A Girl’s Guide to Travel, Studying, Working, and Volunteering Abroad

As told by DIWYY Reader and Guest Writer, Anna, who has been living and working in Johannesburg since June 2009.

Where she lives: I live in the neighborhood of Illovo in a rented flat.

Johannesburg is like Los Angeles—sprawling with some neighborhoods that are more desirable to live in and others that one should avoid at all costs! Generally backpackers stay closer to the CBD (Central Business District, or downtown Jo’burg) in areas like South Kensington or Melville. The more residential areas are north of the CBD and include areas like Illovo, Rosebank, Parkhurst, Sandton, and many more. Visitors looking for a bit of big city modernity should head to Sandton; it’s definitely the hot area of Jo’burg with loads of nice hotels, restaurants, bars, fancy shops etc.

A friend of mine came to visit and stayed in the Diamond Digger’s hostel (in South Kensington; I visited her there and it offered really decent hostel accommodation. Rooms are clean, there is a kitchen and common rooms, free internet, and the hostel has it’s own driver who can take you around for a fee).

Anna’s Recommendations for Sighsteeing: Johannesburg itself isn’t great as a tourist destination but is often a stopping off point for many trips to other parts of South Africa. That said there are a few interesting and worthwhile experiences:

The Apartheid Museum is a sobering educational experience, and a stop here is necessary to understand the country’s complicated history and apartheid’s continuing influence on much of today’s politics, culture, and economic policy. Make sure to at least know a bit about the history of apartheid and the struggle against it before you attend the museum, otherwise you may not be able to fully appreciate the significance of some of the museum exhibits. 

The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve is a ways drive from the CBD and requires a car to drive through, but is beautiful. You can play with baby lions and tigers in the animal crèche (nursery), but wash your hands afterwards!

A tour of Soweto—the largest township in South Africa and whose residents played a significant role in the anti-apartheid resistance—is also educational, and in advance of the World Cup in 2010 many parts of the township are seeing massive amounts of regeneration. You must go with an organized tour though, such as Touring South Africa. The tour will take you through the museums and to some areas of great historical significance, such as the site where hundreds of students were shot at in a church.

Day spas: for an incredible way to relax head to any one of about a hundred of Johannesburg’s day spas. The nicest by far is at the Saxon boutique hotel, which, while relatively expensive in South African terms, is still far cheaper than comparable spas in the US and Europe, plus you can spend time in the pool or jacuzzi after your treatment. The hotel is gorgeous as well, but at over R6,000 a night it is out of nearly everyone’s price range! Nelson Mandela stayed here to finish writing his book.

South African Breweries (SAB Miller) is a major South African success story and is one of the largest beer producers in the world. The World of Beer tour is one of South Africa’s most popular tourist activities and finishes off with tasting some really excellent beers. It’s probably as necessary as a visit to the Guinness factory for visitors to Ireland!

And finally, if not most obviously, if you’re heading to Jo’burg between June-July 2010 check out the World Cup!!

Getting Around: I rented a car, because I would be here for 6 months. I would highly recommend renting a car as, again similar to Los Angeles, the city is a sprawling metropolis and, more critically, public transport is not yet widely available (or completely safe). Many of the areas worth visiting and some of the better restaurants are best reached by car as well. Safety is a big concern in Johannesburg so travel on foot is ill advised (especially at night), but equally precautions must be taken in your own car: hide any valuables in the trunk, which includes your purse if driving on your own. Keep your windows rolled up at stoplights and at night be very wary of driving around on your own.

All of that said a friend of mine stayed here and relied on the shared taxis (or minibuses) for all of her transport needs; I would not have done this but props to her for being so ballsy! Instead of renting a car it is possible to take private taxis everywhere for short visits, but having a car for a few days is inexpensive and highly convenient. Being able to get out and explore on your own (with a good map!) is the best way to see the city.

Language tips: Everyone speaks English!

Final Thoughts: Safety is probably the biggest worry for anyone visiting Johannesburg, and it certainly was for me when I first arrived. Even in other countries of Africa, Johannesburg’s reputation is not great. What began as outright fear has faded and now I just exercise caution everywhere I go. Safety is definitely not to be taken for granted: crime rates are very high—robberies, carjackings, muggings, and other violent crimes are higher than other international cities, but there is a silver lining. With the World Cup approaching the government and police are cracking down on crime even harder than before and are really trying to make Jo’burg a safe city. The usual precautions when traveling must be followed: don’t carry or wear expensive items, limit the amount of cash you carry, make sure your bank cards are in different places. I personally haven’t had any problems (knock on wood!) but have some friends who have been victims of muggings or robberies.

As a final note, Johannesburg is truly a city of extremes. Poverty stricken townships lie 30 minutes away from some of the wealthiest suburbs, housing CEOs and diamond executives behind high electric fences, and residents of each area largely ignore each other. When visiting it is easy to stick to the more affluent aspects of Johannesburg, which most closely resemble the modern comforts we are used to at home, but your trip will be more rewarding if you make an effort to engage with the city and country’s history in a meaningful way.

Want to read more about Anna’s adventures in Africa? Read her blog at: http://nilikutashani.wordpress.com/