Well, I got sent on a business trip to South Africa. I had written back routinely to a few friends and relatives while I was there, My edited writings are posted here for your enjoyment!
I thoroughly enjoyed the trip! and would gladly go back!
I spent 2 solid weeks working in Sandton north of Johannesberg and by shuffling the return dates around and taking a coupla personal days, I spent one additional week on my own! I went to a hunting convention, a rifle match, Sun City, Pilansberg and Kruger National Parks, Gold Reef City (mining museum and theme park) and the Military Museum. I made a buncha new friends, and left with a VERY high opinion of the place and the people!
I
had heard about the crime, but didn't experience any problems. (In fact,
of the guys in the office who travelled in November, I went to the highest
crime rate location, but only the guy who went to France got mugged!) Economic
differences seemed to still be somewhat along racial lines, but I experienced
NO racial hostility, from either side, (although I saw some nasty graffitti)
and no more of the harmless, but insensitive, racial jokes or remarks than
we hear at home. In general I saw the people as more tolerant of others
than Americans. The abject hatred, intolerance and bigotry directed at
gun owners, cigarette smokers and other social minorities that exists in
the US is not nearly as bad, but growing, in South Africa, conversely,
they are probably less compassionate towards AIDS victims than we are.
The government appeared to be less authoritarian than ours in some ways
and more so in others.
I took 9 rolls of film and had them developed and digitized. I will insert a few pictures here and there in the pages that follow, but not too many, it just takes too long to load, many of the others pictures I will have links to, click on the link and use the "back" button to get back. I will insert links to other websites as appropriate. I took my GPS and will list the waypoint Lat & Long. just for the curiosity of GPS fans.
I may add or delete from the web-site in the future.
INDEX
I was kinda tired the last time I updated these and started to get worried
about disk space, so I may update them more (last modified: 30-May-99)
GPS waypoints from the trip are filed here.
Disclaimer:
You will notice that I avoid the use of individual names throughout. Many of these daily write-ups contained interesting or colorful stories about the people I worked with while there. One of my friends pointed out that some folks prefer not to have their names or other details mentioned on a web site etc, therefore I have carefully re-writen the stories to be more considerate of them. My apologies to any of my friends who felt I had abridged their privacy with earlier versions of these web pages.
I did not post all of the photographs I took to avoid showing individuals who might not want to be world famous, but some photos were just so appropriate to the subject I wanted to use them. I have included the names of businesses and products where I felt it appropriate, they sell and advertize to the public and are subject to product reviews in publications such as this.
I do not name my employer or what project I work on (if you are reading this on the 'web, its a virtual certainty you would recognize both). Despite a US constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and press, individuals in the US are routinely harrassed or persecuted for saying too much, good or bad. The Supreme Court has yet to acknowledge that the Bill of Rights applies to the corporate sector. If you know me, you know where I work, and what I work on, if you don't, it only takes a little away from the story.
If any of you reading this recognize your own part in this story, and
want your name mentioned where I have not, or want fewer details listed,
or a photo trimmed or removed, email me
and let me know.
