Afrique 16 – LESOTHO 3

 Underberg till Mokoklong

Nicely Janie brings us till Sani lodge, 21 km before Sani pass, at the start of the gravel road. we start cycling at 10 h30 am. Well it becomes quickly too steep to cycle, and we push the bicycles. Also we have a strong head wind, which makes the pushing very hard. We are going very slow, mostly pushing hard, and time to time we have to stop, waiting for the end of a slam of wind, bringing dust everywhere. We are along a stream, which is deep down, and the slopes are abrut. they are covered with yellowish grass, with some small trees. A bush fire destroyed a large land last year. We have some beautiful view of the top of the mountain and on the last part of the climb. A few cars overpasse us, very surprised to see us. The track is very rought, with stones and corrugated. In the afternoon we meet 2 cyclists, who are finishing the trip cape north till cape south. We chat a long while and exchange blog adresses. They would continue doing Ushuaia till Alaska. We finish the day at 4pm, at the South African border, 13 km today. We ask the permit to camp behind the toilet, no problem. As the police closes the gates by night and keeps a guard, it is perfectly safe.
Second day the track is as rought and more steep, but we get no wind. So it is a bit less dificult. And fortunately, a car driver stops, and offers to put our luggages in the malle on the roof of the car, to bring them till the top. He have in 3 children and wife, and 4 children bikes behind on a rack. We continue pushing, and with the altitude there is no more trees, only grass. The stream is very narrow now. We feed the bottles with water at a small waterfall before the last part, the zigzags. We have now scenic.views.on all the gorge, between two abrut slopes with the valley hidden by fog. The grass makes beautifil colors, from yellow to orange and brown. We take some rest before the.last step. The zigzag part is more steep, and the track worst. Fortunately we are lighter. And the altitude makes breathing harder, and the heart overbeating quickly. So me I have to mark a lot of stops to let heart and respiration quieter. Martine doesnt suffer so much, and go ahead. She rises the top long before me. I hardly finish, stopping each minutes, and the children of the family encourage me clapping, from the balcony of the top lodge and restaurant. At the border I join Martine, who is chatting with an other family. They offer us an ice coca, very good. Then I go to the custom for the entrance visa in Lesotho, and we say goodbye to one family to join the other one and pick up our luggages. After a lot of thanks and fotos we say goodbye to everyone. We go to the reception of the lodge to ask for a room, but all they propose is a chalet for 200$ and a dinner for 40$, or a room in the backpacker, with the toilet in an other building, we would have to walk outside to go to the toilet by frozing night, for 50$, and noway to negociate. So we decide to go camping at the next village. In fact we do only 1.5 km and we stop at a farm, with a water tap. Yes we can camp. We pitch the tent and start to cook the supper, when the mama comes and proposes us a room. We accept, unpich the tent, and go early in the small room. In fact it was not a good idea, but hard to refuse. The room misses aeration and smells dust, and the beds are narrow and very incomfortable.
Next day we continue early. the gravel road is not so bad and almost flat in a large plain. After 5 km we cross a river and a village. Then starts the climbing of the black mountain, 500 m high in a few steep km. the mountain is not black but covered by grass yellow and green. We are going slow, but easier than Sani pass. Suddenly a young shepherd comes down by the slope and push my bicycle with me. We are going quick now. Then he helps Martine, then me again, nearly till the top. Then he has to get back to his cattle. So he says goodbye and doesnt ask anything. We cross the top, but we have yet one km up till the real end. From here we see mountains and mountains on right, and on left all the large plain with a river, and in the distance the range of peaks which makes the border of Lesotho. Then comes the very long down hill till Mokoklong. First it is steep, and then smooth. It goes by a very narrow valley between two abrupt slopes covered with grass. Mostly there is just room for a stream. Sometimes it becomes larger and gives place to some fields with willows, and a few houses. villages are uper in the hills, mostly rondavels houses. Well we are too tired to apreciate the beauty of that canyon. Also all the road is in work, the Chinese are making a real tared road, throwing rocks and boulders anywhere in the bed of the stream. They come with their own red trucks and machines, and employ locals for basic works. And also the willows arent yet with leaves, so it is sadder. We continue down for 35 km about, till a village named St James. Here on the hill there is a lodge, but too hard to access by the steep road on left. There are a lot of houses at this cross, and later I understand that is the way to Maseru, but no sign at all. Well we continue, and quickly we meet the asfalt. At the T junction, we turn on right. After 5 km up and down we arrive at the town of Mokoklong. First we check Senqu hotel, which everyone recommands, but it is full. So we continue, crossing all the town, till the hospital and Mokoklong hotel. Well it looks a bit expensive, 55$ but we have no choice. In fact the breackfast is included, and it is a real meal, and good. For supper they propose a buffet, very good too. So we decide to stay two nights, and in the end they gives us a discount. Mokoklong isnt a beautiful town, just poor shops and small basic buildinds along the main road. but the life is quiet and tipical, without beggars. We feel comfortable.
