Balmy Bloem gave way to a wet and cold Durban as the Lions tour reached its latest destination on the Kwazulu-Natal coast. Could the stormy skies be an indication of what awaits against the Sharks at Absa Stadium on Wednesday night?

I arrived under the cover of darkness at my hotel in the North Beach area of town so the glory of my surrounds remained a secret until this morning. Many comparisons have been drawn between the Lions' class of 2009 and their standard-setting 1974 predecessors and my latest stop appears to be a living shrine to those fabled days - from the decor and lift music down to the hair styles of the obliging staff. The trend continues throughout the beachfront area that appears to have seen better days.

Not surprisingly, this is in contrast to the Lions' salubrious surroundings a little further north.

Also of note - amongst the latest flurry of emails in my inbox this morning I received an invite from a private game reserve promising an 'unbeatable' package that covered 'slaughtering & cold room facilities' and a private guide - and for just R12,000 (approx £1,000) I could have the honour of killing an Eland bull - a different world. If time does allow a little time away from the pack I think I'll opt for the golf clubs.