=========================================================
J'burg & Sun-Lost City.
Anatomy of a Traveler
African Impressions
Items NOT in sync with Lonely Planet 

Sent 5/28 from Sun City Business Center (expensive at 60R/hr)

0. Cheap Flights in So. Africa.

If you want to fly cheap inside So. Africa, check out two
airlines: One time and Kalula.

1. HOSTELS in J'BURG are either too far from everything,
costly to get to the Park Station or the airport, too
disorganized or of dubious cleanliness.  I tried almost all
of them on the phone, stayed at 5 of them.  All of them are
really residential properties partially converted to
accommodate backpackers. Here is the run-down.

a) In Africa Lodge (Dorm 70Rands, Call Gertie at
011-609-5874) is the cleanest and tidiest. They have FREE
airport pick-up/drop-off, but charge 80 Rands for pick-up
from Park (bus/train) Station.  Unfortunately, the location
is not so good.  Eastgate Shopping Center (halfway between
the airport and the city) will cost you, Festival Shopping
Center in Kempton Park (near airport) is free and Gertie
will take you there if she is running an errand, BUT you
must likely find a ride back, at 50R or so.  Do ask Gertie
HOW you can take a bus to the Sun City/Lost City casinos
and entertainment complex.

b) East Gate Backpackers (70R, Managers Stella & Mike, NEW
address: 53A Van der Linde in Bedfordview, 011-616-2741) is
midway between the city and airport, so closest to
Eastgate, Bruma Flea Market, and cheapest (10R/hr) Internet
in town in the Chinese Shopping Center near the Flea
Market; they are also about 600 meters from the Bedford
Center Shopping Center in the opposite direction. But they
charge 100 Rands to the airport (60R if shared).  While the
dorm room is neat, the rest is intidy, the management seems
disorganized.

c) Shoestrings (011-975-0474, dorm 80 Rands/night) is the
nearest to the airport and pick-up and drop-off are free
(bus pick-up from Park Bus/Train Station is 120 Rands),
also FREE ride--BUT NOT pick-up, which costs about 50
Rands--to the Festival Mall.  (There is an Internet place
at the Mall for 32R/hr.  Enter from Gate 5, walk straight
to 1st corridor to First National Bank; Internet is next to
the red ABSA ATM sign/office.) Also, they will drop you off
at the minibus station for buses to the larger Eastgate
Shopping Mall (for 70 Rands), where you can get also an 8am
bus to SUN CITY complex (200 Rands), returning the same
night.  If you are not too late, there may be a return
minibus back to where you were dropped off, or it will
likely cost you 100 Rands to get back to Shoestrings from
East Gate Shopping Center.  (You can ask the driver of
return minibus to take you to the airport, even for 50R
extra, and then call Shoestrings for free pick-up.) Another
option is to stay at the Shoestrings and let them take you
to the minibus,

d)Backpackers RITZ (011-325-2520, dorm 85 R per night, 40R
drop-off at Park Center, 60R at airport, pick-up from both
free). It is close to some useless shops about 200 meters
away.  Dont park your car in front, 2 were broken in when I
was there.  There is a travel center on site.

2. How to get to Sun City Entertainment Center.  It is
180km north from J'burg.  A bus leaves to there in front of
the Shell gas station at Gate 4 at Eastgate Shopping Center
at 8:20am. Pick your ticket (the day before) inside Gate 4,
at ticket counter for 308R return trip.  Takes 3-4 hours
one way, depending number of pick-ups elsewhere.  Return
buses at 6pm and 9pm, at Eastgate at 9pm and midnight
respectively.  The complex consists of fine frounds, 3
hotels, and the Lost City Palace/hotel that was built for
4.8 billion Rands, making it equal to some in Las Vegas, 
You need 50R ticket for a 45-min tour to get to the palace.
 It is magnificent piece of work, equal anything in Las
Vegas.  You get a good view of J'burg outside, bush country
getting there.

The best way to reach Sun City, when you are at: a)
airport, b) park bus station:

a) from airport.  Sleep a night at Shoestrings and have a
free drop-off to the minibus station at 7am in the morn,
with all your bags.  Take a minibus (7R) to Eastgate or
Bedford Center.  (Unless the minibus drops you right at
Eastgate Center, you may have to get a 30R taxi to Sun City
Bus, as otherwise you need to walk about 1km to get there.)
Get your ticket to Sun City for next day. Now call East
Gate Backpackers for a free pick-up, stay there for 70R. 
They will drop you off there again the next morn for free
or pay 10-20R, and pick-up there again upon return--or walk
back about 800 meters.   If you want to be near the airport
next, ask East Gate Backpackers to give you a ride to
minibus station at Gate 1. Take minibus to Kempton Park. 
Call In Africa Lodge or Shoestrings for free pick-up, stay
a night, ask for free drop-off at airport the next day. 
(This is how I did it without paying 100R drop-off at the
airport.)

b) From Park Station.  Call East Gate Backpackers who have
free pick-up from the Park bus station and proceed as
described above. 


