Well even if you can't access the play store, surely you can install apps if you got the .APK from the web? There's quite a few apps (Amazon's Apps especially) that are available for download directly from the website.
There's also alternative "app stores" that one can download and install. Samsung for example have their own app store , Amazon got theirs etc (which you must install without going through Google Play). There's even a porn app store....
There was a time where Google Earth wasn't available in the SA App store (don't ask me why), and that's how i got it on my devices...direct download the app via the browser from a site that had the files. There's apps that Google ban (for obvious reasons), like the one which can download Youtube cliips , also, just find the website and install it.