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Friday August 13th, Malealea Lodge, Lesotho
We decided to do the "southern route" as the lodge at the Khotse Dam (your Canadian tax dollars at work), is fully booked this weekend - a leftover of the National Womens day holiday in SA last week apparently. From Mulomong, after negotiating back up the dried up river bed, we follow the road through incredibly hair raising mountain passes of South East Lesotho. It's 125 Km from Mulomong to Thaba Tseka where we hope we can gas up - this altitude and climbs/ descents chew up the diesel. Our speed averages 25 KPM - not bad considering we actually get here safely.
After the outback, Thaba Tseka is almost a bustling metropolis: shops, cafes, shabeen, - all with a specific wilds of africa flavour, and eventually, a gas station with diesel -Wow! Time to fill up. Pausing only to give the attendant a polaroid shot of him filling us up, we continue. More mountain passes pass. I turn off the 4 wheel drive - 200 Km of some of the toughest terrain I've ever driven seems to be over. Searching for places to stay, we eventually reach Marakabei Lodge. It's located in a valley with a stream that is right outside our rondavels (we take 2). The kids get a hot shower, we have to wait till morning for the water to heat up again. However, there is power here, and we charge our electronics again. Chicken & chips for dinner - hot non dusty food, what a treat.
After 40Km, the road turns into top quality paved road - thanks to those wonderful folks in Canada again. Travelling becomes easy - just like the 401 over mountain passes. Our average speed on the roads we travelled since Sani Pass, has been 20Km/H. Good enough for me! A few hours later, "God Help Me Pass" is crested - this brought back many old memories as this is where my girlfriend & I got stuck when I last tried to cross Lesotho, 25 years ago. We pause for a 2 minute photo op, and head onto Malealea. What a wonderful place to forget about the world in! Distance travelled this entry: 250 Km. Distance moved on trip this entry: 250 Km |
August 11th.: After breakfast we plan our trip with Derek. I take some photo pix, and give him two on a floppy. This is quite
incongruous considering that the most sophisticated item in the village was the (not working) gas fridge in the lodge. 
We pass many schools, and are constantly being asked for sweets (candies), cigarettes and food on the way. People are desperately
poor here - this is the 2nd poorest nation on earth. It's not even possible to say "dirt poor" as there is far more rock here than dirt,
which is at least useful. Kids dress in almost nothing except a blanket to keep warm. Cows, sheep, goats and horses are occasionally
spotted in the hills as we pass. Everywhere is dust.
August 12th.: On the road just above the lodge, we exchange a few candies for this shot of 