3. Anatomy of a Traveler.  A Traveler is not a lost
soul/searcher, or someone on a self-discovery trip.  Inner
restlessness (sometimes also called itchy-feet), which
induces a desire to be on the go, is probably one common
ingredient of all travelers, why most of them are also
smokers.  Even astrology recognizes this characteristic,
associating it with both the sign of Sagittarius (either
the Sun there, or the Ascendant (Sagit rising), and/or
other planets, so that Sagittarius is prominent in the
chart, or the same with 9th house of distant and/or foreign
lands, travel to them...  (I have Sagittarius rising.)

In my case, there are other inducements too. In an earlier
report I had described myself "a high-gear" person who
likes to be doing things on instinct, having an adventurous
nature, being on the move...  Let me give an example.  I
woke up in Mbabane, Swaziland at 6am on 23rd, shaved, etc.
and had coffee by 8am, joined a ride with a Chinese (also
staying at All Ways Hostel) with a car to the mall across
the bus station, checked if my mother's dress was ready,
was not, went to an Internet for 30 min, collected the
dress, waited an hour for minibus to J'burg to fill, 5
hours to J'burg, 4 hours wait at Park Station, roaming
around there, paid Pioneer Bus 175 for 7pm 13-hour ride to
Masvingo, Zimbabwe, there at 8am (so 26 hours no sleep),
waited an hour for minibus going south to GREAT ZIMBABWE
(ruins) to fill, 30 min to there, grabbed a guy with a car
and offered him 10Rands to give me a ride to the entry
(2km), paid entry, walked around until 2pm, hitched a ride
to the minibus, waited 30 min for one to pass, back in
Masvingo, caught the 5pm bus back to J'burg, 13 hours back,
the driver stopped to drop someone off at a gas station at
4am, then got stuck trying to maneuver the bus (with large
trailer) out, I got out too, started to walk in central
J'burg to the Park Station, got confused about the
direction, saw a bunch of black guys around burning
trash--as they do in USA ghettos--walked to them as if one
of them, asked "hey guys, which way to Park Station?",
silence (taking my measure), again "guys, its cold here,
which way to the station?", they pointed, 5 blocks later
there, waited to 8am (now 50 hours no sleep) for hostels to
open, called 5 of them near airport (from Coast to Coast
booklet)to get details about them, chose one, 9am was
picked up, by 10am settled, 11am took a ride to the
Internet cafe 1km away in Eastgate Shopping Center, typed
these lines, walked around till 3pm, walked back 1km,
watched TV, chatted a bit and went to bed at 8 pm, after 62
hours no sleep.

This on my 70th day of traveling in Africa, all the way
from Mombasa, Kenya, thru Lake Tanganyika, Burundi, etc.,
about 1.5 times the distance and many more places than
covered in the 56-day Travel Africa tour, and did all that
in 32 days.

They say character (read as personality) is (eventually)
destiny.  My sleeping habits have something to do why I am
in high gear.  When I am "on the go" mode and get a good
nights sleep, say about 5 hours, I may be OK for at least a
couple of days, perhaps dozing off a few hours here and
there.  At home, if I am working on my web site, I can do
so 24 hours staright, usually 12-16 hours per sitting.  But
if I am on the go and we end up in tents, for example,
because there is nothing else to do--as we did often on the
World Wide tour--then I spend the night tossing and
turning, and then feel pissed the next morning.  I mellow
down only if I am living with someone, to accommodate her. 
But as often, we might be cooking, watching TV, doing a
project, or making plans at 3am in the morning too.  In
short, I like to be on body clock, not on externally set 8
to 5 external clock most people live by.  This is why I
yearned to be finalcially and otherwise free to be able to
dance to my own tune and DID quit work when I did not have
to work any longer.


