Hello from Johannesburg, South Africa. It’s summer here, but the temperature is quite bearable. I was terrified the first day as l thought we brought rain with us. It had been raining all week before we left Seville. We got to Rome and it rained for a while before clearing up. Imagine my surprise when we landed in Johannesburg to wonderful weather only to have it turn into an ear-splitting thunderous rainstorm within an hour of arrival and stayed that way for the rest of the day and night 🙁 . Thankfully, it cleared by the next morning and it’s been perfect since then. Here is a quick post of our first impressions of this absolutely amazing city.
I can’t wait to share our week here with you when we return. It’s been an amazing and emotional trip. The city is a huge and sprawling metropolis. The downtown area reminds me of downtown Boston, San Francisco or Houston, with the big buildings and skyscrapers. I hadn’t pictured it like that. The suburbs in turn have huge plots, houses and swanky cars, all very modern. We are staying in Sandton, a very affluent area where every other car is a BMW, Benz, Porsche etc. There’s even a Bentley dealership down the road. Don’t worry though, we’re staying at the step-child of hotels :-).
I had expected Johannesburg to remind me of Nigeria a lot. In some ways it does, especially in the poorer areas like Soweto with the tin houses and deplorable conditions and obvious poverty, complete with illegal tapping into the city electricity :-). We saw that in India too. The startling difference to me is the “sound” or better yet, the lack of sound. In Lagos, you are bombarded with sound everywhere. The honking of cars, the loud voices, the generators, and especially the music blasting from everywhere. Rhythmic sounds filling the air, African drums mixed with Hawaiian guitars and tribal singing. Chaos that is electrifying and irresistible no matter how much you try to ignore it. Here everything is orderly and clean for the most part., even the honking seem to be subdued to me. In heavy traffic, there is no sound save for a car or two with the radio a bit loud. I prefer the chaos of Lagos and l have a feeling that is one of the reasons people continue to stay there as opposed to moving to the new capital of the country which is Abuja.
That being said, we really both like the city and are already plotting to come back for another visit so that we could stay longer and explore more areas. You know it’s serious when l’m already looking up short term flat rental costs. I already know we can’t afford Sandton prices though ;-). I have been interviewing all the Uber drivers (Uber is quite popular here. I’ve seen very few taxis) trying to find a cheaper alternative to Sandton. It would be awesome to do another safari as we enjoyed the last one.
Have you ever been to South Africa? If yes, did you like it? If not, is it a place you’d like to visit?
We spent 3 months in South Africa earlier this year but in the Cape/Garden Route area. Love, love South Africa. Planning another trip, concentrating this time on Johannesburg with time in in the National Parks and side trips to Lesotho and Victoria Falls. I hope the people are being friendly, we just thought they were the friendliest we’ve met anywhere.
Frank (bbqboy)
I remember that you really liked it down here. We are really liking it so far. The people are friendly, but Nigerians are friendlier still. We will definitely come back and stay for a bit longer next time now that we know that we like it :-).
Looks like you had an amazing time! I’m sure the pictures don’t give it justice.
We are loving it very much. Our time is already winding down and it feels like we just got here. Restaurants are so much cheaper and people so friendly.
It sounds like you had a great time. My husband and I have always wanted to travel to South Africa, and once our kids get a little older we will. We a friend who is from South Africa and lives in Durban so that’s on our list along with Johannesburg.
Oh, I’m positive you would like it here. It has so far exceeded my expectations. I think we need to come back and discover some more places nearby. The restaurant prices are really good, and the portions really big :-). I can’t wait to see Durban!
Sounds like a really cool place every time I hear about it. We have some friends from there and the pictures and foods they bring back are just amazing 🙂
Yeah.. I had heard good things. I had a friend in L.A who is from here, but you know how people always go on about their home..haha! This does live up to it though. The food is wonderful.
Just curious. What was your reason fot traveling to South Africa? I’m interested in the back story as well. And, thanks for the brief tour. I’ve always said I’d love to visit.
