Jo'burg, You Surprised Me

Joburg surprised me. I liked it, and I didn't think I would.

I think what it really came down to was how lucky I got with the accommodation. Yes, it was a bit pricey, but it was in an area I was familiar with, it had a gorgeous view of the most beautiful garden, and it was furnished with every touch of luxury living without being dramatic about it. Like the walk-in closet! It wasn't a big apartment, just a one-bedroom, but it also had a direct single garage. This is the type of luxury I mean; when you don't have to go down a couple of levels to get to your parking.

It was comfortable and homey.

I thought I'd get emotional when we left and, to my surprise, I didn't. I think it's because I actually knew I was content. I had wonderful adventures in this environment, but I was ready to move on. But before I forget, I wanted to remind myself and paint a picture of the memories I made over the last 90 days:

Something happened that I didn't expect: Johannesburg brought out my networking era.

You see, when we arrived back in South Africa after our three-month adventure in Thailand, we landed in Johannesburg. I wasn't in a rush to go back to small-town living, where everything closes at 18:00, after coming from a place where things stay open 24/7. So I thought to myself, what if I spent some time in Joburg?

It also made sense for work because it would give me the opportunity to spend some face-to-face time with the team. So I didn't spend too much time thinking about the idea. I more or less had the thought and put it into action.

There were a few factors to consider. Firstly, I didn't have a car, but this didn't stress me out because Joburg's Uber game is strong. Secondly, I didn't know the areas particularly well, but because I lived in Joburg for about 9 months when I was fifteen / sixteen, I stuck to what I knew and booked accommodation in the same area we stayed in all those years ago: Illovo.

BluBird Mall, close to Wanderers and Rosebank. It ticked all the boxes.

We landed on a Sunday, so the following week was spent getting settled and focusing on work. But when my first weekend arrived, it was a treat.

Friday night was spent at a girls' dinner celebrating two friends' birthdays. Saturday was plan-free, and by that stage I had caught up on the rest from travelling and settling in. I found myself doomscrolling after chatting with Josh when I came across a video from Joburg Events on TikTok about the Joburg Zoo Trot, which takes place every second Sunday of the month.

What?!

And the timing couldn't have been more perfect because there was one happening the very next day. So I went online, booked my ticket for R78, and went to sleep, only to wake up, grab my shoes, order an Uber, and be on my way a few hours later.

I cannot tell you how much fun I had.

The Johannesburg Zoo sets the standard for zoos, in my opinion. They were celebrating their 122nd birthday, so the vibes were great, the people were friendly, and I even got a slice of cake and a medal at the end of it.

What a win.

My sister was also coming up every two weeks because of a project at work, and with her headquarters being in Rosebank, I scored by having her stay with me. We spent time together, and while we were both busy when she was here, our evenings were filled with debriefs about our days. That's ultimately how you build your community. It's not about having big moments all the time but rather about doing the mundane things together. We did manage to squeeze in a steak dinner on one of her visits, which was amazing. On another, we simply went for a walk.

I walked around my block almost every day. I felt safe; there were cameras and security offices everywhere along my route. On the odd occasion that I got hassled, I pretended not to hear or engage with it (except for that one time when I yelled at him).

I went to a Sorbet appointment at their Melrose branch and arrived early because I got confused. The receptionist somehow apologised to me. I browsed through the Country Road sale section and found a cute pair of denim shorts to try on. While making my way to the fitting rooms, a lady came out asking the sales assistant for her opinion. I interjected, and the three of us ended up sharing such a wholesome little moment. I had a similar interaction in Checkers Bluebird about a Baby Soft shelf talker.

I saw one of my closest friends because she also happened to be in Joburg.

I met up with a friend from primary school for a catch-up, which was simply brilliant.

I saw a friend from college, and we spent a morning laughing over mimosas.

I even saved a little bird from getting squished by a car because it was wandering around in a stunned daze.

I went to explore Chinatown, and you will not believe what happened. I met the owner of a Bulgarian meat factory. In the middle of Chinatown. In Johannesburg.

I squealed with excitement, and we ended up chatting about her work, the Bulgarian community, and life decisions, all while standing in the Chinese chip aisle.

I also had some really memorable foodie moments. I loved Chiapas for an easy Mexican takeaway fix. I became absolutely obsessed with Buonissimo's gorgonzola gnocchi (I ordered it four times and even went there for dinner). Taste of Punjab in Illovo scratched our curry craving, and Parea Taverna was great for Greek food, although Mezepoli was exactly as I remembered it from when there was still a branch in Cape Town.

All round, the experience was really wonderful, with people being warm and friendly. Even when the weather was a little miserable, there was something refreshing about the thunderstorms. They never felt scary; if anything, they felt cleansing.

All in all, you can say what you want about Jozi (and yes, the pothole situation is every bit as bad as you've heard), but my golly, it gets you out and about.

Seeing.

Meeting.

Interacting.

And ultimately, building memories and connections with people.

For a city I wasn't sure I would enjoy, Johannesburg ended up giving me exactly what I didn't know I needed.