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Published: January 5th 2010
Last Minute Negotiations
With the African merchants at Village Walk. They are absolutely desperate, we were swarmed! I didn't want to offend anyone, sorry for the poor shot.We are in the Air France lounge now, whiling the time away in what is clearly superior to any of the Delta Sky Clubs so we cannot complain however we got to the airport early as I wasn't 100 percent on the departure time and had not had a chance to check, and it turns out the flight is delayed by 5 hours because the earlier flight came in late and the ever so pleasant Delta flight crew has to rest at the Hilton. So while they rest, the rest of us get to suffer, it is for safety's sake I suppose, but on the other hand Delta crews don't really work that hard when on the ground or in the air, so I am not sure what they are doing. Maybe they will be having cocktails at the Hilton bar making racist comments like their pilots we saw last evening. I am trading status to United, have had enough.
Last comment on the flight experience here, security remains abysmal, the control by the South Africans missed all kinds of things and they do no bomb testing on thing such as a large bottle of contact lens solution. I passed
Village Walk Shopping Center
The emptying of my wallet started here at the Silhouettes store. In Sandton, across the street from the Hilton. Totally walkable. through a wine opener that has a somewhat sizable foil cutter blade on it, not to mention the corkscrew itself. Not that the TSA is the sharpest tool in the shed, but at least some resistance should be put up.
Last Day
We took it easy today and drove around Gauteng, saw several shopping malls, a good bit of money on clothes, it will give the Customs agents something to fret over when we arrive in Atlanta.
We saw the Rosebank Mall which is much better than the chaotic and poorly designed Sandton City and we also saw the Melrose Arch, a mixed use town center which is a catastrophe of design and merchandising. It is sad to see money wasted the way it was here, clearly a lot of money was spent. But this is another example of that last 1%!n(MISSING)eeded, South Africa seems to always be 99%!t(MISSING)here and they are quite satisfied and cannot tell the difference between it and 100%!b(MISSING)ut if proper competition were to come to this country, it would be very interesting for the capital coming in and very bad for the existing.
We had Dawn, the owner
Hilton Sandton
Last View before we took off for good. Our unwitting HQ when in South Africa. of Silhouettes shop at Village Walk be the first South African defender of Jozie, which was good to have, but on the other hand she certainly has a bias having two stores in Gauteng. Gauteng is a wonderful province, Jozie and Pretoria proper being quite overrun and decimated, but the province taken as a whole has a lot to offer to the well-informed and well-prepared tourist. Certainly it cannot compete against the Cape - its like Chicago trying to compete against Southern California, but it warrants at least three days devoted to the city.
Shopping
A bit all over the place but I'll give you our final definitive guide to shopping in southern Africa:
1. Trinkets - buy them in Zimbabwe - many of the bone and wood carving items come from there or from the Congo and Zambia for malachite. If you can find it in Zimbabwe, buy it. The final price, if properly negotiated, is about 30%!o(MISSING)f the originally quoted price from the merchant (so 70%!o(MISSING)ff), I am a scumbag negotiator trained in China and Turkey, trust me that this 30%!r(MISSING)ule applies quite well. Do NOT call it a day if you
Melrose Arch Shopping Center
Johannesburg's newest mega shopping destination. The intersection at the end is the main intersection of the shopping center. You would not know it being there. get them to 40%, I think it is very unhealthy for Africans, especially these types of folks, to become accustomed to "getting one over" the tourists. Many of the "stone" necklaces are in fact glass, the way to check them is to look where the string goes through the bead. If that area does not match the patterning on the "stone" itself, then its glass. Nothing wrong with buying glass except that glass is DIRT cheap, so pay accordingly. When they offer to barter something for a pair of shoes or t-shirt in Zimbabwe, don't be fooled - yes, they value such goods more in Zimbabwe because of certain lapses in supply, but do not let the psychology of such a "basic" item having a relative value disparity in your mind catch you off guard in your negotiation. Also remember that you need shoes to walk in, they REALLY wanted my Columbia hiking shoes in Vic Falls. A t-shirt and shoes are not cheap, they are quite expensive if you really think what you paid for them and you grasp that the stuff they are selling you is pretty much worthless other than the intrinsic value YOU choose to assign
Melrose Arch Shopping Center
A confusing jumble of buildings, I think on the other side of this building is the town square. to it and the merchant's presumption of your wealth and the value she believes you will assign to it.
Negotiating Techniques - a quick word here, walking away does not work all that well, all merchants will also price-collude which is not unusual in other Third World tourist craft markets. The good news is the things you are looking at are ubiquitous, nothing is rare or special, once you know that, know that there is a certain value for each item and that is what you can pay. Telling them in Namibia and South Africa that you'll "just buy it in Zimbabwe later on my trip" can be very efficacious. They will get frustrated. Good. Don't let them throw cost of shipping and cost of living differences at you. It's the same product! And the people of Zimbabwe need your money a lot more. If you are not going to Zimbabwe later, still use the line. Just because you can.
2. Which Mall? - Sandton City is an overrated, gigantic and chaotic mess. The stores are expensive too. Go see Nelson Mandela Square, poke around a bit, but don't spend too much time here. I have been told by
Melrose Arch Town Square
Ahh! That dark cone is the Christmas Tree there in foreground. Notice all of the bollards to keep people where they belong. a credible source that Hyde Park Shopping Center is the place to go to. Rosebank Mall is not bad either, there is a good size African Crafts market attached, but you will be paying more for the same stuff. Some people do not like the guerrilla warfare that is street vendor negotiation, and so this little tourist trap of a market is perfect for you.
3. International vs. Local Chains - if you can buy it in the States, buy it in the States! Benetton prices were about twice as much as in the States, others are similar. There are some great local designers worth buying from like Daniel Hechter (French originally but this is really South African here); Jo Burkett (nice designs and prices); naartjie (international chain for children, but it is originally South African); J Crew (for men, it is different brand from ours, though very similar in preppiness, so a bit of a novelty); and Polo (Ralph Lauren, but they have completely different styles and production methods here).
4. V&A Waterfront - avoid the restaurants in general, they are not good and are food mills. Avoid the ground floor of the main shopping arcade, the
JB's Corner Bistro
Was the only really happening restaurant at Melrose Arch, where all the beautiful people are. I kind of like this building too. second level is good but is mainly luxury brands you can find elsewhere.
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Tama Davis
non-member comment
so glad you are heading home!
Manny my friend you need to be a travel writer! I totally love reading your summaries, you have a gift. Jen - good for you for buying clothes! Can't wait for the fashion show. Travel safely and it will be good to have you back home. With your return and Urban Meyer's change of heart regarding retirement - all will be right with the world. Hugs, T