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Visiting SA


bluebonnet

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Has anyone been back to SA recently for vacation and wants to share some of their experiences? I will be travelling to SA in December and have not been back in 11 years. I am somewhat nervous but also excited.

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11 years!! prepare yourself for a lot of changes. Which part of SA are you visiting?

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Be careful leaving the airport... don't use transit shuttles and if cops try to pull you over... drive to a police station. Lots of people being robbed by fake policemen/"tourist police".

This in JHB of course. JHB freeways undergoing major overhaul. JHB has spread... a lot.

Try to do all your Christmas shopping before coming back... a number of shopping centers get hit by gangs of armed men during December... and they aren't skaam to shoot.

-G

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Has anyone been back to SA recently for vacation and wants to share some of their experiences? I will be travelling to SA in December and have not been back in 11 years. I am somewhat nervous but also excited.

YIKES!!!! bluebonnet.......11 years!....Yip, loads of change, what part of SA will you

be going to, and do you have family there still.....if you do, they will be so HAPPY to

see you!!

Erica

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have u seen the movie night of the living dead

dont come here u they wil get u

just joking

Ag no, martin, shame.....don't scare the folk...S.A needs tourists too! (ha,ha)

Erica :)

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We had friends come and visit after 10 years of being in Aus and they were pleasantly surprised that things had not changed as much as they thought.... so it all depends on your expectations. They couldn't believe how good the roads were and all the shopping centres that had gone up since they had left.

Whatever, just enjoy your time there.

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That's a loooooooong time!

I'm sure you'll love it, S.A is still a beautiful place to go. Just be streetwise and look over your shoulder every now and again! Don't travel alone and always listen to the locals!

Have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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have u seen the movie night of the living dead

dont come here u they wil get u

just joking

That's so funny!! :rolleyes:

And you know... it's funny cause it's TRUE!! :thumbdown:

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YIKES!!!! bluebonnet.......11 years!....Yip, loads of change, what part of SA will you

be going to, and do you have family there still.....if you do, they will be so HAPPY to

see you!!

Erica

I have a sister in Johannesburg and will travel with her to KZN (my late parent's home in Ballito) I am going this time to say goodbye to SA. This will be my last. It is too stressful and I prefer to go places where I can relax and not being worried about the safety of my kids. My son will go with, and maybe my daughter and her boyfriend. They booked, but are in the process of "thinking" about it some more, after my sister has been robbed at gunpoint in her home (about 6 weeks ago) in JHB. So see why I am nervous. My family can come visit me in Switzerland, anytime they like, and that will be wonderful.

Malls, I already decided to avoid them. I just want to go to the beach and relax. I have so many beautiful memories of the N.Coast of KZN, and looking forward to going back there. Durban, I will avoid. How sad, I went to College there, actually took a train from Ballito to Durban,,and now I am too afraid to even go to Durban. I will only spend 2-3 days in JHB. and will watch my back at the airport. I will also ask my sister to not drive to her home after picking us up at the airport, but maybe first to the policestation, and then somewhere else and then maybe home. I will not put my destination address on the suitcase tags, and will not give any addresses of stays in SA to any staff member at the airport......my list goes on.

Why is it that when we visited Egypt a couple of months ago, I felt safe, and now going to SA is such a major stress??

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Don't stress too much. There are still so many great things about SA. Just be aware of your belongings and safety and you will enjoy!!!

K

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no u wil be fine seeing u are traveling with a local.if something looks dodgy then believe u me it probaly is and just walk away.

and dont worry u'l be fine and enjoy africa while u stil can

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Be careful and cautious -- but not paranoid!! (that will just cause too much unneccesary stress)

SA is still a great country and I am sure you will have a blast visiting places you last saw many years ago. For starters Joburg airport has changed so much and is unrecognisable from years ago... I will leave the rest for you to explore and re-discover.

Have a great journey!!

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Be careful and cautious -- but not paranoid!! (that will just cause too much unneccesary stress)

SA is still a great country and I am sure you will have a blast visiting places you last saw many years ago. For starters Joburg airport has changed so much and is unrecognisable from years ago... I will leave the rest for you to explore and re-discover.

