Reliving Durban July

Mpho Tlale | Friday July 11, 2014 12:26

 

Though I attended the event last year, the trip then was very methodical, straightforward and right to the point: We flew directly from Gaborone to Durban and back with no in-betweens.

This year, however,  I had an exceptional travel experience. After flying to Joburg last week  Thursday, we connected to Durban and rode the night away on a Premier Classe deluxe train.

This train can better be described as a hotel on rails because it is fully equipped with everything to make the journey shorter than it is.  For starters, there are air-conditioned sleeper couches with single and double-bed cabins, a dining lounge that offers breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as communal lavatories and showers. The cherry on top is the superb hospitality.

Even in the lap of luxury, my heart still warmed-up more to the club experience than anything else.  I treasure the experience of partying on a moving train because it is such a contrasting exprience from my day-to-day activities and took me out of my comfort zone.  I speak for my fellow Batswana travel mates when I say that the train club was a crazy, but fun experience.  We let our hair down, literally partied the night away and greeted the morning. 

Because we no longer have a passenger travel train in Botswana and have limited options for a fully active nightlife, it only made sense to capitalise on what the foreign land had to offer for  entertainment.

I am guessing the maximum of hours I slept on the train before getting the wake up knock on my door was probably two.  My drill is always simple: I make the most of my time away from my office cubicle and Gaborone.

After some stops here and there, we eventually made it to our hotel on Friday evening.  When Saturday morning arrived, everyone was amped up.  The dress code said it all and everyone was dressed to the nines.  For once, I also defied my comfort in fashion sense and went for an all-out glam look.  The Botswana crew also looked hotter than hot- they were on their A- game.

Durban July can never be declared Durban July without crazy outfits.  Even though it is a horse racing event, fashion has also managed to secure itself a spot at the Greyville racecourse.  You’re more likely to get an answer about who wore what, than you would about who won the race from many an attendee.

I basked in the fashion scene and appreciated the creativity and energy that people put into their outfits.  Although there were ridiculous outfits, I did love how they defied any set of rules and stood out.  Anyway, I believe when one chooses a Durban July outfit, they do so with the intention of  pushing the limit and basking in the spirit of the event and have fun.