Need some help with JNB stay
Oct 1, 2016, 9:45 pm
#1
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Escondido CA USA
Programs: AS, UA, HY, Hil, Merr
Posts: 3,207
Need some help with JNB stay
1. Staying 3 night at the end of May 2017. Looking at the Hyatt Regency (Rosebank), Holiday Inn (Rosebank) or Crown Plaza (Rosebank) or somewhere else? Would like to keep the price under $200/nt, but have a nice place to stay that will be a likely pick up site for tours, and convenient to the Hop on and off bus. Being near the mall offers lots of food choices, with potential "food court" pricing...think Subway (dining is not our thing). Need transport to and from AP.
2, Looking for activities, beyond the stuff we will do from the H on O bus (may do 2 days if that is what works). Maybe will do the 1/2 day tour to Lesedi Cultural Center? The bus has an extention tour to Soweto...or some other van trip to/thru and around that area with some guide. We might consider the zoo (we do zoos, I know it seems silly following multiple safaris!).
3. Any thoughts about Hepatitis shots?
4. Clothing seems to be neutral, no bright colors. Any suggested stores/internet for shopping? Our flight to Africa will be with a Cathy Pacific, but the in country flights will likely limit our luggage. JNB-HDS, HDS-JNB, JNB-BBK, VFA-JNB. Any suggested type. Security may be a problem, but is a duffle type bag the best? Comments?
Suggestions, comments?
Don't feel bad for us marking time in Jo. This is some extra days at the end of our main trip. They were necessary to get the FF tickets to JNB from home in Business. Our travel agent (2) are working up final proposals to take us 3 nights in Kruger, 3 nights in Chobe, 3 nights at Vic Falls, and 3 nights in Hwange. As this work is near its end, we next need to package 1 and 2 above.
Wife and I 71. Bit of a limp for me. We are really excited about this trip. We have travelled extensively, but never to Africa. We belong to most hotel and airline programs.
2, Looking for activities, beyond the stuff we will do from the H on O bus (may do 2 days if that is what works). Maybe will do the 1/2 day tour to Lesedi Cultural Center? The bus has an extention tour to Soweto...or some other van trip to/thru and around that area with some guide. We might consider the zoo (we do zoos, I know it seems silly following multiple safaris!).
3. Any thoughts about Hepatitis shots?
4. Clothing seems to be neutral, no bright colors. Any suggested stores/internet for shopping? Our flight to Africa will be with a Cathy Pacific, but the in country flights will likely limit our luggage. JNB-HDS, HDS-JNB, JNB-BBK, VFA-JNB. Any suggested type. Security may be a problem, but is a duffle type bag the best? Comments?
Suggestions, comments?
Don't feel bad for us marking time in Jo. This is some extra days at the end of our main trip. They were necessary to get the FF tickets to JNB from home in Business. Our travel agent (2) are working up final proposals to take us 3 nights in Kruger, 3 nights in Chobe, 3 nights at Vic Falls, and 3 nights in Hwange. As this work is near its end, we next need to package 1 and 2 above.
Wife and I 71. Bit of a limp for me. We are really excited about this trip. We have travelled extensively, but never to Africa. We belong to most hotel and airline programs.
Oct 2, 2016, 10:00 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: YYZ (ex-LHR)
Programs: BA Silver, VS Red, OZ Silver
Posts: 446
1. Staying 3 night at the end of May 2017. Looking at the Hyatt Regency (Rosebank), Holiday Inn (Rosebank) or Crown Plaza (Rosebank) or somewhere else? Would like to keep the price under $200/nt, but have a nice place to stay that will be a likely pick up site for tours, and convenient to the Hop on and off bus. Being near the mall offers lots of food choices, with potential "food court" pricing...think Subway (dining is not our thing). Need transport to and from AP.
Oct 3, 2016, 10:30 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2007
Programs: AA, DAL, blah, blah, blah...The usual.
Posts: 646
It's a bit on the expensive side, but you might consider the InterContinental Tambo for your first/last night in JNB, (especially if you have a morning flight out). You can't beat walking directly from your hotel to the airport check-in.
Driving in JNB isn't bad during the daytime. (Right-hand drive, almost all manual transmission). Best avoided at night.
The Ngwenya Glass Village is a nice getaway outside the city.
If you're an airplane aficionado, Rand Airport has impromptu lunchtime airshows put on by local pilots, which can be enjoyed sitting outside at the Harvard Cafe. The Dakota Lodge, also at Rand, is a nice (and inexpensive) place right on the airfield.
Wherever you end up, don't miss eating ostrich fillet at every chance you get! And the wine!! Oh there's some good wine. With SA's current exchange rate, you can dine like a royal for amazingly little cash.
Driving in JNB isn't bad during the daytime. (Right-hand drive, almost all manual transmission). Best avoided at night.
