanga sands. They had a room on the 17th floor. The last time I stayed there was the year 2000. My parents sold their timeshare in 2010. The other Southern Sun Hotel you mentioned used to be called the Breakers Hotel. I don't know if it still goes by that name. We stayed there over Christmas in 1983 for 3 weeks.
Umhlanga Rocks, period.
And it will always! 🚙😁
Very interesting.
Glad you think so. 🚙👌🏻
It certainly has changed since I was there 10 years+ ago
I bet! It's a much bigger place than I ever expected 🚙😳
@@DustBugsTravel, the only thing I don't like about Umhlanga is the beach sand, so rough and course, you can't walk on it bare feet. I had to buy shoes in order to walk around on the beach...
I was hoping you were going to Howick after visiting Pietermartizburg. I guess that will be for another time...😉
Hi guys very interesting video have heard of Umhlanga rocks and now I've finally seen it ultra modern buildings everywhere. The drive around the motorway reminds me of spaghetti junction in Birmingham lol .the vibe to me was ultra clean well organised place cctv all over the place the beach rocks rib cage peir outstanding. The conservation with the couple and Sonia reminds me of a Indian lady who worked with my said if she went back to SA that's where she would live! .Nice to see the suburbs and schools lovely comments from Sonia and also great you could see Sands hotel .the huge Mormon temple was something else white marble unbelievable views and friendly security loved the little delli bar beer pool and bunny chow what more could you ask for maserati harley porsche petrol heads heaven!! And a stunning exit over the bridge. The Indian lady from Durban my wife worked with was married to a English guy who had a cockney accent if something smells bad it honks in their Deutsch bank the had a room to prepare tea coffee and a microwave to warm food. Somebody kept heating smelly fish so she left a note saying stop cooking your Honky food in hear !accusations of racism were flying around until my wife explained to the German HR lady that its Cockney for smelly lol thanks for taking me along cheerio till the next one
Greetings! I'm glad we could finally show you Umhlanga. That ribcage pier was wonderful to see and I think a fair idea of the actual size of a whale! 😳🐳 I don't blame that lady you chatted to one bit for putting Umhlanga at the top of her list should she ever return to SA, it's an incredibly beautiful place. The white marble temple had simple architecture, I thought, yet striking in its simplicity and so pristine! 💒 That bunny was a tad spicier than I thought I had ordered, but very good all the same! I had a good laugh at your funny Cockney story! I also use honking for smelling, I'm not sure where I got that from! 🤣 It was very cool to see all those luxury car dealers in a row, the Kwiddie felt in great company! 🚙😍
What a nice place, I was there 2 weeks.
I'm sure you had a fantastic time! 🚙😎
Have had timeshare at the Cabanas for almost 38 years now. It looks beautiful after the upgrade. So many wonderful memories.😊
Wow, you must've seen some major changes over the course of 38 years and know the town inside and out. It really is a beautiful place and you're fortunate to break away to it every so often! 🚙🏖️ I can only imagine the many happy memories! 😁
Nice Surprise!!! I thought you had neglected the Rich Cousins of the South, and were on your way to Free State. I used to live in the South Coast in the 90's (at Amanzimtoti in the huge zigzag building), and they used call us the Poor Cousins of the North.😂😂😂
Nope, just took a quick inland detour! 🚙😁 We never knew the North Coast as well as the South Coast and will always have a very soft spot for that southern part of the KZN coastline. There is no denying that Umhlanga is a gorgeous place though!
Hello, Can I ask when can we saw a Vidio of Cape town and her nice old buildings.
When we take a break from work every five weeks, we prefer hitting the long road. At the beginning of the year, we decided to stay at home during our off week and explored some of the places closer to home, including Cape Town in Episode 242. You're welcome to check it out. 🚙😁 The city is always busy though and very difficult to film as I normally do. It's also not an option to do it on foot since my wife is unable to join me.
Used t be lovely place. Now raw sewer runs into the lagoon and at times sewer running over the pomenade onto the main beaches. Our beautiful village gone. Wrecked by Ethekwini Metro. 😢
Yup, no place is without its problems. 🤷🏻♂️ Your town is still very beautiful though.
Hi Curtis. Are you not afraid of getting your camera and gimbal stolen whilst driving? 🤔😄
The truthful answer is yes, I am. 😨 That, as well as a few close calls on our travels, is the main reason we're limited to where and how much I can film in any town or place we visit. My head is permanently on a swivel though and both Sonia and I are super vigilant and take great care not to tempt any passers-by. (If you saw Episode 372 which I filmed in Pietermaritzburg, you would've noted I briefly brought the camera back inside the vehicle as we were driving down the very busy main road.)
