Author: Greg

Maloraneng Lesotho

Looking across the valley from St James
Looking across the valley from St James
Senqu River the start of the Orange river whcih we crossed a thousand kilometres to the west when we entered Namibia
Senqu River the start of the Orange river which we crossed a thousand kilometres to the west when we entered Namibia
Villages in the sky
Villages in the sky
The steep 4WD track into the Lost Valley of Khubelu
The steep 4WD track into the Lost Valley of Khubelu
Footbridge across the Khubelu river so schools kids and villages can get across the river when it is in flood
Footbridge across the Khubelu river so schools kids and villages can get across the river when it is in flood
Looking back to the Roundavals we stayed in
Looking back to the Roundavals we stayed in
Diamond mine tailings on the A1
Diamond mine tailings on the A1
Shephards Hut and kraal (animal enclosure)
Shephards Hut and kraal (animal enclosure)
The next village on from where are staying
The next village on from where are staying
Judy warming in front of the coal fire. Yes it really is coal and the fire was set by a local villager
Judy warming in front of the coal fire. Yes it really is coal and the fire was set by a local villager

 

Sani Pass Lesotho

After two days of driving from Johannessburg we left Himmeville and headed up Sani Pass into Lesotho. Sani Pass is the only eastern access to Lesotho and is 2900 metres high. It is 4WD only, the customs post will not let you past if you don’t have a 4WD.
The road is a rough track in places, but not that hard. The most difficult part is the last kilometre that is a series of switchbacks up to the summit of the pass.
We then went though customs into Lesotho paying $3 road tax. We then drove on a brand new road (still being built) that was using chinese trucks and construction equipment, with the Lesotho workers supervised with Chinese supervisors. We then crossed an even higher pass Kotisephola at 3241 metres. It was a 50km drive to Mokhotlong passing Basotho villages along the way, as well as herders with their anogora goats and donkeys and horses. We passed 3 cars.

After reaching Mokhotlong with people riding horses down the main street we realised we needed to retrace our course back a few kilometres to reach the turnoff to St James Lodge.
St James Lodge is fairly basic accommodation (no power) next to St James school and has several nearby villages that the school children come from.

The road up Sani Pass
The road up Sani Pass
The switch-backs on Sani pass
The switch-backs on Sani pass
working up the hairpin bends on Sani Pass
working up the hairpin bends on Sani Pass
Border post into Lesotho Sani Pass
Border post into Lesotho Sani Pass
Looking back from Kotisephola pass
Looking back from Kotisephola pass
Stopped on Kotisephola pass with ice still around
Stopped on Kotisephola pass with ice still around
St James Lodge
St James Lodge up the hill
Kids at Assembly at St James
Kids at Assembly at St James
A traditional musician that Judy gave some foot and money to
A traditional musician playing for us, that Judy gave some food and money to him
His instrument made with a horse hair string and he blew into the hollowed wood
His instrument made with a horse hair string and he blew into the hollowed wood

 

 

 

Puros

Lunch on the Crowthers 4WD track
Lunch on the Crowthers 4WD track (pictures are small because they are all we can upload with our really limited internet)
Desert Zebras
Desert Zebras
Welwitschia plant which survive drought by absorbing the moisture from coastal fogs, and live for thousands of years
Welwitschia plant which survive drought by absorbing the moisture from coastal fogs, and live for thousands of years, a living fossil.

 

Blackthorn campsite. Very isolated, we had seen only 1 other car on the road all day
Blackthorn campsite. Very isolated, we had seen only 1 other car on the road all day
The camp at sunset
The camp at sunset, keeping and eye out for lions, elephants and other dangerous creatures
mother and bay Giraffe in desert
mother and baby Giraffe in the desert
Lunch in Puros Canyon with the first surface water we have seen for a while
Lunch in Puros Canyon with the first surface water we have seen for a while
Camped at Puros. A nice campsite but dusty when the wind blew
Camped at Puros. A nice campsite but dusty when the wind blew
Getting some sun at Breakfast
Getting some sun at Breakfast

 

 

 

Cape Cross

Zeila Wreck 2008. Broke away from its towing vessel while being towed to India for scrap. Another victim of the Skeleton Coast
Zeila Wreck 2008. Broke away from its towing vessel while being towed to India for scrap. Another victim of the Skeleton Coast
Windy lunch stop on the Atlantic ocean at Henties Bay
Windy lunch stop on the Atlantic ocean at Henties Bay
Crosses at Cape Cross. One is a replica of a cross left by Portugues navigator Deigo Cao in 1485
Crosses at Cape Cross. One is a replica of a cross left by Portuguese navigator Deigo Cao in 1485
Thousands of Cape Fur Seals at Cape Cross, part of a colony that numbers up to 250,000
Thousands of Cape Fur Seals at Cape Cross, part of a colony that numbers up to 250,000
The walkway for viewing the seals
The walkway for viewing the seals
It might look like seaweed floating on the water, but its actually hundreds of Cape fur seals
It might look like seaweed floating on the water, but its actually hundreds of Cape fur seals
Camped at the windy camping ground at Cape Cross Lodge. Wind generators in the background
Camped at the windy camping ground at Cape Cross Lodge. Wind generators in the background

 

The streets are alive with the sound of generators

We have been in South Africa for 3 days but have suffered load-shedding 4 times already. South Africa is suffering load-shedding because it cannot generate enough electricity, so suburbs have power cut off for two hour blocks. The first night we were here the power went of for 2 hours from 6pm to 8pm, but we were zoned out from jet-lag so it didn’t matter.

Friday night getting ready to cook dinner, and bang the power goes off for another two hours. Then Saturday morning we get up early because we are collecting our 4WD, we leave the apartment at 8am and bang the power is off again. On the way north we stop at a supermarket to get more supplies, but we knew driving through town that the power was off, as the traffic lights were all out. The supermarket has a huge generator screaming outside, and inside is half -dark with only some of the lights operating.  This is South Africa 2015, but they are building new power stations and it will all be fixed – in 2020!

UPDATE: As I wrote this post I wondered why someone was running a generator in a powered Caravan Park, until I realised – off course the power is off- and we are load-shedding again!

 

Camped at the Vanrhynsdorp caravan park.
Camped at the Vanrhynsdorp caravan park.