Two days before I was in Maun doing one of the most spectacular safaris that I did on my Africa Tour. I had managed to camp in the middle of the park and sleep with elephants, lions and hippos. I have no words to describe it. When I returned from the safari, in the hostel where I was supposed to stay, I found out that the final of the rugby world cup was going to be in 2 days and South Africa was playing against England.
I think I have never seen a complete rugby match in my life and I did not know the rules very well but I decided to change my travel plans. I had to take a bus from Maun at to travel all night and get to Gaborone and then take a bus to Johannesburg if I wanted to get to see the World Cup final on South African soil.
On the first bus I was traveling with Alon my Israeli friend and we met Bonnie a Korean who was going to travel to Capetown. After thinking about the long journey that awaited us, we were ready to start. Buses are easily available in Botswana. Usually these long trips are always at night so you can go each day and buy the bus tickets to the station throughout the day.
- Maun Gaborone bus: 230 BWP ± 20 USD
- Bus Gaborone – Johannesburg: 249 BWP ± 22 USD
- This bus leaves every day at 7am
Upon reaching the border Botswana – South Africa, there was a huge line. This border is very busy especially in the mornings. Those of the bus are alert of the travelers so there is no problem that they will leave you there like in other borders. The procedure is simple and does not require paperwork, although if you are Colombian, you need a Visa to enter South Africa. Unfortunately, this process is a little more complicated, since it is necessary to apply from Colombia and it is necessary to send the passport to Venezuela, since the embassy is in Caracas.
Upon arriving in Johannesburg several people warned me to be very careful because crime in this city is a big thing so the best option to get around is Uber instead of walking. People recommended me to stay in a specific area where it is a bit safe and I found Curiocity an amazing hostel at a very good price. This hostel is perfect for meeting people, resting and at the same time being able to party, they have a very friendly bar and offers you various tours and activities to do in the city. After almost 18 hours traveling by bus, I went straight to bed to take a good nap before going out to meet people.
The next day was the game at 10 in the morning so the first thing I did was to ask how could I get my Springbroks (South African rugby team) jersey. The city was collapsed, rugby here is very important and everyone is a fan. If you know a little history, you know the importance of this sport in this country.
In 1998, South Africa managed to win its first rugby world cup and this caused the country to join. Apartheid in South Africa was a very delicate moment here and at that moment Nelson Mandela was trying to break all this, he encouraged a lot this match where black and white people joined together and fought for a country, for a cause that allowed many changes in the lives of South Africans.
For those who cannot imagine how I was in this match, I show you this video which represents my match. That was me, even though I knew the basic rules, rugby is a very complex sport. But my intention was to be able to see and enjoy with the South Africans, I wanted to see how the sport that united a country was going to be in its greatest splendor.
I have never seen such happiness, it is as if Colombia had won the soccer world cup. Everyone went out to celebrate, no matter the color of the skin, the race, the culture. Everyone hugged, sang and were very happy. South Africa won its 3 championship so it tied New Zealand on trophies. I saw the game at the hostel with many local people who gathered to enjoy the game.
After fulfilling the dream of seeing the World Cup final, it was time to start getting to know the city. Johannesburg is a city with a lot of history, in fact, all of South Africa has a lot of history for all the countries that have conquered this part of Africa. Curiocity offers you quite a few tours and activities as I was saying and I really recommend doing it with them, it is a safe way to get around the city and learn from history.
What to do in Johannesburg / Pretoria:
You’ll find these tours with the Curiocity team and it was my salvation. I had a few days to organize myself and they helped me organize everything. I usually don’t take tours and I like to explore the city at my own pace and walking but for safety reasons they recommended that I do it with a local so it was a great experience.
Soweto Tour
As I was saying, South Africa is full of history and Johannesburg is a great city to discover this. Johannesburg and Pretoria are very close if from here you can visit many historical monuments of Apartheid and learn from this great country.
Soweto is a very important and historic neighborhood on the road to freedom in South Africa. Today it has changed a lot to how it was in the past, but you can go and see how people were segmented and the deals they made to those with black skin. You will have the opportunity to walk the streets of this marginalized neighborhood and talk to people in the area and understand how everything has changed.
On the tour you can visit Vilikazia Street (the only street in the world where 2 Nobel Prize winners Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu have lived) A place that inspires freedom and makes you realize the injustices that many people have lived in the history of the country.
“TO HONOUR THE YOUTH WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY”
At the end of the tour, you can discover the Apartheid museum to finish seeing all the history of this time and understand much more. I have never had the opportunity to study this subject in my life and the truth seemed to me something very important that every person should understand. We are in the 21st century and we must defend the freedom of people and understand that stories like these should not be repeated.
Inner City Walking Tour
These types of tours are what I like the most, being able to walk through the streets of the city and more with the company of a local person. Visit places like Kwa Mai Mai, one of the “witchcraft” markets, see neighborhoods like Little Addis and the chancellery. So tie your shoes and get ready to walk!
Kruger
If you are only going to visit South Africa on your tour of Africa, I recommend you visit this park and go on a Safari. Many companies offer you this tour but I would recommend you to rent a car and find someone to do it with.
Kruger is one of the most famous safari parks and one of the most complete. Here you can see the big 5. I did not do it because I had already made several on my trip from Tanzania but I always heard wonders of this park.
ARTS at MAIN
If you find yourself on a Sunday in this city, it is a small market that you must visit. You will find a lot of African food, traditional music and small shops. It is a perfect plan to go with friends and spend the day.
Braii night
If you come to South Africa you have to make a Braii (roast). Meat, chicken, fish, pork ….. Here they put everything in a barbecue and you will be amazed at its flavors. Every Friday at Curiocity they make one where you can meet many travelers and enjoy a good night.
