Joburgers always talk proudly about the high energy of their city – that it operates at full-throttle. The catch-cry ‘Africa is not for sissies’ most often comes from the mouths of those who live in this massive, sprawling metropolis. Truly a 24-hour city, it’s as wonderful as it is chaotic – usually at the same time.
Previously downtrodden areas such as Braamfontein and Maboneng have been given a new lease on life with stores, markets, bars and restaurants springing up alongside businesses and stylish loft apartments. Join MainStreetWalks for a tour of Maboneng Precinct which takes in the Kwa Mai Mai Traditional Healers Market, Museum of African Design (MOAD), Bioscope Independent Theatre, and Collectors Treasure – the largest secondhand bookshop in the southern hemisphere.
Head to the revamped Cosmopolitan Hotel for lunch in the courtyard. Arts on Main is the location for the hugely popular Sunday Market on Main, a mecca for contemporary and vintage fashion, food of every description. Nearby Braamfontein has trendy stores, art galleries and bars and is home to Constitution Hill, which includes the Old Fort and the Constitutional Court.
South Africans love a mall and they can be found criss-crossing the country. The upmarket Hyde Park Corner includes brands such as Burberry, Max Mara, Thomas Pink and Emporio Armani. When you’ve worked up an appetite head to Tasha’s le Parc for the excellent food and service. You’ll need to allocate several hours to the Mall of Africa for its 300 shops, many of them local and international chain stores. South African art is garnering growing attention and many galleries are worth visiting. The Keyes Art Mile, which includes the architecturally beautiful Circa Gallery, is a must.
The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa
Originally built as a private residence – it was here that former South African President Nelson Mandela came to write his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom – the Saxon is recognised as Johannesburg’s most exclusive retreat.
Its location in the upmarket suburb of Sandhurst means you’re removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. Suite and room options are available in the main house or in the private villas. All are spacious and luxurious to the extreme.
As expected of a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, top chefs preside over the fine-dining here and the wine collection is superb. Service throughout is impeccable and the spa is one of the best in the country.
Tourists wanting the full-blown safari experience will most often stopover in Johannesburg en route to the Kruger National Park or Madikwe Game Reserve. However, if your visit is more urban focused but you still want to see some wildlife then a trip to Glen Afric Country Lodge is the answer.
An easy 40-minute drive from Johannesburg, it’s in the Cradle of Humankind and the UNESCO-designated Magaliesberg Biosphere. Glen Afric offers various activities that enable you to get up close and, in some cases touch and interact, with the wildlife. This includes games drives, bush walks, birdwatching, and elephant walks – an hour-and-a-half walk through the bush with elephants, their handlers and guides.
Aside from elephants, you might also see lions, cheetahs, wildebeest, giraffes, hippopotamus, leopards, various antelopes, monkeys and warthogs on a game drive. There are snakes, including the puff adder and the Mozambique spitting cobra. The bird species are so many and varied it’s a dream for birdwatchers.
Glen Afric has a history of assisting in animal rescue and rehabilitation operations. It runs a volunteer programme that attracts people from all over the world interested in animal welfare.
You can either visit for a day or stay overnight. Accommodation is a mix of rooms in the lodge and stable block, cottages and five bush tents with ensuite bathrooms. The lodge has a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and curio shop. The television series Wild at Heart was filmed at Glen Afric and the homestead built there specifically for the programme. Film set tours are also available.
Editor’s Picks:
From left to right: Maboneng, a Maxhosa by Laduma sweater, Black Coffee fashion.
Where to shop:
Love Jozi
lovejozi.co.za
Kirsten Goss & Missibaba
kirstengoss.com
Luminance
luminanceonline.com
How to get there:
Turning left is the term coined for those lucky passengers who don’t have to turn right for economy class travel but can head to business and first class.
It’s a dream if you want to be stress-free, not find your knees jammed hard into the seat in front of you, be able to lie down, enjoy top food and wine and, to actually have fun while you’re flying. This opportunity came my way, thanks to Qantas, rendering the return to standard seating a distant memory.
A glass of Charles Heidsieck Champagne in hand even before take-off sets the mood for the start of the business class journey. As does having space to stretch my legs and storage to stash my belongings.
It’s easy to envy those travellers for whom this is so commonplace that they jettison their Skybeds into horizontal mode as soon as they are able and fall into a deep slumber, wilfully eschewing all the delights provided by the in-flight entertainment system and food and beverage service.
The gift of a stylish Kate Spade amenity kit for women and a Jack Spade kit for men is a practical and welcome touch. These colourful pouches, which double as a make-up bag, contain everything you need to keep fresh during your flight, including ASPAR by Aurora Spa products, courtesy of Qantas’ exclusive deal with the luxury Australian beauty brand.
The joy doesn’t stop there. When you’re finally ready to grab some shut-eye, you can don a pair of specially designed cotton pyjamas that feature draw-string pants and a long-sleeve raglan-style top. I also found the pants useful post-flight because of the comfy fit.
Qantas and leading Australian chef Neil Perry have been in partnership for 20 years and to mark this milestone the airline brought back to business class some of the most popular dishes from the past two decades. It was a tough choice between the grilled salmon with chilli, garlic, cherry tomatoes and squid ink noodles and the Chinese-style crab omelette with oyster sauce, but no dilemma with the Spice Temple-inspired caramel, chocolate and sesame ice cream sandwich. The menu is available until the end of August.
Qantas’ in-flight entertainment service is one of the best.
So if you stay awake and enjoy the personal service and the quiet of a cabin where travellers are not clambering over you to get to the loo, the long-haul flight seems like a pleasant night at home in front of the tele enjoying a box-set binge.
Naomi’s picks for what to pack when you don’t turn left:
Clockwise from top left: Masscob Finney jumper, $449, from Workshop. Pants, $300, by Moochi. Headphones, $445, by Bang & Olufsen. Dermalogica Travel Essentials Kit, $76. Travel set, $24, by Kathmandu.
