Google street view is coming to a city near you - as well as a canyon or popular hiking route - thanks to the three-wheeled bicycle that is Google Trike.

In anticipation of the local photo fest, Google recently ran an online/mobile poll to establish which attractions should be captured first.

Western Cape Coastal routes, including Chapman's Peak drive topped the list. Kruger National Park, our most famous and diverse nature reserve came in second. While third on the Google trike itinerary is the Blyde River Canyon. 

Spectacular Chapman's Peak

Trikes, mounted with a Street View camera and a specially decorated box containing images, will begin photographing SA's most famous and popular tourist attractions in the next few days. We can expected to see the images up and running in time for 2010. Not only have the trikes allowed Google to go off road, they also get ten points for being more environmentally friendly.

Locals had a shortlist of 20 to choose from. Attractions included Tsitsikamma National Park, Simon's Town and Boulders Beach, the Moses Mabhida Stadium, the Franschhoek Winelands, Durban Waterfront, Newlands Cricket Stadium, Maropeng and Sterkfontein Caves, Addo Elephant Park, Madiba's House, Soweto's Hector Pieterson Memorial; Constitution Hill; St Lucia/iSimangaliso Wetlands; the Big Hole in Kimberley; Cathedral Peak; the Apartheid Museum; Isandlwana, Rorke's Drift and Valley of the Zulu Kings and the Bloemfontein Houses of Parliament.

So if you happen to spot an athletic cyclist kitted out in customised Google apparel over the next few days - smile you're on Google Earth.

These virtual tours are also the playground for pranks and wonders, with some leaving a lasting impression such as:

60-Foot Phallus
This legendary Google Earth prank is the mastermind of an English teenager. He painted a 60-foot phallus on the roof of his parents' home in the hopes that the giant image would be visible from Google Earth. Needless to say, his parents were not impressed.

Jesus in the Sand Dunes
Reports of the face of Jesus being seen in Peruvian sand dunes were all the buzz on Google Earth blogs a few years back. Some say they don't see the resemblance to Jesus Christ, but others still wonder about the origins of the hazy image.

Street party for the entire Internet
Google Maps typically captures life as it is in various cities. Two inspired US artists, with the help of more than 100 co-conspirators, decided to publicly perform along a Pittsburgh street, creating a montage of the spontaneous performances. Long or Adderley Street instantly spring to mind?

Planning a holiday virtually to our shores just became more visually friendly. Keep an eye out for the stitched-together images on a desktop near you.