I understand that Mtunzini is due to grow - a lot! For decades it has been a quiet little retirement village. Most of the residents are retired and those who would otherwise live here, prefer to live in Empangeni or in Richards Bay - these centres are larger but the better shopping centres are in Richards Bay. I have found that Ballito is only slightly further south than is Richards Bay for shopping. It takes about an hour to drive to Ballito but takes 45 minutes to drive to Richards Bay,
Near to Mtunzini is the University of Zululand and I know that many of the professors from there, live in Mtunzini and commute daily!
I have recently found that I have reached an age where I have retirement annuity policies maturing! When I took them out just after I started work, it seemed like they would never mature. Now I have them maturing and I have to consider how to invest the proceeds.
I see that the best way is to purchase property - no matter what the government does, bricks and mortar are always there! In Zimbabwe, the economy imploded and the financial institutions went toes up! The only way to avoid this is to have bought property - although the State President has made sounds that no white man will ever own land there again. Locally, the leader of a minority party, has shouted that the same will apply to SA but he is not in power! I know that it was common in the capital city in Zimbabwe for investment in ferro concrete yachts. All they needed to get their capital out was to load it onto a truck and transport it to the coast!
Nearest coastline was at Beira in Mocambique - still called that and if the efforts of the colonial Portuguese was anything to go by, it still exists just as it was in the 1970's, the numerous potholes bigger and more in quantity.
My cousin was killed in Mocambique and not very long ago, a group of soldiers found the site the Puma was shot down. Buildings that had been damaged by FN rifle fire, had - 35 years after damage - not been re-plastered or even repainted!
My parents, brothers and I often went down to Beira to the sea. When it got too dangerous (terrorists aiming at tourists from then Rhodesia) we trekked to South Africa where we fell in love with Mtunzini and when we chose to leave Zimbabwe, we headed for Mtunzini and all males in our household, found work in Empangeni - and that was before the completion of the N2 Toll route!
It would be amazing to see if many of the attractions of Beira still exist! We used to stay in the Chalets at the Estoril but when we were last there, they were collapsing in the beach sand and there was a shipwreck on the beach that must have long since rusted away! I have the impression that these chalets have long since been swallowed up in the sea!
At the zoo in Beira is where I and my 2 brothers were bitten by a lion! Ruff was only about a month old and we only got temporary tooth marks on our hands and wrists - no blood and no scars - but I swear that I have been bitten by a real live, wild African Lion! Makes a great story, even if it was only playfully by a kitten!
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Living in Mtunzini is like living in paradise! The sky is clear and very blue, the sea is reflecting this blue and there are wild Zebra roaming free in the streets! They look tame, munching on the grass opposite Spar or on the golf course, but you have to remember that they are WILD. If you are not careful and stand behind them, they will kick!
They are not always easy to see and it takes some searching to find them. They do rather like the golf course and you can see them often from the Clay Oven, a restaurant on the main street, overlooking the golf course, lagoon, dune forest, Port Durnford and the sea where you can see the ships waiting to enter the harbour at Richards Bay.
Port Durnford, in 1879, was actually a port - of sorts. There was a jetty out to sea where ships offloading cargo or troops would berth as the breakers here are not so rough - the offshore coral reef protects the beach! Trouble is that this reef (Glenton Reef) that formed off of the mouth of the Umlalazi River, is a safe breeding ground for sharks. Strange then that even though there are no shark nets here, the only shark attack was 35 years ago. Even then, this surfer was not very bright - se was surfing in the evening, it was raining - just off shore from a flooded river. The shark thought she was a meal washed out to sea!
I have heard that sharks don't like being in the lagoon (salt water right up to where the N2 freeway crosses the Umlalazi River) because the crocodiles scare them off! The crocs live upstream of the road bridge and very seldom venture closer to the actual sea! We live in wildest Africa - if the cars don't get you, the chances are high that you will be kicked by a Zebra, or bitten by a shark - or a crocodile!
This was well before Richards Bay became a port. It amazes me that since majority rule, many names have been changed but not those of Richards Bay (named after a commander of the Anglo Forces in the Anglo/Zulu war of 1879!) or of Port Durnford. Sir Anthony Durnford was in charge of the Anglo armies who fought in the Anglo/Zulu war of 1879.If any names deserve to be changed, surely commemorations of the victors in the war of 1879, should be top of the list!
