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Lesotho

Page history last edited by Vance Stevens 6 years, 6 months ago

Bobbi and I parted at Maputo Airport and I ended up later that day in Maseru. I wasn’t looking forward to it at first. I was enjoying my travel companion and wasn’t sure I’d want to be alone at that point. Also, after a nice respite using air travel I’d be returning to the hardships of Africa overland, and I was more in the mood then for a sedentary beach holiday in someplace easy like Southeast Asia. In our rush to leave home I’d forgot those small items which I only replaced at the last minute in Jo’burg airport. I wanted to fly on from Jo’burg because I have heard some bad stories of people meeting with violent muggings in town there and I’ve avoided the place all my life. I felt that the few hundred dollars to fly on was good insurance (not to mention less trouble) than risking thousands of dollars, bodily harm, and possibly passport and visa problems in case of getting waylaid in Jo’burg because I looked` weighed down and obviously lost and out of place at a bus station. I had heard some pretty horrible tales on radio talk shows while driving through ZA on my last trip there (combined rapes and muggings), and Tom Cobb told me of friends he had who split up one day in Jo’burg to run separate errands and met up later to find that both had been mugged.

 

I had read in my Lonely Planet Guide and again found on Internet forums that the airport in Maseru was 21 km out of town and taxis didn’t necessarily hang out there, and I should therefore arrange a pickup in advance of my arrival there, which of course I hadn’t done. This was on my mind as the plane descended into a low plateau stretching up to uninvitingly sparse earth, dry season obviously, brown hills in the distance. The plane taxied to the terminal, I walked with the other passengers inside and filled out customs forms, and my luggage was brought out almost immediately. Apart from its arid and landlocked surroundings, the airport reminded me of Kona on the big island of Hawaii, a building serving basically to separate the runway from the cars outside. One vehicle in the parking area said “Shuttle” on it. The driver agreed to take me into town for 70 rand, less than $10. In fact, for that price he took me where I wanted to go, the Anglican Center, which was the only budget option listed by the Lonely Planet Guide in Maseru.

 

He had another passenger on the trip. They both explained to me all the government buildings we passed on the way in from the airport. They were both friendly and familiar, and helped put me at ease in this new country I’d landed in.

 

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Timeline

 

July 10, Friday, I flew to Maseru, stayed at the Anglican Center

July 11, Saturday, I traveled by minibus to Malealea and kicked back at the Malealea Lodge the rest of the day

July 12, Sunday, I met a guy named Malcom there and we shared a guide to some San petroglyphs.  Malcolm returned to Maseru and I kicked back that afternoon

July 13, Monday, I organized a more strenuous walk in the hills around Malealea to a viewpoint and some falls (Basello?), 6 hours

July 14, Tuesday, I started on the trek to Ribaneng, left at around 8 a.m. and arrived at around 3:30, slept in the village there

July 15, Wednesday, Marathon 12.5 hr walk to Semonkong, left Ribaneng at 7 a.m., arrived at the lodge at 7:30 p.m.

July 16, Thursday, rested up at Semonkong, did abseil training, walked into town, tried local brew

July 17, Friday, started a horse trek to Katane Falls, slept in the village there, beer was available

July 18, Saturday, returned by horse to Semonkong via the horse races at Senagay, had beer and a decent meal with wine at the lodge

July 19, Sunday, abseiled 204 meters down the 192 meter falls at Semonkong

July 20, Monday, started on a trek to the paved highway at Ha Mosi, slept in a village midway

July 21, Tuesday, crossed two rivers (the second one on a lucky hitch-hike), reached the road at Ha Mosi, ended up in Quthing

July 22, Wednesday,returned to Maseru, got on Internet at long last, slept at the Anglican Center

July 23, Thursday, flew via Jo'berg and transited to Maputo, overnighted at the Hotel Terminus

July 24, Friday, flew to Dubai via Nairobi

 

 

 

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