South Africa & SE Asia 2008

Day something to something - Jo’Burg

We took the 27 hour train journey from Cape Town to Jo’Burg whcih was surprisingly painless. I didnt sleep that well but em did. It cost about £35/R550 and then you pay R35 for bedding.  They kept asking us if we were ok…well it was the tourist train after all they must have been worried about giving a good impression.  You dont need to take food on with you although i was determind to eat bread for 4 meals as i had stubbornly brought it with me.

Andrew, Em’s cousin met us at 4pm ish on Mon, thought we were coming off the first train that arrived from Cape Town and said he was worried about the people he saw coming off it…but then apparently they announced the Tourist train’s arrival.  We vegged that night and i gushed over Andrew’s cute Spaniel puppy.

Today we went to the Apartheid museum and the Gold Reed City park (ex gold mine-come-theme park). The museum was fantasitc a fantastic place to go - extensive factually and with the information given in a neutral voice.  The media footage on display was particually interesting for me, the 15min video given that it was in the 1980s and when i would be too young to recollect.  What was interesting about this was the group of young school children (8yr olds) who came in to watch while we were there.  There were a black school, with one white boy, and it was an odd experience watching white policemen beating black protesters with the children reactively gasping at the scene.  I actually felt stunned, and so many questions were raised in my mind.  What did they think of the white policemen? How can they watch that and not hate what they see being done?  What have their parents brought them up to believe? Do they understand what they see?  It was definitely (as i edit this a week later) what has stuck in my mind the most from the museum. 

The Gold Reef mine tour was fun and i came away educated, which is always good.  The theme park was empty which made it slightly errie… The rides were fun even though i now have whiplash from the tower of terror, but the pain has eased slightly by the 2 glasses of wine at dinner. I am going to go and be horizontal now. 

Tomorrow we are doing a morning tour of Soweto which will be very interesting i think, the concept is a little strange perhaps but there is no other way to see the township or walk in Jo’burg really. We fly to Bangkok tomorrow night and arrive the next night. We can’t beleive how quickly the time so far has gone…

Edited and added to on 21th April while i wait for a coach in Bangkok

The Soweto tour was interesting, people have obviously got fixed conceptions of the dangers of Soweto.  We arrived at Eunice our guide’s house, which had corregated metal walls and consisted of a double bed, tv, dvd player on a stand, a 2 ringed electric hob and clothes hangin on the walls with some other small pieces of furniture fitted in.  She was quiet but answered our questions and was welcoming.  She took us to the Orlando West Secondary School, which was where the 16th June 1976 March went to, mainly consisting of the pupils.  We were shown the Hector-Pieterson memorial, a child who was one of the youngest to be shot by the police during the protest, which intially started off peacefully. We went to the museum dedicated to him, and i found this had a more profound impact on me than the Apartheid museum, because the information and quotes from the school children seemed to sink in more.  What sticks in my mind now was a quote from a girl who said for a few days after the 16th June 1976 kids could not walk about the street because of police snippers, even if they wanted to walk to the shop on their own, not protesting, they would still be shot at.  Even in the back. 

To be edited later

Days 15 - 21 - Cape Town

• Table Mountain - we were so lucky we picked the day we did to go up there as every other day was cloudy. Be warned the cable car has a revolving floor! what is that about! We didnt like that much and that is our only criticism. We didnt do this but it i would suggest taking a picnic up thereand spening a few hours. Despite being built up and unavoidably touristy it is very relaxing up there and you can sit and just chill with a pretty amazing view
• Cape Point - we hired a car from “round about cars” cost about R334 (with a young person surcharge, and papework fee, cheeky) and it was worth it, we took it easy on the 2 hour drive, not stopping along the way. you park within a few 100m of Cape Point and walk, tis brief and steepish. so take water and sun screen (so incredibly windy so you dont notice the sun) Ahh… it was fantastic, i just stared at the ocean, the waves on the rock crashing, you feel so small staring down so far to the water. There a mountains in the distance and clouds moving so fast around you. A must.

• Robben Island - The exhibition at the dock was quite moving, but on the island you were herded around too fast, and spent more time going around the island on the bus than around the cell with the ex-prisoner. It felt strange to be there, people just wanting to see Nelson Mandela’s cell and go. But the talk from the ex-prisoner was interesting and it is one of those places that is important to see, the limestone quarry where the were made to work not for productivity but for punishment, the size of their cells, the place where the leaders discussed the future. n.b. it is R150 and take some sea sickness pills.
• Eating and drinking: Royale Eatery is good has loads and loads of Veggie burgers as well as meat (it is a gourmet burger bar for about R50). There is a good falafal stand on Long St… 95 Keerom - 3 course meal for about 10 quid, beautiful italian food…Clay Oven does good fresh pizza, we only went for a drink but Mama Africa is an experience. For drinks and music we went to Jo’Burg on a Saturday for the chart ‘Hip and the Hop’ we craved.  We went to Cubana which has the most elaborate cocktail menu i have ever seen in my life…and the most over the top cocktail waiters. Nonetheless, good atmospher good music, good cocktails.
• Botanical Garderns - i cant believe i wanted to go here voluntarily considering my childhood torture of gardens… but if it had not been freezing, the cloud was only over the botanical gardens and no where else in Cape Town (so we went in shorts!) it would have been a lovely day out.
• District 6 museum …run out of time to write ! to be continued

Days 15 to 18 - Daddy Long Legs Hotel, Long St. Cape Town This hotel cost us about R595 a night i think...about 23 quid each and so we only stayed here for 3 nights, and it ... [Continue reading this entry]

To be edited at a later date Days something to something - Sani Lodge Ok i have to say this was an odd place...ok my judgement is coloured by the bunk beds - which were deathly in so many ways.  And...the meal ... [Continue reading this entry]

Days 9 to 12 - Bulungula I found out about Bulungula thanks to Bootsnall travel forums, and yes it has been one of the highlights of South Africa as many people would agree.  With a mission of a journey it is worth ... [Continue reading this entry]

Day 1 - Durban After the weekend of travelling - the train to London, the 3 planes, one hours sleep, the stress of missing the connection from Jo'Burg to Durban, thinking i would ... [Continue reading this entry]