4. Interesting People.  I met a British couple, with a
2-year-old child, in a beat-up 1992 Landrover at the hostel
in J'burg.  The guy purchased it for 5,000 pounds and as is
drove it all the way to So. Africa.  He was readying the
fully-packed jeep to meet friends in Botswana.  I like
gutsy people like that.  It takes a special courage and
sense of adventure to do such a travel with a baby on
board, as if traveling in Europe.  Two other guys also
qualify, one an Indian the other from UK, both of whom I
met at In Africa Lodge.  They are completing their pilot's
license.  The guy from UK, Adrian his name, with a degree
in geology, decided he would rather be a bush pilot and
spent 15,000 Pounds so far to that end.  How can you NOT
marvel at such people?  Another?  An American hairdresser
who wants to sell everything she owns, get a used VW
camper, and be nomadic for a while.  We had an interesting
talk at East Gate Backpackers.

==========================================================

Impressions, Africa; Hostels; J'burg, London, hello from
Washington

Sent 5/31 from my sister's in West Virginia.


Impressions, Africa; Hostels; J'burg, London, hello from
Washington

NOTE:  If and when you arrive in Southern Africa, pick the
small booklet called COAST to COAST at most hostels.  It
has new updated list of hostels and other useful info. Also
get a prepaid Telkom WorldCall card.  I think they come in
50 and 100 Rand versions.

1. African Families & Customs in a nut-shell. As far as
African family structure, it is based on common sense
rules.  I had a long talk with the taxi driver who took me
to the Etosha.  It is not much different that family
structures in all countries.  His wife works too, as
teacher, and they yearn for their kids to have a good
education and be independent, etc. as do Americans and all
cultures.  They are perhaps a bit more liberal in some ways
in that parents do not care about the sex life of their
children, unless a girl comes home pregnant, or HIV that is
rampant in these parts.  So things are left largely up to
the off-springs and their common sense.  The man is still
the lord of the house, ultimately has more rights and
priviledges than the woman, but this is not something men
wilfully abuse, much like in the Mideast.  Oh, they do have
quirky customs too, like 1) a man being able to marry as
many women as he can afford, which often means whomever he
can convince, rather than afford, 2) only the man can drink
from a milk container, 3) that animal-keeping African
tribes look down on the ones who farm, that he would never
marry a San (Bushman), also because their language, with
many clicks of the tongue, is too complex for them, 4) that
a married woman dare not to carry on an affair, whereas the
man is seemingly free to do so . . . But every culture have
its own oddities that seem normal to them odd to others. I
found all the Africans I met decent, polite, helpful,
except the hustlers, people who hang on and on to get
something from you on the street, at bus stations, etc. . .
.  This said, tribal differences still do exist and may
present potential problems, though there are several
countries in which nationalism, rather than tribalism, now
dominates.  In other countries (eg., Rwanda and Burundi)
the problem is recognized, which is the first step to a
solution.

2. Too many babies.  This brings me to the comment I made
in my first report, that Africans do have TOO MANY BABIES,
and especially the ones who least can afford them,
cannot educate them.  The driver told me there is still
the illusion in Africa that a man is not a man UNTIL he
begets children, the more the better, same with the women. 
This cycle has to be broken and contraception has to be
reinforced, for the economies of many countries here, even
that of So. Africa, cannot sustain the numbers.  And I
heard that some Govt. leaders are seemingly reluctant to
admit that HIV is a major problem and so are lax about
treatment.  I suspect (as a possibility) that these leaders
are aware that population growth is a major problem and
their denial is a sinister way of controlling the
population.  Otherwise, there is no logical explanation for
their denial.

3. As of May 2005, I see the situation vis-a-vis the
various countries I visited as follows, in a nutshell.

a) So. Africa. I had long talks with all sorts of people,
for example about 2 hours with Ian (white owner of Sani
Pass Carriers), as he drove me back to PMB.  The white So.
Africans are surprised that their black government has done
so well, that property values are rapidly multiplying, that
the whites as well as non-whites are optimistic.  And even
the whites are raving about their very smart finance
minister.  There are some areas of concern that persist: 1)
crime, which they say is on the decrease, and 2) land
rights. As to the latter, 4 years ago or so some blacks
decided to settle down as squatters on a white farm.  The
case came to court and after much arm-wrestling the court
has (in early May 2005) decided that they must be evicted. 
The whites are delighted with the decision but now are
waiting to see if there will be enforcement to that effect.
 Again, overall, the attitude is one of optimism, also in
Namibia and economically well-off Botswana.  I am not sure,
however, that the blacks do feel equal yet in these
countries, because there is still enormous income disparity
between the races.  It will take a generation or 2 for more
and more black kids to catch up in education, thus
prospects.  Meanwhile, the 40 percent unemployment rate,
probably mostly among the blacks, is a source of concern. 
I dont know what this number includes and excludes.  For
example, are the many minibus drivers, blacks who work as
guards, etc. included or excluded?  That is, there is a
thriving underground market in most developing world and so
the employment numbers may be misleading.  But even if so, 
obviously the increasing numbers of blacks must be brought
into the mainstream for long-term stability.

