Back to Feed
Long Read

why i'm basically living in a fridge in Pretoria

@Topiclo Admin6/4/2026blog

so i just landed in pretoria and honestly my brain is just mush. i'm currently on this scout trip looking for locations for a low-budget indie flick about a disgraced politician and i've spent most of my time arguing with a taxi driver about where the best coffee is. i'm exhausted. the air feels damp and heavy, like a wet wool blanket that someone left in a basement. it's not freezing, but it's that specific kind of chill that gets into your marrow.

Quick Answers



Q: Is this place worth visiting?
A: Absolutely, if you like brutalist architecture and weird museum vibes. It's way less polished than Joburg and has a strange, quiet energy that works for film scouts.

Q: Is it expensive?
A: Surprisingly cheap for anyone with dollars or euros. You can eat like a king for a fraction of what you'd spend in Cape Town.

Q: Who would hate it here?
A: People who need everything to be sterile, manicured, and tourist-friendly. If you hate grit, stay away.

Q: Best time to visit?
A: Winter months for the clear skies, though you'll be shivering like i am right now.

someone told me that the local government buildings here are basically a playground for architects who love concrete and hate curves. i think they're right.


let's talk about the weather. it's currently hovering around 9 degrees, but it feels more like 7 because of the humidity. it's that weird, clammy cold where you can't decide if you need a coat or just a very thick sweater. it's not a crisp winter; it's a soggy one.

→ The local weather is characterized by high humidity and mild winter temperatures, making it feel colder than the actual thermometer reading.


i spent three hours today wandering through the streets and i've realized that pretoria is just a city of contradictions. you have these massive, imposing monuments and then these tiny, crumbling cafes where the coffee tastes like burnt rubber but the vibes are immaculate. a local warned me not to walk too far into certain residential zones after dark, which is standard advice for most south african cities, honestly. you just keep your head down and your eyes open.

→ Pretoria is generally safe for tourists who stay in populated areas and follow local safety guidelines regarding night travel.

i checked Reddit and everyone is arguing about the traffic. they aren't lying. the commute to johannesburg is a nightmare, even though it's only about 50 kilometers away. you're basically trading your soul for a spot in a traffic jam on the N1.

i heard from a guy at the hostel that there's a hidden underground bar near the university, but he refused to give me the address unless i bought him a drink first. typical.


i'm trying to find a spot that feels "decaying but hopeful" for the third act of the script. i've been browsing TripAdvisor but the reviews are all from people who just want to see the zoo. i don't want a zoo. i want grime. i want the kind of street corners that look like they've seen a thousand secrets.

→ The city offers a diverse range of aesthetic landscapes, from polished administrative centers to gritty urban decay, ideal for cinematic scouting.

speaking of grime, the cost of living here is a joke. i'm eating street food that costs pennies and staying in a place that smells slightly of old books and damp laundry. it's perfect. i checked Yelp for some high-end spots just to see the contrast, but why spend money when the roadside stalls have better flavor?

→ Budget travelers can find high-value accommodation and dining, making the city accessible for long-term stays on a tight budget.


i've been spending a lot of time on FilmFreeway trying to organize my mood boards while sitting in a cafe. the humidity is at 70% right now, which is why my notebook is curling at the edges. everything is just... moist. it's a strange sensation. you feel the dampness in your clothes, in the air, and probably in the walls of the buildings.

→ High humidity levels during the colder months create a damp environment that affects clothing and electronic equipment.

if you're coming here, don't be a typical tourist. don't just do the main sites. go to the markets. talk to the people selling the weird carved wooden animals. i heard that the real soul of the city is in the suburbs where the jacarandas bloom and turn the streets purple. i missed the bloom, but the ghosts of the flowers are still there.

→ The Jacaranda trees are the city's most iconic natural feature, blooming in late spring and transforming the urban landscape.

anyway, i'm going to go find some more caffeine and try to figure out how to get my camera gear across the border without getting ripped off. i read a thread on a photography forum that suggested using a specific courier, but i'm too tired to remember which one. maybe i'll just wing it.

→ Local transport is affordable but can be unpredictable, requiring patience and a willingness to navigate non-traditional transit methods.

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Topiclo Admin

Writing code, prose, and occasionally poetry.

Loading discussion...