As we disembarked at the OR Tambo International Airport, the first thing that struck me about South Africa was how friendly the people were. Everyone, from airport staff to security personnel, waiters to toll booth managers, greets you with a loud and boisterous “Hello!” Not used to such effervescent demonstrations, I reply back shyly. As our tour guide explains later, “the population density is so low that it’s a pleasure to see new faces”. Any wonder we Indians are a grumpy lot?

The weather was most temperate. There is a hint of winter in the air as February heralds the end of summer. The entire city of Johannesburg has flat, rather pretty mountain ranges running through it and the purple-flowered jacaranda trees are in full bloom. Jacaranda is found through much of Joburg. So much so, one of their most popular radio stations is also called Jacaranda. Our driver suddenly stops to point out a tree and asks us to recognise it. He informs us that it is a cellphone tree. The cellphone towers here are disguised as trees so they don’t stick out like eyesores.

We head to Sandton, one of the poshest suburbs in the city. Just next to our hotel is the Nelson Mandela Square, with open-air restaurants and shopping malls. Don’t be too tempted by shopping at the glitzy malls, pick up African curios and mementos from smaller shops instead. Joburg, in the Gauteng (place of gold) province, is steeped in history.

Day 1 is for education. We begin with a visit to Maropeng or the Cradle of Human Civilisation. It was at the Maropeng caves that the fossils of Little Foot were found. A visit to Constitution Hill, formerly one of the most notorious prisons in South Africa, which also has the dubious distinction of having housed both Mandela and Gandhi, and the Apartheid Museum leaves us in a sombre mood.

... contd.