Durban

Durban is the second most populous conurbation in South Africa with 3,350,000 calling it home. It's famous for having the busiest port on the whole of the African continent and attracts hordes of tourists keen to sample the golden beaches as well as the Golden Mile.

So what's the Golden Mile? Well, I'll tell you. It's a mile of beachfront where not only can you relax on the wide sandy beach, but you can enjoy relatively safe swimming and surfing thanks to the shark nets and lifeguards in place to prevent you from becoming something's lunch. If the sea isn't really your thing, then there's plenty else to do. The properties along the front are mainly residential appartments and tourist hotels, as well as nightclubs, bars and restaurants. You can do a little shopping on your way to the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World, a modern complex catering for the modern tourist.

But it's not just shopping and gambling in this city. You can go to the minature city - a replica of the city which takes much less time to get around! The uShaka Marine World has an aquarium, water park and, just when you thought it was safe to go into the marine centre, the world's largest shark tank. There's no getting away from them here! A visit to the traditional markets will give you some insight into how the locals live - and what they eat. The food here is an integral part of the Durban experience.

There's the traditional African appetizers such as dumplings, tripe, samp and inyama, which is meat. If you're feeling adventurous you could opt for a smiley. This is a boiled sheep's head. I assume they're smiling as you eat them, or else the name is a lot more subtle than that. A popular Zulu food that you should try is amagwinya. This is a mixture of water, sugar, salt and flour which are rolled into balls and fried in oil until a tempting brown colour. They are delicious. Maybe you prefer chickens feet. If you do then you're in luck. Just ask for walkie talkies, the local name for them. Finally, sour milk is considered tasty, either drunk or mixed with porridge. But whatever your tastes, you need a little patience while your food is prepared but it'll be worth the wait.