I’ve passed through Johannesburg airport countless times since starting my work in southern Africa. While routes are opening up, it is still a key hub for many destinations on the continent, with each work trip including three if not four transits through the airport. It’s a delightful contrast to the opulence of Doha, which I passed through yesterday. There you can rest and refresh inside an indoor forest (plucked from some distant locale) or browse, if your wallet allows, through a line-up of high-end shops that are somewhat intimidating and mostly bereft of customers. J’burg is less pretentious, offering walls of cute versions of the local fauna (the Big 5 miniturised, softened, tamed and conveniently dangling from a key ring), a personal encounter with a larger-than-life South African icon, and lots of colour in the form of neat and precise wire work. My first transit this trip is to Bulawayo and I enjoy that to get on this flight you still need to step on the tarmac before you climb the steps into the plane. Grounding and practical.
Let’s see how well I do with blogs on this trip. Last time I managed the first month only of a three month trip. No promises, but I will try to do better.
parrygraphs 
hiya. Ok. you’re back in AHHFRICA. Love the colorful bowls pic. Nelson Mandela less so. I like stepping onto the tarmac also. We get to do it at kingscote and also loading onto the plane in adelaide on the return. Quickest flight ever. Between 12 and 15 mins. Look forward to your stories and I hope work wise everything runs OK. acceptance. And breathe. And smile Lx
Yep, back in Africa. A 4 week circuit of 4 countries ending in Morocco. Ha ha … acceptance and breathing! So important. xkx
as always we look forward to your wonderful blog have a great time and stay safe xx
Thanks, helen. Hope you’re enjoying life wherever your scooter is taking you. xkx
love how you capture the contrast between Doha’s luxury and J’burg’s colourful, down to earth charm. Your descriptions of the Big 5 keyrings and wire art are spot on 👍And stepping onto the tarmac for the Bulawayo flight really does feel grounding. Excited to follow your posts, however many you share😘😉🥳🙏🍀
Thanks again, Zhen. I will struggle to write as much as you. You’ve become a writing tap that can’t be turned off. 🙂 Nice piece about Tailem bend kindy. ❤️