There is a railway line that runs through Mtunzini. . Sometimes you can hear trains but these are few and far between! If Global Warming were such an imminent danger, would it not make sense to rail products rather than run heavy diesel transport? I am of the opinion that man must not abuse his position, but must also bear in mind that Heavenly Father would not allow man to irreversibly damage the environment! Man has been terrified into thinking that he has - in his ignorance - become powerful enough to damage his home created by God!
You only need to look around you at green trees, blue skies and animals, to realise that a loving Heavenly Father has created a suitable home for us to live in - and ENJOY! Why would He allow his creation (Man) to grow so strong that in his ignorance, he would destroy the world - created by an all knowing, all powerful God. If we had evolved, why have we not evolved gills and webbed feet - to cope with melting ice caps?
They are not always easy to see and it takes some searching to find them. They do rather like the golf course and you can see them often from the Clay Oven, a restaurant on the main street, overlooking the golf course, lagoon, dune forest, Port Durnford and the sea where you can see the ships waiting to enter the harbour at Richards Bay.
Port Durnford, in 1879, was actually a port - of sorts. There was a jetty out to sea where ships offloading cargo or troops would berth as the breakers here are not so rough - the offshore coral reef protects the beach! Trouble is that this reef (Glenton Reef) that formed off of the mouth of the Umlalazi River, is a safe breeding ground for sharks. Strange then that even though there are no shark nets here, the only shark attack was 35 years ago. Even then, this surfer was not very bright - se was surfing in the evening, it was raining - just off shore from a flooded river. The shark thought she was a meal washed out to sea!
I have heard that sharks don't like being in the lagoon (salt water right up to where the N2 freeway crosses the Umlalazi River) because the crocodiles scare them off! The crocs live upstream of the road bridge and very seldom venture closer to the actual sea! We live in wildest Africa - if the cars don't get you, the chances are high that you will be kicked by a Zebra, or bitten by a shark - or a crocodile!
This was well before Richards Bay became a port. It amazes me that since majority rule, many names have been changed but not those of Richards Bay (named after a commander of the Anglo Forces in the Anglo/Zulu war of 1879!) or of Port Durnford. Sir Anthony Durnford was in charge of the Anglo armies who fought in the Anglo/Zulu war of 1879.If any names deserve to be changed, surely commemorations of the victors in the war of 1879, should be top of the list!
There is a railway line that runs through Mtunzini. . Sometimes you can hear trains but these are few and far between! If Global Warming were such an imminent danger, would it not make sense to rail products rather than run heavy diesel transport? I am of the opinion that man must not abuse his position, but must also bear in mind that Heavenly Father would not allow man to irreversibly damage the environment! Man has been terrified into thinking that he has - in his ignorance - become powerful enough to damage his home created by God!
You only need to look around you at green trees, blue skies and animals, to realise that a loving Heavenly Father has created a suitable home for us to live in - and ENJOY! Why would He allow his creation (Man) to grow so strong that in his ignorance, he would destroy the world - created by an all knowing, all powerful God. If we had evolved, why have we not evolved gills and webbed feet - to cope with melting ice caps?
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Boy does time fly? I upgraded my computer and lost the ability to update my blog. I was inspired today to access it and after a while, here I am again - a year older and a bit different!
I am not enjoying the cold that is creeping into Zululand at the moment. I am really uncomfortable in the cold, when it seeps into my bones and my titanium heel (operation to improve my balance) tends to absorb the cold. It gets painful and I can barely stand, although the adjustment to the muscle in my heel stopped my heel from pulling me off balance. Last time I flew, the airport alarms went off when I was scanned. That may have been the titanium heel or maybe from something in my moon boot! Thank Heavens I no longer need to wear it that often but I still wear it when I know that I am going to be on my feet a lot!
I spoilt myself that day, by flying Business Class. That made it difficult to reconcile flying in Economy with spoiling myself in Business Class. I understand that if I use my American Express card, I can upgrade at no cost to Business Class.
In Mtunzini village, there are currently 3 Zebra that wander the village. They look tame but there have been reports of people bitten or kicked by them. Prime rule that I have known since I was old enough to stand is that Zebra kick if you get behind them. My Dad has - ever since I can remember - had false teeth, because before I was born, a Zebra kicked him in the mouth.
