The case of the strangely elusive Gautrain

It's been an exhilarating few months witnessing the triumph of the Gautrain.  Long slandered in the years leading to 2010 as the folly of the World Cup and symbol of the country's incompetence, the Gautrain remains a lasting icon of the optimism of the games and a reminder of what South Africa can accomplish.  Today it is one of the country's few methods of public transportation that has been embraced by many strata of South Africans -- not only those who must rely on public transportation, but also those who choose to do so.  Particularly in Jo'burg, that is a rare thing indeed.

Oh so subtle

I've had several opportunities to take the Gautrain in the seven months since its debut and I love that it works so well and its ridership appears steady.  I've already griped about the Gautrain bus (Gaubus?) and its frankly stupid policy of not accepting cash fares and making passengers jump through logistical hurdles just to board.  In a similar way, I think the Gautrain misses the mark in terms of its airport presence.  Have you ever tried to find it?  For such a major draw and one that clearly has a big marketing budget, why is it so hard to find in the airport?  With all their billboards around town, why isn't there one in the airport?

Which floor for Gautrain?

Instead, you have walk around until you find the low-key "Train" sign.  When I first saw that, I thought, wait, that can't mean the Gautrain...it would say Gautrain, or show its logo.  I wondered if that meant MetroRail.  I headed cautiously to the lift, but then I wasn't sure which floor to select, since there's no placard for Gautrain.  Even now that I've done this for several trips, I am always amazed at how diminished Gautrain's presence is for such a big deal.

In the whole scheme of things, this probably is a minor point, so kudos to Gautrain for getting the big stuff out of the way, but this still another example of the Gautrain operation missing the mark.  I'll say it again: you can't make it difficult for people to use your service.  Marketing inside the airport may seem counter-intuitive, but think about the captive audience that may have driven for their current trip, but might be swayed for future trips.  Or tourists that aren't sure how to get around.   An increased presence for Gautrain within the airport will help to boost its ridership to ensure its sustainable operation.

On a side note, I was really happy to see pedestrians and cyclists abound in Stellenbosch.  So, it seems that the fear and aversion to hitting the pavement isn't wholly endemic to South Africa.  Which leads me to ask: why you so lame like that, Jo'burg?

A confession

This might be out of place on this blog, but just to show that I'm not wholly anti-car, I will fess up to craving one lately.  But not for what you might think: not for the usual getting around, and certainly not for getting caught in Jo'burg traffic, but only to listen to music and drive fast.  There's a Kanye song that's been stuck on repeat in my flat, and with every listen, I feel an urgency that can only be sated by a car window full of summer air and fast speeds.  There is absolute perfection to be found in that one moment where the music and the road harmonize to remove everything else from your mind in a blast of sensation-seeking satisfaction.  Yes, what should be on your mind is driving and paying attention to the road, so it's probably good that I am not getting my fix.  And I really don't recommend this for city roads -- God knows the last thing Jo'burg needs is more dangerous, distracted drivers.  But I've had such memorable drives accompanied by iconic soundtracks: my senior year of college and the whole of OK Computer (sorry Josh), the Thailand coast set to the Decemberists (sounds incongrous, but it was magic), Mexico and Ween.  For me, driving fast into a song is a bit like riding a roller coaster -- similarly, cars are fun, but I don’t want to own one.  So for my day-to-day, it's happily feet and buses, but for my fantasy escape, between you and me and Kanye, it's Runaway and wheels.

Thanks, Cleo!

Cleo Magazine selected this little project as "A blog we love" on their Twitter site.  Thanks, Cleo!  If any new readers have stories they'd like to share about rockin' the car-free life in JHB, then email me or leave a comment!

Bathtime!

While walking miles and miles a day may be great for the environment and your health, it can be murder on your shoes. Mine have an especially tough go of it -- not only do they make their way over the better part of Jo'burg, but they also get dragged through mud, sloshed by dank puddles and paraded down dusty paths. It doesn't take long of wearing a new pair until I look down (often during a business meeting) and see that I've got cruddy shoes and filthy ankles. Plus it's hell on heels. I have to avoid heels flat-out during my commute and not because they're uncomfortable -- I grew up strutting around in my grandmother's hand-me-down Ferragamos -- but because I wear out the heel tips in a day or two. But in the spirit of the new year, I got my heels repaired by the man on the street with the little suitcase in my neighborhood, and came home and gave 8 pairs a soapy, happy bath.

Lookout Jo'burg...we're hitting the streets.

Reasons to walk: #487

Playtime with the neighborhood doggies!

Sending a shout-out to this little cutie who makes me smile everyday on my walk home.