She's Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road!

As you know, I took on the challenge of driving myself to work this week.  The adjustment wasn't as hard as I expected it to be.  There were only a couple of times that I found myself confused as I was turning, or pulling out of a parking lot.  I did manage not to cause any accidents and no one "hooted" at me, so that is success in my book!  Also, almost exclusively using the turning signal now instead of the windshield wipers!

I did figure out a few interesting things.

Not surprising, but the slow lane here in South Africa is opposite the US.  It has been really hard for me to drive in what I have always known as the passing lane.  To remedy this, I stick to the middle lane as much as possible!

Parking spaces are tiny!  I have a really small car - a Toyota Tercell.  I feel like I am barely squeezing into the parking spaces.

As a solution to lack of public transportation, there are minibuses that run certain routes.  Many people rely on these for transportation to and from work.

Many of these buses are in horrible disrepair.  There appear to be 10-15 people piled into each bus.  They will stop anywhere and everywhere.  Seriously.  You can be driving down the highway at 100km/hr and the bus will swerve over to pick someone up on the side of the road.  Rule number 1 from Dave during my driving lesson, was try to avoid following a minibus, and if you have to be in the same lane as the bus, leave plenty of room.

I ventured to the mall after work.  I also learned that you need to pay for the parking BEFORE you leave the mall.

It says CARWASH!

There are some ways that South Africa seems so far ahead of the US.  The reason I went to the mall is because I get an electronic voucher for the per diem of my living expense sent to my cell phone.  I visit an ATM and enter the voucher code and the last 4 digits of my phone number and cash is dispensed.  Now I am getting used to paying for as much as possible with cash.  I cringe thinking of all the AMEX points I am giving up! 

Counterpoint to this advancement, they can only send whole Rand amounts.  My stipend is not a nice round number.  They wanted to round up and have me go to someone in the office and pay them R12 to make up the difference.  That is $0.90 folks.  When I called to ask for my money this week (yes, I actually had to do that), I told them we can just let those odd amounts ride and we could settle up at the end of the month.  Second counterpoint, either the bank or the office (I'm not sure which one) had sent their max funds for the day so I could not receive my electronic voucher until the next day.

We also use biometric sensing to access the office and enter through the security gates into the office park.

You place your finger on the pad and you are granted access to the office park grounds.

I had my fingerprint captured the first day I was in the Colgate office.  Last Friday I had lunch plans with a new co-worker and she informed me after lunch, we would go to another office to get my biometrics done for the entrance through the security gate.  After lunch, we meandered over to the security gate around 1pm.  I was informed that the biometric sensing was only done on Friday between 11:00-12:00.  I had just missed it.  When we got back to the CP office, I told the office admin that the window was 11-12 only, she said she knew that but I had lunch plans with said co-worker.  AARRRGGHHH!

Today, I set my calendar and promptly marched over to get my finger sensed.  When I arrived, I was informed I was at the wrong gate.  Huh?  There is ANOTHER gate where the biometrics were taken.  They didn't mention that last week when they sent me packing because I had missed the window.  I found the second gate and learned the gentleman had been delayed and would not arrive until 11:15.  I have been in South Africa just shy of 2 weeks, but I have already learned about "African Time" so I didn't plan on going back until 11:30.  I walked back over at 11:30, there were 10 or so people hanging out waiting at that point and the gentleman had not yet arrived.  

Around 11:40, biometric man arrived and began processing the masses.  I was back at my desk around 12:00.  A most unproductive hour out of my day, but now I can come and go as I please!

It's hard to see, but yes, he is packing heat!

Finally, on my drive home, I decided I was up to the challenge of multi-tasking.  Driving and listening to the radio at the same time!  I realized I don't know any radio stations so I thought, I'll just check the pre-sets.  Usually people set those in the rental cars - I know I do.

If you have presets . . . 

My rental car is pretty basic . . .

On deck for tomorrow?  A massage and mani/pedi at a spa near my apartment.

Until my next dispatch from Jo'burg, totsiens & mooi loop!