The Capetonians and the Johannesburgers

I wasn't born in Cape Town, I was born in Johannesburg. Up until the age of 13, all I knew was the City of Gold. The financial hub, the place were money is made and people are on the move, constantly. I have some amazing memories of a time that admittedly was a lot safer than today. The one thing I love about Johannesburg are the people. A population of friendly and approachable human beings. So when it was decided that we would be moving to Cape Town, I was unsure.....The common perception for a Johannesburger is that a Capetonian is lazy, laid back and most likely smokes weed and enjoys the "hippie" life of free love and the earth. There are also the snobbish kinds of Capetonians, the ones that enjoy their world renowned city status.

Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, there is a fair amount of a certain type of people that create these stereotypical judgments. So when we arrived, I was confronted by unfriendly people that made fun of my accent, if you've ever heard a Johannesburger speak, you'll know what I'm talking about. But after a while I realized that Capetonians weren't unfriendly, they are clicky. There are millions of groups of people, diverse groups from the hippie collection to society's elite and it wasn't an unfriendliness I was encountering, it was a trust issue I was facing as an outsider.

I know it may seem that I am Capetonian bashing and I could spend all day talking about the stereotypical traits of a Johannesburger and a Capetonian but after 10 years, I managed to get myself into many clicks. And develop lasting friendships. I have friends I can behave like a child with, I have friends I can talk to about my ambitions and scheme ways to become a millionaire before 30, I have friends who are mothers and I have friends who I can be very hoitty toitty with. It's the variety that is so amazing. This city is.... dare I say it.... a melting pot of people and cultures.

People still ask me where I'm from and I answer, "I'm originally from Johannesburg but I've been here for almost ten years, I think that officially makes me a Capetonian." It's the best of both worlds, a childhood in the City of Gold and an adulthood in the best city in the world. So enough with the rivalry, let's all have a good laugh at our stereotypes and enjoy the cities that make South Africa so unique.

Confessions of a Capetonian...

I live in Cape Town. I have lived in a few other parts of the world. I've travelled to numerous countries and had an adventure or two. I love South Africa. I have never been to Johannesburg.

Well, not really. Apart from my birth, I've stopped there many times on my way to another destination. I stayed the night there a couple of times too. When SAA staff were striking and when planes were delayed or cancelled. I've stayed the night in parts of Joburg that I can't even remember now, although the Formulae 1 Hotel does ring a faint, faint bell although I think I've actually blocked it.

It was hosting a new friend from the City of Gold this weekend that got me thinking...how could I have missed Johannesburg on my list of Must See Places? It's true that Capetonians live in there own little Western Cape world and that anything that doesn't have it's own mountain, doesn't deserve a visit. But maybe it's time to change that.

Chatting to my very own visiting Jo-burger, I tried to extract a motivation for visiting the country's money district because now, I'm curious. I'm not alone in my second hand pre-conceived notion that Johannesburg is a cold, lonely and dangerous place. Sans beaches, sans mountain, sans green trees and overly-familiar residents who are all on some sort of "spiritual path". I'd always thought I would visit Joburg, just for the sake out it, but only when it became more like Cape Town.

That's perhaps a little unfair. What's more is that although I love, love, love Cape Town, I rarely visit the beaches, have never actually climbed Table Mountain as an adult and am really not that invested in anyone else's spiritual anything. It's ironic and shameful. So I'm considering a visit to the City that Never Sees Capetonians For Pleasure.

In the name of research, I had a look at some of the best things to do in Gauteng. I was surprised really, lots of indoor activities, gambling, dining, clubbing, day spas...you know...that sort of thing. My favourite thing about travelling anywhere is to just immerse myself in the culture and go with the flow, see what happens you know. But I might have to adjust my style for an itinerary. I've extracted my own list of top ten things to do while in the country's capital. Once I've completed these ten things, I will have officially earned myself the title of a Proud South African, so to the final frontier...to Johannesburg and the whole of the Gauteng Province!

1. Sun City
2. Gold Reef City
3. Township tour of Soweto
4. Johannesburg Zoo
5. The Vaal Dam
6. Lesedi Cultural Village
7. Sabi Sands Safari Lodge
8. The Apartheid Museum
9. The Cradle of Humankind
10. Montecasino Bird Gardens

How does that sound? A little too conservative for me, although definitely must be done. But just for the sake of it I put together my own little list of non-descript and odd things to do - there were more options for this list, let me assure you.

1. Ten Pin Bowling at Galaxy World in Rosebank
2. Skateboarding at Boogaloos Skate Park
3. Power Swing across Soweto
4. Hot Air Balooning in the Cradle
5. Breaking it down at the Drum Cafe
6. Michael Mount Organic Village Market
7. Bunny Park in Benoni
8. Paintball in Germiston
9. Go karting / racing
10. Visit the statue of Nelson Mandela

Now there's a holiday...

The City of Gold

Johannesburg hasn't been on the receiving end of much positive publicity in the past couple of years. As a Capetonian, surrounded by Capetonians we firmly believe that Cape Town is the world's best kept secret and inevitably, the pride and joy of South African tourism. But there is definitely a lot to see in Jo burg and there's certainly a lot of history that acts as the foundation for the city.

An article on News24 Travel website highlights some of the things to do and see in the City of Gold. We've created our own top ten list of things to do on hummba.com. A new travel and lifestyle website that allows you to download free audio clips straight to your mobile phone. Check it out below and visit www.hummba.com for more!

Constitution Hill
Overlooking Joburgs inner city and suburbs, Constitution Hill houses the new Constitutional Court as well as the austere Old Fort Prison Complex (also called Number Four), where thousands were incarcerated before the advent of democracy, including Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.

The Cradle of Humankind
Take a tour to the Cradle of Humankind, at Sterkfontein, Gautengs famous World Heritage Site, where caves have produced nearly half of the world’s hominid fossil discoveries. Close to the Cradle are the Kromdraai Wonder Cave, as well as the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve. At present only the Sterkfontein Caves and the Wonder Cave are open to the public.

Monte Casino
Monte Casino is Gauteng's leading entertainment destination. The casino is a R1.4-billion gaming, retail and leisure complex. Designed as an old-school Tuscan Village, it boasts an astounding casino area with a five-star intercontinental Palazzo hotel. It definitely has entertainment for the entire family. It is the playground for major events such as Celine Dion’s latest concert tour or TV-related promotions and after parties such as Big Brother...

The Nelson Mandela Bridge
Johannesburg has the largest cable stayed bridge in Southern Africa. Who else to name it after but Nelson Mandela, the man who led South Africa across the apartheid divide. Two years and R38-million in the making, the spectacular Nelson Mandela Bridge has emerged as a new landmark in Gauteng. - source News24

Delta is on its way – non-stop – to Johannesburg

Good news for American travellers! Delta Air Lines has released their schedule for their daily non-stop flights between Johannesburg and Atlanta.

The service will launch on June 2 and is replacing Delta’s previous service which ran from Atlanta to Johannesburg via Dakar.

If you’re interested, you’ll be happy to know that the flights are structured in such a way that you’ll be able to maximise your playtime upon arrival.

Flights from Atlanta will depart at 20h05 and arrive in Jo’burg the next day at 17h10 so you’ll get there just in time to experience Jo’burgs vibrant nightlife. The return flights will depart Jo’burg at 21h05 and arrive in Atlanta at 07h20 the next day allowing travellers to enjoy a full day of activity...that is, if they’re not jetlagged of course!

Delta Air Lines are currently the only American airline to operate between South Africa and the United States.