“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” Augustine of Hippo.

It was Tuesday, October 2017… The Captain of South African Airlines, flight #204, a few minutes before taking off, announced overhead: “Travel-O-Ganza, the Travel Club for physicians and nurses, have 110 members on board. They will spend 8 days in South Africa. Welcome onboard!”  The wait was over.  We were on our way.

 

Claptrap does happen. It always happens, at every trip.

Our flight was scheduled to depart at 11:05 AM heading toward Johannesburg.  Most travelers were at the airport at 7:45 AM, as convened.  But the large contingent of 42 that departed from New Jersey at 5:50 AM did not make it until after 9:00 AM!

 

What happened? Well, let us say that the coach driver in charge of their transfer decided to give them a free 3-borough tour, driving through the streets of Staten Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, before dropping them at JFK.  We will write the incident off, as “he was lost for three hours”.

 

Oh!  By the way, if you ever travel to South Africa with a minor (even your own child), remember to carry with you a copy of his/her birth certificate.  No one will forewarn you; and if you don’t comply, the child will be denied boarding.

 

It took almost 15 hours for the aircraft to fly the 8,000 miles between JFK and Oliver R. Tambo International Airport.  Apart from some major saccades, the flight was uneventful. Most of us were confined in the same section of the aircraft.  There was plenty of movies to consume, and the supply of drinks and food was satisfactory.  All elements were met for the over-the-clouds party. With no delay, we landed in Johannesburg at 8:05 AM, local time (2:05 AM in New York).

 

We had a rather lengthy stop at Nelson Mandela Square, for the perennial group picture. The center of the square was occupied by a Jaguar (fancy car) stand laid on a red carpet. On the first floor of the multi-storied shopping center stood a restaurant, Trump’s Grill House and Butchery. Wow! What a brand!

 

We arrived at the Crowne Plaza in Rosebank, two hours after our scheduled Welcome Breakfast. It was 11:30 AM. We had a warm welcome. The entire senior staff was there to salute us. We drank coffee, ate scrambled eggs and croissants at lunchtime; while our bodies were still at night time.  The session lasted two hours.

 

But check-in time was not until 4:00 PM. We left our luggage behind, jumped back into the buses for a guided Johannesburg City Tour.  That is when we met Bruce, a young, eloquent, gifted tourist guide from Soweto.  We will never have him again during the stay; but we never stopped talking about him.

 

After breakfast, we had lunch (some of us did) at Moyo Zoo Lake.  That was a delicious culinary and cultural and experience, with songs and dances.

 

Back at the Crowne Plaza, our electronic keys were waiting for us at the front desk.  We reached our room exhausted, 28 hours after we left our home or hotel in America. But it was not time for rest. Not yet.  We had a grand Welcome Dinner Dance at Katzy’s at 8:00 PM. We just could not miss it.

 

Katzy’s is the epitome of sophistication, where the rich, pretty and handsome hang out in Johannesburg. We had dinner to the drum, keyboard, and dances from a Soweto Marimba group of Zulu and Tswana artists.

Then we danced to our heart content until almost midnight, as a culmination of a grueling 35-hour on two continents across six time-zones. It was tough and exhilarating.

 

When we finally hit our bed, we positively passed out. Just like that.

(The Traveller, Tuesday, October 3, 2017)

 

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

34 COMMENTS

  2. I precisely needed to thank you so much again. I’m not certain the things I would have done without the actual secrets shown by you relating to such problem. It was a frightening scenario in my opinion, nevertheless looking at a new well-written form you resolved that forced me to weep with contentment. Now i’m happier for the work and then trust you really know what a great job you are always accomplishing teaching many others through your website. I’m certain you’ve never got to know all of us.

  4. I would like to convey my appreciation for your kind-heartedness for visitors who really need help on your content. Your real dedication to passing the solution all-around had become particularly significant and have regularly allowed others like me to attain their goals. Your own invaluable help and advice entails a lot a person like me and especially to my office workers. With thanks; from everyone of us.

  5. I intended to draft you that little bit of word to say thanks again just for the pleasant information you have documented at this time. This is incredibly open-handed with you to offer easily all that some people would’ve marketed for an e book to earn some profit for themselves, mostly since you might have tried it in case you decided. These good tips likewise worked like a great way to know that other individuals have a similar interest really like my own to figure out whole lot more in regard to this condition. I believe there are thousands of more fun opportunities up front for individuals who read carefully your website.

