Lesotho and Drakensberg

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Monday (15th) we ascended into Lesotho: the mountain kingdom. Another day another country! The driving was great because the scenery was amazing! We took a shortcut on tiny dirt roads that didn't look like they could hold our truck that took us right up through the mountains. They are the same kinds of mountains as the rest of South Africa (rocky, interesting shapes, Table Mountain style), just bigger. Almost like Archangel Valley, but not even quite like that. It was like driving through a postcard! Gorgeous! It was like being back in more northern Africa again. Back to real Africa... More rustic, simple, houses spread out amongst farmlands, cows, sheep, dirt roads, bathroom = behind bushes. We didn't see any cars, just horses for transport. The houses...some of the traditional round huts and then some houses that were quite nice! It almost looked like Nepal (the part inbetween the southern jungles and the Himalayas) with the mountains and farmlands. Similar types of people, spread out communities, living off the land, simple, basic. Less green though. Everybody waved to us, like they did further north in Africa. It's not every day that a big yellow truck drives through! It's more of a novel experience than in SA. South Africa is kind of the Australia of Africa. It is way more developed and Westernized and definitely isn't real Africa. I love it, it's on of my favorite countries, but it isn't real Africa.
There was this one tree that looked like something out of a Dr. Seuss book. Each branch looked like it was its own tree almost, with just a tuft of green at the end. We even got the truck to stop just so we could take a picture of them!
We stayed at Malealea Lodge up in the mountains on the western side of the country. Camping of course. Gorgeous scenery, surrounded by mountains and farmland, lots of trees in the lodge area.

Tuesday (16th) we had a day to explore Lesotho. Some people did a pony trek but all it really was was sitting on a pony for 4 hours so Sarah and I did a hike instead. We hiked to Botsoela Waterfall with a guide. He told us a lot about the culture as well as leading us on the trail. We met a traditional medicine man digging for herbs, learned about funeral traditions, learned about the village chief - passed from man to wife (if he dies) and then to son. It can't pass to daughters because when they get married they move. The co-chief decides who gets what land; no one buys it, it is just distributed. The waterfall was nice when we got there; not as big as expected, but we still stood under it to cool off. The afternoon we just relaxed. It was completely silent except for the birds and every once in a while the sound of children playing. We also tried playing Trivial Pursuit but it was the South African version so it was quite hard!

Wednesday we left early for our long drive day. We stopped in Maseru (the capital) for a food shop and internet - looked just like a normal city. Then we continued up and out of the north-western part of Lesotho, drove around the top, over to the Eastern side to the Drakensberg Mountains National Park (World Heritage Site), driving through Golden Gate National Park (Red Mountains) along the way. Good scenery day! We stayed at the Mahai Campground in the national park for two nights. It was the most packed campground we've been to! When we drove in we weren't sure there was even any room left for us!
Thursday we had to explore the national park. Unfortunately I got a migraine (randomly, I never get them) so I laid in the truck all day. Lame. Oh well, it was one of the better days to miss out on, similar hikes to Tsitsikamma.

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