Because we only decided to come to South Africa 24 hours ago, we haven't really got much of a clue in terms of where we're going first. The woman who worked at the travel center in our Zambia hostel told us that Pretoria is the better option to Johannesburg and not much further from the airport. Because of this advice and the fact that we've only heard bad things about Jo'burg, we decide to head to Pretoria.
We go through the (now) standard arrival procedure of buying a local SIM card, calling a couple of recommended hostels and finding the most honest looking taxi driver. We do well with our guy as he is actually a Pretorian and takes pleasure in giving us a bit of an impromtu tour en route to Blue Chilli Backpackers, where we end up spending the next three nights.
Pretoria - or more specifically Hatfield - is a revelation. After almost two months of dirt roads, intermitent running water and mosquito nets, we're suddenly thrust back into the 21st century. There's even a cinema! A mall! A Nandos! Now you may well be thinking we're just a couple of wimps who can't deal without a few creature comforts for a few months - and perhaps you'd be right - but you don't realise how much you miss some of these things until you've been without them for a while.
Oue first full day in Pretoria is spent organising a hire car and then watching the new Bond film. Second day: Pretoria zoo, followed by the new Leonardo Di Caprio film; Body of Lies. By the third day, there are no more films worth watching so we leave for Mozambique.
