My sister lives in the USA and when she came to visit, bringing along her American husband and their child, they packed 9 suitcases! For some reason she had forgotten that EVERYTHING is readily available in South Africa. When packing, do remember the following things:
- Toiletries: Don’t pack litres of shampoo and conditioner! Bring no more than 100ml (small travel packs). Every litre of fluid means you are carrying a kilogram of weight. Our leading chain pharmacy, Clicks, sells all the shampoos and toiletries you will find in other countries. Things include shampoo, conditioner, body wash/soap, toothpaste, hairspray, mouth wash, body lotion, sun screen, lip balm, disposal razors etc. If you are thinking about your budget and saying “these things are expensive” think again! You would have bought them anyway and paid in your own currency! The South African Rand will give you value for money. If you haven’t used all you products by the end of the holiday, don’t pack them in, rather give them to hotel staff and put souvenirs in your luggage.
- Warm clothes: Don’t think that because you are visiting Africa, you won’t need a warm jacket! Cape Town is known for having all 4 seasons in one day. Even in the South African summer, you will find that the wind can be very cold. So do pack a jacket or jumper especially for your kids. If you forget these items, at least you can buy them anywhere in the country. Other parts of the country reach minus four in winter, so think about the season!
- Bring a pen! You may not think that a pen is an essential travel item but it really is. You will use it on the plane, when using your credit card, when writing down directions, when making notes about your holiday etc.
- The sun can kill you! When coming from Europe you might not think that a sunny day will come again. The sun shines most of the year in South Africa and you will wish for a little rain by your third day! So don’t rely on a factor 8 or 10 sunscreen! Buy one in South Africa no less than a factor 30 and where it daily! DON’T LIE IN THE SUN. Make sure you re-apply after swimming or sweating! AVOID THE SUN BETWEEN 11:00 AND 15:00. Wear a hat and sunglasses as glare from the ocean can make sunburn even worse! The sun shines even more during the winter months and you should where sunscreen even during this season.
- Currency: Try and change your currency at the airport. It will cost you less commission and you will be sure to be able to change your money much later than normal banks. Don’t carry all of your money in cash. Only change to a few Rands, no more than R500 at a time, because you can use your credit card almost everywhere. It is much safer and you will save on the long run. Be careful with your credit card! Don’t give out your details, not even the hotel. Always be the one using the card! Don’t let an attendant swipe your card without you being next to him/her.
- Water: Drink loads of water! Water is safe to drink from the tap in hotels and guest houses unless otherwise indicated. Fill up a water bottle at the beginning of your day. It’s no fun dehydrating in the middle of you holiday! If you are still nervous about tap water, you will find many varieties of bottled water in any shop. Do think about the environment though…please don’t litter!
- Souvenirs: People have packed sand in their luggage to take home. I mean rally! A piece of Africa going home! Don’t be stupid! That puts a lot of extra weight on that you have to carry to the airport – and possibly pay extra for. Make sure what you are allowed to take home with you. You can find a list on the South African Home Affairs website or even from you travel agent. Obviously you are not allowed to take any flora and fauna (plants and animal), rocks (tempting when visiting Table Mountain), food products (cheese, meat, non-sealed products) etc. Be very sure before you buy souvenirs because you may have to get rid of these gifts at the airport because of strict rules!
Myths
- Flu: You can’t catch any type of flu by eating any meat. You won’t get mad cow disease from beef; you won’t get bird flu from chicken; you won’t get swine flu from pork; and you can’t get anything from lamb! Follow the normal rules when eating! Chicken and pork should be cooked! Fish shouldn’t smell off! Don’t eat cooked food which has been left in a car for an hour (or longer).
- Oxtail and Monkey gland: Contrary to some beliefs, Oxtail is the actual tail of an Ox, therefore it’s just beef. It’s the most expensive part of the Ox because it is tender and tasty! Monkey gland isn’t actually monkey glands! It’s a name of a barbeque type sauce. I have no idea where the name comes from – probably just to put foreigners off.
