Jo'burg and Durbs

Our time in South Africa has gotten off to a pretty darn good start.

The first 2 days, we spent some time in Johannesburg. Most people and travel books will tell you to get out of Jo’burg (or Jozi or Egoli as locals call it) as fast as possible. I’m sad to say, these opinions might be pretty accurate based on our short stay. One travel book I read noted that Jo’burg could really be plopped into any American state and look just like a sprawling suburban metropolis in the US. That supposition is absolutely correct. Jo’burg is kilometer upon kilometer of suburbs and winding freeways. There is not really a public transit system, so overpriced taxis are the only route to get around. We actually paid $40 one-way for one cab ride!

With nothing else to do, we visited a local mall and watched the new Batman film to pass the time on Monday. We were still trying to recover from the hectic schedule of Livingstone, so it was nice to have a day to relax, plus high-speed internet access to enjoy for a change! We hung around until Tuesday in order to see the Apartheid Museum, which isn’t open on Mondays for some reason. To be sure, the museum was remarkable (as far as museums go), but it might not have been worth planning 2 days around. However, I would have greatly regretted missing it. It’s "highlights" (not sure if anything apartheid-related is a highlight) included several startling photographs, a room filled with 131 nooses to represent those killed by the state during apartheid, and a wonderful temporary exhibit celebrating the legal unions of same-sex families in South Africa.

Late in the evening on Tuesday we flew to Durban. We used a "no-frills" airline called Kulula, which was quite a treat. Not only was the airline cheap ($75 tickets!!!!), but it had a fun atmosphere. The flight attendant mocked the safety demonstrations with wonderful sarcasm. "In the event of a water landing, we sure hope you can swim or are a quick learner," she quipped, her voice never wavering from the monotone flight attendant voice we’re all used to hearing.

The same book that compared Jo’burg to American Suburbia stated that Durban is South Africa’s most African metropolitan area. The city is a unique mix of African, Afrikaan, British, and Indian heritage. Both Ghandi and Mandela have routes here. As such, the city is an eclectic mix of Indian and African culture with mosques and Zulu craft markets sharing the same neighborhood. The white population here strikes me as quasi-Australians with similar accents and demeanors to the Aussies I’ve met in my day.

Once daybreak hit, we quickly realized we enjoyed Durbs far more than Jozi. Prices are affordable and people are friendly. We chose to spend our day frolicking along the Indian Ocean, whose warm currents make it swimmable year-round. After enjoying a curry lunch, I had a blast crashing into the waves in the ocean while Leah read on the sand. It was a great way to relax before beginning our tour into Zulu-land tomorrow.

More updates will be coming soon, although I’m not sure when we’ll again have internet access.

Cheers for now!
Zac