I am not enjoying the cold that is creeping into Zululand at the moment. I am really uncomfortable in the cold, when it seeps into my bones and my titanium heel (operation to improve my balance) tends to absorb the cold. It gets painful and I can barely stand, although the adjustment to the muscle in my heel stopped my heel from pulling me off balance. Last time I flew, the airport alarms went off when I was scanned. That may have been the titanium heel or maybe from something in my moon boot! Thank Heavens I no longer need to wear it that often but I still wear it when I know that I am going to be on my feet a lot!
I spoilt myself that day, by flying Business Class. That made it difficult to reconcile flying in Economy with spoiling myself in Business Class. I understand that if I use my American Express card, I can upgrade at no cost to Business Class.
In Mtunzini village, there are currently 3 Zebra that wander the village. They look tame but there have been reports of people bitten or kicked by them. Prime rule that I have known since I was old enough to stand is that Zebra kick if you get behind them. My Dad has - ever since I can remember - had false teeth, because before I was born, a Zebra kicked him in the mouth.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Time flies
You blink and before you know it, months have passed by. My life - even as a forced retiree - is hectic - too hectic!
I need to set aside - at least once every 2 weeks, to blog!
At my branch of the LDS Church recently, someone entered the chapel, using keys, and they cut the power and stripped out the distribution board - as well as the prepaid meter! As far as I can ascertain, the replacement parts cost just over R 100 ($10) and the central Eskom computer will only allow prepaid power at the chapel site. The 200 units of power - enough for 6 - 8 months at least! - is wiped clean except for at our installation. The meter requires a computer card to buy more electricity, so the old meter is only so much invaluable scrap.
Eskom need to reinstal a new meter and this can take anything up to 10 months to get action.
Only benefit is that it is winter here, and we will not need the fans until October, and we can survive without lights indefinitely. We are due to have sessions of General Conference broadcast come October, but I am positive we can arrange some alternative plan.
I need to set aside - at least once every 2 weeks, to blog!
At my branch of the LDS Church recently, someone entered the chapel, using keys, and they cut the power and stripped out the distribution board - as well as the prepaid meter! As far as I can ascertain, the replacement parts cost just over R 100 ($10) and the central Eskom computer will only allow prepaid power at the chapel site. The 200 units of power - enough for 6 - 8 months at least! - is wiped clean except for at our installation. The meter requires a computer card to buy more electricity, so the old meter is only so much invaluable scrap.
Eskom need to reinstal a new meter and this can take anything up to 10 months to get action.
Only benefit is that it is winter here, and we will not need the fans until October, and we can survive without lights indefinitely. We are due to have sessions of General Conference broadcast come October, but I am positive we can arrange some alternative plan.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Blogging
I started my blogging where I posted many blogs. Lately it seems that I have little or no free time to rant! Looks like I have to set aside time every few days to blog again.
This last week, I was notified by my cellular provider that my one cell contract - that I use exclusively for data transfer - needs upgrading. I went in to investigate what is available on upgrade and I have a really wide choice of machines. I opted for a Samsung Tablet instead of a second Blackberry. The benefit is a 10 inch screen. I have found that a Tablet would serve me really well in my Church callings as District Council member AND as 1st counsellor on the Port Durnford Branch Presidency. The main benefit is that I can save things like the LDS scriptures, my Leadership manuals and past editions of the Churrch magazine to computer, to be used in meetings and preparing Sacrament talks! The camera it replaces is only used to SMS and can be set up to Email, not to make voice calls, so it should be no problem that I have to change from a call contract to a data contract! The other thing that stunned me was that I get 1 Gig a month voice contact, but have to change it to a 2 Gig/month data contract! Am I glad that there is technology has changed from when I left school, to where devices are available to make your life significantly more bearable. My ex wife cannot see this, but that HAS to be her cross to bear!
I enjoy being able to talk on behalf of the District Council as it is some 2 decades since I was run over and it is by the grace of a loving God that I can speak louder than a whisper. I still really battle to breathe in the industrial air of Richards Bay! There my diaphram reacts really badly to the polluted fallout from factories like the Mondi papermill, Alusaf (aluminium smelting) and other industry! I find in the Bay, I can breathe properly for the first half an hour, then the pollution gets to my spastic diaphram, and I cannot breathe. I realised long back that if you cannot breathe properly, you have a snowballs hope on the beach, of speaking well. I am so fortunate to live where there is an almost constant clean sea breeze.