Re: Botswana, due to its diamonds it has a powerful
economy, yet Namibia and Namibian blacks look much better
off than ones in Botswana.  There are just too many mud-hut
villages in Botswana, so that, I conclude, the income
generated is not trickling down sufficiently on the blacks.
Otherwise, Namibia looks like another state of So. Africa.


b) Zimbabwe, about Whites. One of the things that surprised
me is in how many countries I was asked by custom officials
and common citizens (for example, sharing a ride with me)
IF I would want to settle down in their country.  Huh,
apparently many sensible blacks are aware that having
enterprising whites in their midst is good for them and for
their country.  In this vein, Zimbabwe, that is doing
exactly the opposite under Mugabe, is a basket case.  For
example, I had a talk with the cleaning lady (name
Precious) from Zimbabwe at the East Gate Backpackers in
J'burg. She said many blacks are very dismayed with the
situation, that she wished that a white, someone like Jan
Smith, would again come to power and rescue their country. 
Even the essential stuff is missing on store shelves in
Zimbabwe, yet there is a thriving black market at which
selected people, also whites, make enormous profits.
 

c) In fact, Zambia, Tanzania, and other countries have
offered favorable terms to white farmers leaving Zimbabwe
to settle down in their countries.  To me this is a
significant progress.  I liked Swaziland and Zambia the
most, in some ways found them the most Americanized.  In
Zambia, land is large enough for economic prosperity, at
least to provide the basics from agriculture.  The same
applies to Tanzania, adding also the sizable income from
tourism.  Kenya puzzled me somewhat.  In some ways it has
the most sophisticated black population. Yet it did NOT
make sense that such a country, also a major target for
tourism, would have the worst roads in East Africa.  One
explanation may be that the economy cannot sustain the
population, or there is serious waste or corruption
somewhere, the latter still a major problem in many African
countries.


d) Malawi is very poor, but it seems to have enough
productive land to feed itself, unlike mountainous Lesotho
that has very little productive land and seemingly no other
means of sustaining itself.  This applies to a lesser
extent also to Swaziland.  The significant difference is in
that many whites are settling down in Swaziland.  It would
seem the best long-term pragmatic solution for these two
countries would be perhaps to join So. Africa in some form,
though this is not likely.  From what I sense, the natives
of both countries, not to mention their king, are proud
that they are separate from South Africa.


e) Rwanda and Burundi surprised me.  I expected to find
them much more run down; indeed, though poor, the people of
Burundi in the city have more style than people in other
countries, probably due to their association with the
French.  Albeit, I believe they are on a path of mending
old hatreds and trying to get back on their feet, also
recovering their tourism potential.  In this, Congo and
Angola have much more arduous and longer path to follow,
because of the huge size of these countries.

The East African Community formed between Kenya, Tanzania,
and Uganda has not only the potential of improving the
ecnomies of these countries, with tourism as the economic
locomotive, but also as a blueprint for a larger East-
African union with other countries joining in eventually. 
Zambia, Mozambique, and Malawi may be the next countries to
join, with Rwanda, Burundi, and even Congo as potential
members in the future.


3. Re: Lonely Planet (LP).  I use LP for reference, knowing
that I can rely on most of the info, but also aware that
the prices are off by at least 50% (more like 300% for
buses) in all latest books, for sure for Africa, Mexico,
and Central America.  In addition, as I stated in an
earlier report, LP makes no value judgments between places,
no relative comparisons.  For example, a hostel may be
described as "... this wonderful hostel, JUST 14km out of
town on such and such road, at the mouth of a scenic river,
offers free pancakes for breakfast, has a lively bar (as if
there is a hostel or camp without a bar, where they make
the real money, and arranges tours . . ."  let's
scrutinize.

