Currency

Food

The main meal is usually dinner and is eaten after 6 p.m.
Eating meals alone is uncommon
Fresh fruits and vegetables are grown here and sold from vendors
South Africans eat lots of grilled and roasted meat as well as wild game meats
A usually dessert is a custard-like pie and drinks are similiar to American drinks

Getting Around and Things to Do

Money and Food

It would cost about 1100 to 1400 US dollars to fly from Milwaukee to Cape Town with two layovers in Chicago and Doha. It would take a total of about 40 hours.
A rental car is probalbly the best way to get around. The prices are good and the road network is very good.
Buses are a good way to move around without having to go through the stress of driving. Some lines include Intercape and greyhound.
It should be noted that cars drive on the left side of the road.

Packing List and Customs

A few beaches you should definitly check out are the Clifton Beaches. Even though the beaches are very beautiful the water is really cold from the currents.
The Apartheid Museum is a museum about segragation in South Africa and represents an important part of their culture.
Another must is a helicopter tour of Cape Town. You can see the whole city during a flight that lets you see the Atlantic and Indian oceans at the same time.
Table Mountain is a national park in South Africa and overlooks Cape Town. It is free to hike and explore inthis national park makinga great attraction for a tight budget.
Another beautiful beach is Noordhoek Beach which is just South of Cape Town. Although it is dangerous to swim at there is a 100 year old ship wreck right in the middle of the sand.

Since South Africa is in the southern hemisphere the seasons are opposite of those in America.
The central area of the country is a plateau and is savannah and semi-desertous. For visiting there is a small amount of rainfall year round and temperature will be comfortable.
The East side of the plateau is subtropical and the southwest near Cape Town is Mediterranean. So in the summer you will want shorts and short sleeves in Cape Town. While in the winter you will want to dress a little warmer with a coat or umbrella because the winter is more wet.

Most South Africans shake hands when they meet. But everyone shakes hands differently, some use two hands while some do a secret handshake type thing that is more complicated.
Some phrases you might greet with are a simple "Hello" or "Goeie môre" which mens good morning
Calling strangers by there first name is not very common. It is considered disrespectfulto point at people, invade peoples personal space or talk with your hands in your pockets