Hey thanks All for this very lively feedback - seems like air vs ship is quite a controversial issue amongst the biking fraternity, hahaha!
After all I've heard, I'm still veering towards air freight if poss - PaulD, I'll email you separately about getting a quote off that handy Qantas guy, as it sounds like you're onto something good there. As you advise, I always try avoiding agents/go-betweens anyway as I prefer to be more hands-on and save money: it's worth it for a little extra effort!
Buying a bike in South Africa is of course still a possibility (thanks again Pumbaa for that very useful link). But as a newbie rider I still feel like I'll want to be riding a bike I'm familiar with and am drawn to the idea of spending time kitting it up properly at home (and practising riding being loaded up) before I head off on my adventures...
Jeanie
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