Comrades Day and our guests are there

It's the Comrades Marathon along the route from Pietermaritzburg tomorrow. Good luck to our guests Jan, Richard and Zander who will be making the over 85km downhill run to the finish in Durban. Some 18 000 runners will be competing this year and I have watched the race from alongside the road since I was a kid at school. It's South Africa's premier ultra-marathon and is up there as one of the world's best and reknowned races. We will be at the finish this year, so looking forward to seeing some stunning performances and to cheer our brother-in-law Matt to the finish as well as hoping to see our guests cross the line. 

Gay boys and girls go flying

Our "gay" plane sporting the rainbow flag is home after some weeks waiting for propellor spares from New Zealand. Today was a glorious day in Durban and a chance for a long-time good friend Charissa and I to take to the skies over Durban.

Charissa with Dave piloting Sling Aircraft ZDL owned by Guesthouse owners and partners Dave and Llewellyn

The rainbow flag says it all

The Sling "cockpit" with GPS "glass" avionics and autopilot

Dave and Charissa. 

Dave and Llewellyn fly for fun, but Dave has also recently opened Durban Skyye Flight School in Durban and offers full pilot training as well as intro flights in both microlight as well as fixed wing planes.

Swiss guests for famous beer and burger at Billys

Enjoying a return to Durban and Durban View Guesthouse from Switzerland are Jean-Philippe and Urs who joined us for the beer and burger special at our favourite pub "Billy's" close by.

Jean-Philippe and Urs and the knock-out burgers from Billys

Great to have you back with us guys

Joining Llew's dad in Los Angeles

We had a visit to Long Beach, California to meet Llewellyn's dad who has relocated there with his new wife Karin.

Owen (Llewellyn's Dad), Llew and Dave in Los Angeles earlier this month

Seaplane flying out of Durban harbour

Durban has it coming - having just returned from the States with my USA Pilot's licence and seaplane rating, I am keen to see Durban following. Apparently there is a seaplane operating out of Langebaan lagoon north of Cape Town and I understand that there are a handful of (including myself) qualified seaplane pilot's in South Africa. The amphibian (can take off on land or water) is operated by Wings and Tracks from Brits near Johannesburg and they also land on a dam near there.

I am going to fetch our new flight school Sling plane in Cape Town next weekend and will have time to go up to Langebaan to see the Seagle in action and maybe even fly the plane.

The Seagle Amphibian which flies out of Langebaan lagoon

Durban Harbour and Vetch's pier could be good landing spots for an amphibian based in Durban with training though Durban Skyye Flight School based at Virginia.

The popular Foxbat plane in South Africa can also be fitted with floats to land on both water and land (with retractable wheels) 

Bundu Aviation from Bronkhorstspruit also supply Zenair floats that can be fitted to a variety of planes

See more African adventure stories on my aviation blog linked here.