Blogs from Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa, Africa - page 60

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Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg December 22nd 2005

This blog is to record our Christmas holiday in South Africa for family and friends (mainly Andrew and Lara who will not be able to see our photos any other way as they are on their own travels in Asia and whose own blog is providing us with hours of amusement). We set off from Heathrow on 21st December and, once we were trapped on the plane with no way of contacting the outside world, we were told that we would be detouring to Milan to refuel (legacy of the Buncefield oil terminal fire). This additional stop added 1.5 hrs to our journey, but we had no way of warning Sarah that we would late arriving. It also meant that we didn't get any food until almost midnight! Sarah and Tom were patiently waiting at Jo'burg ... read more
Face painting
Cultural experience

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg December 22nd 2005

title says it all were are enjoying the easy life here with shelia and paddy (pauls grandparents) ryan, kimmy, pam, john and all the rest soon to arrive. Gin and tonics flow very freeely. The trip down was long, but we saw more elephants, camped in a superb campsite and ate well. We traded our remainer pula (currency of botswana) for a 7 foot tall giraffe, I near killed paul with it when he got back on the bus with it. I'm not entirely sure what we're going to do with it, but we'll figure it out after a few more g&t's The rain has followed us, but the temps are much cooler here maybe 25 in the day and down to 10 at night. it;s a pleasnat change though. tomorrow our brief tour will conitue. ... read more
nelson mandelas house in soweto
pams christmas eve dinner
crazy birds again

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg December 7th 2005

After a late night out was picked up from my tour guide at the hotel to go to the Lion Park which is situated in Gauteng Province about an hour away. Picked up another family with a couple of kids and were one of the first visitors to arrive at the park that morning. The park stretches over 500 acres and is home to more than 70 lions. It is also home to many other wildlife such as ostriches, zebras, wildebeest, cheetahs, coyotes, springboks and giraffes. We drove off through the park, the land stretching out as far as the eye could see, trying to see if we could spot any of these animals. We first encountered an ostrich, next we passed a couple of grazing zebras. It always amazes me that each zebra has its ... read more
Zebras
Lioness sharpening her claws
Patting the cubs

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg December 6th 2005

Arrived into Johannesburg after a long flight. Met up with most of the crew and some other crew members off another flight to go out to dinner at the popular "Butcher Shop". This was an experience unto itself. The restaurant is located just up the road from The Hilton Sandton where we stayed. It is one of many restaurants and bars in Sandton Square and seems to be pretty popular with the locals and tourists. Here i was sitting at the table with a giraffes neck leaning over my shoulder, a crocodile in the glass display cabinet with the selection of desserts and an ostrich standing over the other end of the table looking at me straight in the eye! For someone who is almost a vegetarian it was almost enough to put me off eating ... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg November 20th 2005

Hier gibt es leider nicht viel zu berichten! Gestern war ich von einer Südafrikanerin zu einem Frühstück auf einer Farm eingeladen und es war seeeehr lecker und anschließend waren wir noch einen Wetsuit zum Tauchen einkaufen. Leider hab ich mir eine fette Erkältung eingefangen, so daß ich im Moment nur versuche gesund werden, damit ich dann auch Tauchen darf. Wenn es klappt gibt hierhoffentlichbald mehr zu berichten!... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg November 18th 2005

So, bin mittlerweile schon den zweiten Tag in Jo burg und hab schon so viel erlebt. Gestern hab ich meine alte Elective Officer getroffen und sie hat den Kontakt zu dem Leiter der Tauch-AG hergestellt, der gleich so nett war mir die Tauchausrüstung für einen Spottpreis zur Verfügung zu stellen und mir reichlich Infos zum Tauchen zu geben. Ich hab dann noch eine sehr nette Frau kennen gelernt, die mich morgen früh zum Frühstücken eingeladen hat und dann mit mir einen Tauchanzug kaufen geht. Heute hab ich dann einen richtig faulen Tag gemacht und in der Sonne gelegen und gelesen. Und ich hab meinen Urlaub in Sodwana Bay gebucht. Dann kann es jetzt ja losgehen. Und das geht es auch am Sonntag, da fahre ich dann nach Durban, dort treffe ich Britta. Sie ist auch zufällig ... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg November 16th 2005

Jetzt hat das mit Mexiko leider doch nicht geklappt, weil Wilma wohl die LAndebahn ganz schön matsch gemacht hat. Aber nach einiger Organisiererei hab ich jetzt einen Flug nach Südafrika gebucht und sitzte am Flughafen und es geht ganz bald los. Glücklicherweise gibt es hier W-Lan! Das nächste Mal wir hier dann wohl was aus dem hoffentlich warmen Johannesburg stehen!... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg July 19th 2005

Geo: -25.7419, 28.1877... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg July 18th 2005

Greetings from South Africa! The journey here was a long one, beginning with a theme of 2-hour waits--first a 2 hour wait to check in for our flight to JFK at National, followed by a 2 hour wait on the runway at JFK..."heavier than usual summer traffic," they said. Even the most patient among us became a little antsy by the time we actually took off, but the wait also alleviated most of my anxiety. All of the ladies on the trip keep telling me how touched they were that my Dad came to JFK just to say hello for five minutes. I think I talked to more of my loved ones in the hour before we took off than I had time to in the month before I left! That was a blessing. We were ... read more

Africa » South Africa » Gauteng » Johannesburg July 13th 2005

Geo: -25.7419, 28.1877Avoid this city at all costs!!! Unfortunately that is quite difficult to do considering all onward connections to Africa originate from here. I'm not sure how true its reputation as the most dangerous city in the world is. We didn't really venture into the city, scared by the rumors and the taxi fares. We spent most of our time in 'The Backpackers' Ritz,' a convenient place and probably the only place worth staying at in Jo'burg. The staff try to lighten the morbid atmosphere of the place but still there is nothing to do in the area apart from walk around extremely snobbish and expensive shopping malls. Johannesburg's speciality is its security systems. People seem scared even to leave their cars. They just stay in their barbed wire 'boxes' too scared to go any ... read more
Lizards
The Backpackers' Ritz
Umbongo




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