You would definitely like it. I have always wanted to visit, for years just to see. One of my brother-in-laws moved here like 30 years ago and has refused to move back to Naija in all that time. He is a medical doctor and runs a hospital in some little village somewhere around here (not sure exactly where) and his wife loves visiting hi even though she prefers Nigeria. She always talks about it fondly so it peaked my curiosity. That and the great price and we were sold 🙂 .
It sounds lovely, everyone that’s been is in love with SA but I can’t get over the apartheid history and the reality of the true South Africans (black) many of whom are oppressed & live in poverty while the white SA are better off. Blatant injustice and quite frankly off putting for me.
Glad you are having a ball regardless & looking forward to your unique take.
You know what l especially love about SA? That they took the bull by the horn so to speak and confronted it head on. No trying to hide the dark side. I think that has allowed them to heal properly. They talk about it openly and it’s refreshing. I see blacks and whites just hanging out together. I am not sad to say l think the old guard (who loved apartheid) are dying off, at least l think so, and the new youth are forging the way for a utopia that l think the U.S could very well learn from.
I’ll look forward to more on what you have to say about South Africa before I decide to add it to my list.
Haha! Okay. Fare enough :-). You only have to wait a couple of weeks before we return.. 🙂 . I’m adding it to my list..again..
I thought it sounded like you were going to. I read the comments, and I noticed the one commenting on the social injustices. Sometimes, when I go places with that even as a “by-gone” undercurrent, I feel it, and so I am curious on what that all feels like now. Wonder what you “feel” there. So if you do “feel” anything, would be interested in your always fascinating take.
I really thought l was going to “feel” a palpable sense of the by-gone era. I full expected it. What l found instead was a sense of “we are all South African” vibe. As l was saying before in one of the replies, I think it has to with the fact that it’s the younger generation that we have been exposed to. We haven’t seen too many old people who might have been around during those days and might still be separatists. I’m sure they exist. The Sandton area where we are staying is chock full of upper middle and upper class, all races..all driving really, really nice cars. You see the workers standing on the streets waiting for buses just like you would in Beverly Hills. What l don’t see is jealousy or resentment of the upper class as a whole. We went to this mall a couple of days ago and spent about 2-3 hours there. Federico was the only white guy in the whole huge mall, and even on the street while waiting for the bus (he didn’t even notice till l pointed it out) and l got more stares than he did because l looked like a tourist than a typical S.A woman who is dressed nicely and lipstick and hair and all that 🙂 .
Good description. Thank you. It’s kind of fun to be a minority as long as there’s peace and goodwill.
Very true indeed. There is a lot of goodwill and peace. We could learn a lot from them.
I have never been to SA, but it is definitely in my wish list. I will look forward to hear more about Johannesburgh. I am glad the rain did not follow you there????
Thank goodness the rain stopped. I was starting to think it was us :-). It really is lovely here, and it deserves that place on your wish list. Unbeknown to me, another of my older sisters visited 2 weeks ago, and my brother says she hasn’t stopped raving about it..haha! 🙂
We enjoyed your first impressions of Johannesburg, and were surprised by your impression of the relative quiet that you’re encountering. We can’t wait to visit South Africa but had always considered Cape Town first, so we’ll be interested to hear about the rest of visit.
Our safari guide mentioned that we should visit Cape Town as well. She thought we would like it there. We are seriously thinking about coming for a month or so to get the feel of both places and do maybe a Kruger safari or sneak over to Namibia. It is definitely quiet compared to Lagos..much..much..more. I’m wondering if Cape Town would be more chaotic…but for sure..we like it here.
I am happy to hear that you didn’t actually bring the rain with you there. It seems like a really great city and I can’t wait to read the entire story. Looking again at the top picture, the one with the skyscrapers, I understand that South Africa doesn’t look like I was expecting Africa to look like. It’s probably still different than most of the other countries, but it’s certainly something new for me! Have a great time there!
It was really surprising to me that it looks like any other downtown city with the big buildings, everything closed in. I did not expect it at all. We are in Durban right now, about 1 hour flight from J’burg and you won’t believe how much it rained..all day..all night! I think it’s me.. :-). We have tons of pictures from the safari and can’t wait to share them.
