Joburg and Beyond

Apartheid Museum
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I'm currently sitting with Magda next to a warm fire in a hostel called the Nelspruit Backpacker. The evening is slightly cool, hence the fire, but it is generally a beautiful evening under the stars of the southern hemisphere. I've been looking for the southern cross but it is slightly overcast and I probably wouldn't recognize it anyhow. Early tomorrow morning we are headed to Kruger National Park on an organized Safari. We decided to go this route for fear that any little car we can afford to rent would be bite sized for a leopard or elephant.

No selling?
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We arrived in the morning last Friday feeling groggy after hours in the air. We had stopped over in Dubai but only briefly experienced the airport there, a true collection of characters to be sure. It was very late in evening and the floors were dotted with sleeping travelers of all extractions. People had set up camp beneath fake palm trees on a desert patterned rug. The desert charade continued. The only sign It was Ramadan was a couple of Arab guys telling a young woman to take off her headphones, as this is prohibited during the holiday. The young woman looked slightly confused but complied.

Outside of the Brown Sugar
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To answer JP's question, they did serve food on the plane despite it being Ramadan, but they also announced the beginning of the holiday over the loudspeaker for their Muslim passenger's convenience. The flight to Joburg from Dubai was as full as the first leg was empty. All sorts of people were

crammed into the an identical plane to the one we'd arrived in. This added to our weariness when we finally touched down in Africa. Fortunately all went smoothly at the airport. The driver from the Brown Sugar Hostel was waiting patiently with a plaque that read simply:

Apartheid Museum
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MAGDA. He ferried us along with two other newly arrived couple and we soon bonded on our short trip to the hostel. It was nice to see the code amongst travelers are still in place since the last time I was on the road. We share information and

learned that they to intended to drive themselves on safari through Kruger national park. Actually, hearing their detailed plans put us

into a bit of a panic as we'd spent so much time planning the complicated departure from NY that we'd seriously neglected our activities upon arrival in Joburg. Beyond getting to the hostel with

Apartheid Museum
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incident we hadn't worried about much else.

I think I was personally too caught up in a growing fear for our safety in Joburg. As our trip approached, and even on the plane we heard people, especially South Africans' giving warning about the lawlessness in the biggest city in SA. I don't mean to sound like I don't appreciate the warnings, of course I do, but I'm afraid they began to effect the openness with what we'd otherwise approach the city with. Our experience was quite different from the warnings. People smiling on the streets,, friendly sidewalk salesmen who seemed to compete with each other to extend a welcome to the country. Later we would meet new friends who shared this welcoming spirit, mixed with some trepidation as to our impressions so far.

Apartheid Museum
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As we've been told this is a county of contradictions. Seemly impossibly friendly people surrounded by violent crime. I'm sure our impressions will evolve much before the return to Joburg in a month, but for now we remain impressed by our reception.

On Saturday we went to the Apartheid Museum. It really is a amazing place, I know now that all my impressions Apartheid were wrong. I knew it was terrible, but I never knew how deeply rooted the evil was. I think our over-arching impressions, formed by our taxi ride through one of the 'no-go' neighborhoods, was that it is truly amazing that the blacks of SA aren't angrier than they are. That they haven't turned towards the same kind hate that was focused on them like a firehose for hundreds of years. Our friend Gorata says this is primarily because of Mandela's influence and his own ability to forgive. But it also takes a remarkable people to accept his leadership and philosophy. We've since talked to many white South Africans whose own views on the Apartheid government is fascinating. One cheerful fellow readily admitted he had no idea as to the extent of the oppression, and challenged his fellow Afrikaners to say they did. This might seem like an excuse, but he freely admits he was ignorant and some extent still is of the horrors just beyond the borders of his comfortable life as a child.

Apartheid Museum
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One thing is for sure, and I credit all South Africans greatly for this: Everyone is ready to talk. The people we have met have all had fascinating and diverse views on the history of race relations in this country, and people of all colors are open about sharing their views, with us, and seemingly, with each other.

We've been really lucky here to have had our friend Sami's friends to call and that our friend Czerina was here to greet us. For all the debate about the dangers of Joburg, one thing is sure, it would an overwhelming place without some friends to turn to for advice.