Today I hit a new milestone that I knew was coming: I walked to Sandton. It's not so much the distance that pleases me (7.5 km; 4.5 miles) -- it's that another part of town that used to feel out of reach is now within my grasp. I think back to first living in Jo'burg 2 years ago and how lonely and isolated I felt for a while. I remember wanting to go to the Jo'burg Art Fair one Saturday and phoning a taxi to find out how much it would cost to get from Parkhurst to Sandton: R120 ($16) each way. I was pinching pennies at the time so I decided I couldn't afford it. If only I had known what I do today: that I could walk or take the bus there easily, I would have felt so much more freedom in this city. Of course, my confidence in hoofing it around Jo'burg has developed slowly over time, but there is nothing like feeling empowered to get out and do the things you want to do. In my mind, I picture my time spent getting to know neighborhoods like connecting pieces of a giant puzzle: Killarney, Rosebank, Illovo, Sandton; then Saxonwold, Parkview, Parktown North, Parkhurst, Craighall Park and Blairgowrie to the west (and north); and Houghton, Norwood, Orange Grove and Melrose Arch to the east. As the puzzle grows larger and more complete, I feel vindicated for all the people who discouraged me by saying, "You can't get to ____ without a car" and happy that I finally stopped listening to all the nay-sayers and just stepped outside and tried it...piece by piece.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Piecing it together
Today I hit a new milestone that I knew was coming: I walked to Sandton. It's not so much the distance that pleases me (7.5 km; 4.5 miles) -- it's that another part of town that used to feel out of reach is now within my grasp. I think back to first living in Jo'burg 2 years ago and how lonely and isolated I felt for a while. I remember wanting to go to the Jo'burg Art Fair one Saturday and phoning a taxi to find out how much it would cost to get from Parkhurst to Sandton: R120 ($16) each way. I was pinching pennies at the time so I decided I couldn't afford it. If only I had known what I do today: that I could walk or take the bus there easily, I would have felt so much more freedom in this city. Of course, my confidence in hoofing it around Jo'burg has developed slowly over time, but there is nothing like feeling empowered to get out and do the things you want to do. In my mind, I picture my time spent getting to know neighborhoods like connecting pieces of a giant puzzle: Killarney, Rosebank, Illovo, Sandton; then Saxonwold, Parkview, Parktown North, Parkhurst, Craighall Park and Blairgowrie to the west (and north); and Houghton, Norwood, Orange Grove and Melrose Arch to the east. As the puzzle grows larger and more complete, I feel vindicated for all the people who discouraged me by saying, "You can't get to ____ without a car" and happy that I finally stopped listening to all the nay-sayers and just stepped outside and tried it...piece by piece.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I also walk to Sandton... Why not? The taxi is outrageous. Everyone says it can't be done, but you can get anywhere on foot in that crazy great city. I love you for walking Jozi. One day, we must walk it together.
ReplyDelete