JNB (Day 4)

I woke up late. Planned to go to the Lion's Park, which costed ZAR 1,500 (RM750). There goes my plan to take pictures of the 'Big 5' which are lions, rhinos, water buffalos, leopards and elephants. I'll be stuck to the usual National Geographic Channel, I guess...

Rushed to the convention centre, and checked with the tour guide guy, the only available tour that day was the Soweto tour. Costed me ZAR740 (RM370). Better than nothing at all.

Went to the closing ceremony, the passing of baton to the next organiser for 2009 which will be held in Silicon Valley, the US of A. Will I be allowed to go again?

Paid for the tour and went to the tour van. There're already 7 Danish, and I'm the odd one around.

The guide took us around Joburg, telling the history of the city. Tourism-wise, it'd be better to go to Cape Town. Joburg was a goldminers city, we're shown the early settlements of the miners. Small shacks not unlike our own 'setinggans'.

We past through Nelson Mandela's old house, while the guide explained the struggle during the apartheid. He's still pissed.

Next we went to the Constitutional Court, right next to the infamous Hillbrow, touted as one of the most dangerous neighbourhood on earth. Naturally I was scared. THe guide had the gall to ask us to 'behave like we're locals'. Duhh!! But no daylight mugging happened to us. Guess the media was kinda nasty bout Hillbrow. Or we're just lucky.

Next, we went to the Soweto area, supposedly the poorest region in Joburg. The Danish women in the group looked concerned over the wellbeing of the kids growing up in the area, but for me, I think I've seen worse. TV3's Bersamamu was sadder, I vividly remember the episode where a family had to eat garden snails for lunch. And they're not the exquisite escargot types.

We passed through other Mandela historic places. And finally, we went to the Hector Pieterson Memorial Museum, the black boy who was shot by the white police. The way they tell the story is interesting, there're video clips, interviews et al.

Outside the museum, 2 more joined our van, as apparently they missed their bus. They're both from the States, a white chick and a Japanese bloke. Pretty cool people, at least I get to chat with them, than with the Danish.

On the way back, we passed through the main stadium under construction for the 2010 World Cup. Should I go there again in 2010?

We arrived around 6pm, the sun already set, and other participants already left to the Closing Gala Dinner. Oh well, I don't think I miss much.

I went to the Mandela Square one last time to snap some photos. Cool place at night, people dress up to have dinner. Past by the Fashion.TV Cafe again, but the place's empty. Went to the shopping mall and got myself McD's Quarter Pounder Value Meal and McNuggets.

Got my cab to go back to my room around 8pm, and the streets and everywhere were already empty. Summer season has started but the temperature was still freakingly cold.

My last night in Joburg and I don't have anywhere to go...