Each year a group of Area and Temple Missionaries get together and take the Magaliesburg Train Ride. It is so fun because the trip (2 hours) is on an old Steam Engine. For Elder Garrett and I this was a day of remembrance because both of us took similar train trips during our missions back in the 60"s. Elder Garrett took the train (5 days) from Cape Town to Johannesburg his first assignment. I took the train 3 days) from Johannesburg to Kitwe Zambia my first assignment. So, for the both of us this was exciting times to remisce about our earlier adventures as missionaries.
We gathered at the van at 7:15AM thinking that we needed to leave early due to the heavy traffic in and around the train station with all the combies. However, today was a national holiday and almost everything was closed and the combie traffic was at a sparse minimum. We arrived at the station at about 7:40, plenty early since our trip did not begin until 9AM. In fact, the train had not even arrived at the station at that time.
Our group consisted of 50 so we consumed an entire rail car which was nice in that it kept us together and away from the fun and partying of the local natives. From past experiences they knew that those on the train are there for a party (drinking, singing and dancing) all of which becomes out of control if you know what I mean.
At about 8:50 the train arrived at the station and everybody (hundreds of people) started boarding. There were singles, couples, families with children all scraping for a place to sit before we started out.
Here is what we rode on:
And here we are all together in our rail car.
Off we went, heading for our first stop which was at the Krugersdoorp Station where we spent about 30 minutes in which everybody got off and took pictures and mingled.
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| Krugersdoorp Train Station |
From here we set out for Magaliesburg where we would get off for lunch and some local shopping. Along the way we experienced the countryside of South Africa.
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Gold Mine tailings along countryside
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Train and rail sight
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| Ostriche Farm |
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| Typical Farm - Corn |
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| Typical Farm - Cabbage |
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| Typical Farm House |
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| Typical Farm Worker Shack |
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| Farm Worker Shack - with Satellite |
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| Farm Foreman's Home |
We arrived at Magaliesburg and the Hotel at about 11 AM but lunch was not to be served until 12 noon so we had some time to walk about the city - which was small and not much to see.
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| Parking lot and entrance to the Hotel (always vendors everywhere) |
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| Garden at the Hotel |
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Water fall and Garden at hotel
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Finally at noon the buffet was ready for our consumption and delight.
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Buffet, which was delicious
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After lunch and sitting around for an hour resting and talking the train finally showed up at 2:30 PM for our return to Johannesburg.
After a 1/2 day of drinking and partying the natives became restless and the fun and games began. They would stroll up and down the cars singing, dancing and at times making a nuisance of themselves with other travelers.
For some reason one native gal became attached to Sister Rose of the Area Office at the Krugersdoorp Station. She and her friends came into our car specifically look for "MRS ROSE." Well it did not take long before she pinpointed the whereabouts of Sister Rose and started hugging her and spouting off about how much she loved "Sister Rose" the great lady and President - of whatever organization, we could never figure out.
This inebriated native gal and her friends kept coming back about every 15 minutes until it started to bother Sister Rose so we devised a plan to discuise her appearance and hide here whenever we saw them coming.
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| Sister Rose and I changed hats |
We would move her from seat to seat so that our local friendlies could not find her. We would tell them that she was in the toilet or gone to another car just to throw them off. One other Sister Missionaries changed name tags with Sister Rose to throw them off the tract as well. Finally after about an hour or so they finally gave up trying to find Sister Rose. After that we were able to relax and enjoy the ride home. (Elder & Sister Rose are in Boyd & June's stake and know them well.)
We sat and enjoyed the ride home looking at the natural beauty of South Africa. Sadly there is an ugly side to South Africa which is depicted by the "Shanty Towns" that are located all over South Africa. This is the poorest of the poor black communities where approximately 40% of all the blacks live. These shanty towns are so deplorable one wonders how they survive. Tin roofs with blocks or old tires on top to hold the roof on. Walls of corrugated tin with no windows and one opening as a door. Dirt floors with nothing one would call livable conditions. Electricity in many townships is unavailable and water comes from local streams if they are close enough to one. There is not sanitation except a communal out-house or two in the township. It is hard to describe what one sees so I will let pictures paint for you a thousand indescribable words or indescribable poverty.
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| Tin Shack Township |
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| Township of Tin |
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| Shacked so close there is at time no individual sides. |
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| Dotting the countryside - a sight to sadly behold |
For a country like South Africa that is so wealthy in natural precious minerals (gold, diamonds, and platinum) it is difficult to understand why such living conditions even exist. A first world country with living standards greater than most still treats the blacks with disdain and failed promises. The new black government has forgotten their native heritage and treat the poor and struggling blacks as almost non human. If you speak to the black Africans they will tell you that the majority of the local Africans are worse off today that when they were under white Apartheid rule, which in and of itself left a lot to be desired even back then. It is suggested that many or most of the residents are refugees, or illegal aliens who cannot qualify for jobs or government homes.
Well, we arrived home at about 5 PM tired but still filled with a sense of enjoymen,t having had the opportunity to be together and enjoy some time away from our labors. It is so good to rub shoulders with the other missionaries whom we seldom see because of our different work schedules. To hear of their experiences out in the field in their diverse assignments and to share with them of our spiritual experiences within the temple makes this whole experience so worthwhile. The consensus is that we not waste a moment's time to be together to feel of each others' spirit and to come to know each other much better. A giant thanks to Mary Mincks and Dennis for organizing such a wonderful day!
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