First Two Days in South Africa

I arrived in South Africa on Thursday, two weeks ago.

I have to say that my flight from Hong Kong to South Africa was not the most pleasant one I’ve had to date. To be frank, I’m not impressed with SAA’s airplane. This was the first time to use SAA for an international flight. While the service was good, the actual plane ride was rather uncomfortable. The seats are smaller than I’ve experienced the times I flew with Singapore Airlines and Qatar Airlines. Also, the seat’s recline is very limited so one never truly get that “laying down” feeling, and sitting upright for 16 hours one never feel quite rested. Truly this was the most uncomfortable international flight I’ve had to date. Furthermore, while on the run way (both upon departure and arrival) I smelled strong fuel fumes.

I arrived in South Africa early on Thursday morning. Waiting for me were my older brother (T) and two of my nephews. When we arrived in the Vaal Triangle (where my brother lives), I got to quickly see another of my brothers (the father of the two nephews).

After a short break at his house, T and I went to a mall where I could get some things I wanted. I forgot my skin medication in Korea, so I decided to get some herbal immune boosters at a health shop. I bought a Sutherlandia tincture, Olive leaf and Echinacea capsules, and Stinging Nettle and Dandelion tea leafs. Sutherlandia is used as an immune booster, especially for cancer patients. Olive leaf and Echinacea are also great immune boosters and often prescribed to fight off the flu. Stinging Nettle is a potent alkalinizer and often used for detox purposes. Dandelion also helps to clean out the system (especially the liver), and is sometimes prescribed for skin problems, like acne. (Alternative natural medicine is a hobby of mine.) I’ve been using these concoctions faithfully and they have been fairly effective, but unfortunate my skin has started to break out again. Nonetheless, at least I’m giving my body a much needed break from the conventional medication for a while.

After my medical excursion, we went to Spur, a famous South African restaurant for lunch.

On Friday I went shopping again; this time for shoes. I bought four pairs of shoes at the same price I would have paid for a decent pair of shoes in Korea. And it was ten times easier to find shoes in my size. I’ve come to the conclusion that smart shopping in South Africa can get you clothes at a better price for similar value. I was also surprised to note that food prices have not changed in South Africa that much from a year ago. Indeed, what I’ve seen of South Africa so far seems to indicate that the country looks quite stable and may actually be improving somewhat. This is quite different from my previous visit to South Africa during which time I perceived much more of a social and economic decline. Amidst the world wide economic problems, South Africa seems not to be effected as much as one would expect. While exports are most definitely feeling the pinch, the 2010 FIFA World Cup seems to be a great economic and moral boost for the country. The problem with this paragraph is that it seems that the word “seems” is repeated just one too many times.