From Fouriesberg to Lesotho

Posted on 18 February 2009

Left Clarens for Fouriesberg, been on the road for five days now. Interesting journey ahead…

Day 1 Accommodation: Mont Plaisir Guest Farm Activity: 10am – 5pm: Didibheng trip Operator: Lesotho Mountain Adventures (www.lesothomountainadventures.co.za)

Didibheng Nature Park: You need a 4×4 vehicle for this so we hopped in Robbie Neerincx’s Land Rover (I’ve developed a love for these big ol’ vehicles). Rob runs Mont Plaisir Guest Farm and Lesotho Mountain Adventures with his lovely wife Natasha. Didibheng isn’t well known but is a true gem. We vroomed on through Fouriesburg Town to the town dam and explored large underground caves, which channel the water to supply the dam. Then it was onwards to the nature reserve, where totally unperturbed game watched us bustling on through their herds. The crystal fields were amazing! With consent we took some and handed them out to friends when we got back to the Cape. We continued on to Maloti View, from where you look out over non-stop mountain ranges and as far as Lesotho.

Day 2 Accommodation: Mont Plaisir Guest Farm Activity: 8am – 4/5pm: Lesotho-Free State circle route. Passport essential. Operator: Lesotho Mountain Adventures

Lesotho:

This was my first time in Lesotho. I’ve heard such conflicting statements about the country that I didn’t know what to expect. What I found, though, from the safety of a 4×4 vehicle, was lush and wild countryside, and yes, a lot of kids wanting sweets, but a great friendliness too. We picked up one hitchhiker who taught us some Sesotho words (mohokare – river; kealeboha – thank you; sala hantle – good bye) and stopped on the side of the dirt (is there any other kind?) road for coffee and biscuits – which some shepherd boys joined in on. What amazing kids! The one was about 12 and herding more than six cattle alone and for his grandfather, during his school holiday! They’re taught agriculture at school, he told us. Brilliant, since it’s much more valuable for sustainable cultures like this, than, say, art history.

Back at Mont Plaisir, as we lay outside on the lawn watching the ‘happy giant’ – you got to go there to find out what it is, I’m not about to be fired for ‘profanity’ – lightning struck the earth, a couple hundred metres from us, followed by two large puffs of fire! Electrifying!






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