24 hours in Joburg

There was no marketeer coyly hanging around the lounge. Just as well because the invective could have been one of those that questioned the poor soul to ask: "Why am I doing this job".

South Africa boasts one of the most disciplined and titanic rugby squads there is. Their travel-flight industry could sorely do with a few tips from the Springboks.

Unfriendly, surly, laisse faire, are just a few adjectives that you could use to rewrite their brochure.

This isn't an anti-South African position, more a plea to someone to sort things out. With a world cup due if what I experienced was anything to go by then the dentists chair may hold more allure.

BBC Ariel- The BBC's internal magazine which featured an a full page dispatches article from South Africa in 1992. SA Airways were instrumental in helping David travel across the country.

It wasn't always the case, and less I sound bias, South Africa airways once in my inquisitorial role of journalist-in-waiting sponsored my unlimited travel around the country and from then on I was a loyal customer, thanking them profusely on a late night BBC show I co hosted.

But scale and expansion have the habit of flummoxing many companies. From a mid size international airport, South Africa's minted international OR Tambo resembles Miami International and Heathrow architected into the future.

And somewhere along the way, perhaps someone forgot to rally the staff and tell them, "it's the customer *********" (Clintonesque phrase).

Or as the Ghanaian's express in one of their favourite phrases:
"fefe na efe se obaa otu amirika oso ne nofo na enye se ebe te ato nti", which loosely translates when a woman runs she holds her breasts not because it will fall down, but because of decorum.

I'll post a more detailed report later, which will wrap with a plane cancellation, an on board entertainment system for an 11 hour journey that didn't work and a humble request of what I'd do. And yes some, indeed many may have had the riches of sojourns.

Joburg City
But to the city that thumps like a never ending samba party. Joburg mixes the tonic of youth and wisdom of sages. A world in one city is more apt now since I was last here filming a documentary called the Successor Generation for Channel 4 News.

On arrival and courtesy of my brilliant host, a senior SABC creative, and an old time friend from 92-94, we painted the town, albeit less than red.

SophiaTown, an eaterie, opposite the landmark Market Theatre does live music and burger food. It's not what it used to be said Palessa. A play dealing with black sexuality featuring nudity had already wound up for the day. "Yah you should see this David" she said,"good edgy stuff. This man emerged during the break requesting a cold drink of water. He didn't know what hit him".

So to one of the heartlands of my media past. Melville.

Melville is St Johns Wood in the UK and bohemian Soho in NY. We sat outside a Portuguese restaurant, me watching anyone that walked by I might remotely remember from back-a-day. The waiter, who was buying time before his calling -a degree in architecture - described one dish with a fish called "Emmeralde".

Funky and yes that was its name. Really! The Chef doing the rounds at the tables said so.

News about Town
Palessa and Addie (name shortened), are a treasure trove of information.

*District 9 - All is not well in SA with this sci-fi blockbuster with rumours ( I've not been able to confirm) that subsidies earmarked for the film from the government are being with held. The brass, its said, do not approve of its racial undertones. Here's a post that gives a flavour of that.

* DDTV - Digital TV is a coming to South Africa with licenses already doled out. South Africa's Net penetration is minuscule, but mobile and DDTV could jump its comms and ents industry into a new strata

* Castor Semenye - publicity handled badly, but what about that photoshoot. It's in You magazine, an exclusive, which has Ms Semenye glammed up.

* World Cup fever and the rush for gold.

Meanwhile, one short piece I'm glad I made - more a snapshot- is a visit back to where I lived during 92-94 in Yeoville and realising how much its radically changed. See for yourself, though it'll be difficult to contextualise unless you remember how Yeoville used to be

More and some later.

10 things you must know travelling to South Africa's world cup

Arriving at O. R. Tambo International Airport, Upgrade.

Two thirty pm.

From door to door , 23 hours. In the air it was about 14 hours. You have to love travelling, otherwise like me you simply go numb with the vacuous look of Mr Mcgoo, consigning your brain cells to reruns of old movies and boarding school meals.

The stewardess either resented her job or didn't much like anyone who didn't do things her way and one of those was a red card for lowering your seat rest to sleep when the person behind you wanted to rest their bottle of water.

Rest your head, rest your water, rest your head, rest your water. Clearly water wins.

"Please sir, could you bring your seat up?"

Half a sleep and feeling restlessly drousy I queried her with my eyebrows.

"Sir put your seat back up!"

It was so incredulous that after the third time of her asking and clearly not noticing that when passengers are tired they pull their seats down I relented.

But as I found out later, seat configurations, particularly in the lie down position is to be one of my "10 things you must know travelling to South Africa". First five today.

Swanky
It's been a while since I have been to the rainbow nation, but if my visit were by default a dry run for the World Cup ahead, then there's work to be done.

Swanky, face photography recognitionn at immigration, an meandering string of tourists around their maze like queing system, in many ways it's as if the architects that built Miami Airport provided the foundation here.

South Africa boasts some of the most hospital people, particularly in the townships away from the dreaded "c" word. But Corporate customer service on the scale that will sazzle them next year is new.

And if you thought the hospitality is likely to bring on unsuspected results then here in Grahamstown, you might want to wear a plack saying "please be nice to me".

Next year in Grahamstown, the venue for one of the world's key arts and culture gigs, they'll have the world cup in tow, and a stream of big conferences for journalists and others.

The build up to the World Cup prompted Richard Quest and CNN to examine the system, rolling of a reel of states - from a programme I saw on my flight.

More on those in my next post, but for the meantime an early foray into what you'll need to know at the airports if you're comng for the World Cup, particularly for domestic flight travellers to the Cape and beyond

1. Through to domestic flights, if you haven't changed any money yet, there's no forex etc past on board luggage checking.

2. There's only one small rest room, which is a little daunting when greeted by the attendant: "welcome to my office" and hasn't quite figured that restroom are private. That said please do tip.

3. Don't rely on the Flight departure board for boarding. It got to 10.00 for a 10.20 departure and still there was nothing up so I curiously sauntered over to the gate to find out they had all boarded and the steward telling me how lucky I was to have got on the plane.

4. Don't put you seat back to rest unless you want the steward or passengers to literally scream at you

5. Do remember your please and thank yous.

Tip 102 Why Videojournalism works -England's women squad

England's football (women) squad have reached the quarter final of the World Cup, but unless you're a die hard fan you probably wouldn't know.

There are many stars in the line up. One in particular caught our atention Anita Asante who plays defence.

Anita is also part of Arsenal's women's cup winning squad, but amazingly before we'd talked to her, she'd never beeen interviewed.

*So Charlie and experienced cameraman /producer and I spent a couple of hours talking to her and you can see the results here.

We plan to update the story and run some of the out takes where she shows us up with her dribbling skills, but for the meantime here's Anita talking Football (soccer).

*This could have been shot as a video journalism package, but I suggest if you can always find a good camera operator and its right for the story, then take the oportunity.