> > Quoting Anand DHUPKAR <anand_dhupkar at yahoo.com>: > > > > > Folks - need some input. > > > > > > I am frequent visitor but infrequent poster on pdml. > > > > > Looks like I am likely to travel to Johannesburg, South Africa, for > > > work - in a week or so. > > > > > > Curious - any safety concerns that I need to be aware of ? > > > > > > > > I've never been to South Africa so I don't have pe4sonal experience, > > but the Australian Government issues 'Travel Advisories' for visitors > > to many countries. The advice for South Africa might help, > especially > > the 'Safety and Security' tab. > > > > http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/South_Africa > > > > > > Other governments probably issue similar advisories. > > > > > > US Department of State also posts those: > http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1008.html > > In addition to those advisories, you may want to check if any > immunization is needed. E.g.: > http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/south-africa.htm > > I haven't been there myself, so, I don't know anything beyond this.
I spent a few weeks in South Africa in 1998, so my experience may be out of date. I stayed there for a few days with a friend who was getting married, and her family who still lived there. The advice they gave to all their guests coming in through Johannesburg airport was not to leave the terminal building except with a pre-booked taxi driver, and not to go with one of the taxi touts who cruised for business. While driving me around JB my friend's father adviced me not to rest my arm on the window - he said I'd have my hand cut off by people trying to get my watch. One of their sons was burgled at gunpoint in his home some months afterwards, and it was generally considered a miracle that he wasn't shot dead, which was apparently the routine at the time. So the impression I got was that Jo'burg was not a good place to wander around naively. We also spent some time in Cape Town which was much more relaxed and one of the world's great cities, although even there there was a double-shooting on the Waterfront one day - we weren't affected by it in any way though. I have no idea what it's like there now, but I wouldn't hesitate to go back - it's a wonderful country. You should get some advice from locals. B -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
