SA bits 7 - Street traders

For once I wasn't the driver and took this opportunity to go trigger happy. Pics taken on the way from one office to another (10 minutes drive).
Our exits from the highway.


Another common sight in SA, where street traders make their living by selling "stuffs" at the robots (they strangely nickname the traffic lights here as robots). They have a wide range of products normally seen to be phone chargers, soccer/rugby club caps & jerseys, clothes hanger, sunglasses, wall clocks, paintings and local art crafts. The guy with the globe and atlas is my first sighting hahaha...





However, the sight of these street traders aren't always harmless. We managed to adapt at the back of our minds to be precautious each time we are behind the wheel. There has been countless reports of smash & grab cases reported at robots. I suppose the ugly ones would use this opportunity to double as a robber. They have ample of time to walk up to your car and survey what you have on the empty passenger seat; maybe an unsuspecting female with a handbag where most cases are reported with. Briefcases/laptop bags in the back seat, fancy handphones on the dashboard, basically anything that looks expensive. It is even more dangerous to stop at quiet robots at night, as these robbers can jump from behind a bush out of nowhere, and before you know it you're a statistic. A lot of times too, there's a beggar lurking around. Sometimes kids or mums with kids. Other times are windscreen washers who will insists on a small fee for a service you did not ask for (what happens is when you stop at the robots, they will just spray your windscreen with soap water and start cleaning and ask you for money after that).

SA bits 6 - Grayston complex

This is one of our most visited complexes, Grayston.




Such complexes are common in SA, unlike our usual commercial/shoplot area. I have seen a similar concept in Malaysia, in Desa ParkCity, an upcoming poshy residential area. The usual tenants in such a complex includes minimarkets, pharmacy, clinic, laundry, restaurants and of course, a bottle store (liquor shop).

SA bits 5 - TELKOM finally solved my problem.

After 3 weeks, I'm finally online at home. I sort of gave them an ultimatum before I decide to cancel the line. I guess sometimes you just can't be lenient as a customer.

SA bits 4 - TELKOM SA macam sial...

We applied for an internet connection during the first week of our stay. As of today, it still hasn't been connected yet. Talk about inefficiency. I've just called in to their customer complaint this morning, again. I've decided that if they don't fix it by end of April, I'm terminating it and will proceed with another ISP.

Most communication services here (fixed line, cellular, internet) are packaged with a 24 month contract. I opted to go without the monthly installment and bought the modem separately elsewhere. Hopefully, I can re-use this modem with the other ISP option. We're also suppose to sign up for a new Vodacom cellular number. Apparently, our management would prefer us to subscribe to Vodacom instead of any other cellular operator. Vodacom call charges are higher compared to the other operators though, I guess I'll just have be more hardworking in claiming business calls with my employers then. After all, we are supporting them as vendors.

In the mean time, I'll continue coming to the office for internet. The setback is that most websites are blocked by the server, even webcam sessions!

SA bits 3

Guess how much we have to pay to fill up our rides?



I need a proper camera......

SA bits 2

We have been busy getting ourselves settled at home, trying to get internet connection and buying what ever necessary groceries, etc...
This is how a typical SPAR supermarket looks like, it seems very quiet because most of them have gone outstation due to the long weekend. Today is Good Friday, then coming Monday is Easter Monday/family day. Couldn't take more pics cos i had my hands full with stuff. Plastic bags here cost 25cents. A lot of people bring their own shopping bag, which is a good environmental action.


We also manage to go to "chinatown" today. This place is actually called Bruma and it has a concentrated chinese community. There is this complex, where they sell almost anything like furniture,handbags, clothing, electrical items, and of course chinese food and groceries. We got ourselves a rice cooker.

Further up the road from this complex are 2 rows of shophouses facing each other, where most chinese restaurants and grocery shops are located. This "chinatown" isn't one of those you see in movies, where they have a big overhead arch welcoming visitors etc, it's a more toned down version. I guess the chinese community in SA is a very small minority here and are being sidelined. Anyhoos, had a huge lunch and bought some vege for cooking over the weekend.


Just to give you an idea of how much things costs here.

2 Liter rice cooker = 350 Rands (130 MYR)
Pair of chopsticks = 2.50 Rands (1 MYR)
Wooden chopping board (just a bit bigger than an A4 sized paper) = 35 Rands (14 MYR)Wooden frying stick for non-stick pan = 10 Rands (4 MYR)
Plastic pail = 45 Rands (18 MYR)
A cauliflower and 4 whole garlic = 20 Rands (8 MYR)
Lunch (1 plate of XO sauce chicken, 1 plate of green vege, 1 plate of charsiew/siewyook, rice and tea for 2) = 153 Rands (61 MYR)
6 (350ml bottles) of Savannah dry (cider drink) = 52 Rands (20 MYR)
A handful of cili padi = 5 Rands (2 MYR)
A 5kg bag of basmati rice = 80 Rands (32 MYR)

Off to the gym now but we will be hanging out tonight in Nelson Mandela square, since it's Easter weekend I hope the coffee joints are open for business.

SA bits 1

This is how it looks like at only 5.30 in the evening and it will be dark by 6.15 p.m.


Quite a common sign in SA. It is also common to get body searched by the security prior to entering a bank or club.

2 bed, 1 bath & a swing.

Our bachelors pad in Kerkira Apartment. Very cozy in my opinion. Even comes with a full SONY DVD entertainment system.





Our backyard.

Living room painting.

My bedroom.


Dorai's bedroom.

3 door fridge.


The DVD entertainment system.


Dorai cooking dinner.


The kitchen.

Living room.



We signed a 1 year lease, let's hope the neighbors are well behaved like us ;P. Winter is just about to start, we get very cooling breeze blowing through the apartment. We have just applied for a phone line and I should be able to get internet connection by end of the month (if not earlier). Hope to meet everyone online more often by then.

Sneak peak...

Changi airport rocks!!!!

Spoiled by 2 illegal looking immigrants when we laid on the floor of the boarding hall walkway like it was our own living room.


Here's a sneak peak of what's more to come.



We were given work already, and it's all coming back to me bit by bit....

Time to go home and cook now. Fried tofu and bak-choy for dinner.