Walking ATM
 

In the third world, and increasingly in places like Naples and Milano Stazione Centrale, a traveller is perceived as a walking ATM, with a wallet to be stolen and baksheesh to be extracted.

What is your strategy to deal with this?

In particular, I want to get from JNB to Pretoria Rovos Depot soon after I've been to Australia, and I understand that route goes through some pretty rough areas.

Thanks for any advice.

Maybe use a booked driver from Welcome Pickups

Seems it's about 54km and a dummy booking I did came up at €50

Probably best to ask the people at the Pretoria Rovos Depot for their recommendations.

There's a big difference in the risk between Italy & S Africa. Italy is pretty much straight pick pocketing, distraction techniques and very rarely any violence threatened. RSA is very different.

In Italy (and Barcelona & London) keep your valuables inside your shirt or in an internal pocket with a zip or button closure. In RSA you have to avoid the most risky areas altogether - as TWT says ask Rovos - or try Trip Advisor for recommendations. I'll ask a friend there and PM you if they have any suggestions.

Thanks for that, and for your PM. With two suggestions of safe taxis (thanks also to TWT), I feel a bit safer now.

I have been visiting South Africa regularly from 1989. Was there this year and last. Overall: I have never had a problem, many have. Daylight and transport that is known to those who know you works well.

When I have to go from JNB to Pretoria, my sister books me on a pre-booked car service. I get emailed with the details of the car type, colour and the name of the person who will meet me. Works every time. Always punctual and safe drivers. I get met as I emerge from baggage.customs and get delivered back in good time. Your journey from JNB to the Rovos Main Station in Pretoria means that you go nowhere near JNB city. The airport is out to the east of the city and Pretoria is to the north

If you are using more then JNB, let me know here on in PM.

The other end of my trip will be either Cape Town or Durban, I haven't decided which yet - and would solicit suggestions as to which is the better Rovos train journey. I'll need transfer from train station to aeroport, either way. All suggestions welcome.

I know very little about South Africa, I haven't been there since the mid-80s, during the state of emergency, when just about everything was shut down at the weekend. I had reps there who drove me everywhere, with a gun in the glovebox - one of them got burgled during my five-day stay. Consider me a total innocent about the current situation; one who is soliciting any advice going, about personal safety, and indeed anything I ought to know.

My girlfriend is South African, as are her parents, but they're not a lot of help. They're all doom and gloom. They are just glad to have left the place, and eternally grateful to me for having got them EU passports.

Justapax
I can’t help with your transport, as our clients or airline which is normally Emirates, as I tag on work in Dubai when going there sort that. However Cape Town or Dubai I would say Cape Town every time, and go up to Franshook while there. As for places to stay I use Cape Grace but Silo Hotel is also good but it depends on your budget.
Durban is closer to Boer War sites and that sort of thing if that interests, but Cape Town and Water Front way better with great food and wine. Joburg apart from work I wouldn’t bother with personally, and wouldn’t stay anywhere central there.

As for being a White Walking Talking Cash Machine it’s what you are anywhere in Africa or indeed anywhere outside of Europe/ North America/ Australasia/ Japan and a few other smaller states. You were born in a very favoured part of the planet, indeed as I have said on here before you won the lottery of life the moment you were born. Try to be careful and the advice of others up thread is sound, don’t go adventure touring as I call it, when people suddenly decide they want to see a slumb for example, people do, and wonder why they get mugged etc 😂

Cheers
Mr Mac

Thanks for that, Cape Town it is. I've never been to Durban, but Cape Town seems a better bet, though when I went there last about all I could see was fog.

I'm a lot more cautious since I retired, as I'm not going to be met by a local who knows the ropes, but South Africa is the only place I've been where everyone seemed to armed. That's why I'm so nervous about the place. My girlfriend and her parents don't help, as they left the country after several of their friends were murdered - and this was in Paarl, not that far from Cape Town. They're all doom and gloom. Not so gloomy that when I mentioned 'Cape Town' my girlfriend's father's ears pricked up, and he started talking that maybe he might come along with me. He owns a pistol, a Glock.

20 years ago, I was on a work trip to Johannesburg and was staying in a B&B in Richmond. The owner pointed out the button
on the wall next to the bed. "Be careful not to accidentally push that unless you want 2 guys with pump action shotguns in here".
They would have been summoned from the local armed security service that the owner subscribed to (local cops are useless).

Yes, it can be dangerous but don't let that spoil your visit. Take the usual precautions. Always ask the locals for the best
security advice. It's a spectacular country and full of wonderful people.

