In Johannesburg I stayed with my BMX friends for 5 days ( www.theriot.co.za ). I had no idea how I was going to get to Cape Town. I did not want to fly home as I wanted to complete the journey overland. By this time I had made use of busses, boats, hitchhiking, taxi’s and chapas. I did not know much about train transport in South Africa and decided to investigate.
Traveling on the Shosaloza Meyl was great and I would most definitely do it again. If you’re a group of friends with little money and you have time on your hands then the train is best option. There is a fully stocked bar and a restaurant with amazing cheap food.
From JHB to Cape Town by train took 28 hours. By bus it would take just over 20 hours. Taking the train was a great experience. I was alone in my cabin till sunset when 2 more people joined. Being alone on the train gave me lots of time to reflect back on the journey I had made.
I arrived in Bellville at lunch time after a good night sleep on the train. From the station I took a mini bus to a drop off point near my house and then walked the 2km home, thus completing the journey all the way overland.
