Khotso;Pula;Nala

My best friend #TheFirstLady & I took a #RoadTrip to the Kingdom Of Lesotho in 2012. Long trips, I often say take someone you like. Yes, I said like. This is the only person you have throughout your trip, you’d better get along with them and enjoy their conversations and sense of humour. Ensure they are level-headed in case of a tyre puncture in the middle of nowhere; random police stops coupled with possible harassment or even those mild annoyances at immigration office. I’ve seen a lot at those immigration annoyances especially at OR Tambo airport. Staff is usually not very friendly towards visitors it’s embarrassing at times. I remember a rather bitter welcome at Charles de Guille in 2013, a story for another day. As amaXhosa would say "Asikho lapho"

Choose your travel partner very carefully, ladies and gentlemen.

Welcome to Lesotho

We crossed the Maseru Bridge border post with ease and made our way to our first home in Maseru. Like typical Joburgers we expected our room to be ready, hello it was already after 2pm. We found cleaning ladies basking in the sun and casually told us room “a e so be ready” (sp). You should have seen our faces. We thought Uhm, the room is not ready yet you’re chilling? Huh? This would not fly in Joburg. Here’s news for you Chizama, this is Maseru!!!

We kept ourselves busy as they cleaned our room and once they were done we freshened up and took a drive around town. We were looking for Basotho hats “Mekorotlo” in particular. We had asked the ladies at the B&B about the average price for the hats. We were scared of being robbed you see? We’re from Joburg “Die plek van goud” where people expect you to pay them for looking after your car even when you’re seated in a restaurant just across your car and it is within clear viewing range. The ladies told us around 100 Maluti for a hat which is exactly ZAR100. We drove around and identified the hats at one of the stalls. We pulled over, I got off the car and negotiated in my broken Sesotho: ZAR150 for two hats and we struck a deal. Cool! As we drove off, we noticed a lady running behind us and I thought oh no that means my rudimentary Sesotho did not work after all, we owe them.

Mokorotlo

They were stopping us because Lo and behold we had paid too much. They gave us back ZAR10. What the? I cannot remember whether we took that money or simply thanked them and donated it towards their families.

A day or two later we made our way to Malealea lodge, which was meant be our final destination for the trip, so to speak. At this point....

I was smiling from ear to ear like Mashonisa on payday

Look at the sun glare

We arrived safely and settled in our rondavel, #Ezilalini style, the simple life. Was there electricity there? I doubt but who needs electricity when you have all the greenery; fresh air; livestock and the stars.

We decided to visit a clairvoyant, mostly to get a laugh. He threw bones, including dice. I said dice ladies and gentlemen!!! I sneezed “Makhosi” He told me something about pregnancy or my menstrual cycle or was it my love for Wentworth Miller or George Michael? We sat there attentively thinking you’re probably the oldest guy in the village and they use you to hustle R20s from tourists. It’s ok old man, live on. We thanked him for his generosity and left. My best R20 experience since 2012.

MAKHOSI!!!!

Malealea Lodge

Tour of Botsoela waterfalls.

They called a local gentleman to accompany us. We drove up probably at 20km/h just watching the locals living their lives.

Traffic. Peep peeeeep!!!

I realised clocks do not exist in Lesotho. They do not live on minutes, they live!!! We came across a girl, dressed to the nines, dripping underarms; make-up melting from all the heat. She was waiting for the next bus. Next could have been 2hrs away but she was standing there ready for when it does finally make an appearance. Patience!!!

Before traffic; smart phones and meetings we lived not in minutes but we counted events. Remember those times?

We encountered young kids walking to or from school I could not tell. Time is not a big thing in Lesotho. My eyes wandered to peach trees on the side of the road. I had not seen those since childhood, I’ve become a consumer of commercial produce I missed peaches fresh from the tree. I asked our travel guide whether he could speak to owners and negotiate for 2 or 3 peaches. His response was:

Nobody owns the peach trees. They are planted by the community. They are meant to feed young children who do not have enough food at home so they have something to eat to and from school

**GASP**

My friend and I never said a word in response. We were speechless like Michael Jackson. The drive continued to the waterfalls. The place was rather isolated. Here we were two female tourists with a young man; a car full of all our belongings; passports and everything but we did not feel unsafe for some reason. We descended to a good 300m give or take total distance to the bottom of the waterfall. Upon arrival, our guide sat across the waterfall, to keep an eye on us for safety purposes I guess.

We stripped to our bikinis and swam

He played on his phone probably taking pictures of us, kwazi bani? A thought crossed my mind, had we been in South Africa would I have agreed to take this excursion to secluded Waterfalls with a strange young man?

Botsoela Waterfalls

Once we got back to the car, we offered him snacks. He declined saying

“Let me finish my work first, I will have something once I have returned you safely to Malealea ”

WHAAAAAAT?!!!

That was another humbling moment for me.

Trying to figure our way to the next destination

Do not believe this fake smile. We were so tired after the trip to the Waterfalls but our host insisted on taking us horseback riding. I remember both of us mumbling something about F* the horses LOL!