Justapax
If you are in Cape Town and you wake up and see that table Mountain is clear of it tablecloth cloud change whatever your plans were and go up it as it’s not guaranteed to be clear everyday. Also watch out for sun up there as well but great views and worth the effort.
Enjoy your trip.

Cheers
Mr Mac

+1. I have been travelling to Rio for the past 60 years, usually on business, sometimes on holiday. I have never encountered anything other than kindness and friendliness. When I ask people about 'incidents' they have had there, I discover that they've been to explore the favelas (slums), as though it were some sort of theme park. People are their own worst enemies.

A couple of times when living and visiting the USA (and Glasgow) we've taken a wrong turning and finished up in some interesting spots. And of course lots of people live and work there without being robbed every 5 minutes. But again, as a stranger, it's wisest to keep your exposure as low as possible.

Much the same for Medellin, the centre of town is a modern University city with an excellent Metro service and the public spaces are spotless. The bandeja paisa is specific to Medellin and the surrounding area, but is widely regarded as Colombia's national dish, with reason (there's a restaurant in South London that serves it, worth a visit, no licence so byob). Up in the hills, you're in the third world. Don't go there.

Yes, totally agree re Medellin. I spent a lot of time there too, in the mid-80s. never found it dangerous, and even went out at night - no problems. Kingston (Jamaica), however, was another story. I was once physically stopped from leaving the hotel by the concierge, who told it it was dangerous to move around at night, even in a taxi. Port of Spain (Trinidad), was little better.

Last visit to Cape Town was 20 years ago. Fabulous place, but sounds not quite the same now, sadly!.

Cape Town is STILL fabulous. We were there a year ago and family just got back from there three days ago. One of them is in the UK Police and had followed guidance and had no trouble. We have many friends and family living in the city so am up to date.

It beats Durban hands down for many reasons. Someone I knew in the 1990s had been a Purser on the QE2 and said it was the most beautiful city in the world.

There are numerous things to do and places to visit. Yes, the cablecar up Table Mountain is worth doing, but much to see and that depends on your priorities and how much time you expect to have in and around the city.

I first visited CPT in January 1966 and never tire of visiting.

I was going to allow a couple of days spare after my bucket-list trip on the Rovos Rail from Pretoria to Cape Town, in case the train gets delayed due to load shedding, but if you think I should spend longer there, well nothing's booked yet. There is a reciprocal Club there, The Cape Town Club (not cheap), if there are rooms available I'll stay there. What do you recommend I should see, apart from Table Mountain?

The last time I was there was on business, all I got to see was a lot of fog and the inside of Simonstown naval base, no time for any tourism.

Justapax
The waterfront is fun with good restaurants and bars and very good Biltong, and get down to the Cape of Good Hope and try sea food platter in restaurant not the shacks above. Wine region is close as mentioned previously for more delights on wine tram. You maybe lucky with sailing competition in town which can also be fun like Volvo etc. Robin island maybe, though I have not been and walking some of the beaches and indeed sea fronts. I also do some fishing, but Mrs Mac likes the large gardens as well. I’m sure you will enjoy and try Red Bus for transportation and site seeing.

Cheers
Mr Mac

We were stopping over in Cape Town for a day or two and I was going to meet the crew at the Waterfront, (during the afternoon). Since I was going to be walking on my own, I left all my valuables, wallet, phone etc. in the hotel safe, dressed down in casual old clothes and took only a few notes of money in my pocket.

On my walk I passed a square where there was a small cabin for a policeman to shelter in. As I passed the box, there were FOUR policemen huddled in there ! I thought, thanks guys, you're supposed to be on the streets, keeping us safe, and here you are, skiving. I was fine, by the way.

Many years' before that, my wife and I walked to have a meal in a hotel in Nairobi in the late afternoon. After the meal and the sun having set, we made to walk back to our hotel. Sir, I will call you a taxi. No no, it's all right, we'll walk, thanks. No sir, you must take a taxi. No, really, we can see our hotel from here, we'll walk. He looked at me intently: "Sir..........you must take a taxi..." The penny dropped, and we waited for a taxi. As we drove the 200 yards to our hotel, we noticed lots of guys just hanging around in the trees either side of the road. Phew, that would not have been a pleasant walk.

The steam engine, I understand, only goes a few km, to the point where Rovos' own rails join the main electrified network. Even that may be done by diesel traction. Thereafter traction is electric, by Transnet.

Sounds like I should allow a couple of extra days in Cape Town - thanks for all the suggestions.

