Durban botanic garden

After two weeks spent along the golden coastline, I chose to say goodbye to Durban in a number of ways yesterday. One of then was to visit the botanical gardens, the oldest surviving one in Africa, for the first time.
I'm surprised and sorry that I've not been there before.
I'm a sentimental person and gardens always allow me to sense the pulse of a place I've visited, in particular a place that I've thrown myself into enjoying.
I met journalist Patricia McCracken there; we had originally bonded in Maputo's derelict but grand botanical garden way back in 2006.
Yesterday we were able to celebrate how vastly improved our lives are since that meeting, which developed into a wonderfully batty friendship.
At the time we were both trapped in corporate prisonships more commonly known as 'a career'.
Life is a lot more beautiful. And I'm free.