D is for Durban

Durban is a used to be city. As in it used to be much better then the reality of the moment. The Golden Mile was once the holiday destination of the East Coast. Nowdays most of the hotels are falling apart and the area is rife with crime.

I still have the memories of Durban when I was kid. People still shopped in the inner city, The Wheel was the place to be seen and Thirsty's on the Point  was an institution that everybody thought would last forever.

The likes of The Pavillion and Gateway mean that people avoid the inner city as far as possible. I had to go there three years ago for a US visa. It was an eye opener to be back after so many years. The Wheel is now the place to be mugged and it doesn't even have a wheel on the side of the building anymore. Thirsty's was torn down years ago so that the harbour could be widened. Point Rd is now Mahatma Gahndi Road although some things don't change. Point Road is still full of drug pushers and prostitutes despites the municipal efforts to clean up the area.

Durban is a sad place now. A friend from the US remarked that it looked like Detroit. Another city that has passed its golden heyday.

Still if you move away from the inner city there are still some good points.

Florida Road is filled with great restaurants and pubs.

Ushaka Marine World is a really nice place to take the kids for day out and it truly is an impressive aquarium.

Moyo on the Pier at Ushaka is a romantic spot for sundowner drinks.

9th Avenue Bistro in Morningside is one of the best restaurants in the country and continuely wins awards.

There are also a few great spots to stay.

I can highly recommend The Concierge Bungalows. Fun, quirky spot with great breakfasts. Ideal for a romantic weekend away.

If you are going with kids I would stay further North in Umhlangha or Ballito and just head into Durban for the day. The beaches up North are much better and the places to stay far more child friendly.

I still enjoy going to Durban but there are areas that break my heart now and I can't help it. This is the city I spent my childhood in and perhaps the saying that you can never go back rings true here. Sometimes it's better to hold onto memories then see the reality.

So on that depressing note:)