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Johannesburg - worthwhile?



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 8th, 2004, 05:27 PM
Ann B.
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

As a first-time visitor to SA, I have an evening flight out of
Johannesburg when returning home. I hadn't planned on visiting
Jo-burg, but am considering arriving the night before my flight and
staying at a hotel by the airport. Would it be worthwhile to go into
the city during the day? What about safety? What is interesting to
see?

Thanks for replies.

Cheers,
Ann

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  #2  
Old May 8th, 2004, 07:28 PM
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

No, it certainly isn't safe to go into the city at pretty much
anytime, which is why virtually all the businesses have moved out to
an outer ring outside the city. Stay away from the downtown and you
will be alright. I don't know what you like to do, by the lion park
there is great. You can get up close and personal with real, live
wild lions.


On Sat, 08 May 2004 16:27:31 GMT, Ann B.
wrote:

As a first-time visitor to SA, I have an evening flight out of
Johannesburg when returning home. I hadn't planned on visiting
Jo-burg, but am considering arriving the night before my flight and
staying at a hotel by the airport. Would it be worthwhile to go into
the city during the day? What about safety? What is interesting to
see?

Thanks for replies.

Cheers,
Ann

To email: replace 'REMOVE' with 'b' in email address.


  #3  
Old May 8th, 2004, 09:18 PM
Hans Martens
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

Ann B. wrote:
As a first-time visitor to SA, I have an evening flight out of
Johannesburg when returning home. I hadn't planned on visiting
Jo-burg, but am considering arriving the night before my flight and
staying at a hotel by the airport. Would it be worthwhile to go into
the city during the day? What about safety? What is interesting to
see?


Jo'burg is NOT a safe place. Also the airport is not that close to the
city, so you'll need a taxi. Let your hotel arrange the taxi for you.
The one to take you to the city and the same one to take you back again.
Don't just take any taxi!

Although I have walked around certain areas of Jo'burg alone and even at
night and also have wonderfull memories of my times there, I don't
really consider it worth visiting. If I had a change to stay a day
longer at any park or reserve, I wouldn't need to think about that for a
second.

Regards,
hans



==================================
Hans Martens

Wildlife & Nature Photography
http://www.wildpicture.com
==================================


  #4  
Old May 10th, 2004, 08:54 AM
Marc Lurie
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

Hi Ann,

I have lived in Johannesburg all my life, so I think I'm probably
qualified to answer your queries better than most :-)

Firstly, you ask if you should visit Johannesburg. If you mean "should
I visit downtown Johannesburg?" then the answer is almost certainly an
emphatic "NO".

If you were asking whether there are other parts of Johannesburg you
should visit, the answer is an even more emphatic "YES"

THIS IS THE SITUATION:

Greater Johannesburg is an enormous area (around 4000 square
kilometers). In reality it stretches about 70km from the outskirts of
Pretoria in the North to Soweto in the South, and about 60km from
Krugersdorp in the West to Benoni in the East. The population varies
from the wealthiest to the poorest, stratified into certain areas
mostly according to income. The wealthier populace have built "comfort
zones" around themselves, while the rest of the city was left to fall
prey to inner-city urban decay. The downtown area of Johannesburg, as
well as Hillbrow (an area of only a few square kilometers), has become
a hotbed of illegal activity. Drugs, illegal immigrants, confidence
tricksters, con-artists, muggers, rapists, and hijackers all found a
new home in these areas. Like so many other cities, Johannesburg
failed to see, and remedy, the situation quickly enough.

As a result, many businesses moved out of the city centre, to areas
outside the centre. This caused small "sub-centres" to develop. Each
of the sub-areas needed all of the supporting structures that surround
business such as banks, shops, restaurants etc. Vibrant night-life
developed here as well, mostly based around the local mall or other
focal point.

