Rooted On Ground: Making the Most in Johannesburg

Security has always been a big issue in Jo'burg. I've been told stories by numerous sources of how unsafe it is. Hearsay must always be taken with a pinch of salt and more often than not people tend to exaggerate negativity. Once you get to know a place, it appears much safer than before.

But then considering it has been documented that Jo'burg has one of the highest crime rates in the world, I was not going to take my chances.

According to a Time Magazine article in 2008, "South Africa has some of the world's worst levels of violent crime, with 52 people murdered every 24 hours."

Upon arrival at our hotel, we were briefed to take transport provided by the hotel only. Otherwise, should anything happen to us, our safety is not insured.

One of the perks of this job is that we get to stay in some of the best hotels and this time was no exception.

Bearing the state of the city's security in mind, we were put up in a hotel that was pretty much self-sufficient. It had all the essentials of a five-star hotel, a casino, a cinema, entertainment centre and several eateries under one roof. The setup reminded me of Genting - cooping people up indoors so that they won't be able to tell night from day.

You've gotta give it to them for the effort put in to make the indoor dining area look outdoorsy.

Ka-ching! Apart from the gun-sensors located at every entrance into the casino, it was a very family-friendly place with no age limit. The only requirement was for children to be accompanied by guardians.

The only time we ventured out was to the nearby East Gate shopping mall to stock up on fruits and wine. The rest of our time was spent eating, sleeping and chit chatting over wine. It is at stations like these that you appreciate having colleagues you can clique and pass the time with.

I had the view of the pool. The weather so lovely, I slept with my window opened.

The hotel offers complimentary wine tasting every evening. How appropriate!

Enjoying some local red by the poolside garden.

Attempting night photography.

Seafood at Ocean Basket. Yum! Apparently this was where Fish & Co.'s concept was "borrowed".

Finger lickin' good ribs at Tribes. If the main course doesn't satisfy you, the side dishes will! The onion rings were light and tasty, the sauteed mushrooms were juicy and full of flavour, and the spinach and pumpkin mash were just *smuck!* It is also a great place for thick juicy steaks.