Airport
Approx. one hour before landing the staff in the plane will hand over a little leaflet to fill out. Here you have to write down your passport number and reason for your stay. As you do not get paid for voluntary work, you state: tourism.
When you land in South Africa you will be asked to line up in the queue for a stamp in your passport. This three months stamp can be extended to another three months at the immigration office in Cape Town. Your co-ordinator, Manya Bredell, will help you with the formalities.
Your host family will pick you up at the airport. They will have a sign with your name. Don't leave the airport before you have found your host family. They could be late because of a traffic jam.
CPT Airport Tel: (021) 934 0350 Fax: (021) 934 3373.

Banks
Most commercial banks are open from 09.00 - 15.30, Mondays to Fridays and from 08.30-11.00 on Saturdays.
Shops are open from 08.00 to 16.30 Mondays to Fridays and from 08.30 - 12.30 on Saturdays, although in the main centre, opening hours are likely to be longer.
Credit Cards Major international credit cards such as American Express, Bank of America, Diners, MasterCard, Standard Bank Card, Visa and their affiliates are accepted. However use may be restricted in small towns and country areas and in some retail shops. Automatic teller machines (ATM) are situated outside most banks in towns and cities and operate 24 hours a day. Credit cards are not generally accepted for the purchase of petrol.
Upon arrival in the airport, you may try to find the first cash point machines, called Bankteller. There's none at the arrival terminal! About 400 meters on the right, you will find the departure terminal for domestic flights. Here you can find the Bankteller you need.

Some good advice from an ex participant regarding visa cards:
Get some of those small stickers with emergency phone numbers to block your account in case you loose your it and put the sticker under your watch or some other easily accessible place. Take two credit cards with you. It may cost a bit, but is worth the money when you suddenly end up loosing one.

Beaches
South Africa's beaches are beautiful. Tests have shown that the seawater off South Africa's beaches is among the cleanest in the world. But take care the water is very cold and salty, compared to European beaches and the strong waves can be dangerous. The sun can be very strong so protect you from sunburns by wearing hats or using sun lotion.

Bus
Travel: Most people in Cape Town use busses. They depart on regular intervals. Some prefer the train and buy a ticket for a month for approx. 112 rand.
A special kind of transportation though is more common in this town: Mini busses. Most coloured people use these minibusses, as they simply pick up any passenger during their tours. It certainly is the best way to get into contact with the local population, as they can pack the cars up to the limit. Passengers are invited to step in all the way and leave the car when they have arrived at destination. There is only one price: 3 rand, no matter how far your trip lasts, to be paid when you step in. If you want a trip all the way to a specific place, you bargain with the driver about a "special" price.

Climate
South Africa's seasons are the reverse of those in Europe, with midwinter in June and July and mid-summer in December and January. Cape Town and the southernmost part of Western Cape have a Mediterranean-type climate, with mild, changeable winters, when most of the rainfall oc-curs, and a warm to hot summer. The weather in Cape Town can change very quickly. From one day to another from very hot to windy. Don't forget to bring along a sweater for these windy days.

Cost of Living
Your money goes a long way in South Africa. Thanks to an extremely advantageous exchange rate costs are considerably lower than in Europe. (see price indications in the general text).
Drinking Alcoholic drinks may only be purchased by those over the age of 18 and must not be consumed in public, other than in restricted areas such as bars and restaurants. Water: Tap water is safe to drink.

Driving
You should have an International Driving License. Driving is on the left and speed limits are in kilometres and are 120 km/h on the highways and 60 km/h in built-up areas. Cash is required to pay for fuel no credit cards are accepted as payment for petrol within South Africa.

Electricity
Current is 220/240 volts, just as in Europe. A three-point round-pin adapter plug is required for European items; these adapters can be purchased in many shops. Price, about 10 rand.

Emergencies
Dial 10111 for the police and 10177 for ambulances. But in case of less serious situations, contact your co-ordinator.

Flying Time
The flying time from London to Cape Town is around 11 hours.

