Monarch Hotel Johannesburg

... of the World Cup but mainly because the government is trying to give its citizens decent housing. There are two major development companies in Joburg - JDA (Johannesburg Development Agency) close to Mandela and operates in and around Joburg and Blue IQ which is more focused on the city development. These companies are privately owned but almost work like charities.

We then went on to see the 2 World Cup stadiums (one of them will host the World Cup Final ...

... sunsets and huge campfires with only two other guests (our German friends from Addo) for the next two nights. A nearby national park offered us the chance to hike and stretch our legs.

We journeyed to the town of Hermanus just east of Cape Town and still on the coast. This town is next to Gansbaai, where diving with great white sharks and whale watching are the main tourist attractions. Our hostel offered a deal on shark diving so we took it (one ...

... coming and go work elsewhere. Must be incredibly frustrating. From there another taxi to Tutu's home and Mandela's house. Unfortunately later closed for renovation but managed a photo from outside. Then walked up street where 16 July 1976 uprising began and 13 yr old boy shot. Went to that museum, now named after him, Hector Pieterson. Very interesting. Bins are now made of rubber so bullets can pass through ...

... production. Most of these mines are in very close distance connected to thermic power generation units where the brown energy is turned into electrical energy. Back at the airport we return the rented car and move to the guest house downtown at fourcorners. A big change to sleep in a real bed and somehow unreal to eat in a shopping mall. I prefer camp fire life, but a seafood combo platter is compensating for this. ;-)

... Paul, said, "there's no turning back now"...and he was right, and I knew it and I was smiling the whole way here. Wheels up/Feet wet Everything was smooth, I had my duty free (a bottle of beam for the road, and a bottle of California wine for my travel agent for arranging this journey). As we ascended, I realized two things, I was unconsciously smiling, and I was completely not ready for the flight's length. Oh well, as we crossed over ...

Off we go to Malaysia. We arrive by shuttle service at the OR Tambo airport amost 4 hours before our flight - That's okay because I hate rushing. We checked in 3 hours before and went through to the departure lounge where we buy a couple of snacks for the flight to Kuala Lumpur. We decided to stop and have lunch at the News Cafe - nice meal - you got to try it if you are there.

... terminal 2 minutes walk away (where conveniently you can also check in your Firearm - Sadly I had forgotten mine) Checked in to my connecting flight having been travelling for about 20 hours at this point. On my way to the gate I decided to get my Caterpillar boots cleaned (read RUINED) by an African kid for £2. The I got on the words smallest twin prop plane to NelSpruit where Hen arrived to collect me. After a quick beer in the Airport bar - a pretty nice ...

... clothing superstores. Quicksilver, Billabong, Rip Curl, and a variety of others. Personally, my greatest knowledge of this area is from the movie the "Endless Summer" about a couple of surfers who travel around the world in the 60s. If you've seen it, you might remember the Cape St Francis scene where they trek across endless sand dunes and find the "Perfect Wave" of the trip. Cape St. Francis is right next to Jefferys Bay. In the second ...

... gararge - amazing place. As some of the patients lose all contact with family and friends as there is still so much stigma attached to being HIV+ or having the Aids virus, we arranged to come back on xmas day and spend some time with them - bring them some plants for the ward and some art games for them to play. Unfortunately I then got sick with sinusitus which I was taking herbal drugs for, so I was not able to go - as they told us over the phone that ...

... Shortage of staff means the hospital is constantly overwhelmed. "One of the nursing sisters came to us in tears the other day, saying she couldn't go on like this. A patient had knocked on her door saying the guy under his bed had stopped moving. He was dead," Drysdale relates. Like urban hospitals, Hlabisa's non-HIV patients suffer the knock-on effect. Blood pressure readings and medications are missed (or are wrongly dispensed by inexperienced nurse-aides). Drysdale ...