Next day we go back to the T junction but we continue straigh on. The road goes quickly down for some km, till crossing the river Orange. There are a good view first on the valley of Mokoklong, and then on the bed of the river Orange, rounded by willows, between two steep slopes. Then the road goes up, climbs a hill, goes down again till a river, and goes up again till the town of Mophanageg. We have headwind, so we have to push the bikes a lot. We cross some villages, and some pupils or shepherd, and always they go to us to beg money or saying I am hungry, boring. Mophanageg is a horrible town, a bus stop, some sad shops and crowdy. We find a nice place for lunch, the woman is good cook and gentle. We move quickly and start the climb till the high Lesotho. First it climbs slithly along a river, with a lot of villages and a lot of beggars. We finally stop at the last houses, where NGO yet didnt arrive, yet they dont have pit toilet or tap water, and ask to pitch the tent. The family is very gentle, takes a lot care that we feel welcome, cleans the grass where we choose to camp and keeps the children quite so they dont disturb us. None is begging. Once more we can see the bad effect of NGO who give wihout ask any give back, and dont ask to the local people to do by themselves.
After a humid night, with many showers and strong wind, I awake early, but Martine wants to stay in the tent till the end of the rain. So we start to move at 9 am. The head wind is very strong. Quickly we have to push the bikes. The children come with us for kms. After about 6 km we stop a while to rest and feed the bottles. And we continue to push. But we are at the foot of the steep climbing till the pass. The wind becomes stronger and stronger. My back is suffering, from the humid night. So after a short try, we decide the climb is impossible, and we would look for a lift. So we stop all the pick up. Quickly one has room and goes to Butha Bute, like us. Also they have seen us at the hotel in Mokoklong. We put the bike luggages and us in the back, and the car driver goes fast. In fact all the road is gravel, and with 4 very steep climbs, very too hard with bicycles. The countryside is high mountains with grass, an only village at the mine, with a large dam and the view of the mine. Then we pass the ski resort, and it becomes really awsome. We cross a last pass, and then the road goes down quickly, following a river. There are a few villages, fields, and groves of pine trees. In the end we enter in the large valley of Butha Buthe. there are a lot of fields with crops or cattle, villages every where, and a line of high peaks behind, in the distance. The driver lets us in the centre of Butha Buthe, and we pay 10$ for the lift. Then we go to the Crocodile hotel for the night.
Next day we cross the border and go to Clarens. We meet again the South African countryside, large farms, township, fields with cattle or crop. the road is with long hills, but we dont have to push. We pass some peaks or cliffs of sand stone. We arrive by the 4 pm at Clarens, which is just a very touristic village, with expensive lodges, galleries and souvenirs shops. The supermarket is poor. We go to camp in the incomfortable backpacker. Next day we are looking for a lift to Joburg. And luckily we see four cyclists. After a short chat they agree with hapiness to bring us to Joburg, where they are going back on Monday. And they let us in front the Melville backpacker.
Here we stay 3 days. We have to sort out our stuff, to choose what we would send home, and what we send in Tanzania. Also we have to buy some stuff for the bicycles, and for our stuff. We also have to rest a lot.