mollybee

I was looking at the Mala Mala website and there is supposed to be a boutique. what kinds of things are for sale, and how are the prices?

napamatt

Molly

There is a fairly well stcoked camp shop that has the usual run of safari clothes available in many sizes and designs, including stuff for kids. They have lots of books and some videos, posters and lots of nice souvenirs with a local theme. Prices are what you would expect at a luxury resort. For shopping in Africa, I like most posters on this board recommend having time available at Joburg airport to shop at Out of Africa and Indaba, where they have just about everything you can think of, at pretty good prices.
BTW the wildlife at Mala Mala is stupendous.

mollybee

Message: Napamatt

Thanks for the info. We will cetainly do our shopping at the Joburg Airport. We're going to be at Mala Mala in April and are very excited.

ArthurSA

I can't get onto the Airports Co. of SA website to check, but are those two outlets not in the Jo-burg airport International duty free? If so, then you'd only be able to access them when DEPARTING on an International flight.

sundowner

ArthurSA is correct. You can only access Out of Africa and other shopping in the Joburg airport after you are checked in for your departing flight.

My experience in Sept04 was that you couldn't check in for your flight very early (I remember it being 2 hours, could have been 3). I was one of the first people in line so I got thru rather quickly. There were at least 100 people behind me and it was a pretty slow procedure - having them search and weigh the luggage, waiting in line to be checked in and get boarding passes. I'm sure it got worse later.

I picked up a few keychains and tshirts at MalaMala and saved most of my shopping for the airport and ran short on time.

Roccco

Careful with what you buy in Africa. I have bought many items, only to return home to find the same items at Expo Design Center or World Market for the same price or less! And all without hauling these items around the whole time.

Here's a funny little story...on my first visit to South Africa, my wife found some boxed dried Protea flowers that she wanted. This was a fairly large box, possibly about 18" x 24" and, of course, this was at the beginning of a 2 week itinerary. These flowers started with us from our first night in Joburg, traveled with us to Singita, traveled with us to Cape Town, then Victoria Falls, then back to Cape Town, traveled with us all the way home where we had to convince U.S. Customs to let the flowers through, and then finally traveled with us in our hired sedan all the way home.

Wouldn't you know it, that I forgot the flowers in the sedan, and never saw them again! At least the flowers went, in style, where few flowers have gone before (Singita, Table Bay Hotel, Matetsi and Mount Nelson).

napamatt

I have checked in as early as 2pm for a 9pm on Virgin though usually they only open at 4pm. I probably take less time to shop than other people.

mollybee

I went to a local coffee shop that was decorated in an African motif. The place was GORGEOUS, and the store clerk told me that the owner bought all the masks, spears, etc., either on line (He didn't know the website) or at Pier 1, Marshalls. Everything was made in Africa. Now I know where to shop for those items.

I am interested in purchasing unusual African fabric since I make clothing and quilts.

I'd really like to buy beaded purses and jewelry. I don't want to purchase precious jewelry but interesting earrings, bracelets that remind me of the places I've seen. I like to bring back items like this because when I wear them the trip becomes alive again.

In addition to Mala Mala, we are going to Capetown, the Winelands, 3 camps in Botswana and Victoria Falls.

I welcome any shopping suggestions.

Now, back to reading about the wildlife.
Four weeks from today, we're leaving!!!

sundowner

mollybee - I also make quilts so when I was in Johannesburg in Aug03 I arranged a quilt fabric shopping trip with the wife of the guide I used. Guess what - the fabric in that store was the same that I could get in the local quilt stores in San Antonio. What a bummer! But she spent alot of time finding a fabric store and driving me across town to get there so now I have "African themed" fabric I bought in Africa to make a quilt.