There are areas where it is extremely foolhardy for an un-escorted
tourist to visit, and I would strongly recommend that they AVOID THESE
AREAS COMPLETELY. These areas include:
1) Johannesburg city centre (downtown)
2) Hillbrow
3) Berea
4) Rocky Street/Yeoville
5) Lorentzville/Bertrams
Not only is there a distinct possibility for a tourist to get into
trouble, but there is not that much to be done in those areas. One
noteable exception is the very popular area around the Market Theatre
(Theatre, restaurants, Museum Afrika) which has jacked up security,
and is very pleasant to visit.


There are areas where it is PERFECTLY SAFE to visit;
a) By "perfectly safe" I mean that there is every expectation that a
tourist will not be in any danger. Of course things do go wrong in any
city/country, and walking around with an expensive camera dangling
around your neck and flashing a thisk wad of cash around is going to
attract problems in any country.
b) Being safe in these areas presupposes that people follow typical
big-city common sense rules. Don't walk about in dark areas, or in
areas where there is no-one else. Don't advertise that you have money.
Walk with a purpose, you look less like a tourist. Keep a tight grip
on handbags etc.

These safe areas include, but are not limited to:
1) The glitzy parts of Sandton
2) Rivonia
3) Gold Reef City
4) Rosebank
5) The "Lion Park" and the "Lion and Rhino Park"
6) Guided tours of Soweto,
7) Eastgate, Bedford Centre

I am not in the tourist business, and I have no financial interest in
the field whatsoever, but I have entertained several dozen overseas
visitors in Johannesburg. All of them have enjoyed their visits
enormously, and have left with positive feelings.

Please take the effort to stay in Johannesburg for the day.

Regards,

Marc - Johannesburg.

On Sat, 08 May 2004 16:27:31 GMT, Ann B.
wrote:

As a first-time visitor to SA, I have an evening flight out of
Johannesburg when returning home. I hadn't planned on visiting
Jo-burg, but am considering arriving the night before my flight and
staying at a hotel by the airport. Would it be worthwhile to go into
the city during the day? What about safety? What is interesting to
see?

Thanks for replies.

Cheers,
Ann

To email: replace 'REMOVE' with 'b' in email address.


  #5  
Old May 10th, 2004, 10:06 PM
Peter Schneider
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

Ann B. wrote:

: As a first-time visitor to SA, I have an evening flight out of
: Johannesburg when returning home. I hadn't planned on visiting
: Jo-burg, but am considering arriving the night before my flight and
: staying at a hotel by the airport. Would it be worthwhile to go into
: the city during the day? What about safety? What is interesting to
: see?
:
: Thanks for replies.
: Cheers,
: Ann


We also had one and a half day left in Joburg and stayed at the Holiday
Inn at the airport. We did a guided tour to Johannesburg and Soweto. We
were picked up at the hotel and the tour was very interesting and our
guide (Edgar) was very good and entertaining. On the last day we visited
lion park on our own (rented car). You see a lot of lions but you have
to realise that it is more like a zoo and not wildlife like in Kruger
Park.

Regards
Peter

  #6  
Old May 15th, 2004, 06:14 PM
Mtwhitney62
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?

We did a tour of downtown Johannesburg and Soweto this April and found it very
interesting.
  #7  
Old May 19th, 2004, 07:44 PM
Neil
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Default Johannesburg - worthwhile?


"Mtwhitney62" wrote in message
...
We did a tour of downtown Johannesburg and Soweto this April and found it

very
interesting.



got to agree with that! our trip round soweto was amasing. went on a guided
tour. just a family of 4 and 2 guide. God it was amasing. Heard a lot of bad
things about it but once there we never felt threatened. We even mixed with
some locals in an illegal bar, walked around the markets, had hour of drinks
in a legal bar chatting and getting to know some locals. I did feel a bit
uneasy about it at times but the experience was great. Saw some of the
poorest bits and met the poorest people and also the richest bits. It was
shocking, appauling at times and amazing at others. Downtown Johberg was
fantastic too. A saddening waste in many ways but really was an experience
of a different world.

I wouldnt go around alone, make sure you get a good, experienced guide and
trust me you'll be amazed by it.

Anyway thats my 2 cents ;-)


 




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