South African Animals

We had rented a GPS and Cell Phone at the Airport, but inside the parking garage we did not have any service.  We could only hope that when we exited the parking gargage the GPS would acquire a signal immediately and tell us which way to go.  We did of course have back-up - An atlas of the downtown Johannesburg area and printed Mapquest directions to the hotel.

I had picked the hotel because it was 1.2 miles from the airport.  What the hotel description and Mapquest failed to fully explain was that it was on the other side of the highway.  Exhausted and now a little frightened with our first experience we drove aimlessly around the on and off ramps at the airport.  The second time around I saw a convenient store and said maybe we should stop for directions.  Ray took one look at the convenient store frontage with its line of men drinking from paperbags and said not here. 

I had read the Mapquest directions over and over.  I looked up for any sign of anything that looked like a hotel and saw nothing.  We then drove into another neighborhood- a residential neighborhood and saw a man mowing his grass.  As we came closer he thankfully turned off the lawn mower for a drink of water.  He looked just like a guy mowing his grass on a Saturday afternoon.

 " Please do you know where the OR Tambo Kempton Park Hotel is?

"Yes, it's at the end of this street."

We found the hotel.  And it was at the end of a street in that residential neighborhood. We parked in the reserved for registration parking space. And grabbed our two suitcases and two overfilled backpacks and headed to the door.  Before we reached the curb, we were met by a young man who introduced himself as James.  James put all the luggage on the cart and brought us to reception.  It was 10:30 in the morning. We were tired, dirty, missing a piece of luggage, out $20 and generally overwhelmed. 

The receptionist took one look at us, " We are glad you are here. Your room is not yet ready.  James will lock up your luggage and Promise will walk you to the lounge.  I will come get you when your room is ready.

The lounge was quiet. We had the whole place to ourselves.  We ordered water and fell quickly asleep in the two upolstered chairs.  At 11:30, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.  " Your Room is Ready, James will meet you in the lobby with your luggage.  Can I get you anything else?

We made it to the room. Drew the shades and slept until dinner.