After the months and months of lockdown, the enforced isolation, the loneliness and boredom, the past few days have been wonderful, breathing whole new life into me. I feel like a new person!

My little 3-day trip with Mick and Debbie to Mtunzini up the North Coast, in the “old days” wouldn’t have been so highly anticipated! Of course, I love being with Mick and Debbie but it wasn’t an earth-shattering event back then. But now? It felt like the whole world was opening up again (which of course it isn’t, at least not here!).

Just being on the way somewhere that didn’t entail a grocery store was an adventure! And just being around people on a regular basis was novel! I spend so much time on my own, usually that it almost felt foreign being in house/chalet with someone else! Add in the beach, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

What was really weird, the days before the trip, that I felt a huge amount of trepidation about going anywhere. How strange for me, someone who has always traveled and taken trips at the drop of a hat. I was almost fearful, l a first time, newbie traveler. However, I got over that quite quickly, once we were on the road.

I haven’t been up the North Coast for at least 4 years; the last time when Zoze and I went to write about Tapanga Rum and before that it was at least 10 years on assignment with Country Life. So although the main highway is a bit wider, there aren’t many changes (except tolls). The rolling hills are still carpeted with sugar cane, as far as the eye can see. Small settlements dot the hills, here and there, with a few areas being replanted with macadamia trees.

Mtunzini Forest Lodge is a time-share facility, tucked into the coastal forests that hug the shoreline. Each chalet is self-catering and self-contained, surrounded by indigenous trees and bush - and alive with monkeys!

Arriving late afternoon, we followed the beach path through the bush, walked the boardwalk over the small river and climbed the high dunes for the spectacular view of the beach which stretched for miles both north and south with not a soul in sight. We didn’t immediately dash into the waves, as the sea was not very clean. The might Tugela river meets the ocean south of where we were, with the northerly current running close to shore, bringing the river water with it. But we paddled in the surf line, wishing it were cleaner but knowing how sharks and other large fish prefer the dirtier waters and didn’t feel brave enough to venture in.

The following three mornings, bright and early, Debbie and I hiked out to the beach, climbing the dunes and loving the sunrise and peace and quiet of the empty beach. One morning we made it just in time for the sunrise to cast the whole coastline in gold! What a magical moment which almost wasn’t! Climbing the backside of the dune as fast as we could, slipping in the slippery, sandy slope as the sky slowly turned orange, right at the summit, the sand gave way under my feet and I fell to my knees! But managed to “get the shot” as the sun lifted itself out of the ocean!

Mid-summer in Zululand is h-o-t! 32C (90F) and 100% humidity is enervating! The chalets don’t have air conditioning, but we ventured forth to first, the Raphia Palm Forest, with its boardwalk that winds through the towering palms. Initially we were the only ones there, and all you heard was the sighing of the wind through the palms. Perfectly peaceful. (Very different from the night before, when the neighboring chalet hosted a very loud party with the most godawful music and yelling and screaming! None of us got much sleep! Fortunately they left the next day!)

Then it was off to Eshowe, about 45 minutes away to walk through the Dlinza Forest Aerial Boardwalk in the tree canopy. And climb the tower to look out over the vast indigenous forest. My knees went very weak as I climbed up to the top platform, which has a grate floor, so did not look down, just out! The trees are huge and because of the sub-tropical climate, branches are covered with epiphytic plants of all sorts. Out timing was a bit off, arriving in the middle of the day, so Mick and Debbie were disappointed that we saw very few birds as it was too hot. But we did see a spotted ground thrush in her camouflaged nest that was pointed out to us and would have completely missed!

Covid has affected this country so intensely and the trickle down effects became very apparent during the next few hours.

Eshowe has been a thriving country town for eons, being the oldest town of European settlement in Zululand. Now, stores are shuttered, restaurants and coffee shops are all closed we came to find out as we searched for somewhere to have lunch. All the local places recommended by various apps and sites were closed, gone for good. Which unbeknownst to me, caused Mick and Debbie some consternation!

They had told me earlier that they were taking me out to dinner for my upcoming birthday so I suggested I take them to lunch and so there was back and forth on whether to do lunch or dinner! It ended up, sadly, to be a moot point, as every place was closed and not likely to open any time soon. It was decided we would just go home, have lunch at the chalet and dinner at the restaurant on the property. Mick and Debbie seemed rather disappointed which puzzled me, but hey! after a good G&T, who cares!

Just before 7, we made our way to the restaurant, with trepidation as country music blared through the still night and we wondered what we would find! It’s a reasonably large facility with a pub and restaurant. We were greeted by a young host/waiter, and looking around we realized we were the only patrons, besides 2 people in the pub! We were seated - wherever we wanted! Which was around the corner to muffle the music a bit! Presented with the drink specials, we were very politely informed that the menu was limited and that the kitchen closed in 30 minutes! Mick and Debbie caved in. Mick said, “Betsy is taking us to dinner.” Dear Betsy had sent Mick money to take us out to dinner for my birthday! Now it all made sense why they were anxious to find a place!

Of course, it was so funny, the whole scenario with the limited menu and cheap drinks! Trying to find somewhere special which in “normal” times, wouldn’t have been an issue.

Once we got over the laughter, we were saddened by the fact that all those businesses were gone; that hundreds of people had lost their sources of livelihood, with no positive outlook for the future. It was a sobering note.

But the circumstances made a great memory! Sad in a lot of ways, but also funny as I think back about how M&D tried to find a place without letting on why it was so important.

Back home now, just for the night and heading out tomorrow morning for another 3-day beach stay at Tugela Mouth.