My Jaunt Through Kempton Park
So, I decided to check out Kempton Park the other day. You hear the name mostly because of the big airport, OR Tambo International, right? I was curious, though, about what the place itself was like, beyond just the airport terminals and the usual buzz.
Got in my car and drove over. Honestly, expected way worse traffic heading towards the airport area, but it was manageable. Maybe just hit it at a good time. Finding a spot to leave the car took a bit of circling around, the usual story when you’re trying to get close but not pay airport prices, you know?
First, I just walked around the areas closest to the airport. It’s exactly what you’d expect in some ways. Super busy. Lots of people moving fast, dragging suitcases. Hotels are packed in tight, one after another. Shuttles and taxis everywhere. It definitely has that feeling of a place people pass through, not where they stay long.
I wanted to find somewhere local to eat, get away from the hotel restaurants. Found this little joint tucked away on a side street. Didn’t look like much from the outside, maybe a bit run-down, but the smell coming out was pretty good, so I gave it a shot.
Food was decent, nothing fancy, just solid grub. Got talking to the guy running the place. Just shooting the breeze, really. He was saying how the whole area just exploded over the years, all driven by the airport’s growth. Makes sense.
While wandering, I noticed tons of logistics companies too. Big warehouses, lots of trucks loading and unloading. You can tell it’s a major hub for moving stuff around the country, not just people. It felt like a real working area once you stepped a bit away from the main airport drag.
Spent maybe two, three hours just soaking it in. Wasn’t looking for specific sights or anything. More just wanted to get a feel for the place on the ground. Saw what I needed to see, got a better picture in my head. Kempton Park feels like it exists mainly to serve the airport and the industries around it. An interesting place to observe for a bit before I headed back home.