AC

Everyone has told me how cheap South Africa is, and that is
true...once you actually get to your hotel. Transport from the airport
to the hotel and back is killing me especially considering that I only
spent one night in Johannesburg. In the end I think the money was
worth it though because I got to go on an amazing tour yesterday. I
originally wanted to come to Johannesburg so that I could go on a
safari, but turns out I'm still not that close to good safaris and
they are crazy expensive. You know that when I think something is
expenisve it really is, so going on a safari will have to remain on
the list of things I want to do in my life. I'm only 22 so I shouldn't
be checking everything off now anyway.

While I didn't to go on a safari, I did get to go on a tour of an area
of the city called Soweto. It a township area where the Dutch put all
the Africans during the apartheid regime. About 3.2 million people
still live there and it has one of the worlds highest poverty rates.
There are shanty towns where people live without power or running
water in their homes. They have out houses that basically consist of a
hole in the ground. I used one of these cause I had to pee really
bad. It wasn't as bad as I expected, but I think the guy took me to a
nicer one because the whole place smelled like crap.

I was nervous before going on the tour because this area is one of the
most dangerous in Johannesburg. It is only safe to go with a local
guide, but being alone I didn't fully trust anyone. The hotel offered
a tour that I thought was too expensive. The bellman tried selling me
on an less expensive tour but I didn't think that offered the safety I
wanted. I found a tour agency in the mall next to my hotel that had a
tour that beat both of those prices and the agency seemed to be very
nice. When I booked the tour they told me it would probably be just me
and the guide. I was cool with tyat because I don't like to deal with
other people anyway.

I didn't realize the tour would be in a white Mercedes. The guide was
more like a chauffer who knew a lot about the area. The image of the
white American in the expensive white car going to the poor black area
was not lost on me. However, there was no trouble and the sights were
increaible. It made me feel so fortunate to have been born when and
where I was. Walking down rye streets of the shanty town and talking
to one of the ladies in her house I felt like Anderson Cooper on 60
Minutes. There have been so many moments like that on this trip where
I just think that people aren't supposed to get to do this. It has
been incredible even if getting to and from the airport costs so much.
I'll work that out later.