  6. I truly wanted to compose a quick remark so as to say thanks to you for some of the wonderful guides you are placing here. My time-consuming internet investigation has at the end been rewarded with really good tips to share with my partners. I would assume that we readers actually are very much lucky to dwell in a good network with many marvellous professionals with interesting plans. I feel very much fortunate to have seen your entire web site and look forward to tons of more brilliant times reading here. Thank you once again for everything.

  7. I really wanted to write down a note to be able to appreciate you for the marvelous strategies you are sharing here. My prolonged internet search has at the end been recognized with brilliant details to write about with my great friends. I ‘d admit that we readers actually are unequivocally lucky to dwell in a fantastic network with so many lovely individuals with valuable hints. I feel pretty privileged to have come across your entire webpages and look forward to plenty of more exciting times reading here. Thanks a lot again for all the details.

  8. I have to express my affection for your kindness supporting those people that require assistance with this particular concern. Your very own dedication to passing the message all-around appeared to be certainly valuable and have continually empowered most people just like me to attain their desired goals. This valuable key points implies much a person like me and further more to my office colleagues. With thanks; from all of us.

  9. It’s become one of the most viral memes on the internet.
    Napoleon Bonaparte could relate.
    Yup, he was reminding Philadelphians that preventing fires is better than fighting them.
    Why is this stuff important.
    It’s time.
    That’s why aphorisms, adages, and proverbs are synonyms for each other.
    Both sayings highlight the benefits of waking up early.
    Another success aphorism comes from Chris Grosser.
    See for yourself.
    This also reminds me of a precept by Sir Edwin Sandys, a politician who helped establish Jamestown, Virginia.
    Finally, Actions speak louder than words is another classic example.
    Not good.
    It’s time.
    Curiosity killed the cat.
    Aphorisms often use metaphors or creative imagery to express ideas.
    It’s better safe than sorry, right.

  10. Michael Corleone from The Godfather II disagreed with that.
    Aphorism Examples in Everyday Speech
    Sometimes, though.
    (I say these words to make me glad),
    It’s time.
    How many times have you heard one of the following aphorism examples.
    Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
    Fall seven times, stand up eight.
    Another example comes from Spider-Man, where Uncle Ben turns to Peter Parker and says, With great power comes great responsibility.
    Washington also said, It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.
    Other Common Examples of Aphorisms
    Not so much.
    Give it a try!
    How do aphorisms differ from adages and proverbs.
    Both sayings highlight the benefits of waking up early.
    It reminds us to take precautionary measures, so we don’t end up with bad results.

  11. I must show my appreciation for your kind-heartedness supporting men and women who require guidance on your concept. Your special commitment to getting the solution up and down appeared to be exceptionally effective and has surely helped individuals much like me to get to their endeavors. Your entire invaluable recommendations can mean a great deal to me and even more to my mates. Thanks a ton; from all of us.

  12. Take this proverb, for example.
    Speaking of being safe, that’s another aphorism example that you’ve probably heard before.
    It’s one of my favorite aphorisms because it’s simple but yet powerful.
    Like George Washington, Sandys believed that telling the truth is always the way to go.
    Shifting gears a little, let’s talk about one of the world’s greatest aphorists – Benjamin Franklin.
    It meant that the person was versatile and adept at many things.
    Ready to Use These Aphorism Examples In Your Writing.
    What is an Aphorism.
    Your wish is my command.
    Another success aphorism comes from Chris Grosser.
    It’s one of my favorite aphorisms because it’s simple but yet powerful.
    Sandys said, Honestie the best policie, which in modern English is…
    Yup, he was reminding Philadelphians that preventing fires is better than fighting them.
    Why is this stuff important.
    Build a storyline around that saying.
    Practice what you preach.

  13. I must show my appreciation for your kind-heartedness for individuals that need guidance on in this matter. Your very own commitment to passing the message all over was quite effective and have in most cases allowed others much like me to achieve their targets. Your entire important useful information indicates a great deal a person like me and extremely more to my peers. Thanks a ton; from all of us.

  14. I precisely wished to thank you so much all over again. I do not know the things I might have undertaken in the absence of the type of aspects documented by you regarding my problem. Completely was a intimidating issue in my opinion, however , seeing a specialized strategy you managed that forced me to jump over gladness. I am happy for your advice as well as believe you recognize what a powerful job you were carrying out instructing some other people all through a web site. I am sure you have never met any of us.

  15. I have to express my love for your kind-heartedness in support of men and women that have the need for help with in this area of interest. Your personal commitment to getting the solution all through turned out to be astonishingly insightful and have allowed women like me to reach their aims. This valuable help denotes so much a person like me and especially to my office workers. Thank you; from everyone of us.

