Friend flying to South Africa. Deborah

[indianabob]

Hello Deborah,

My daughters friend Paul is flying to Port Elizabeth next Wednesday for his employer and is fretting about how he will get around and money and so forth. The company representatives in Port Elizabeth haven't given Paul much information other than a return trip airplane ticket for two weeks only and he is traveling in the dark so to speak. 36 hour journey with lay overs in Washington D.C., Dakar, Johannesburg.
I look forward to talking with him when he returns in about two weeks and just wanted to ask if there are any special problems that temporary visitors face.
Money, driving a car, passport/visa, inoculations, crime rate in the city and suburbs where he will be working, how much cash he can safely carry, credit cards and so forth. Not sure that he will have time to sight see the beautiful country side, but perhaps he will.
Not expecting a detailed list just the high lights if you care to comment.

[jassy]

Hello Deborah,

My daughters friend Paul is flying to Port Elizabeth next Wednesday for his employer and is fretting about how he will get around and money and so forth. The company representatives in Port Elizabeth haven't given Paul much information other than a return trip airplane ticket for two weeks only and he is traveling in the dark so to speak. 36 hour journey with lay overs in Washington D.C., Dakar, Johannesburg.
I look forward to talking with him when he returns in about two weeks and just wanted to ask if there are any special problems that temporary visitors face.
Money, driving a car, passport/visa, inoculations, crime rate in the city and suburbs where he will be working, how much cash he can safely carry, credit cards and so forth. Not sure that he will have time to sight see the beautiful country side, but perhaps he will.
Not expecting a detailed list just the high lights if you care to comment.

Know my name is not Deborah but thought I would add my pennys worth as have people I know who both live there and have visited recently.

Your only problems driving is that you keep to the left and not the right like America. Same as the British.  No inoculations are necessary.  P. E is pretty laid back and no more risk laden than any of your coastal citys.   Have the same vigilance as any other city in the world regarding cell phones, cash and credit cards. 
Tell him to try and see the sights. P.E has been through a time of drought but its still lovely and is on the Garden Route which is one of the most beautifull journeys in the world.

And dress warm, The eastern Cape has winter rainfall so bring wet weather gear just in case.
Thats all I can think of , perhaps Debs has more pertinent info.

Jassy 

[Deborah-Leigh]

No problems. Same as travelling to any other country. Due to the World Cup Soccar, that also has PE as a venue, there is a very large Police presence all over.

Money can be changed by the Banks as well as in large shopping malls. It is advisable to carry as little cash as possible and rather use credit or debit cards. Visa and Master Cards are accepted all over. Watch out for American Express as not all venues accept them.

In order to avoid possible problems as in any other country, do not go to the squatter camps or low income areas. The infrastructure is very good although public transport is a problem. Car hire is available at all airports with drop off points at most Hotels.

When travelling, always limit conversations with total strangers as you do not know their motives. Keep your passport and bank cards safe and secure preferably on you. Check the internet for the official SA Tourism web site which gives you all the necessary information and more!

Blessings to you and yours.
Arc

[indianabob]

Thanks Jassy and Arc,

The big day is getting closer.
The anticipation is worse than the reality.
Paul, the traveler, is a computer programmer who maintains the
assembly line manufacturing computers for his company here in
Indiana and now they need him in their branch in P. E.
I think that they make automobile parts for several manufacturers.
Paul was mainly concerned with the short notice. Five days to get
ready for a 36 hour jaunt to the other side of the world and the
detailed itinerary for the next one to two weeks is unavailable.
Apparently the Company has given him the Corporate Credit Card
and told him to just go to P. E. and handle the problems and don't
come back until it is fixed.  Ha ha.

This is the same fellow who just came to my house and installed
the T. V. antenna and cable in the crawl space under my new house.
I cannot picture him as the world traveling, trouble shooter that the
Company office has made him.

God sends those he loves such wonderful friends WOW

Again, thanks for your kind assistance. Bob

[jassy]

My husband is an international contractor, works in many different places. And when I join him for a month or two, he arranges everything for his little wifey who is from the rural areas and a traffic jam involves ten cars.

Imagine my horror when I arrived in Milan to visit him and he broke his ankle on the way to the airport. Armed with a italian phrase book I had to get him fixed, find out tram, bus routes and shops as he had only just started in Milan for the contract and had been there four days before I arrived.
By the end of three weeks I spoke dreadfull italian, was shouting and gesticulating in the traffic  so much so that tourists thought I was a local and asked me for directions.

That could only be the Lord, as I have an inherent terror of the unknown. Paul will be fine, South Africans of all colours are mostly a very gentle and helpfull nation. As I found in all the countrys I have visited most people are kind and willing to help.
Of course there is the odd one who makes you wish you were never there but if he starts his day with prayer Paul will only bring back wonderfull tales to tell.