South and Eastern Africa

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July 3,4,5, 2008

South and Eastern Africa

We continued our adventure with a long flight across the equator and into South Africa.

We had an overnight in Johannesburg before our noon flight to Nairobi, Kenya. In Johannesburg we get very different opinions on the safety and security in this big city.

Our taxi driver from the airport suggested there were few problems and the government had things pretty much under control. We drove past the town of Alexandria that became famous as a sort of slum that has been rebuilt with primarily social housing ( units are about 300 - 400 Sq. Ft. ), all with water sewer and power.

The next morning our hotel shuttle driver suggested that this is probably one of the worst places in the city as to security as the new homes are right beside a slum, built by mostly foreign squatters from the neighboring African counties, that come to Johannesburg looking for work or a way out of Africa to the Americas or Europe.

There is a lot of construction going on but the economy in general is a little dicey.

Our very nice hotel was connected directly to ( quoting Alice ) “the biggest honkin’ mall she has ever seen !! “ This is a very big place that would probably take days to see it all.

Saturday we caught our 4 hour flight to Nairobi Kenya where we will start our “Safari adventure.” Nairobi looks like a big poor city. Lots of business here but lots of poor people as well. Unemployment rates are extreme as most workers are working by the day for cash when they can get work. Some good factory jobs pay 10 -15 dollars a day.

Tomorrow we head out on another adventure looking for “ The Big Five “ animals and some photo ops.

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