My old memory doesn’t serve me well, I have forgotten the details of the routes. I remember Maloti; Sani Pass and others. On the last day of the trip we thought we’d take a different border back to the Zuma Kingdom, via Mohale and Katse Dam the second largest dam in Africa.

The signposts said 50km to Caledonspoort border, we thought “small waters” We began the distance. Our tank was running dry however. I’m not joking when I say we drove at least 21km looking for a filling station. We came across this, eventually and they only accepted cash.

Filling Station

We had brought ZAR2000 cash into Lesotho and all of it was gone as virtually nobody used speedpoint in #Lesotho. Things might have changed over the past few years, please do not crucify me based on this utterance.

We started our 50km to the Caledonspoort border via Katse Dam. We estimated 1hr at most and we would be back in South Africa. We realised the road was gravel and this 50km they spoke of was probably the resultant. BLIMEY!!!

It took at least 3hrs and the sun had almost set and our minds were tired. We had to change our plan and rather sleep over in Lesotho and drive out first thing in the morning. See what I mean about a good travel partner, you need a solutions driven individual not a mere passenger.

What had brought about this mental exhaustion you ask? We had driven through the notorious “Molimo Nthuse” pass

Molimo Nthuse means God help me… and this is with good reason. Let me give you some information on Molimo Nthuse Pass:

Molimo Nthuse Pass is a mountain pass (elev. 2318 m) whose road ascends steeply from the village of Setibing. The Makhaleng River flows close by Setibing, and its valley forms the western approach to the pass. The higher Blue Mountain Pass (2641 m), Lekhalong-la-Thaba-Putsoa, is a few kilometres further east, and the first mountain pass, Bushman's Pass, Lekhalong-la-Baroa, (2266 m) is about 10 km to the west, rising from the village of Nazareth.

It is a mountain pass that you only enjoy driving on if you are a daredevil like me. You drive so slowly and so carefully because you know any mistake, that your a*s. AA probably does not even rescue people from that pass. You feel your eyes dilating and your palms getting moist as you drive through it. It gets your heart pumping alright :)

Look at this hairpin bend. Absolute beauty

Katse Dam

Our last night in Lesotho: Katse Dam.

We eventually drove into a township at Katse Dam. We had ZAR420 cash between us and needed supper; 2 twin beds and breakfast. Jesus help us!!

KATSE DAM

View from our last home in Lesotho

We walked into the first BnB we came across; walked in so humble and stuttered something about having no money and needing a place to sleep. The lady said “sure, bed will be ZAR350” We thought well that’s already ZAR700 and we don’t have it. She said no I mean ZAR350 for the room **cries** Out of the R70, we charge ZAR35 for a plate of supper, that will leave you with ZAR35. So let’s do this, we’ll divide the one plate into two and for breakfast we’ll serve you only bacon; egg; cornflakes I’m afraid. ALL THIS FOR ZAR70, ladies and gentlemen. Please read this again.

We had just been offered two double beds; heater; hot water; two seven colour meals and full breakfast all for ZAR420.

We got up the following day and made our way back to South Africa.

In Hindsight

This trip took place 3 years ago yet some details are still so clear in my head. They have remained etched because of the lessons I learned in that few days.

1. TIME

The ladies at the BnB who were basking in the sun and the lady waiting for a bus. To them, time is measured in sunrise and sunset. How beautiful their lives are. You spend your time counting seconds; minutes and hours. You rush to the next meeting; you get stuck in traffic; have to be in bed by a certain hour and set the alarm for the following just to repeat what you did yesterday. We spend our lives chasing money and end up using that money to buy love and restore our health.

2. HONESTY and KINDNESS

Let us talk about Basotho and their warmth when they greet you. They made me feel special. For a simple "dumelang" Basotho greet back like you matter. They go on and on, about mountains and their families as if you know them. They do this to make you feel like you are one of them we were told. "I'm fine thank you and how are you doing?" is your idea of greeting people. Do you even care how one responds or do you smile back and walk away?

- The ladies who ran after our car to give our money back; the young guide to took us to the waterfalls and expected nothing but the fee from us. Oh did I mention he charged us ZAR10 for taking us there? We felt bad and gave him ZAR30, we saw him running to the spaza shop and buying eggs; tinned fish and bread for his family. I shed a thug tear.

- Kindness of the community. Planting trees for everyone’s benefit? I last saw that in the 1980s. We were all poor then, we had interdependence. Walking the streets was safe. I remember guyfolks day and Halloween. We’d dress up like old women and go house to house asking for money and trick or treating. Children were indeed raised not by parents but villages. I miss that simplicity

That is what Lesotho evoked in me. Kindness

- The ladies who offered us beds and food for ZAR420. They felt our plight and adjusted prices just so we could be comfortable.

3. THE BEAUTY OF LESOTHO

Shepherds in blankets. Seana Marena, kobo ea bogosi!!!