The Ngwenya Glass Village is a nice getaway outside the city.
If you're an airplane aficionado, Rand Airport has impromptu lunchtime airshows put on by local pilots, which can be enjoyed sitting outside at the Harvard Cafe. The Dakota Lodge, also at Rand, is a nice (and inexpensive) place right on the airfield.
Wherever you end up, don't miss eating ostrich fillet at every chance you get! And the wine!! Oh there's some good wine. With SA's current exchange rate, you can dine like a royal for amazingly little cash.
Oct 4, 2016, 3:58 am
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Johan
Oct 9, 2016, 3:04 pm
#5
Original Member
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Escondido CA USA
Programs: AS, UA, HY, Hil, Merr
Posts: 3,207
Thank you for the help.
Still trying to figure on this and that map, if the hop on and off bus is near any of these choices...Holiday Inn Rosebank, Crown Plaza Rosebank, the Hyatt or the Protea fire and ice. Have points for our three nights for the first two. The tours we picked do go to these 4 hotels for pickup (I believe) but it looks like the Hop o&o is a few miles away from them? The bus goes to Wits University, Constitution Hill, James Hall Transportation Museum and the Apartheid Museum at its corners. I have a good map for the run, but it does not seem to overlap with the hotel locations. Someone familiar with the area clue me in?
Anyone previously doing the safari/Vic Falls in the areas we are, have any input to having Hepatitis shots? We will visit travel medicine when the time gets closer. They usually tell you if something is mandatory (seldom) but leave the recommended/why bother stuff for you to decide. The med. for malaria seems to be a given. The Yellow Fever shots is not an issue as we had that before our Brazil/Amazon trip.
Still trying to figure on this and that map, if the hop on and off bus is near any of these choices...Holiday Inn Rosebank, Crown Plaza Rosebank, the Hyatt or the Protea fire and ice. Have points for our three nights for the first two. The tours we picked do go to these 4 hotels for pickup (I believe) but it looks like the Hop o&o is a few miles away from them? The bus goes to Wits University, Constitution Hill, James Hall Transportation Museum and the Apartheid Museum at its corners. I have a good map for the run, but it does not seem to overlap with the hotel locations. Someone familiar with the area clue me in?
Anyone previously doing the safari/Vic Falls in the areas we are, have any input to having Hepatitis shots? We will visit travel medicine when the time gets closer. They usually tell you if something is mandatory (seldom) but leave the recommended/why bother stuff for you to decide. The med. for malaria seems to be a given. The Yellow Fever shots is not an issue as we had that before our Brazil/Amazon trip.
Oct 10, 2016, 4:38 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: YYZ (ex-LHR)
Programs: BA Silver, VS Red, OZ Silver
Posts: 446
Thank you for the help.
Still trying to figure on this and that map, if the hop on and off bus is near any of these choices...Holiday Inn Rosebank, Crown Plaza Rosebank, the Hyatt or the Protea fire and ice. Have points for our three nights for the first two. The tours we picked do go to these 4 hotels for pickup (I believe) but it looks like the Hop o&o is a few miles away from them? The bus goes to Wits University, Constitution Hill, James Hall Transportation Museum and the Apartheid Museum at its corners. I have a good map for the run, but it does not seem to overlap with the hotel locations. Someone familiar with the area clue me in?
Anyone previously doing the safari/Vic Falls in the areas we are, have any input to having Hepatitis shots? We will visit travel medicine when the time gets closer. They usually tell you if something is mandatory (seldom) but leave the recommended/why bother stuff for you to decide. The med. for malaria seems to be a given. The Yellow Fever shots is not an issue as we had that before our Brazil/Amazon trip.
Still trying to figure on this and that map, if the hop on and off bus is near any of these choices...Holiday Inn Rosebank, Crown Plaza Rosebank, the Hyatt or the Protea fire and ice. Have points for our three nights for the first two. The tours we picked do go to these 4 hotels for pickup (I believe) but it looks like the Hop o&o is a few miles away from them? The bus goes to Wits University, Constitution Hill, James Hall Transportation Museum and the Apartheid Museum at its corners. I have a good map for the run, but it does not seem to overlap with the hotel locations. Someone familiar with the area clue me in?
Anyone previously doing the safari/Vic Falls in the areas we are, have any input to having Hepatitis shots? We will visit travel medicine when the time gets closer. They usually tell you if something is mandatory (seldom) but leave the recommended/why bother stuff for you to decide. The med. for malaria seems to be a given. The Yellow Fever shots is not an issue as we had that before our Brazil/Amazon trip.
I took Malarone as a malaria prevention medicine when I was in the risk areas. However, I very quickly realised I was the only one doing so. One thing I learned really quickly is that the West's perceived risks about South Africa versus the actual risks in South Africa are quite different. That said, I would take Malarone again if I returned, as it's silly not to.