Have a great journey!!

Thanks. :( I am looking forward to my journey. The last thing I want to be called is paranoid. (my kids like to call me that sometimes,,maybe it is the old age :) )

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  • 4 weeks later...
Be careful leaving the airport... don't use transit shuttles and if cops try to pull you over... drive to a police station. Lots of people being robbed by fake policemen/"tourist police".

This in JHB of course. JHB freeways undergoing major overhaul. JHB has spread... a lot.

Try to do all your Christmas shopping before coming back... a number of shopping centers get hit by gangs of armed men during December... and they aren't skaam to shoot.

-G

Malls in SA: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=...34237850C771855

One more: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=...21552221C845099

Not Christmas yet!!!!!!! I will definitely do my shopping here before going to SA.

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Malls in SA: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=...34237850C771855

One more: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=...21552221C845099

Not Christmas yet!!!!!!! I will definitely do my shopping here before going to SA.

I love that under the both stories there is an ad with the headline "Moving to SA" ...umm NO! :ilikeit:

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I love that under the both stories there is an ad with the headline "Moving to SA" ...umm NO! :ilikeit:

Riiiiight...not after those stories! :ilikeit:

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I have a sister in Johannesburg and will travel with her to KZN (my late parent's home in Ballito) I am going this time to say goodbye to SA. This will be my last. It is too stressful and I prefer to go places where I can relax and not being worried about the safety of my kids. My son will go with, and maybe my daughter and her boyfriend. They booked, but are in the process of "thinking" about it some more, after my sister has been robbed at gunpoint in her home (about 6 weeks ago) in JHB. So see why I am nervous. My family can come visit me in Switzerland, anytime they like, and that will be wonderful.

Malls, I already decided to avoid them. I just want to go to the beach and relax. I have so many beautiful memories of the N.Coast of KZN, and looking forward to going back there. Durban, I will avoid. How sad, I went to College there, actually took a train from Ballito to Durban,,and now I am too afraid to even go to Durban. I will only spend 2-3 days in JHB. and will watch my back at the airport. I will also ask my sister to not drive to her home after picking us up at the airport, but maybe first to the policestation, and then somewhere else and then maybe home. I will not put my destination address on the suitcase tags, and will not give any addresses of stays in SA to any staff member at the airport......my list goes on.

Why is it that when we visited Egypt a couple of months ago, I felt safe, and now going to SA is such a major stress??

relax....its not so bad

my wife is there and having a good time

just be sensible like you would be in any country and you should be fine

enjoy yr trip

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I just got back from SA yesteray after a flying 2 week visit as my father is ill.

I travel back fairly often , I try and go back one a year finances permitting. I always think of how many summers do I have left with my parents. Not many when you break it down to summers!!!

I was totally impressed with the " new OT" airport.

passport control was super fast and extremly friendly, bagage collection was very quick as well. The new airport is huge. The undercover parking even has little lights on the roof , green indicating that their is that particular parking bay available, red lights for full. Very nifty idea.

In general I found that that Johannesburg is "cleaner: than say 7 months ago. The roads are in an absolute mess with repairs and construction.

The cost of living is quiet scary I reckon that the price of food is on pare with Australia in some instances even more expensive.

I did have a chance to eat out much due to family commiments etc. I see that the average " white" South African still lives fairly well, the divide between the haves and have nots is quiet obvious. Lots of new expensive European cars being driven around.

Medical services even at the private clinics are slipping , it is bad when you have to remind the staff of the jobs etc .....medication that has not been administered, patients that need to be cleaned etc. Very sad to see this considering the hospitals were of such a great calibre once upon a time.

Lots of overworked Doctors , medicals fees seem to be steep, especially if you dont have medical aid.

If you have not been back for a while, I think you really need to be sensible about where you go, lock your car doors, dont wear lots of jewllery and watch your cameras etc etc. The same as you would do in any large city in the world. I must say I dont feel safe driving around at night as a woman on my own, so I avoided doing that and was very careful about where and when I went anywhere. I still find that in general the South Africans are agressive towards one another infact sometimes I found the way they spoke to shop assistance down right rude.........most people speak down to waiters and shop assistants.

