My wife and I are shortly off to Cape town for two weeks - have Backroomers any advice/warnings about the driving dangers? I've booked a group 2 car(Corolla)from the local Avis branch. I've read the broad hints from the Rough Guide- keep all the doors locked etc. but wondered if anyone who's been there recently could advise.
Many thanks,
P.
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My wife and I have just returned from a month driving around South Africa. We started from CT. No real drama driving in SA. Keep your doors locked and keep valuables out of view. You may be offered stuff like fruit or papers at traffic lights but just ignore of wave off these traders if you are unsure. Traffic laws similar but get briefed on four way stops. Leave plenty of room in front of you at the lights. Generally, in Africa the only thing you can tell about a car with its indicators on, is that they work!
Do the Swartburg Pass from Prince Albert Road to Oudtshoorn if you get a chance and are going that way
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I have been there many many times.
From my CPT guide that I supply to friends.
Car Hire ? Full CDW insurance cover is not available. There is always a remaining excess. Do check over the car !! Tyres + spare. Lift bonnet just have a general look. Car hire has always been expensive in SA. Do fill up before returning car to airport.
Petrol has to be paid for in cash (but it is cheap!)? no credit cards, locals buy prepaid cards. Staff fill up and always wash windows. Useful to keep small bag of low denomination coins for tipping. Doesn?t really need saying but always lock doors.
Always park on left hand side of roads ? do not park facing oncoming traffic.
Parking meters in some areas and car parks. We seem to recall they need special tokens or something. Tourists can?t readily buy them but there is always a local guy around ready to solve the problem for a small tip. This is normal activity.
The emergency no. is 911 (sadly an easy one to remember!)
Keep to the motorways between places.
www.34degsouth.com/Cape_Town_Satellite.html
I have a copy of this but unable to find another copy in CPT
www.waterfront.co.za/ Lots of Photos
www.capetourism.co.za/cmm_map3.htm Good photos
Seeing your interests. I have twice been on flight from inside the harbour on a De Haviland Beaver seaplane. Magic. Super camera platform. Not sure if it still operates.
Only online ref I can find is
Beaver Sea-plane, Cell Phone: 082 557 2991.
It was a small opertaion and we booked it via cellphone.
We usually stay in Simonstown so we know all the details about the penguins etc.
If you would like a copy of my guide perhaps the mods would be kind enought to either forward it to you or put me in touch.
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Many thanks SGB and Henry K for your input,I shall explore the web links.
The seaplane flight sounds excellent - I last flew in a Beaver to an air show at Biggin Hill back in the 70's as a guest of the Army Flying Corps.My enduring memory of the afternoon was at the end of the show, when the cars shared the same perimeter track with the aircraft on their way to the takeoff point..I recall the very worried look on the face of a passenger in the car just in front of the 8ft.diam. Beaver propeller..
I hope to take a dual paraglider flight from the top of Table Mountain, but may reconsider when I'm on the brink!-(it's twenty-five years since I flew a hang glider.)
Again, many thanks for the info.
Best wishes,
P.
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Talking of Capetown, anyone know what happened to "Ian (Cape Town)" ?
Last seen in Aug 2005.
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it's twenty-five years since I flew a hang glider.)
>>There is always the other extreme.
www.thundercity.com/thundercity.asp?page=main.html
I have no idea about the rates!!!
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Some info at:
www.car-hire-booking.co.uk/southafrica/
If you have the opportunity to travel along the Garden Route I can thoroughly recommend it - huge variety of scenery, excellent roads, very reasonable accommodation prices and great choice of attractions.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Agree with Henry K - we go every year and love it. Touching wood, we have never felt threatened in SA (we haven't been to Jo'burg and I don't think we will go) - obviously there are places in Cape Town, like any other city, that one wou;dn't wlak through at night.
We always check and compare car hire prices on the Internet as they seem to fluctuate wildly. Avis are quite popular and you may have to queue for some time at the desk at the airport as they seem to write doen all over again the information you gave when you booked. Europcar and Budget are less laborious and therefore quicker.
We haven't found too many moronic drivers, but watch out for overloaded minibuses which are the unofficial but commonest form of public transport in Cape Town.
Nothing to do with driving, but make sure you go up Table Mountain on the first available clear day. There are quite a few days where everywhere else is sunny but there is cloud over the mountain so that the cable-car doesn't run. (Even if you are keener than we are and want to climb up, you would still want to see something at the top!).
Have a wonderful time - it's a great place.
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I echo the comments above. We went a couple of years ago. Beautiful place, would love to go back. Did not feel threatened - just use the usual caution about any unfamiliar large city.
Driving was fine - just so long as you exercise caution and expect the unexpected from other drivers. One further caveat. Do not drive at night outside the city. We did that once, and regretted it. Just a few miles along part of the garden route, to visit a restaurant in a nearby village. The experience was horrid. Cars/trucks without lights. Pedestrians you won?t see walking in the roadway (dark skin, dark clothes, no lighting at all).
Once you?re away from Cape Town, some smaller roads are unsealed.
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You will have a great time! I've spent the last 2 years spending a week a month in Joburg with my job and occasionally manage to span a weekend and when I'm lucky enough its straight down to CT. I love the place.
Driving wise - have always rented with Avis and echo the comments about the queues. Upgraded to a wizard account so didn't have to fill in any paperwork with each rental - still queues.
My office only books group Bs and you usually get a Polo saloon or Corolla saloon - both fine in CT but the altitude in Joburg makes for slow progress in either - espeically the 1.4 :-(
I'd also agree about not driving out of the city at night - I've personally never felt threatened in either CT or Joburg and I've driven a lot. Generally I quite enjoy the locals selling items at the traffic lights and always make conversation during daylight hours. Often bought fruit or even a cellphone charger from them.
Let us know how you get on!!
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