Jo'burg & Soweto - essential reading
The Melrose Arch and Sandton areas offer a wide choice of upscale hotels, great dining (at very good prices given the exchange rate) and shopping in secure surroundings. For a more authentic feel for the city Braamfontein is a good choice; formerly home to the cities Central Business District it has undergone a transformation in recent years and has some great bars and restaurants. The area is home to Wits University and many other colleges and I can say from experience, is fine to walk around. One of the photos at the top of this journal was taken from the rooftop terrace at the Parktonian Hotel in Braamfontein and looks over to the Nelson Mandela & Queen Elizabeth bridges in the foreground and out to glorious Soweto. On the hills you'll see cleared pale coloured sections amongst the trees, this is the run off from the gold mines built up over decades. There's said to be two years' worth of current gold production in these hills. Soweto itself is a must-see, famous as one of the key areas in the struggle against apartheid, a visit here reveals a place of contrasts and surprises. Head to Vilagazi Street, the only street in the world that boasts two Nobel Peace prize-winners: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. And the Hector Pieterson Musuem is a moving tribute to those who lost their lives during that time. There's loads of places to eat and drink and fantastic arts and crafts available from the street vendors. It's also popular for cycle tours and you can bungee jump off the cooling towers at the old power station should the mood take you.
As I write this update in September '15 the exchange rate is hovering around 20 Rand to the Pound which makes any visit to South Africa even more good value for money. I recommend it to anyone because of the breadth of the country's offering for tourists. It also makes for a great long weekend - with one or two hour's time difference and overnight flights compensating for a longer flight time than places such as New York or Dubai - and much less spending money required! In March this year I spent about £300.00 on three nights hotel accommodation, breakfast, a couple of lunches and dinners in the hotel, a 20 minute phone call to England and my bar bill which included about a dozen g&t's and a couple of glasses of wine. Three of four nights stay gives plenty of time to take in the highlights, and within three hours' drive you can see some of the iconic wildlife up at Pilansburg National Park or Madikwe Game Reserve - with no malaria tablets required. If you like the sound of Johannesburg or South Africa in general please get in touch and I can put together a tailored proposal to suit your interests and budget.
Finally a word on wildlife poaching. Whilst out of the headlines recently this continues at emergency levels with black rhinos in particular danger; and the species facing extinction within the next ten to fifteen years - depending on who you talk to. A couple of years ago I was privileged to spend some time with a chap called Damian Mandar, a former Australian Defence Force operative who has put his skills and capital into helping rangers protect the wildlife that roams the border of Kruger National Park and Mozambique. And last year I joined with Pete Rogers a renowned South African vet on a rhino tagging expedition, where critical information is garnered in the fight to protect these magnificent creatures. What an amazing experience!
Tourism plays a crucial role in conservation and the development of a country, and generally is a force for good all over the world. Let's hope that poaching can be eliminated as much as possible in the future, and in the meantime consider how our holiday choices can have a positive impact for the people in the destinations we visit.
