16 November 2010 - South Africa - Pietermaritzburg, Himeville / Lesotho, Sani Pass, Mokhotlong, Thaba Tseka

After leaving Durban, I made it as far as Pietermaritzburg that evening. The locals plied me with some SA brandy and directed me to a fantastic curry house, just next door. There is a sizable Indian population in town, and standard of curries was very good. 

Pietermaritzburg

Next morning, I headed over to the base of Sani pass, near a small town called Himeville. Weather was not great at low level and would surely be atrocious up the Sani pass. I made another foray into the beautiful Drakensburg Park that afternoon, and did about 2 hours of walking.

The gamble paid off and the following morning was blue skies. The pass is indeed a very dramatic entrance into Lesotho, and the final 20 minutes of the pass see the track climb at crazy gradient hair pin bends with loose rock/gravel, making for a very slippery surface. I was glad to be going up and not having to come down this way. 

Sani Pass

I celebrated the ascent with a pint of stout in Afria's highest pub. 

Sani Top Chalet - Highest Pub in Africa

Yesterday evening, I made it as far as Mokhotlong. I stayed at a guest house provided by nuns at St James Mission. They have no electricity, we walked around with parrafin lamps all evening. Given the aging furniture, it felt like a period Victorian drama scene! 

St James Lodge, Lesotho

This morning, I left for Katse Dam, a huge hydroelectric project that brings this resourceless mountainous state some vital foreign income. The scenery has been striking today, particularly when i got to a canyon formed by the Senqu river. Unlike the Grand Canyon, you don't just admire the canyon form above, the road meanders all around it, making for stunning panoramas all around. The charms of this little country are attributable to its wild barren mountainous scenery. I don't think there are many actual attractions as such. 

Senqu River, Lesotho

Anyway, I only made it as far as Thaba Tseka, when the rain forced me off. Unfortunately, there are no beds in town, so I will just make a dash for it as soon as I have finished this email. I'm told Katse Dam has a lodge. After seeing the dam project, I will generally head up North towards Butha Buthe, (although I have not reads up yet to see where the attractions / accommodations are). 

Thaba Tseka