Arrived in Johannesburg!

After a 15 hour flight (which was surprisingly smooth!), we have landed in Johannesburg and are checked into our hotel. The hotel is modern looking and decorated to lookalike an airport hangar. There is a fence completely surrounding the hotel and guards at the door, which is reassuring since its our first day. We converted our money to the local currency, the Rand, and are feeling rich because $1 = approximately 7.5 Rand!
Most people here speak English but I'm noticing many differences between the two cultures already. For instance, the man whose job it is to show people to the hotel shuttle from the airport asked us for a tip after walking us 200 feet from the door to the shuttle. I didn't know what to do, so I have him 10 Rand (approximately $1). Afterwards, the group of south Africans standing near us started laughing and said that we don't have to pay him, that everyone asks for a tip. I was just trying to be polite, but I guess I'll have to work on
my poker face for next time.
At the hotel, we had our first south African meal. They had this amazing buffet with an amazing assortment of meats, salad, soups, breads, and my favorite, desserts! It is a challenge remembering all the things we aren't supposed to eat. We have to remember to order bottled water without ice, and can't eat any fresh fruits or vegetables, which will be tough! Tonight, we'll take our first south African shower, and I will have to consciously remind myself to keep my mouth closed in the shower, because the water is not considered sanitary!
One fun fact we've learned is that apparently south Africans don't use washcloths. We have called down to the front desk three times trying to explain what we need, and the hotel staff seem very confused about what a washcloth is. They have brought up a variety of different towel sizes, which Tiana is holding in the picture below, but haven't been able to locate what we're looking for!
Tomorrow morning, we leave for Lesotho, and have a 1 hour flight and a 5 hour car ride to get to Mokhotlong. I am looking forward to getting settled and being done with traveling for awhile!
Sending lots of love to everyone back home!
H