Choppers

For some its a lifelong passion. Take a 1600cc customised bike engine and build a frame around it. Add a few extras and be prepared to write out a cheque for half a million rands. I was covering a car show at a local casino and came across these hand built choppers. One was dedicated to the local Sharks rugby team. Each part including a realistic shark fin on the tail had been hand made albeit some with the aid of computer technology. These machines became so powerful one could not apply full power on take off for fear of shredding the belt drive. The problem was solved by transfering power via a separate drive belt from the engine to the gear box. (thanks Mr Jee) They should really be displayed in an art gallery alongside the more mundane works of oil and pastels. I will be taking a break over the festive season so this blog will probably be a lot quieter as I attend to my overgrown jungle at home.

Christmas Shopping

Need some extra cash for Christmas. Why not hit a convenient cash exchange office next to one of Durban's top shopping centers.

A brazen gang took on the Musgrave Centre office block but had to hand back the $90 000 they took after stabbing staff and holding up an unguarded office. Two baddies were grabbed by police and one took his chances to behave like superman and jumped from a seventh floor window. After breaking a leg he was overheard telling the ambulance man to call his grandfather and tell him there would be no turkey on the menu this Christmas. Terrence Stone from eTV news was on hand to capture the action.

Lunch Time Music

Every two weeks the Durban Playhouse hosts a freebee concert in their Grand Foyer. The idea is to give local musos and performers a platform for exposure. This year alone 600 wannabes have strutted their stuff to appreciative audiences. Today was the grand finale and the lunch time crowd was treated to everything from traditional isiZulu singers to dudes playing John Lennon songs. Never a dull moment in this town!

Surf City

Durban is not called “Surf City” for nothing. It is host to a number of top rated international surfing competitions. Hard to believe that for years the Gunston 500 was the surfing event in South Africa. I never once saw a surfer smoking a Gunston while riding the waves. What a bizarre concept to set fire to a bunch of dried weeds and then place them in you mouth. Anyhow I digress. Today saw the finals of the Roxy Wahine cup which is SA’s biggest surf event for girls. Commercialism being what it is the event is held at a prominent Casino not known for great surf. Surf veteran Heather Clerk knows a thing or two about waves and took home the winners purse of R10 000 . I quote from the interview I did with her.

“I was the oldest in my heat. all the others were fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen. they gave me a run for my money. the day I have my walking stick on the beach is the day I'll give up surfing.”

Budds

One of Durban’s best kept secrets lies hidden amongst the hustle and bustle of Durbans harbour. “Budds on the Bay” offers some of the finest foods one can find in Durban.. If you stroll down from the deck of Budds there is a great view of some rustic old yachts hidden amongst the last remaining mangroves of Durban. Well worth a visit just watch out for the container trucks on Bayhead road.