  16. I want to get across my admiration for your kindness supporting those people who absolutely need guidance on the niche. Your special dedication to passing the solution all around came to be amazingly important and has allowed men and women much like me to achieve their pursuits. This interesting publication entails a great deal a person like me and especially to my peers. Thanks a lot; from each one of us.

  17. I happen to be commenting to let you be aware of of the remarkable encounter my wife’s girl encountered using the blog. She mastered plenty of things, which included how it is like to have an amazing helping style to get folks clearly completely grasp selected tortuous matters. You undoubtedly exceeded my desires. Many thanks for delivering those invaluable, dependable, revealing not to mention cool thoughts on this topic to Kate.

  18. I would like to convey my appreciation for your generosity giving support to people that must have help on in this matter. Your very own commitment to passing the solution along was rather effective and have usually allowed somebody much like me to realize their goals. Your new useful recommendations implies this much a person like me and a whole lot more to my colleagues. Thanks a ton; from everyone of us.

  19. My husband and i got absolutely excited that Peter managed to deal with his inquiry with the ideas he obtained from your very own weblog. It is now and again perplexing just to happen to be giving away tips and hints which often other folks could have been selling. And now we realize we have got the blog owner to be grateful to for that. The type of illustrations you’ve made, the easy web site navigation, the relationships your site make it possible to create – it’s got mostly impressive, and it’s aiding our son and our family believe that the content is excellent, which is certainly truly serious. Many thanks for everything!

  20. I intended to create you that tiny remark to finally thank you very much yet again for all the superb strategies you’ve shown above. It was simply particularly generous of you to allow unhampered exactly what a lot of folks could possibly have offered as an e-book in making some bucks on their own, particularly now that you could possibly have tried it in the event you desired. Those creative ideas as well acted to become a great way to realize that other people online have the same dreams really like my very own to realize lots more related to this problem. I am sure there are many more pleasurable moments ahead for people who view your site.

  21. I precisely had to say thanks all over again. I’m not certain the things that I might have sorted out without the actual points discussed by you over such a problem. It became a hard setting for me personally, but witnessing the expert mode you dealt with it forced me to cry with delight. Extremely happier for your guidance and even sincerely hope you realize what a powerful job you happen to be carrying out instructing some other people with the aid of a blog. Probably you’ve never encountered any of us.

  22. I must voice my admiration for your kind-heartedness in support of persons that really want help with this particular matter. Your personal commitment to passing the message across appeared to be really important and have always enabled regular people much like me to attain their desired goals. Your own valuable useful information indicates much to me and additionally to my fellow workers. With thanks; from each one of us.

  23. I have to voice my admiration for your kindness supporting people that need help with this one matter. Your special dedication to passing the message all through turned out to be certainly practical and has frequently allowed individuals much like me to get to their pursuits. Your own important recommendations means a lot to me and substantially more to my peers. Thanks a ton; from each one of us.

  24. I have to show my passion for your kindness supporting those who really need guidance on that subject. Your personal commitment to getting the message all-around had become pretty powerful and have encouraged many people much like me to get to their goals. Your personal informative report signifies much a person like me and even more to my office workers. Warm regards; from each one of us.

  25. I precisely wanted to say thanks once again. I’m not certain what I would’ve carried out without the type of suggestions documented by you concerning that field. It has been the distressing circumstance in my view, nevertheless seeing the specialized mode you solved the issue took me to cry with contentment. I will be thankful for this assistance as well as pray you find out what a powerful job your are doing educating other individuals thru your websites. I am sure you haven’t met any of us.

  28. İstanbul da Hurdacı Telefonu Hemen arayarak, güncel hurda fiyat listesiyle hurdanızı satarak para kazanabilirsiniz. Yirmi altı yıldır binlerce kilodaki hurda bakırı geri dönüşümle ülke ekonomisine kazandırdık. Bu sayede çevreye daha fazla zarar verilmemesi sağlandı. İstanbul yerinden hurda malzeme alımı hizmetlerimizi verdiğimiz alanlar içerisindedir.

  30. I must get across my passion for your kindness giving support to those individuals that actually need guidance on your area of interest. Your real dedication to getting the message all-around had become amazingly functional and have constantly made guys much like me to realize their desired goals. Your entire valuable publication can mean a whole lot to me and much more to my office colleagues. Warm regards; from everyone of us.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here