Some Observations

Hello again, and thanks to all those who have been reading and commenting so far. Lately, since we've had a bit of driving and down time due to some bad weather, I've been doing some reflecting over the last month of traveling through SA. I thought I'd just write a few things about this country that I have found particularly interesting and different and/or similar to the USA.

First, among the many problems facing this country, crime and unemployment are near the top of the list. I don't know the statistics, but a few observations will tell you all you need to know. There are no self service petrol (gas) stations. And if there are 10 pumps at a station, there are probably ten people (so far mostly men--black men) awaiting your arrival. They fill your tank, wash your windows, and check your oil and tires if you want. Then you give them a tip, 2 to 6 Rand usually (about 25-80 cents US). Also, in some places there are no parking meters. Why would you need them when you can gainfully employ 3-5 people per block to walk around (rain or otherwise) with a little electronic meter and collect a very small fee for street parking. And if you exceed the time you paid for when you parked? No need to worry, just pay the difference when you decide to leave.

There are also people who patrol the parking lots to "watch your vehicle" in order to prevent any break ins. You can tell him, "No thank you," if you like. After all, isn't my car just as safe as the one next to it that he IS watching? But that's not the point. Once you're done grocery shopping or whatever you flip him a couple Rand and go on your way. One night in Plettenberg Bay I only had a 5 Rand coin, so I gave it to my "watcher." He must have thought I was some kind of high roller because he stopped traffic on main street to allow me to back out of my parking spot.

Essentially, everywhere you turn there are jobs that require zero skill or labor being done because of the crime and unemployment. It's very interesting indeed.

Secondly, driving. It can be quite an adventure sometimes. I cannot overstate how convenient it has been to have our own car the last three weeks, but it doesn't come without challenges. Signs can be pretty poorly placed, or not there at all. I especially like the ones that tell you to turn right (which is across traffic here) AFTER the intersection! It's tough then because it's not like there are crossroads all over place to turn around--I mostly just make U-turns on the highways. But the the roads offer one of my favorite contradictions in Africa so far. Pretty much everywhere we've been so far the pace of life has been casual at best. Nobody really seems to be in a hurry. Your server at a restaurant, or waitron, doesn't even bring the bill unless you ask for it. Unlike Applebee's where you get the check three bites into your entree so the next family can stand there watching your booth like it's made of mozzarella sticks. But NOT on the highways here in SA. To generalize a little, I'd say, "put a South African behind the wheel and suddenly he's in the biggest hurry of his life."

The speed limit on most of the paved, main two-way highways is 120 km/hr (about 75 mph). Those roads would be 55 max in the states. But speed limits are completely irrelevant anyway. There are photo/radar combos that can take your picture and send you a speeding ticket in the mail, but they are posted so you can slow down if you care. Also, the cops cannot pull you over (because cop cars get hijacked and then the criminal takes your car) so drivers pretty much just drive as fast as they feel like. Therefore, the custom is, if someone pulls up behind you going faster than you are, you drive over onto the shoulder (at 75 mph) so he can pass, like golfing basically, the faster players are allowed through. Then this very polite exchange takes place where the passer flashes his hazards and the passee flashes his bright lights to acknowledge the gesture. It sounds nice, and it is. But still, these people drive like crazy bastards that just committed a capital crime, for the most part.

Finally, since I'm running a little short of Internet time here, is the really cool, relaxed atmosphere of places we've been staying. Whether a run of the mill backpackers hangout or a fancy B&B (we've stayed at two really nice ones), the system astounds me. When you check in, they take your name and maybe your passport number, which are given voluntarily. No ID check, no credit card for incidental charges. You could easily drive away in the morning without paying and they'd have zero chance of catching you. But that's how it's done. Think about trying to check into a Holiday Inn Express at 9:00 PM and saying, "'I'm a little tired, is it OK if we take care of everything in the morning?" That's not out of the ordinary here. It's the norm.

OK, I thought of a few more things on the road I'm sure, but they seem to be eluding me at the moment. I'm sure Kim will write a post soon updating our progress, but for now just be assured that we're safe and having a great time. We'll be meeting up with Kim's family in a few days in Mozambique for a week of SCUBA, fishing, and relaxing. Then it's onward up the east African coast without our own transportation. Should be interesting.

PS. Kim says everyone that comments on this post will get a postcard. (You might need to include your mailing address.) And make sure to check out our pictures HERE.