Today was the shortest day of the year for the southern hemisphere. It is winter here. While the cold does not meet Boston’s criteria, the cold can be a problem in a place without “real” heat. Simphiwe waited for us at our scheduled meeting time at nine in the morning. He was our guide for the day, for our tour of the South Western Townships. After passing a theme park, a casino, luxurious downtown buildings, we exited the highway and found ourselves in the Townships known as Soweto. This area was designed as a place to move black and coloured people out of Johannesburg during Apartheid. Soweto is a good distance outside of Jo’burg, but still close enough to allow the people to work in the city.
Arthur and I joined Robbie in Newark International Airport. After exhaustively searching for a power outlet, paying too much for wireless internet, being friended on Facebook by some sweet but random chick we met, and going through security (again…), we jetted across the Atlantic pond.
The weekend did not seem to exist. We left on Saturday morning, connected through Amsterdam on Sunday morning, and arrived in Johannesburg late Sunday night. Days and nights were replaced with periods in a loud, jet-fuel powered time portal.
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