Rather sad .

Other than that I think you will have a great time , enjoy seeing your family.

Regards

Enrica

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I love that under the both stories there is an ad with the headline "Moving to SA" ...umm NO! :offtopic:

The joke is my sister who lives close to the Fourways Mall thinks this is not so bad. South Africans have no idea anymore what normal is, and anybody telling me SA is fine and bla bla bla, don't think I believe it, because it is NOT fine.

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relax....its not so bad

my wife is there and having a good time

just be sensible like you would be in any country and you should be fine

enjoy yr trip

No, it is not bad for South Africans,,but for me it is. I left that country in my early twenties, I have lived in many countries in the meantime,,and South Africa is definitely not normal. Nothing close to normal.

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I still find that in general the South Africans are agressive towards one another infact sometimes I found the way they spoke to shop assistance down right rude.........most people speak down to waiters and shop assistants.

Rather sad .

Enrica, this will anger me. I know it STILL excists, and always will. SA is different, the reason why I left in 1985...long ago. I forgot, and missed Africa, went back for a while, and then made the final move, in 1991...forever. , Not much has changed in a way.

You know what is real nasty? I saw it firsthand on Zurich Airport. This lady from South Africa tried that "style" with a lady (young swiss girl) at the car rental, she was mad because she could not get the vehicle she wanted. I have never ever heard someone speak so rudely. I could hear them speak Afrikaans between themselves, so I felt to walk up to her and tell her: "Sorry mevrou jy is nou in Europa en nie Afrika nie." Here we treat ALL people with respect and by the way,,,all colours. My husband told me to relax,,and I thought,,no use anyway. :ilikeit:

Back to the original topic. We want to visit Hluhluwe Park in KZN,, does anyone know this park? It looks very nice. Leaving from Ballito I guess one has to stay the night and drive back the next day. Or is it possible to do it in one day and drive home at night?

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I still find that in general the South Africans are agressive towards one another infact sometimes I found the way they spoke to shop assistance down right rude.........most people speak down to waiters and shop assistants.

Rather sad .

Enrica, this will anger me. I know it STILL excists, and always will. SA is different, the reason why I left in 1985...long ago. I forgot, and missed Africa, went back for a while, and then made the final move, in 1991...forever. , Not much has changed in a way.

You know what is real nasty? I saw it firsthand on Zurich Airport. This lady from South Africa tried that "style" with a lady (young swiss girl) at the car rental, she was mad because she could not get the vehicle she wanted. I have never ever heard someone speak so rudely. I could hear them speak Afrikaans between themselves, so I felt to walk up to her and tell her: "Sorry mevrou jy is nou in Europa en nie Afrika nie." Here we treat ALL people with respect and by the way,,,all colours. My husband told me to relax,,and I thought,,no use anyway. :)

Back to the original topic. We want to visit Hluhluwe Park in KZN,, does anyone know this park? It looks very nice. Leaving from Ballito I guess one has to stay the night and drive back the next day. Or is it possible to do it in one day and drive home at night?

To make it worth your while it would be best to stay at least 1 night in the Park. Check here: http://www.hluhluwe.co.za/site/default.asp

Cheers

Alan

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Hi there !

Im back in Aus after a 2 week holiday in SA, and boy, i'm glad...

I left SA in Feb 2007, and comparing what I paid for stuff then, and what they pay now, Im really glad I dont live there anymore

I feel very sad for everyone left behind, still earning close to the same salaries now as in Feb 2007. i just know that I would not survive living there NOW on the salary I earned then ... Africa is a tough country ...

a standard home brand box of tissues R 12-99

2liters of Milk R 20-99

a Pick & Pay pie R9-99

my favourite cheap bottle of Brandy, Wellington VO, R84

600g Spur Spare-ribs R 79-99

for us earning dollars its still ok.

Cristel

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To make it worth your while it would be best to stay at least 1 night in the Park. Check here: http://www.hluhluwe.co.za/site/default.asp

Cheers

Alan

I thought so too. But I just did some research and it is mentioned that it is a low risk malaria area. I am not certain if we should take preventive drugs. (do not fancy the idea)

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