Coming Home

Before you leave Africa

1) Try to reduce the number of Rand that you are carrying. It cost you an exchange fee to covert US$ into Rand and it will cost you again to convert Rand into US$. (Try not to get Swaziland monies when we cross into Swaziland. Demand Rand. Swaziland currency will not convert easily into US$).

When you arrive at the international airport in Johannesburg:

1) If you buy any item in South Africa, there is a 14% VAT (value added tax). Some of this VAT is refunded at the airport and you will need to keep receipts to prove that you bought the item in South Africa and that the place you bought the item from is registered with the South African government. You cannot claim a refund on foods or meals, any item purchased without a receipt, toiletries, etc. You can get a refund on books, jewelry, some souveniors, etc.

2) When you arrive at the airport, and before you check in your luggage, you need to declare the items for which you would like the VAT refunded. A person will look at the receipts and determine if they are legitimate claims and then he will randomly ask you to show him the items. No items = no refund.

3) After you check in your baggage, you head off to the VAT refund center. There they will calculate your refund, minus a processing fee, and give you a "check" in Rand.

4) Once you get your check, you will need to go to the bank to redeem the check. You will be paid in Rand. If you want to convert these monies into American dollars, you will need to pay another processing fee plus an reduced exchange rate. By the time you are finished, you will receive about 75% of the value in US dollars.

When you arrive at the Atlanta airport, you will need to observe several rules:

1) You can not bring any meat or animal and plant products into the USA. If you try to smuggle in biltong, the biltong dog will sniff you our. The fines can be substantial. If you have biltong, eat it on the plane before you arrive in the USA.

2) In South Africa, you will have been walking on farms and in national parks. Because of concerns for hoof and mouth disease, mad cow disease, etc., you will need to enter the country through the agricultural inspection gates NOT the gates normal tourists go through. You will need to have all your shoes, those that you wear and those that are in your suitcase, disinfected. When you are packing for the trip home, have your shoes easily accessible because you will need to unpack them..

3) Normally you are allowed up to $800 worth of merchandise when you come home. You do not need to keep a list of souvenir that you purchase, you can lump most items. For more information please go to the US Customs site.