Start a B&B in Cape Town with family?

[Xi0li]

But the truth is crime exists everywhere - I wouldn't walk thru Central Park after dark or what about the hijackings on the motorways in London recently? It's how you deal with it. The impression is that SA is some kind of weird society where decent ppl are locked behind security bars while criminals run riot & that's not true. Millions of ppl lead perfectly ordinary lives here. Yes some things aren't ideal but where in the world are they ideal?

[synthia]

What it comes down to is what percentage of the visitors and residents are victims of crime over time. While I've met people who tell me everybody in Jo'burg has been mugged, and that may be an exaggeration, it's not something I've ever heard about New York City or London.

[gkloken]

Dear Hazel, you have obviously not lived in the USA listening to the endless negative news here! I can count on my two hands the times I heard positive news. (I just simply do not listen to any news or politics any more to for sanity's sake. )

As an ex South African too, I hear you but I also need to point out even before and since you left, crime really have lessened, for e.g. Johannesburg is much safer than before too, with guarantees from the Dept of Police to really crack down on it more intensively.

I moved to the USA to be "safer". To my utmost surprise I had to find that in most of the bigger Metropole areas various crimes are far worse than in South Africa and East Africa for that matter!

Surprise isn't it ? Salaries are so much lower here and most products are terrible quality wise compared to what we were used to in UK and SA. If you want to earn more money, go to South Africa thats for sure!
The beauty and climate are exquisite, Cape Town specifically so.

I would recommend that Yjaar go ahead and set up their B+B but on the outskirts of the city. Business is very good for B+B's or anything related to tourism in SA. If you do it before 2010 you will be even more in the pound seats.

Look on the UK forum there was someone there with years of experience in tourism in Cape Town, looking for a partner to start something similar in Cape Town SA.

[synthia]

Salaries are lower in the US? Or is it just that the cost of some things that South Africans take for granted are beyond the reach of most people. Maids, for instance, and gardeners.

gloken - Are you planning to move back?

[gkloken]

Why? Should I ?
How many individual people do you know in your neighborhood that earns the equivalent of GBP 5000 =10,087.44 USD=70,486.49 ZAR? or 120,000 ZAR for that matter?
USA have just as much negative points as South Africa and various other countries . Why single South Africa out?
The point I tried to bring accross is every country have crime ,for some reason some people including South Africans have the tendency to magnif magnify the "crime" and "bad" things instead of focussing on the good like Americans do. )

[synthia]

Originally Posted by gkloken

Dear Hazel, you have obviously not lived in the USA listening to the endless negative news here! I can count on my two hands the times I heard positive news. (I just simply do not listen to any news or politics any more to for sanity's sake. )

As an ex South African too, I hear you but I also need to point out even before and since you left, crime really have lessened, for e.g. Johannesburg is much safer than before too, with guarantees from the Dept of Police to really crack down on it more intensively.

I moved to the USA to be "safer". To my utmost surprise I had to find that in most of the bigger Metropole areas various crimes are far worse than in South Africa and East Africa for that matter!
Surprise isn't it ? Salaries are so much lower here and most products are terrible quality wise compared to what we were used to in UK and SA. If you want to earn more money, go to South Africa thats for sure!
The beauty and climate are exquisite, Cape Town specifically so.

gloken - See the items in red. That's why I was wondering if you planned to move back. You say that SA is just as safe as the US, has better quality goods, and that the pay is better.

I lived in Welkom. Beautiful? I think not. It is a fantastically beautiful country, but some parts of it, actually a big chunk in the center, is, shall we say, not beautiful.

[Xi0li]

Sorry have to disagree - perhaps the Free State isn't every one's cup of tea but it does have a beauty of it's own.

Our biggest problem here, is idiotic politicians, but that problem is universal - but ours have some unique idiosyncracies - like our dear minister of health, our ex-deputy president, oh and let's not forget our minister of foreign affairs! SIGH! Makes even George Bush seem like a genius.

[Daisybeck]

Hi,
I'm a researcher for a UK based TV company and I'm working on a programme which follows British families as they move abroad to start a new life, ideally setting up their own business.
I've just read your post so thought I'd get in touch. If this is something that you might be interested in or if you'd just like some more information please don't hesitate to contact me.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Kind regards
Alida 01132623342
alida.james@daisybeck.tv

[gkloken]

Originally Posted by synthia

gloken - See the items in red. That's why I was wondering if you planned to move back. You say that SA is just as safe as the US, has better quality goods, and that the pay is better.

I lived in Welkom. Beautiful? I think not. It is a fantastically beautiful country, but some parts of it, actually a big chunk in the center, is, shall we say, not beautiful.

USA have a much bigger area that is either desert or semi arid?!
But thanks for reminding me of how beautiful, well organized and clean Welkom really was/is!
I lived there too . It has such lovely sidewalks, green parks and recreation areas that gets mowed regularly, the lakes with the beautiful bird life and Flamingo's ..
The houses that are so well maintained by the mining companies, the restaurants with excellent food .... Don't you remember ?

[Gudi]

Originally Posted by gkloken

Dear Hazel, you have obviously not lived in the USA listening to the endless negative news here! I can count on my two hands the times I heard positive news. (I just simply do not listen to any news or politics any more to for sanity's sake. )

As an ex South African too, I hear you but I also need to point out even before and since you left, crime really have lessened, for e.g. Johannesburg is much safer than before too, with guarantees from the Dept of Police to really crack down on it more intensively.

I moved to the USA to be "safer". To my utmost surprise I had to find that in most of the bigger Metropole areas various crimes are far worse than in South Africa and East Africa for that matter!

Surprise isn't it ? Salaries are so much lower here and most products are terrible quality wise compared to what we were used to in UK and SA. If you want to earn more money, go to South Africa thats for sure!
The beauty and climate are exquisite, Cape Town specifically so.

I would recommend that Yjaar go ahead and set up their B+B but on the outskirts of the city. Business is very good for B+B's or anything related to tourism in SA. If you do it before 2010 you will be even more in the pound seats.

Look on the UK forum there was someone there with years of experience in tourism in Cape Town, looking for a partner to start something similar in Cape Town SA.

I have lived in Cape Town for 22 years, hail from Germany and still love it.
We have travelled a lot and there is no place like Cape Town.
Yes, we have an alarm system and don't pick up hitchhikers and don't open the door to anybody but hey..I would not do that anywhere else.
We have owned and run a guesthouse (more upmarket than a B&B) for more than 12 years and never had a problem with crime from the outside.
More like employees stealing and cheating....
(SNIP)
Guesthouse owners have a fab livestyle here. Lots of help, happy guests, no problem with adjusting to Rand value as we are really in the export sector (mostly guests from overseas) and lots of time to ourselves.
Cape Town has a crime problem mostly in townships and "coloured"areas like Mitchells Plain etc. On the Atlantic Seaboard there really is no problem. Unless you leave your cell in the car etc.
Gauteng is definately different and befoe moving there, I would rather go to a warzone.
Hope this helps.
PS. One does need to earn enough money here to live a good live. With money, you have the best healthcare, living areas, schools etc.