A first for Africa - we were lucky enough to witness the newly operational 'Gautrain' (just visible if you enlarge the photo above) during our brief stay in Johannesburg. It is a high speed train service like nothing Africa has ever seen ! Situated just outside the city of Johannesburg in South Africa, the OR Tambo International Airport officially overtook the Cairo International Airport in 1996 to become Africa’s busiest airport and is also classed as one of the busiest 100 airports in the world.
Approaching the airport .... many hotels are situated close to the airport & several offer free shuttle bus services to and fro Founded in 1952 as the ‘Jan Smuts International Airport’ (after the South African statesman of that name) and later renamed the ‘Johannesburg International Airport’ in 1994, the airport was renamed again in 2006 as the ‘OR Tambo International Airport’ after Oliver Tambo, the former president of the African National Congress.
The airport has undergone an incredible transformation over the years - here you can see some of the airport gardens as you approach the main International Departures terminalI think I can safely say that the airport has probably never seen as much excitement as it has during the recent 2010 Soccer/Football World Cup. I have flown in and out of this airport, on average, twice a year for the past 10 - 12 or so years and have never known such a buzz as the one I felt when I was there last week. The entire airport is decorated in a football theme, airport officials are all wearing the South African colours, the shops and restaurants are all decorated in World Cup themed colours etc and so are all the waiters (many sporting the most fantastic array of football themed head gear !)
The airport is named after Oliver Tambo, the former president of the African National Congress
The sound of several Vuvuzela’s been blown all around the airport (and most especially in the food court/restaurant area in domestic arrivals !) adds to the atmosphere, too. A Vuvuzela is a stadium blowing horn made from plastic (and being sold with covers in the team colours of your choice !) which is traditionally blown by spectators at the matches. The word ‘Vuvuzela’ is said to come from the Zulu language … making a ‘vuvu’ noise.
International Arrivals, where a huge football suspended above the main entrance area proudly reads 'City Of Champions - Host City'
When we were there last week, the build up to the World Cup was just starting, as hundreds of fans from all over the world were arriving – all dressed in their team colours and many waving their country flags, too ! On that day, many Mexican’s had arrived and were sporting the Mexican colours, flags and hats, too – everyone was cheering and smiling and welcoming them as they wheeled their luggage trolleys through the airport buildings.
One of several football themed displays dotted throughout the airport. This one shows a football boot, a football, a whistle and a vuvuzelaI bought some small world cup themed items as gifts for our house staff, all of whom are football supporters as it is a huge game here in Africa. During my recent travels through Kenya, Tanzania and South Africa I had the chance to speak to several taxi drivers, porters, waiters etc about the World Cup and to ask who they are all supporting (as neither Tanzania nor Kenya are playing) …. every single person, without exception, said that they are supporting all the African teams … and that if one African team is knocked out, they will go on to support the next because, they say, no matter what happens – as hosts of the World Cup, we have to keep it on African soil !
I had to include a photo of the actual aircraft which we flew back to East Africa (Kenya) on. I have said it before on the blog, but will say it again - Kenya Airways is TOPS in my book, and certainly lives up to their slogan - 'The Pride of Africa'
I must say, that as an African I agree with them and so am rooting for an African team to win. So … let’s see what the future holds !
GO BAFANA BAFANA !
