We spent five years living in Lagos, Nigeria. To date, I’ve barely touched on our time there. It’s a chaotic and often frustrating place to live and it's difficult to know where to start as there are so many memories and mishaps to dust off. As a first taster, I'm sharing one of the many (but far… Continue reading Alarmed by Smoke Alarms
Author: Expatorama
From dodging stray bullets in Lagos, to dodging stray cats in Istanbul, we are now getting cosy in Jozi. Far flung travels and further fetched tales of expat life.
Don’t Worry, Only the Cows Can See You
I think this must be the first ever loo I've visited with floor to ceiling windows. They were neither opaque or frosted. It was completely disconcerting. There's a nice trough below the window. It encourages the resident Nguni Cattle to come close and eyeball you. With their wide handlebar horns and barrel chests they… Continue reading Don’t Worry, Only the Cows Can See You
Discover Johannesburg’s Sci Bono Discovery Centre
Sci Bono Discovery Centre is situated in an old power station in Johannesburg's Newtown. We've taken our kids a few times and they love it. We hosted a birthday party there this morning, which included a guided tour of the best bits and an awesome exploding science show. Quite a few of our guests had never… Continue reading Discover Johannesburg’s Sci Bono Discovery Centre
10 Reasons to have a Dog in Johannesburg
Shortly after arriving in Johannesburg, South Africa, we adopted a little rescue dog. It turns out that despite my initial concerns and reservations, I'm actually quite pleased that we did. To be fair, most of the reasons I give for getting a dog apply to wherever you are in the world, but prior to arriving in… Continue reading 10 Reasons to have a Dog in Johannesburg
New Gold Rush in Johannesburg!
The first Gold Rush in Johannesburg, known as the Witwatersrand Gold Rush, took place in 1886. Indeed, gold is the magic that pumped through the earth’s veins giving life to Johannesburg on land that was otherwise not suitable to attract and sustain a large human population. Primarily, Johannesburg is an unsuitable place for a city,… Continue reading New Gold Rush in Johannesburg!
A Truly Weird Wacky Week in Johannesburg
Life is rarely dull in Johannesburg, but some weeks are definitely more eventful and weirder than others, the week before last was a case in point. MONDAY: I nearly got washed off the road during a massive storm. Water was streaming over the central reservation forming a downhill torrent. Instead of going shopping, I went… Continue reading A Truly Weird Wacky Week in Johannesburg
These Easter Eggs are a No-Glow
We haven't had any blackouts here in our neck of Johannesburg for a while (fingers crossed, touch wood, famous last words), nevertheless South Africa is now fully prepared for Easter next week should the power go off. Load Shedding Easter Eggs are glow in the dark eggs. Small torches are included in the box to… Continue reading These Easter Eggs are a No-Glow
The Escape Room Phenomenon hits South Africa
I’m always looking for new things to do and now I've found a great way to escape FROM Johannesburg IN Johannesburg. Escape rooms (also known as puzzle rooms) are already massively popular in many big cities around the world. Johannesburg, South Africa is no exception. Here's our list of Johannesburg's Escape Rooms. Which one will you… Continue reading The Escape Room Phenomenon hits South Africa
Johannesburg’s China Town: A Taste of Asia in Africa
Like many other big cities, Johannesburg has a China Town. Commissioner Street in the CBD was the original Chinese hub, but when the inner city deteriorated in the 1990's China Town relocated to a quiet suburb called Cyrildene in eastern Johannesburg. There are plenty of other places to buy asian foods and spices at shops dotted about Johannesburg,… Continue reading Johannesburg’s China Town: A Taste of Asia in Africa
Expat Parenting: Choosing an International School
Choosing and International School system is a confusing headache. Parents everywhere want the best education for their children. However, when you move to a different country every few years, the decisions, trade-offs and problems multiply. An Expat Dilemma American School? British School? French School? German School? Local School? Home School? Boarding School? Anywhere-that-has-a-place-for-my-child-School? Which school… Continue reading Expat Parenting: Choosing an International School
Expatorama 