I am the one in our group who does the research about where to go and what to do / see when we get there. It really matters that I have a good guide to make the most of brief visits: South Africa was good for us in spite of the book rather than because of its' assistance.

Silly me bought this book in a for real bookshop and paid the list price when I could have bought it at Amazon for much less! I bought it because it contains loads of information that seemed well researched - attractively presented, with small print to make the most of space (might become a pain if you depend on specs or contact lenses).

It did not become obvious until we were in South Africa that the book is not very user friendly. It felt like I spent more time ferreting in the index than I did reading the information I needed, and I never found out anything useful from the book by accidental browsing. The others in our group lifted the book once and then gave up - I was the only one with enough determination to stick in until I got the information I wanted and it felt like hard work. Even the maps were insufficient and hard to use!

It's a shame because once you actually find the bit you are looking for, the information is of a generally good standard, and I found it to be a reliable guide on places to stay. Its' real strength is for someone who is willing to read up on details in advance - trying to use it while you're on the move is very frustrating. Published in 2002, prices have risen on those quoted, but the information given is a good enough guide if you use a bit of common sense.

If you only intend to buy one guide book (I did) this is probably not the one for you - for the weight it adds to your baggage you will get more satisfaction elsewhere. However, if you have the cash and space in your bag for 2 guides, this would be a good extra. I have compared this to the Rough Guide equivalent and found that to be much more user friendly -I've ordered one already for my return trip!