Johannesburg – Sandton, Soweto and sunshine

(Originally published October 2010)

I arrived in Joburg on Monday 11th October in a jet lag / sleep lack daze, partly due to the lack of sleep on the overnight flight from London and partly from the lack of sleep in the days before leaving. The usual airport process was slick and I was quickly on the new Gautrain to Sandton, having been told that I could not eat my wine gums on the platform or on the train… Food is one thing, but wine gums?! Zero tolerance is exactly that! What a difference a World Cup makes!

The guesthouse was a 15min walk from Sandton City which in the blazing sun was enough to work up a sweat, only to then be welcomed into the fridge like atmosphere of the mall!

Sandton City is one of these modern, expensive and soulless places that all around the world ‘show off’ progress and consumerism. I could have been anywhere but for the 30 foot statue of Dr Nelson Mandela on Mandela Square… Still I managed to spend the afternoon there, mainly eating and drinking on the square.

I only had one full day in Joburg and decided to visit Soweto rather than the apartheid museum or the zoo. This was no ordinary, shunted on a bus, spoken to, allowed out for photos and herded back on visit… This was a bike tour of Soweto! The emphasis was on tour as we’re not talking challenging cycling here! This was a great way to see the infamous SOuth WEstern TOwnship. The cycling was mainly in the Orlando West district which is quite well to do and also the most historic as it holds the Hector Pietersen memorial, Mandela House and Desmond Tutu’s house. Lots of kids shouting hello and waving and the chance to interact with some of the locals… All marshalled very safely by a local guide. Well worth it!

Wednesday and it was already time to leave! To the Drakensberg and beyond!