The people of this country are one of its greatest strengths. If you smile, acknowledge those you meet and take a minute or two to chat, you will normally encounter enormous friendliness and willingness to help. Remember, however, that many people in South Africa are desperately poor, there are still considerable social problems and crime is a concern - particularly in the inner cities.

For the tourist, South Africa offers many different types of holiday. Soak up the sun on the endless, almost deserted beaches of the Transkei Wild Coast. Go river-rafting, sea-kayaking or pluck up courage and do the world's highest bungee-jump from the Bloukrans River bridge. Or enjoy the theatres, cinemas, restaurants and nightclubs in the cities.

Lovers of wildlife can indulge themselves to the full, watching birds in the mountains, forests and wetlands, or going in search of the Big Five - lion, buffalo, elephant, rhino and leopard - in the country's outstanding National Parks.

South Africa is huge, beautiful, mountainous, flat, dry, humid, friendly, sometimes dangerous, but never boring.