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JOHANNESBURG..........The drive into the city from the airport surprised me. I was totally unprepared for how big and beautiful Johannesburg was. I'd only heard of its dangers. And, there was no way I'd wander downtown alone in the daylight or nighttime. However, the suburbs were spacious, clean, and modern.

I was very leery about staying at a backpackers' dive, but this one turned out to be very nice. When the driver pulled onto the street where it was located, I thought it was some kind of mistake. It was a beautiful location. The room was clean and adequate but the grounds were especially splendid. The main building was an old Boer War castle on a hilltop with lovely gardens. Around my room, honeysuckle bloomed and its fragrance filled the air. My evening was set when I learned a mall and cinema was a seven minute walk away.

I didn't spend all of my time at the cinema.In addition to attending a Mardi Gras celebration, I took tours to Soweto and Lesedi Village.