Well, I survived the long travel portion of my trip. Left home yesterday at 10:15 and arrived at my hotel in Johannesburg at 12:15 pm Louisville time today which is 6:15 South African time. That's 26 hours of total travel time. Whew! No wonder I am tired. I did get some sleep on the plane but wasn't really restful.

Anyway it is already 8:15 here and I am getting ready to go to bed. Since it was getting dark when we arrived I haven't been able to get any pictures yet. Some early observations:

1. I don't know why I was a little surprised to see that they have right handed driving vehicles and drive on the left side. Guess they have the years of British rule and influence to thank for that.
2. It still amazes me and some what disappoints me that every where you travel in this world you are confronted with the American cultural influence. Yes, I have already seen a McDonalds and KFC store along with Ford, Chevy, and Toyota car dealerships that look like they came straight off of Shelbyville Road.
3. So far the native people I have interacted with are really friendly.

Tomorrow we leave the hotel at 8 for a tour of  the Soweto area which was a shanty town for black South Africans during the apartheid period. Will visit Freedom Square, Hector Pieterson Memorial, Apartheid Museum, and return to the hotel for a Welcome banquet.

Will upload some pictures tomorrow night.