Jump abaord the Baz Bus

QUESTION: I have an adventurous young family member from Norway coming to spend a month with me in Cape Town in June 2008, after spending three months in Uganda and one month in Tanzania. I can show her everything in wonderful Cape Town, but she would like to see other parts of the country too. Can you recommend a safe way for a 20 year old girl to do this at reasonable cost. I would guess that she would have done the game watching bit by the time she arrives here. - Leslie du Plessis

ANSWER: I recommend that she buys a package on the Baz Bus, which runs from Cape Town to Johannesburg/Pretoria via the Drakensberg or Swaziland. There are various ticket options, starting at around R1000. If she only has a limited time for her trip, a seven or 14-day pass may be the best for her. If she has longer time available, the best option is a hop-on, hop-off ticket. This allows her to stop over at as many points as she likes during the trip, which passes through 40 cities, towns and villages. A single ticket costs around R2300 and a return ticket R3900. There is a wide range of accommodation available, as the operators have links with over 180 backpacker hostels and lodges. The Baz Bus is a very safe travel option - passengers get dropped off and picked up right outside their hostel or lodge. However, the biggest advantage of this service is that she will get to meet like-minded travellers from around the globe. She will surely form some friendships, which will ensure that she doesn't venture out alone. If she is unsure about booking in advance, she can start off by taking a day tour around the peninsula offered by the same company. Contact Baz Bus on telephone +27 21 439 2323. or check out the www.bazbus.com website.