Johannesburg Hotels
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We are backpackers again
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Before we leave, we tank and buy two very dodgy pies. Several police checks but we are waved through. I have not seen ONE white police(wo)man yet. Still, they hassle black people. Border without any problem. I call the City Lodge in Jo'burg, where we stayed the first night with the girls: full. Next: Prothea: full. How can be in the low season, in the middle of the week? We call a backpacker's hostel, the Footprint guide book of the girls called 'cheap and cheerful'. The Backpackers Ritz: www.backpackers-ritz.co.za.
I have a little map of the ring around Jo'burg in the book and I can find the hostel just like thát.
Well, I cannot. We arrive in Jo'burg at 17h and it takes over 2 hours to find the hostel. It is a nightmare. Almost dark, pouring rain and no detailed map. How many times in my life did I already say: I am NOT driving anywhere anymore without a decent map? Been there, done that, got lost, got desperate, drove into dangerous places, not knowing where I was. Like in Miami, where a black guy in a garage, where I asked for the way said to me: 'Lady, get out of here! You are white, young and pretty and so is your convertible. Your expensive camera lying next to you: if you stop somewhere else, you will have nothing of all that left'. But, still, I drive around blind in a big city.
When we finally, finally arrive, we redirected to another house. We need FOUR keys to get in. A young Californian couple is lying in the sofa. We make them jump stepping in and the girl promptly falls of the sofa. Hi, there! The room is VERY basic. No private bathroom. A part of; 'we would like to book a double room with a en-suite bathroom' did not get through. I ask Tony where the toilet is (he already went) and he says: 'at the end of the hall', where I step into ... someone's room: hi, there!
I found the being lost in the city stressful, so Hubby decides to take me to a Thai/Vietnamese restaurant I read about: Cranks. It is still pouring. And very dark. And I am sick of reading maps. But the restaurant is worth it! The owner brings us free egg rolls with delicious prik nam pla, a very spicy Thai fish sauce. He is Dutch and had a similar restaurant for years in Sydney. He also thinks I am a reporter, I have no idea why! Sure, when I am typing on my laptop for hours, they might get to the idea, but I only showed him the article about the restaurant in 'my' Footprint! I compliment him on the prik nam pla. He brings me another kind. The first one is homemade, the second one, the Thais made for him. I prefer the home made. There is almost nothing on the menu Dr T will have, he tries the ginger chicken and I chose the hottest on the menu: red hot curry chicken. It is called: chicken 2 hot 4 me. It is not. I pour all my prik nam pla over it.
And, I almost forgot: we are served by a katoy. A South-African katoy. A katoy is a he-she. A boy, dressed and behaving like a girl. In Thailand you have all variations: from boys being born in the wrong body and feel like a girl, to boys doing this for the money. From boys being a boy still, till completely transformed to a girl. But my Thai stories are for another day. 'Our' katoy gives me a guided tour of the restaurant. That is nice because it is VERY weird. From the ceiling dangle Barbie and Ken dolls in all obscene positions. NOT a restaurant for children: 'mum, what is Barbie doing?'.
The food, the ambience, the katoy, the interior, the waiter, it is all big fun. If in Jo'burg and liking Eastern food: do it! Centrally located in the Rosebank Mall.
Back in the hotel, our Californian friends are still in the sofa. Tony asks whether he can have a peep at their 'Africa in a shoe string' book. I go to bed, unfortunately. Because Dr T chats instead of reading, so I miss out on some social stuff.
We are deeply asleep at 1 and tomorrow, tomorrow, ...
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