Durbanites

No matter where I travel in the world, it’s the people I remember most.

More than any other aspect (food, architecture, nature, history), it’s the people who make a place. Nowhere is that more true than in the great city of Durban.

My week-long exploration of this city-by-the-sea revealed many things, beginning with the realization that despite Durban’s many interesting sights, it is not so much a sightseeing destination. Rather, Durban is a city of doing and being: taking in the great blue scope of the ocean, dipping into curry so hot your eyes burn, catching the trailing music of the townships, and tapping into the thumping heartbeat of Africa’s nonstop rhythm and traffic.

I love the beach here. I love Durban’s the weird and wonderful blend of Zulu, Indian, and British cultures. I love the parade of ships lined up for miles along the shore, waiting their turn to load and unload in the historic port. But most of all, I love all the people I met in this fast-changing South African city.

These are just a handful of the new friends I found on Durban’s shores.