Indaba 2007 – Durban First Impressions
Some journeys you are lucky, and some you aren’t. It started out interestingly enough, but it was one of those trips where you always pick the wrong queue and pay the penalty!
No Worries, after a journey full of queuing, the Mole finally arrived at the Southern Sun Hotel at North Beach, in Durban. It was straight into the burrow! Pulling back the curtains after a much needed sleep the next morning, a great view over the beach greeted the bleary eyes.
Back to reality and an ironing board was first on the agenda to sort out the shirts that didn’t travel too well. The pleasant beach vista put me into a good zen-like state, particularly as I was contemplating a dip in the briny. For a moment, the Mole even wondered if he could re-structure the ironing-board and paddle out….
The sun streamed into the dining room of the hotel as the Mole munched on his brekky and it took some convincing to leave… Driving to the International Convention Centre (and this is a real first impression, as I have not really seen the city in any great detail) the difference to Johannesburg is immediately apparent.
The city just felt a little more relaxed (It was Saturday!). Sports were being played along the way to the ICC and the security was not as noticeable as it is in Johannesburg. Still, the hotel did feature a first page note addressing safety and security. But it could have applied to many other cities as well – just the usual common-sense type stuff.
Arriving at Indaba, the new exhibition centre is quite impressive – you don’t realise exactly how big it is until you have had a good walkabout.
It is connected to the older Durban Convention Centre by outside walkways with open-air eateries and exhibitors focusing on the great outdoors (operators and wholesalers), making for a pleasant breakout between appointments!
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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