I noticed that@@DustBugsTravel
Now i know where to find mild bunny chow thank you 😅
Wowzer, my eyes start watering all over again when I just think back to that bunny! 😅🍞 It was delicious though, so you can certainly give it a shot. Most folks handle spice much better than I do! 🥵
Ooohh wat leuk rond 12 minuten dat 2-zits bankje in de vorm van een walvis staart 😍🐳 Heel origineel bedacht. Sowieso een fraaie beach met ook nog eens een leuke vuurtoren. En alles wordt goed onderhouden er omheen, zo te zien, veel werklui komen in beeld. Een lust voor het oog deze aflevering, van een moderne, schone stad. Mooi vergezicht op dat Moses stadion, waar ons Oranje elftal tijdens het WK 2010 2x mocht spelen waaronder de 1/4 finale. Je zou bijna vergeten dat het bij jullie nog winter is met het mooie weer en de wilde golven. Wij ‘zuchten’ hier onder een onverwachtse nazomer met 30 graden dus ik ga eens mijn was op het balkon uithangen. Nog even genieten voordat het echt herfst wordt. Fijn om weer op reguliere basis ‘aan boord’ bij Dusty te zijn 😊🚘!
I'm glad you're back from your trip and that you're once more exploring parts of South Africa on our backseat with Dusty! 😍🧸 I also enjoyed the whaletail benches and the rib pier, I thought that was super cool! 🤩🐳 The lighthouse was a pretty sight against the backdrop of the ocean and this was a sign of a lot of pretty things to come in the rest of the town too. Lots of workers out-and-about and actually working, that was quite apparent and the town was clean and tidy. So cool the sight of the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the distance and that you were reminded of your cricket team, love that! And how fantastic that they reached the quarter-finals! 🏏🧡 You better enjoy the warmer weather before you freeze again soon! 🥶
@@DustBugsTravel haha het was ons voetbal team 😊⚽️ tijdens het WK voetbal. Waar we de finale haalden in het prachtige stadion in Kaapstad maar jammerlijk verloren tegen Spanje. Nederlandse soccer team & het WK winnen is tot heden geen gelukkige combinatie … maar hoop doet leven, hopelijk ooit wèl.
@@ingeborgvanderveer789 mijn overleden man was een groot voetbal fan. We supported England and particularly Liverpool. His father was from Liverpool. ⚽
@@annawitter5161 aha ik heb een prachtig Liverpool T-shirt en die zelf gekocht in Liverpool. Vorige week tijdens mijn dagtocht langs de Britse begraafplaatsen rondom de Slag van de Somme droeg ik dat shirt uit eerbetoon aan vele veel te jong gesneuvelde U.K. militairen. En natuurlijk ook de Zuid-Afrikaners geëerd bij het indrukwekkende Dellville Wood monument 🇿🇦
@@ingeborgvanderveer789 mijn man het ook een Liverpool t-shirt gehad met zijn naam Witter 68 achterop. Het was verjaardag geschenk van zijn zoon.
Ek will in kzn Gan bly
All the charm of old umhlanga rocks gone😢 too pretentious, too new, no soul, no character. All gone.
Had a chuckle over the hot bunny but felt totally jealous😅😂
The bunny was very hot and had me sweating quite a bit! 🍞😅 It was great to have an authentic bunny again and it tasted so much better because I had it in KZN. Sonia had a good chuckle too, I was clearing my throat for a while afterwards! 🤣
Lots of inaccuracies in your video, Umhlanga is not on the north coast of KZN its on the east coast. Umhlanga is split in two, Umhlanga Rocks and Umhlanga Ridge, please do more research before posting
If this upset you so much why are you watching this channel? It’s a lighthearted travel channel, take your negative comments somewhere else 😘
@Ettienne Scheepers We travel and upload our videos for fun, thanks for watching! 🚙😁
LOL Of course its on the east coast but it's north of Durban. There's no need to specify that it's on the east coast of Africa really unless you get confused between Umhlangha and Oranjemund. I believe you are just being a silly billy.
Actually that part of the coast is referred to as north and south coast. Referring to which side of Durban city you are along the coast. Even the road signs refer to north coast and south coast. Why make a comment like that if you not been there
@terrimeyer3815 That's how I always differentiated between the North and South coast of KZN. North of Durban and vice versa. 😁
Hallloooo, you must know that is theeee larniest place out. Good to see, thank you!!! It can be done, wish.🙃🙏🤍
Affluent for sure! 😁 Luckily we're equally comfortable in all surroundings, so that didn't bother us at all and it was fantastic to see so many beautiful buildings amid the spectacular KZN vegetation. Some of those modern buildings are phenomenal! 🚙🏤