JUST 14km out of town?  1) So how do you get there, taxi? 
(A taxi to one such place may be an insignificant cost, but
multiply it for many such places, soon you are talking real
money.)  2) If free pick-up, how long is the wait, ride? 
(Often I waited at least an hour just to be picked up) Are
these worth time wasted?  3) Do they also bring you back
for free, or for a fee?  (Most hostels offer free pick-up
but charge a hefty fee for the drive back, as for example
Backpacker Ritz in J'burg: 40 Rands for the 10-min ride to
the Park Station, 60 Rands to the airport.)  4) Does it
have Internet?  (Cardboard Box in Windhoek does not,
Chameleon does, for example, which makes the latter a much
more attaractive choice.)  5) What if you NOT like the mood
or food there and want to go elsewhere, are you stuck at
least for a day? (For example, everyone raves about the
Ashanti Lodge in Cape, for example.  I did not like the
loud fraternity-sorority noise there substituting for
happiness, that seemingly defined everyone's personality as
same, and moved to the nearby Zebra Crossing the next day,
where, besides being much cheaper, I met more adult-minded
young and older people, some as friends.) 6) What if there
are not enough people there for tour options (as happened
to me at the Mousebird Backpackers in Tsumeb)? Do you have
other options, like renting a taxi as I did to Etosha? 7)
And how long do you think you will admire the the mouth of
the river, if you are not comfortable with the rest of the
place?  

All these viable questions are also valid for hostels at
the city center, BUT with a significant difference.  In the
city, you have other options immediately, like another
hostel, a shopping center, artisan markets, restaurants,
Internet cafes, buses out, taxis, observing the pulse
(general activity) of the city, cafes and people watching,
etc.  In other words, you rarely feel stranded at a hostel
in the city--like in Guadalajara, Mexico where you are
steps from the Zocolo, the center of the Old Town.

So when asked what places I have traveled to I like the
most, a significant variable for me is my experience with
the hostel there.

SOME OF BEST?  Fajara Hotel in Banjul, Gambia (an exclusive
yet very simple hotel at the beach), the place my friend
Tom and I stayed at in Phuket, Isl. (before the tsunami),
Voyager International in Panama City; the one (starts with
P) Costa Rica, Tekweni in Durban (only because of its
location near Florida Ave.), Al Rabia in Damascus (city
center, very cozy besides), Ishtar in Palmyra (Syria, at
the center of village, next to all shops), Murat B&B in
Bodrum (Turkey, center), another in Marmaris (right at the
pier), the Hostel across from the castle in Edinborogh, the
one at the corner in Dublin, Hilton and Tarabya (5-star) in
Istanbul but next to things, Youth Hostel in Playa del
Carmen (5 min from famous Ave. 8), in Guadalajara, several
in Mex. City, Jolly Boys in Livingstone, Chameleon in
Windhoek, Star Lodge in Bujumbura, hostel right at bus
station in Townsville, also the one in Darwin, the one near
the mall in Perth, Brisbane (Australia), in Christchurch,
Queenstown (New Zealand), a few in Europe, several nice
budget hotels in Hanoi, India, Clay Hostel in Miami Beach,
etc.  I probably know a few others, but of the 100s of
hostels and hotels I have stayed in, the percentage of the
really good ones is low.

For me a solid good base that offers variety of immediate
outlets is perhaps THE most important criterion for
enjoying a place, which gets difficult if I feel confined
and stranded.  For example, most of the most expensive
hotels in Istanbul are all near the Bosporus.  Indeed, it
is heavenly to have an afternoon coffee on the terrace,
watching the sunset and the traffic on the passage,
listening to the piano. But often the hotels are also very
confining by location in that there is nothing near them. 
It is as if you are obligated to enjoy the whole of
Istanbul, one of the most beautiful historical cities in
the world, just with the view of Bosporus and what the
hotel can offer within its boundaries, even if a lot. 
Better move to any 3-star hotel in Sultanahmet or Sirkeci
and enjoy the old city and all else from there, would be my
advice.

By the way, this also explains my use of the word "sterile"
and "pulse" to define a city.  People who have seen and
been in Latin cities, for example, the activity, how the
people enjoy their city (pulse), as also in Rome, Paris,
Istanbul, Hong Kong, etc. will understand what I mean
readily.  For example, Lonely Planet defines Swakop as a
party town.  Give me a break.  Even for visitors new to the
place 3 days are more than enough there, and that if they
can fill the 3 days with activities.  For locals, there is
nothing there and ways of dealing with boredom is probably
a constant problem.  So at nights and weekends they gather
in pubs to drink lots of bier, watch rugby, soccer, etc.,
and make lots of ra-ra-ra noise, and this pastime qualifies
the place as "party town."  (They should come to Bayside,
Miami on a weekend, or SoBe, Miami Beach any night and see
what partying is about.)  Albeit, I like to think that I am
not only a traveler, but a discriminating one at that.

Sirman