USUALLY, whenever a long-haul road trip is contemplated, the first thing that gets slung into the cubbyhole of the car is a book called TV Bulpin’s Discovering Southern Africa. It’s about the size of a large-ish notebook and (even though a bit bulky) makes the most wonderful travelling companion. It follows the roads of Southern Africa, and tells the stories of the towns that you pass. Apart from enlivening any journey, it has the danger of causing unexpected detours: it is because of Bulpin that I turned towards Pella in the Northern Cape and discovered the wonderful Encyclopaedia Church. Bulpin made me take the long road from Lusikisiki to Port St John’s in the Transkei to see “the most beautiful scenic drive in Africa”. Unfortunately, the route that he recommended was so thick with mist on that day that I couldn’t see more than a few metres to either side of the car. So there we were, travelling along over house-sized potholes and dodging donkeys, with me reading to the driver and telling him what a wonderful view we would be seeing if we could see anything. What Bulpin had neglected to mention was that the only good thing about that particular road was the view. I also have Bulpin to thank for the romantic stories of early Cape Town, stretching back to the first records of the victuals station at the Cape, the rambunctious stories of the Diamond Rush in Kimberley and the Gold Rush in Johannesburg. And then there are all the characters and tales from the smaller places. Where and how he got all his information is as much a story as the book itself – he spent his life criss-crossing the country in a red Volkswagen Combi, talking to people and looking up town records. Even though there is some discussion as to the accuracy of some of his histories, he still remains the best and most comprehensive source of South African travel information. My battered copy of Bulpin and I have had many adventures together and have discovered many things – it is almost extraordinary the amount of information this book contains and it was indeed the lifetime quest of a very talented man to gather all of this together. It was Bulpin’s love letter to his country. But I have to admit that a brash, good-looking newcomer has also stolen my heart: a book called On Route, published by Jonathan Ball and written by BPJ Erasmus. It is quite a doorstop of a book – A4 in size and as thick as the cream on an Irish coffee. It is also extremely heavy with the weight of all the information it contains. Where it scores handsomely over Bulpin is that it is crammed with the most impossibly wonderful photographs of South Africa. Lush fields of grain stretching away into the distance, dreamy mountainscapes, sparkling expanses of sun and sea, elaborate and colourful buildings, people looking at animals and animals looking at people – every page glows with extraordinary images. It is enough to make the most fervent hermit abandon his cave. The book is divided into regions, along with rich and detailed maps. Within each region, the towns are given in alphabetical order and little sidebars and boxes contain additional detail and stories. It is a most satisfying read for any traveller, and is almost overwhelming in its detail. But that, unfortunately, is where it is just not as good as my old faithful Bulpin. First of all, the book is too large to be taken comfortably on any car journey. It is a coffee-table book, and you are therefore denied the pleasure of driving along South Africa’s magnificent roads and reading about each place that you pass. That is what makes Discovering Southern Africa so charming – it follows you on your journey. On Route, being divided into regions and listed alphabetically, means that you have to leap around the pages in order to stay in touch with where you are travelling. Another, perhaps smaller, plus for Bulpin is that the book is written in his wry and deadpan style, which lends all the anecdotes additional fire-side-tale flavour. Erasmus was writing with a publishing team and to order, and therefore his contributions, although exceptionally well written, lack a personality. When you travel, you want to feel that you are travelling with an old friend. Perhaps Jonathan Ball will consider re-doing this book as an on-hand travel guide, maybe publishing each section as a separate volume and the whole as a set. Make each book A5 size for easy handling. Keep the pictures and maps – they are marvellous. And follow the roads – this is, after all, the way that the traveller journeys. Until this happens, the colourful and wonderful On Route will stay at home on my coffee table, to be admired sporadically. And I will drive off into the sunset every time with the faithful old Bulpin on the passenger seat.