When I moved to South Africa, the absolutely smartest thing I did was join the Auto Club. They publish a guide to driving and living there that is amazing. Lots of advice about what to keep in your car if you drive in remote areas, information about poisonous snakes (the most important thing is to catch the snake, so the doctors know what kind of anti-venom to give you), and just tons of other useful information. I can't remember if it came with the membership or I bought it separately, but it was great.