Arrived in Umtentweni last night on the baz bus fairly late, so had a quick dinner then fell asleep. Throughout the night, I was tempted by the constant crashing of the waves that seemed just outside my window. I woke up in time to see the sun rising with a cup of (instant but posh) coffee. Beautiful.
Headed down to the beach upon finishing the coffee and searched for the least dangerous area to dip my toes into. This part of the country is great for surfing, but may not be too inviting those, like myself, who just wanted to do a bit of swimming.
There is a beautiful part of the beach that has big black rocks out a bit which serves as an excellent break and, so, I found the perfect spot for a bit of swimming. So, I jumped into the warm winter water.
After a bit, I started to get a bit famished, so headed off to the nearest kwicspar for some breakfast y grub. Found some eggs and lovely South African risks for breakfast. But, as always, I bring back more than necessary so am always carrying around plenty of fresh veg and the like.
On my way back from the shop, I spy an antiques shop so amble in. Oh, I am so tempted by so many things but fortunately the size of my bag and the amount of things I have already acquired limited my dreams of a new (old) phonograph, but I did pick up a very useful bit of kit that I had been looking for for ages and was always too expensive on Amazon - I found a beach chair. You know, the type of chair with no legs? So you can sit on the beach - or floor as I am wont to do. And it is reversible - or at least I make it so regardless of whether or not it was built to be flipped. So it is perfect for my on the floor of the flat. Better than a cushion or stack of pillows..... But WWAT? (that is, 'What will Aida think?').
Made it back, hands full of goods and goodies. Made a lovely breakfast, then headed back to the beach with a book and my new chair - see, already paying dividends! I am reading Truman Capotes collection of short stories. Excellent reading for the beach. Short enough to get through before being distracted by the crashing waves, but engaging. So, I did a lot of day dreaming and wave gazing. lovely!
Go hungry again. All of that fresh air, so headed the 10 meters back to the backpackers, The Spot, to fix a salad with toast. Easy and light. Waited 30 minutes then headed back into the now much rougher ocean. Was battered around a bit with big crashing waves but still what an experience.
Dried off in the stiff wind - again, employing the ever so useful each chair but still was covered by sand that was rudely slapped on my by the giant crashing waves all around me.
So, had to take a long hot shower to get all of the sand out of every nook, cranny and fold. Went back to another coffee, my third of the day, and the book. I sat just inside the bsckpackers property with the sounds of crashing waves ever present and it was so relaxing.
Dinner of boiled eggs and another salad ( trying to eat a bit lighter as the last couple of weeks have been a bit of a feast, much to my surprise). And now I await for the baz bus to Durban and the Happy Hippo backpackers and back on the job. I have meetings tomorrow and Saturday in preparation for the applied theatre students arrival on Tuesday evening and I am sure I will find much to do in Durban.
