In this Escape Artist tale the writer reveals a
different side of Durban, South Africa. An ugly side where even the most precautious travelers are violated by the
growing desperate population of poor hopeless teens and vandals. The beginning of this story starts like most filled
with picturesque words from guide books describing warm sandy%uFFFD Indian Ocean beaches and shores, the city’s
culturally mixed communities, along with Indian curries and the markets. An African paradise or not so much? The quick
two-day run through the city went awry moments after leaving their hotel when the writer’s husband (a photographer) was
mugged and stripped of his camera by five teens who she describes licked their lips while doing so. In the end she
leaves potential visitors with a message the tourism bureau dare not provide in stating or screaming as she says,
"Don’t Even Think of Going There!" On the flip side I’ve known many people to travel through Durban without
any problems. Are there any other past travelers to the city willing to provide further short word on their own
personal experiences?