Caroline Wonders

My first experience of Sandton was back in 2017.

I travelled there with Busi, a good friend from work who kindly agreed to keep me company while I went to write my IELTS exams.

For those who may not know, IELTS is an English proficiency test often required for university admissions, job opportunities, or visa applications. At the time, I was applying to a school in the UK, and the closest available test centre was in Rosebank, Gauteng. After searching online for affordable yet decent accommodation, I eventually found a charming Airbnb in Sandton called Tree House on Maple.

It was a beautiful private home surrounded by large trees, with parts of the house redesigned into independent guest rooms, each with its own bedroom and bathroom. I had always wanted to see Sandton — the city I had heard so much about — so the choice felt exciting and symbolic.

Once the booking was confirmed, it was easy to convince Busi to join me. The photos looked lovely, and like me, she enjoyed travelling.

Still, our biggest limitation was the budget. After paying nearly R3,000 for the IELTS exam fee — a significant amount at the time — we had to plan the rest of the trip very carefully.

Our plan was simple:

Take a bus to Johannesburg, find a taxi to Sandton from the MTN taxi rank, and use Uber to get to the test centre in Rosebank. Breakfast was included in the room rate, which was a major advantage, and we planned to eat out very modestly for our other meals.

The journey to Johannesburg was long but uneventful. However, our first real culture shock happened the moment we arrived at the MTN taxi rank. We struggled to get assistance because most people refused to speak to us in any language other than Zulu. We tried Sesotho. We tried explaining that we were visitors. We even awkwardly muttered a few Zulu words we remembered from South African soap operas we grew up watching — but nothing worked.

Soon enough, others began noticing that we were lost.

Some offered to help… for a price.

Imagine two young girls with large backpacks from Lesotho, standing confused in a busy Johannesburg taxi rank, relying on a small amount of cash and Google Maps to navigate a completely unfamiliar environment. Eventually, we trusted one man who offered to guide us to the right taxi. I don’t remember how much we paid him, but we arrived safely. Even then it felt terrifying — and today, I doubt I would make the same decision.

Although we eventually found the correct taxi, we still didn’t know where to get off. With the help of a slightly friendlier passenger who spoke English, we showed the address and explained where we needed to go. After some discussion among the driver and passengers, we were dropped off at what seemed like the closest stop and had to walk the remaining distance using Google Maps. Thankfully, it wasn’t far.

We had arrived a day or two before my exam. I had originally planned to use that time to explore Sandton, but life had other plans. Almost immediately after our arrival, Busi fell seriously ill. She was in intense pain and bedridden for nearly an entire day. We didn’t know what was wrong, and given our limited finances, the best we could do was give her pain medication and let her rest while I studied.

Another unexpected surprise was the breakfast.

This experience taught me to pay close attention to the fine details when booking accommodation. The “included breakfast” turned out to be a simple continental spread — boiled eggs, cold meats, bread, juice and coffee. At the time, I was deeply disappointed. I had imagined something warm and freshly prepared. As someone who truly loves food, it felt like a major loss in our already tight budget.

In hindsight, after looking back at photos and remembering the price we paid, that breakfast was actually quite reasonable — even perfect for our circumstances.

The house itself was lovely, with a spacious yard and peaceful outdoor seating areas. However, it was located unusually close to an airport. At first, seeing planes take off and land felt exciting. Soon enough, though, the constant noise became exhausting.

The day of my speaking exam arrived, and although Busi insisted on accompanying me, we were running terribly late. I still don’t know exactly how we mismanaged the time. Instead of taking an Uber, we ended up in a taxi to Rosebank, anxiously tracking our progress on Google Maps. At one point, convinced we were close enough, we jumped off at a random stop and began asking security guards for directions.

The biggest panic of my life.

We ran through the gates of the exam centre hand in hand, breathless and sweating. At the entrance, security stopped us to complete the sign-in process. Busi offered to handle it while I sprinted towards the reception area. I arrived almost in tears, only to find a long queue of candidates waiting for their speaking session.

Strangely, that queue gave me the time I needed to calm down.

I eventually went into the exam room and performed reasonably well.

The remaining exams — reading, writing, and listening — took place the following morning. This time I took an Uber and arrived early.

We never really got the chance to explore Sandton. Instead, we spent most of our remaining time sitting quietly in the beautiful yard at Tree House on Maple, talking, resting, and feeling grateful that Busi was finally recovering.

Sometimes travel memories are not made of sightseeing lists or glamorous activities.

Sometimes they are made of survival, friendship, small victories, and quiet gratitude.

Lessons Learned

1. Preparation matters — but adaptability matters even more. No matter how carefully you plan, travel will test your flexibility.

2. Budget travel teaches humility and gratitude. Simple meals, shared taxis, and unexpected challenges often become the most memorable parts of the journey.

3. The true highlight of many trips is not the destination, but the people who walk the journey with you. Friendship can turn even stressful moments into meaningful stories.