If you love hitting the road with no specific direction or route and enjoy the pleasures of the back roads and exploring the myriad of small towns scattered throughout South Africa then you should head to your nearest book store and grab a copy of "Things to do in a Dorp" which is a highly informative and entertaining guide to 150 favourite local small towns.
Published by MapStudio, the book is a mine of information about towns from Alexander Bay to Zeerust with a single or double page spread about each town, complete with a map, colour picture, pinpoint GPS co-ordinates, an historic overview and interesting facts about each town, a list of interesting things to see and do, tourism information contact details as well as dates for events and festivals that take place there.
At the back of the book there is also a number of really out-of-the-way places under the heading of "More Dorps", each described in two short paragraphs with a basic map showing its location.
I am planning a road trip from Cape Town to Port Nolloth, from there to Pofadder and Pella, on to the Augrabies Falls and then a slow meander down to Williston, Sutherland and Matjiesfontein before heading for home in Hout Bay and just from glancing at some of these places in the guide I have already compiled a "must-see-and- do" list for our journey.
Well-written and informative, the guide is the work of award-winning travel and extreme sport photojournalist Jacques Marais and it really is a must-have for all travellers who enjoy throwing a few basics into the boot and then heading out simply following the direction in which the nose of their vehicle is pointing.
Footnote: The guide retails at R199.95 and is also available in Afrikaans as "Doendinge in 'n Dorp".