It can be really frustrating to realise that something that I did so effortlessly growing up, is now a strain! Speech (free and easy) and unhindered movement are 2 of the things that I miss so much from BC (Before Crash) I realise that my physically changed body is a huge reason that my ex wife decided that she was better off without me! She does not realise that I am doing my best to cope wih disability (with the assistance of drugs) I realise that the MVA accident changed me, and she could not cope with the change from fit and completely healthy to disabled. I cope (I think) because I have to, not because it is seen to be the correct thing!
This last week, I was notified by my cellular provider that my one cell contract - that I use exclusively for data transfer - needs upgrading. I went in to investigate what is available on upgrade and I have a really wide choice of machines. I opted for a Samsung Tablet instead of a second Blackberry. The benefit is a 10 inch screen. I have found that a Tablet would serve me really well in my Church callings as District Council member AND as 1st counsellor on the Port Durnford Branch Presidency. The main benefit is that I can save things like the LDS scriptures, my Leadership manuals and past editions of the Churrch magazine to computer, to be used in meetings and preparing Sacrament talks! The camera it replaces is only used to SMS and can be set up to Email, not to make voice calls, so it should be no problem that I have to change from a call contract to a data contract! The other thing that stunned me was that I get 1 Gig a month voice contact, but have to change it to a 2 Gig/month data contract! Am I glad that there is technology has changed from when I left school, to where devices are available to make your life significantly more bearable. My ex wife cannot see this, but that HAS to be her cross to bear!
I enjoy being able to talk on behalf of the District Council as it is some 2 decades since I was run over and it is by the grace of a loving God that I can speak louder than a whisper. I still really battle to breathe in the industrial air of Richards Bay! There my diaphram reacts really badly to the polluted fallout from factories like the Mondi papermill, Alusaf (aluminium smelting) and other industry! I find in the Bay, I can breathe properly for the first half an hour, then the pollution gets to my spastic diaphram, and I cannot breathe. I realised long back that if you cannot breathe properly, you have a snowballs hope on the beach, of speaking well. I am so fortunate to live where there is an almost constant clean sea breeze.
It can be really frustrating to realise that something that I did so effortlessly growing up, is now a strain! Speech (free and easy) and unhindered movement are 2 of the things that I miss so much from BC (Before Crash) I realise that my physically changed body is a huge reason that my ex wife decided that she was better off without me! She does not realise that I am doing my best to cope wih disability (with the assistance of drugs) I realise that the MVA accident changed me, and she could not cope with the change from fit and completely healthy to disabled. I cope (I think) because I have to, not because it is seen to be the correct thing!
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Off-road bliss
I dont generally get much chance to take my 4x4 Landrover Discovery far off road - in fact it generally only goes as far off-road as the parking bays at the local mall. It does go into the Game Reserve locally but there, the worst it gets is sand tracks through the veld!
This weekend, I was extremely grateful for the 4 wheel drive when the dirt road to the Chapel in Port Durnford was a 300 meter stretch of mud, and where the road turned into the gate of the chapel, was a real quagmire. If I had been in a usual 2x4 car, I WOULD have been stuck in the mud!
Looking at the Mag Wheels (16 inch instead of the usual 13 inch rims) they showed that the wheels were deep in mud and I had to engage low range to get through without getting stuck!
I LOVE my off-roader - despite the looks I get of it being an environmentally unfriendly gas guzzler - V8 and Automatic!
This weekend, I was extremely grateful for the 4 wheel drive when the dirt road to the Chapel in Port Durnford was a 300 meter stretch of mud, and where the road turned into the gate of the chapel, was a real quagmire. If I had been in a usual 2x4 car, I WOULD have been stuck in the mud!
Looking at the Mag Wheels (16 inch instead of the usual 13 inch rims) they showed that the wheels were deep in mud and I had to engage low range to get through without getting stuck!
I LOVE my off-roader - despite the looks I get of it being an environmentally unfriendly gas guzzler - V8 and Automatic!
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Durban
Durbam - from one of the jetty structures from Addington Beach\\
This is taken, facing west (you cannot face East here! To the south (left) is Ushaka Marine World and north is the soccer stadium built for the World Cup of 2010.
Shockingly the anticipated upgrade to the roads that was expected for the World Cup, has not yet been finalised! So much for the best laid plans of men!
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