Uplinker
Known as Nairobbery and it’s a far less of an issue than Lagos or Kinshasa. However walking after dark in any truly 3rd world country is problematic for anyone not with prerequisite tan and local knowledge as a number of US citizens going back to Africa to discover roots may attend to.
I have a very interesting tale of the Head of Compliance for Credit Suisse arriving in Lagos on his first visit. He was left with his clothes just after a mechanical issue with the car. Afterwards he arrived with normal Mercedes but armed 4x4 either side.
Cheers
Mr Mac

If in Cape Town with a car, Cape of Good Hope of course, but if you really want to be on the tip of the African Continent, then you have to go to Cape Agulhas. not too far away, and is 34 miles south of Good Hope. Pretty desolate place in their winter!!.

Well, Cape Agulhas is 34 miles further south - but it is a 3 hour drive from central Cape Town. Yes it is rugged but I suggest not unless you have plenty of time for a whole day trip.

30 years ago I drove to the Cape Point carpark in the afternoon to admire the view. Then the baboons arrived, the big alpha
had first choice of the garbage bins then he jumped on my car with me in it. He gave me a good look at his fangs and then
rubbed his big red bum on the windscreen. Then I turned on the wipers with water spray. He wasn't too impressed and
went straight for my partially open window which I only just managed to roll up in time.

You won't see that at the seaside in many other countries :)

There are good warnings given about the baboons. Just keep your distance and don't hold anything that looks like food or water!

Wise words. Absolutely keep a distance from them. If you are in a car, make sure your windows are closed and lock the doors. The buggers are adept at climbing into vehicles.

Only at some football matches!

TWT
When Mrs Mac joined me on a trip down there we used Red Bus and you can get to the Cape that way, though it’s a coach rather than Double Decker.
With regards eating there, top floor of the visitors centre you stand, but downstairs restaurant and balcony. If weather bad don’t discount the external terrace as if you get up close to the windows you are out of the wind and rain. Obviously Mrs Mac brought Yorkshire weather with her but the Sea Food Platter and wine were excellent outside.

Cheers
Mr Mac

At Cape Point, saw a guy put his camera down on the table. Massive baboon now an accomplished photographer, because the owner never saw it again.

Monkeys anywhere - especially in Bali - are to be treat with a great deal of caution.

It has been proved that at some of the temples in Bali the monkeys steal things and then offer them back in exchange for goodies (eg mango, bananas etc). Youngsters steal anything and will offer to ransom your camera for the same "price" as your "NY Yankees" hat. Their elders and betters target cameras (especially), phones & designer sun glasses and know the value - you don't get your camera back without a serious investment in fruit products. "Hi Cousin!"

Capitalism at its best!

And lions ( Helol is the subject matter expert here I believe, I've only been to the Kruger once :))

Why use a tin opener when there is a ring pull?

I am not sure if this is KNP..? This would have made really big news on the KNP forums etc, but I have never heard about it ( doesn't mean to say it didn't happen!). Thinking back though, I know they will occasionally take an interest in a door handle, but not aware they have actually opened it, as this one did iin the video.

Take a look at this young pride in Kruger. Around 1.37 onwards.
The pride in central KNP, had taken to biting the tyres of vehicles! Hyena do this, especially the young, but this particular pride of lions, one of them was doing the same.

Here are two very young hyena who came sniffing around my (rental) car...


I had one young lion take an interest in my tyres on my last trip. When this happens, (usually more so with the hyena), I just start my engine, and it scares them off the tyre! On this occasion, it was very early morning, low light, and the pride were moving at pace, fat and happy following a kill the previous night. (these were 'record' shots, i.e. they didn't work out, but I kept them just to demonstrate what the lions can do)

The theory is, animals may take an interest in tyres because of what they can pick up from them - the smell of elephant/buffalo dung etc is carried on the tyres.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....6ddba810e3.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....86949beb29.jpg

and this is the same pride, all in good spirits!
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e6b0cb2538.jpg

Sorry Helol, I didn't mean to imply it was in KNP. I don't know where it was shot :) Thanks for the extra info and videos !
My visit to KNP was to Skukuza, staying in a rondavel and socialising with the staff there (35 years ago) , fantastic experience.

No worries at all. I know Skukuza very well, it's the administrative centre of KNP. My favourite is Satara, in Central KNP I spend almost half of my stay at that particular camp.

We shouid be grateful for small mercies, at least it's not the Honey Badger trying to open car doors! They are the most fearless creature ever to set foot on this earth!