J'Burg for goodbyes and last night with Folks
Trip Start
Mar 30, 2008
1
128
144
Trip End
Mar 31, 2009
Johannesburg,
Gauteng,
South Africa
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday 4th February - Johanesburg, emotional farewells, dodgy backpaker, relocation to hotel, last dinner out.
This morning we had to say goodbye to all our friends from Tati. They would be continuing with their journey to Livingstone and then for some of them to Nairobi. We would now be doing this route later with a new driver, guide and hopefully more friends. We were all really sad to wave them off.
Soon after we packed ourselves into the hostel courtesy bus to be taken to Windhoek airport at a massively inflated price. The plane left on time and after a couple of hours flying over the desolate Namibian Desert landscape and having passed over the corner of Botswana we were soon landing at O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johanesburg. Eventually our backpacker courtesy bus turned up and tried to cram 7 people with luggage into a 6 seater. Things were not looking good and were even worse when we were dropped at 'The Ritz' backpacker. It was busy with two overland trucks there and people everywhere
11
. This was not going to be the relaxing last night stay for the folks that we were all looking for.Instead we got a taxi to take us to the Randberg Waterfront area where we checked into a budget hotel called Randberg Inn. 390R per double room, basic, but comfortable and quiet much more like it. We went out in search of food and soon discovered that there was no waterfront, but there was a big outdoor mall, Brightwater which had lots of places to eat. We landed at Scrooges and were served by a Sol Cambell lookalike. They had loads of choice and after a big feed we taxi'd back to the Inn for early nights for 5 exhausted bunnies.
Thursday 5th February - Johanesburg, Florida, 53 Ninth Avenue, Rosebank Mall shopping for Giraffe, fond farewell at Tambo Airport.
Finally rested after the first lie-in since entering Africa we all headed down to the local Brightwater Shopping Mall for slap up breakfast back at Scrooges. We were served again by Sol Cambells lookalike and had a great breakfast setting us up for a day of ticky tours. First on the agenda was a visit to the past. Ben and I had been back to our home town of Florida in Roodepoort about 10 years ago, but for mum this would be the first time she had returned in over 22 years!
We first found Florida Lake and had a drive around until we came upon he lake swimming pool. This was closed for refurbishment, but we managed to go in and take some photos
12
. I especially remember the deep end which dips down from the usual 6 feet deep to 12 feet. I fondly remember taking a huge breath to dive down to the bottom and coming up gasping. I was only 9 or 10 years old. We also drove over to our old house at 53, 9th Avenue. For mum it was really strange. For me it was great, but sadly so much more busy again since last visit and as we heard a little more dangerous too.In the afternoon we went to the huge Mall in Rosebank and wandered around the shops after a delicious late Nescafe lunch. Clare and I finally found our Giraffe we wanted, wooden only of course and everyone else found nice stuff to take home from the Flea Market there.
Unfortunately the last venue of the day was the O.R. Tambo International Airport (named after one of freedom fighters jailed with Nelson Mandela) where we dropped off the folks to a sad farewell before returning to the Randberg Inn, alone and missing them all.
