Imagine a bunch of small town children going to Johannesburg and getting to ride on the Gautrain for the first time. Now imagine a bunch of small town adults having fun and really being in the spirit of things riding on the Gautrain for the first time. Well, I don’t know what you are imagining, but the experience itself wasn’t much different than it would be with kids. Big eyes, lots of fun, comments and laughter Earlier in the year I attended a tourism expo in Johannesburg and a bunch of us decided to all have our first ride on the Gautrain, Gauteng’s state-of-the-art rapid rail network.
The group came from all over with towns like Matatiele in the North Eastern Cape, Mossel Bay on the Garden Route, Malmesbury in the Swartland and the Cape West Coast represented. Oh yes, and me. It was like everybody was high on sugar or something the way they were hopping around and joking while waiting for the train to arrive. And then it came… Actually it didn’t, cause this one was going the other way. But ours arrived shortly after.
The fun continued and the ride was no different so while we were flying along at 160 km per hour the cracking of jokes just went on. The dude against the window landed up next to the group and held his pose very well while all this was going on. He should have just gone with the flow…
Arriving in Sandton from Midrand we disembarked the Gautrain at the 45 meter, 6 storey deep Sandton Station. This we didn’t quite realise until we went up three long escalators. Wow, what a ride and what a marvel. The return trip was a little more subdued, but still the excitement continued and I am sure everybody are looking forward to their next visit to Johannesburg for another ride on the Gautrain.
Wow, looks amazing, looking forward to a ride too….
It is fun!! It works well if all links are co-ordinated but if they don't, you can be late for your flight or miss it completely. We're not going to risk it when we leave for our overseas trip in July.
Well written and faboulously photographed! Thank you for sharing!
Some day I will make it out of the USA and to your back yard there in South Africa. Been a long time since visiting your blogs and I must say, I have truly missed your photography and story telling. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. I will try to come back more often than once a year. 🙂 Take Care from USA!!!