Kate Turkington reviews three of the best travel books out right now.
Rainbow Nation My Zulu Arse by Sihle Khumalo
Umuzi
293 pages
R230
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Khumalo brings to his new bittersweet traveller’s tales the same wit, acute perception and humour that he brought to his bestselling Dark Continent My Black Arse. On this occasion, he is roaming his own country, reminding us not only of some of its history, but also casting a wry eye on the state of the nation. Near the end of his travels he writes: “I knew I had rushed it, but my thinking was that as you get older you learn to love perfectly with imperfection – marriage, friendships, business, family. Perfection is perfectly matched in our imperfect lives, making it all imperfectly perfect.”
Hit The Road – Explore South Africa’s Best Routes
Map Studio
208 pages
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This comprehensive guide takes you from Groenkloof Nature Reserve to Greenmarket Square; from Emperors Palace to Empangeni; from Tembe Elephant Park to Thulamela and hundreds of other places in the country. You won’t need Google Maps if you’ve got this reader-friendly companion. Follow any one of South Africa’s 17 most popular routes and discover must-see attractions and other less well-known places to visit. The book even works out for you the probable journey time and recommends how much time you should spend at each attraction. The colourful photographs alone will have you filling up your petrol tank. –
More Things to do in Moer & Gone
Map Studio
306 pages
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If you want to choose the road less travelled then read up on more than 120 of South Africa’s outdoor secrets, with more than 1 000 things to do in this attractive full-colour guide that also covers Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique. Expect GPS coordinates, easy-to-follow maps and fantastic photographs.