I have never been, but lately I have been thinking about how amazing it would be to actually go. These pictures are beautiful (as always!)…
Thanks KenyaRae. It’s easy because the place is so pretty. It would be amazing indeed. I think you’d like it for sure.
Hey KemKem! Thanks so much sharing a taste of South Africa with us. My blog has been there; perhaps one day I’ll visit too. Keep it coming! P.S. Do you travel for business or pleasure?
Hello Michelle! Thanks for reading. I hope you get a chance to visit too 🙂 . You will like it, and the prices, even at the hotels for food are so fair and reasonable. We travel for pleasure, and we take the blog along for the ride 🙂
That’s so awesome!
🙂
I have never visited Johannesburg before, but I would LOVE to visit! Your travels always sound so beautiful and I can’t wait to read your next post about your visit!
Thanks Jennifer. I had S.A on my radar but really didn’t think it would happen. This fare deal was too good to pass up. Most of the travels are beautiful, a few hiccups along the way but that is to be expected. We’ll be back soon, and l will bore you with the details 🙂 . Remember you asked for it. 🙂 😉
It looks beautiful there. It’s so interesting how some other countries really aren’t that much different than what we call home.
I was completely surprised when l saw the downtown I felt like l was back in Boston or San Fran. Yeah, it’s very interesting when you see that there are more similarities than not.
I would visit Capetown if I was ever to visit SA.
Why would you choose Capetown? I have heard good things about it, but we had one week only..so we have to save it for next time.
I have not yet been to Africa. Johannesburg as well as Capetown is place I hope to visit in 2017. Great to know Uber is popular there.
Uber has been a lifesaver 🙂 . The good thing too is that there is free wifi at most places, including the airport so you can access the app. especially for us being from Spain where our internet only works in Spain which is insane and so inconvenient.
It looks like such an awesome place to visit. Definitely vibrant!
It definitely is awesome, and worthy of a visit. Very colorful indeed 🙂
Africa is definitely on my bucketlist! I didnt know it look like that…it looks like an American city. I also didnt know in certain parts of town it was super affluent but by whom? I know the true history of S.Africa and how the Afrikkans took over so I hope it is still not like that, but I do want to visit. If you have another recap I would love to learn more I want to go to the motherland one day@
Oh.. I have recaps :-). The downtown does indeed look like an American city. Oh, they are super affluent Blacks and Whites! Now l know why Nigerians come here and never go back 🙂 . They never tried to bury their history and that’s what l find admirable. It’s no longer like that. I will write more once we get back to Spain. The internet is good, but not all the time and we are having too much fun trying to discover the places 🙂
I’ve always wanted to visit there! I never expected it to have skyscrapers! Beautiful!
It was certainly a surprise to me. I had absolutely no idea. You could have told me l was in San Francisco and l would have believed it 🙂
I’m really looking forward to your posts. I’ve never been to Johannesburg but I have been to Cape Town. Once. 12 years ago. And I didn’t really like it!
Cape Town is beautiful, the people are lovely, the food is amazing, etc but I found it too European! Yes, European! ‘Could be ‘cos I went to all the fancy places and I was with a German lady who was trying to impress me. (Don’t ask!). I WAS impressed but I didn’t really see it as Africa. Having said that, I had similar feelings about Singapore.
I didn’t like it either. It reminded me of Switzerland. Far too clean lol!
I wish we’d had enough time to visit Cape Town so l could have compared the two. Several people said l would like it. Next time l guess. We however really like J’burg so if it’s anything like that, l can safely say we would like it. Never been to Singapore either so l can’t say. We’ve been in Bangkok now 2 days and so far, l am not feeling it..maybe it will get better because l know tons of people like it.
Sounds like you are having/had an awesome time! I keep looking at SkyScanner and thinking “We really should take a leap and book something!” I think we are recovering our travel mojo after a month of being home. Time to GO … ! Anita
Haha! Amazing how quickly you bounce back after swearing you’ll take it easy. We feel the same way after a big trip. Then of course the itch starts and before you know it, you’re planning something else…travel addiction 🙂 . Book it!