Today I celebrate the 400th continuous entry on the daily diary AND also - as it happens - The Oyster Box is the 500th 5-star hotel I have reviewed ... which is not bad for just under 12 years of being a travel journalist ... these are both milestones for me ... I will have a wee whisky to celebrate tonight!
We left on time last night from Heathrow and arrived in Johannesburg early this morning. I keep forgetting how easy the overnight flight to SA is ... AND there is only 1 hour time difference between the UK ... which is fabulous on my bodyclock.
We flew BA and were suprised how many empty seats there were in each class.
SA is gearing up for the soccer World Cup. I don't have a clue about soccer but I know an excited country when I see one! The airports have gone soccer crazy! It's going to be a good one ...
Anyway, the flight from London was 10.5 hours then we jumped onto an internal flight to Durban which took a further hour.
On arrival at Durban International Airport, we were shuttled - by our driver for the week Clifford - the 40 minutes to The Oyster Box in the affluent suburb of Umhlanga.
Tomorrow is hotel filming day but we did spend some time with the hotel General Manager Wayne Coetzer ... preparing for the next couple of days.
The boys are well and are prepping all the kit.
I did not make it to the swimming pool today ... the weather was not as good as expected so I opted for a delightful massage in the Spa. It was an hour treatment but I only remember the 2 minutes at the beginning and 2 at the end as I was in a deep sleep for the rest of it! My therapist Vanessa MUST have been amused!
An early supper tonight and then the work begins in earnest.
I am so happy to be here in Durban and The Oyster Box looks magnificent.
Song of the Day: Drive - The Cars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbTjzZzfR7w
Weather: Calm - rainy - calm - windy - warm - calm
The rather damp view as I am about to land in J'burg
The queues at the airport were very long!
I left my firearm at home! Darn it!
View of Durban ... no rain! Yay!
The airport - which is "decommissioned" on May 1st!
Really?? I am sure I am in Umhlanga!
The view from my Suite ... and yes, that IS a lighthouse
