Hello Toilet Paper and English Speakers!

Arrived in Jo'Burg late this afternoon, as the plane was landing, looking out the window was like looking out on any city in North America. At the airport, I was so happy to find not only toilet paper in the bathroom, but soap and running water, AND - even a sign posted, asking you to text a number rating the cleanliness of the bathroom, whooo - this is Africa?? Riding in the hotel shuttle, busy highways, signs in English, malls, McDonalds, - well, these things I have not seen for a few months, so - it was almost like a "homecoming",but not at home. I see why South Africa is called "Africa Light". Our Canadian colleague came out of her hotel room, ecstatic to tell us she brushed her teeth with the tap water! We haven't done that in over two months. We left Brazza early this morning, had a five hour layover in Point Noir, the coastal city and commercial "hub" of the Republic of Congo. Normally a five-hour layover sounds hideous, but this was the best layover ever bc we got to LEAVE the airport, and were taken to a nice restaurant on the beach, and Matt and I strolled the beach (which wasn't trashy at all, it was quite nice)for awhile, just lovely. So now we're in our hotel room in Jo'Burg. I've been reading about South Africa, one of my student's parents sent "The Lonely Planet Guide to South Africa" to school in his backpack, for us to use, so, I read it on the way here, and - now we're thinking we may want to come back to South Africa for our 3-week holiday break. Turns out there are safaris HERE, just two hours from Jo'Burg, where you can see "the big five" animals (elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and not sure what the 5th is); anyway, and also great beaches here, AND - in December/January, it's their summer, so - good beach weather. So why South Africa over Tanzania? We'd RATHER go to Tanzania, but - with small children, safer in South Africa b/c no malaria here or other illnesses you find in less developed countries, like Tanzania. AND - there are direct flights here from Congo, so - overall, an easier trip with children and less worries. Speaking of children, I talked to Frida on the phone tonight and she said children are doing great. Paloma slept with her last night, the whole night (I think Frida wants a girl, she has two boys:)) We talked to Stuart and he said he was having fun. He got to sleep in a car-shaped bed.