A trip down memory lane.

Thursday we woke to a cloudy day - but the wind had at least stopped.  We decided to head to my old stomping ground today.  We GPS'd it out and off we went, it all came back so quick.  Once we turned off the M4 and onto Jacobs Road I turned of the GPS and it was all so familiar.  First stop was m old high school- Mowat Park- all gated up for Winter holidays but not much appears to have changed except the large gates and barbed wire all around.  Then we drove up the hill and at the first round about we were in Yellowwood Park.  Wow- what memories.  We drove around and nothing had changed- no new houses built, no rebuilt houses, but there are a quite a few run down.  There are many places that could use a clean up.  When we got to 76 Wren Way, there was a fence and gates all around.  There was a guy parked in the drive, when I asked if he was the owner he said no just the plumber but the owner was home.  So I knocked on the door and had a chat with him,- pretty cool.  He has lived there since 2007.  When I asked why every tree had been cut down he said it was due to the crime - there was no place for anyone to hide.  After my chat we left and drove up to the old Quail Road Elementary school- which is really just a huge over grown field and some building- pretty sad.   Then we took a drive down Coedmore and in Kenneth Stainbank Nature Reserve- we drove up to the castle- I remember so fondly doing girl guides up here.  Then we took a little walk in the hopes of seeing so wildlife- a few buck was like.  It is a great park- we spent so much time here as kids wether with school or family picnics- truly beautiful. We drove around and then stopped at the SPAR to pick up some lunch to take to the beach.  The SPAR is huge now- but all the other strip stores are the same.
Then we were off to the Bluff for a bite on the beach.  Nothing much appears to have changed up there- we ate our lunch and had a quick walk- but it was pretty cold.
After the walk down memory lane we headed back to Umhlanga- the route took us downtown which has really changed a lot- I didn't even realize  I was driving down the old West Street until I saw the sign for Murchies Passage!  Back at the apartment we changed and headed down to the Umhlanga board walk for a meander.  It is beautiful down there- the girls dipped in the ocean, we had a coffee and spent a good while down there.  By the time darkness was setting in we came back- freshened up and headed to Lynne and Errols friends on the Berea for a braai.  We met Alan and Geraldine and Robynne and Jenna, we got to sit around and experience a SA braai.  Very cool and lucky to feel so included.  Then it was 11 and we drove home.  The roads are very deserted at night so quiet.  We made it home in 20 minutes with not hiccups.  A great day all round.