The start to this tour was delayed by the onset of bad late winter weather but it did mean we ventured further north and west than we had originally planned back in August.  Although we didn't go as far north as we thought we would when we eventually set out, we still managed to get to areas of South Africa we had never yet visited.

A key element to our planning, if it could be called that, was to head for the lower populated areas (an objective to which we couldn't adhere in the end).  The three main reasons for this were:

1. Lower traffic volumes,
2. Less likelihood of security issues, and
3. We often enjoy being alone and far from hordes of people.

Please note that all my comments are of a personal, anecdotal and of general nature.  Exceptions are to be expected and other cycle tourists' experiences may not match mine.

With regards to traffic, I was worried about South Africa's poor record of road safety (see here for an explanatory read).  Our experiences during the Second Step also made us wary (see my comments on the Western Cape lower down).  In the end our experiences, particularly in the first half of the trip in the lower populated areas, were that the roads were as safe as most we have traveled on around the world and a lot safer than many (for instance Argentina and parts of the UK). 

In particular, the drivers of heavy goods vehicles were extremely courteous and careful.  A single word to sum their behavior up would be "professional".  We could usually expect them to slow down and give us a wide berth or wait behind us until it was safe to pass.  We could also expect a friendly hoot and a wave.  On the other hand, drivers of small delivery vehicles often drove too fast and too close.

Incredibly, given their bad reputation with other road users in South Africa, minibus taxi drivers were also generally considerate.  

One group of road users that remained problematic were younger male drivers in small, older-model cars.  When discussing this subject last night with Bob he quizzed me on my driving habits at a similar age and, thinking back, I felt embarrassed as to how I used to drive.

South African drivers tend to drive close to, and often over, the speed limit.  We found this more prevalent, or at least more obvious, in areas where the roads were busier.  It seemed that higher traffic densities made drivers more aggressive in their driving style.  These higher speeds were mostly an issue for us in the coastal areas of the Western Cape, ie the West Coast and the Garden Route.

The rules regarding cyclists published under the National Road Traffic Act (93 of 1996) specify that motorists need to give cyclists a minimum berth of one meter.  The Western Cape Provincial Road Traffic Act of 2012 extends this for roads in the Western Cape to one and a half meters.  Curiously, it was the drivers of Western Cape registered vehicles that seemed more likely to drive closer to us than those from other provinces.

The National Road Traffic Act also lays out the obligations that cyclists have which include, among many others , wearing an approved helmet, riding in single file and staying close to the left hand side of the road (download a PDF document with the rules here).  Perhaps the Western Cape drivers' antipathy towards cyclists is due to the non-adherence of cyclists in that province to their own obligations.

With regards to general safety,  until the episode outside of Knysna, we never felt unsafe at any stage.  Even the few nights that we camped we didn't bother stowing all our luggage in the tent but simply left some of our panniers attached to our bicycles.  This was all fine because the areas where we did camp were remote.  I wouldn't have risked it if we were to have camped along the Garden Route or in any built up areas.  When shopping for groceries, Leigh would generally stay with the bicycles while I went into the stores.  This usually meant she got involved in conversations with the locals with the standard questions being asked as to what we were up to and the expected inability to understand why.

People we encountered on the road were almost always friendly and welcoming.  I was particularly warmed by this on the day after the Knysna incident when the workers on the road side seemed especially friendly an chatty and it helped restore my confidence in my fellow countrypeople.

We camped far less than what we intended to.  Campsites were thin on the ground for much of our route and through the Karoo options for wild camping seemed very limited.  All farms are fenced and trespassing is taken seriously.  Water, or the lack thereof, was also a major limiting factor.   Once we reached the West Coast, the wind made camping unpleasant and by then we had just got into the groove of finding a room for the night.

Strangely enough, the only unsolicited offers of accommodation we received were just outside Lamberts Bay and Port Elizabeth (on opposite ends of the trip) when we had already arranged accommodation for the night (the night we spent with the farmer north of Beaufort West was more a case of us forcing ourselves upon him and his family).  This type of hospitality (or lack of it in our case) is often remarked on by other cycle tourists.  Perhaps the fear of COVID-19 has had an effect ?  We had decided not to reach out to Warmshowers hosts because it would be unfair to expose them to us when we may possibly have been infected ourselves.

The tour really consisted of two parts, almost evenly divided in terms of time and distance.  The first half was the journey northwards and westwards through the Karoo culminating in our arrival at Lamberts Bay on the West Coast.  The second half was the return journey eastwards along the more southerly route. 

On balance, the first half was more enjoyable for us.  Much was through parts of South Africa we had never before visited and the remoteness and calmness of the Upper Karoo suited our characters.  The second half was much more frenetic and took us through areas we have covered often before.  The second half was the route generally taken by visitors from other countries cycling South Africa while the first half covered areas that seem to be more popular with local cycle tourists.  I suspect this may be due to the fact that the Western Cape is better known to foreign visitors and its westernized character might seem more familiar while local cyclists are more keen to enjoy the remote areas.

If I had to mention any highlights the two that immediately spring to mind are the quiet days in the Karoo and the Gannet colony at Lamberts Bay.

Would I have undertaken the tour if I had known what it would be like in advance ?  Unequivocally, a resounding "Yes!".