Health
For vaccinations contact your doctor or insurance company. It is safe to drink the tap water throughout South Africa, and health regulation control the hygiene of street food vendors. While South Africa boasts excellent medical facilities, visitors should ensure they take out insurance to cover the cost of treatment should the need arise.

Holidays

• January 1st (New Year's Day),
• March 21st (Human Rights Day),
• April 13th (Good Friday),
• April 16th (Family Day),
• April 27th (Freedom Day),
• May 1st (Workers' Day),
• June 16th (Youth Day),
• August 9th (National Woman's Day),
• September 24 (Heritage Day),
• December 16th (Day of Reconciliation),
• December 25th (Christmas Day),
• December 26th (Day of Goodwill).

If any of these public holidays fall on a Sunday the following Monday will be a public holiday.

Information:
try http://www.south-african-tourism.org.

Passports and Visa
Holders of European passports do not currently require visas for a holiday visit. Passports must be valid for six months after the intended date of return from South Africa. All Visitors must have a return ticket. See also under Airport.

Poverty
Your first impression of poverty will be during the trip from the airport to your accommodation. On the right and left side of the motorway, you will notice the first townships. A good way of getting the right information about the consequences of apart-heid is the trip organised during your preparation course with the company: www.grassroutetours.co.za. You can look up the rainbow curtain tour.
They will show you the District six museums, which shows the story of 60.000 peoples removal from their homes during apartheid and drive you out to townships.

Safety and Security Update
Despite news reports about crime, South Africa is basically a safe place for Europeans.
Visitor numbers are growing dramatically, yet only a tiny percentage have any experience of crime.
The South African Police Service has introduced plans to ensure the safety of tourists. Nevertheless, the normal safety precautions should be exercised in South Africa as with anywhere else in the world. South African Tourism has compiled safety tips which include:

• Do not draw attention to yourself by flaunting large amounts of cash or jewellers. A camera round your neck identifies you as a tourist - carry it in a shoulder bag or handbag.
• Avoid dark, unlit places.
• Be observant and look around before entering car parks. Park in well lit areas and never pick up strangers. Ensure that car doors are kept locked at all times.
• Do not leave packages or personal items on the seat of the car, put them in the boot.
• Plan your route in advance, use maps and when in doubt as to the safety of specific areas or which route to take - contact the police.
• Always keep your baggage or handbag close at hand, never leave items unattended.
  

Telephone
Public phones in South Africa are either coin or card operated.
Only green public telephones use telephone cards. The cards come in amounts ranging from R10 to R200 and can be bought at post offices, airports, bookshops and supermarkets such as Pick & Pay. Local calls made from a phone box cost approximately 40 cents for three minutes. Mobile phones, known as cell phones in South Africa, are widely used. The international code for South Africa is 27, which should be preceded by your international prefix (i.e. 00 if calling from Europe). When dialling from outside South Africa the '0' at the front of the local area code should be omitted, but it should be used when dialling within the country. If you take along your mobile phone, make sure it is "unlocked", so that you can use it for SMS messages and save money!

Tipping/Service Charges
Waiters and taxi-drivers should receive 10% of the bill, unless a service charge is levied.

What to Wear
In the South African summer, lightweight clothing is the norm; In the winter a jacket, jumper or coat may be needed, particularly in the evenings. For the Savannah trek you will receive a complete packing list. At game reserves, neutral colours, such as browns, beiges and khakis are preferred on game drives. Bright colours or white may disturb the animals. Pack a sweater; it can be chilly in the early morning and after dusk. Wear a hat to avoid sun-stroke and don't forget swimsuits. Bring long comfortable shoes.

Xhosas
The Xhosa's are part of the Nguni people, which includes the Zulu, the Swazi-speaking people and the Ndebele who make up two thirds of the country's population. South Africa's former President, Nelson Mandela, is Xhosa.

Zulus
The Zulus play a colourful and highly significant part in South African history, not least for their bravery in battle against both the Boers and the British. But they are only one of several tribal African groups that originate from various regions of the country.