Photo Album: Up Sani Pass & Pietermaritzberg
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Finally, after 3 days in the Drakensberg Ranges, I reached Sani Lodge at the foothills of Sani Pass. This would be my last opportunity for this trip to get a glimpse of Lesotho from here, via the steep and winding Sani Pass, if only just for a day.
Indeed, Sani Lodge quickly arranged a 4x4 small group tour, just the four of us with our driver guide, Matthew, a very interesting chap in his own right, his commentary along the way, were sometime quite thought provoking.
This is the road up Sani Pass, a road that caught my imagination some weeks ago when I first saw its image somewhere else. So here I am, ready to explore.
It is a road that Matthew says, though possible for two wheel drive vehicles, but he has seen too many given up half way. We were in a 25 year old Land Rover, which seemed quite solid despite its age.
Sani Pass used to be a main trade route, between the tribes up in Lesotho and the plains surrounding Pietermaritzberg, when horses and donkeys were still still in fashion.
Here is the remnants of an old trading post, the Good Hope Store, which can trace its history back to 1920.
And we continue upwards, taking in the beautiful scenery as the car climbed.
These few mushroom heads saw us coming.
After stamped out of South Africa here, with a sign recommending normal two wheel drive vehicles to turn back.
Further along, the views were just getting better and better, as the sky was really co-operating.
Here we are, nearing the top at 2873 m above sea level.
There are quite a few hairpin switch backs, requiring a two or three points turn.
At the top, we were greeted with the Lesotho border post.
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| The constant wind had not been kind to this flag |
This poor car did a bad job of negotiating those steep hairpin turns, one wonders !
These playful village kids started to assemble to check us strangers out.
As we drove further into the high hills nearby, we saw this road upgrading works being undertaken by a Chinese company.
These thin gauge cage wires does not seem to be the type that would last long.....holding back mud faces in a mountainous and misty region !
We continued up the hills, had a good look around, and found this lonely shepard boy, with his typical Lesotho tunic, a woolen blanket and
a balaclava hat, tending to his few sheep.
On our return journey, we also visited a Lesotho home, and learn about the isolated life up here at Sani Pass.
She is baking a bread for us.
And they were very good bread, hot and moist, just right for an afternoon cup of tea.
Unfortunately, I had no room for her handicrafts, but a tip was given as a gesture of thanks and good will.
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Before heading down the pass, we had a good rest a the "Highest Pub in Africa", the Sani Pass Hotel, just before descending.
It is quite a well appointed pub considering its location etc., and is a good place to down a beer or two if one wasn't driving.
And what a 45 minutes difference in weather can make up here
When we arrived at the pub,
and 45 minutes later, when we started our descent.
Fortunately, this was not strange to Matthew, who, a keen talker on the way up, was very economical with his words on the way down through the thick mist. It was good to see this sign again.
It was really misty and drizzling throughout the night at Sani Lodge, and by the time I left, it was quite wet.
I continued from there towards Pietermaritzberg, via Howick Falls. The idea was to meet up with my old friend, Andrew, an expat from Australia, sometime late in the afternoon.
Through a little town, a small boy thumbed up for a lift, which I was happy to take him down the road for a few kilometers. A schoolboy from Zimbabwe, whose mother was working here in South Africa under a Protection scheme for refugees from Zimbabwe. And he was aiming for a professional career down the line, a real life story, like everywhere else in the World.
Right in the middle of Howick Falls, is, you guessed it, a big waterfall.
Nothing really unique there, but outside the town of Howick Falls, is the Mandela Capture Site.
Nelson Mandela was captured here whilst on the run as a ANC terrorist fugitive, on a fateful night in 1962. Following his subsequent conviction, he was incarcerated in solitary confinement for 27 years by the Apartheid regime.
There is a very good exhibits of Mandela's life and in particular, his struggle against the Apartheid regime for most of his adult life, culminating in his becoming the founding President of the modern and post-Apratheid South Africa.
From my very casual understanding of this Great Man, I particular admire the attitude he proferred to his followers, after attaining majority rule in South Africa, which is....
And in particular the setting up of the Truth Commission to invite all wrong-doers during the Apartheid period, from both side of the divide to tell the truth of what happened, however evil the deed was, would receive total absolution and pardon.
This has, in my opinion, played a very significant role in not descending South Africa into a hatred filled and revenge seeking society.
Another good example of this great forgiving forward looking attitude of his, is very well depicted in the movie "Invictus", about the uniting of black and whites in South Africa to win the 1995 Rugby World Championship, through Mandela's influence, in healing a racially divided country.
As it was still early, I decided to go exploring the surrounding before heading for Pietermartizberg, which is about half an hour away, may be I shouldn't have.....
After a couple of hours of aimless drivings, I arrived at Karkloof Falls, only to be disappointed by its lack of water. OK, let's get to see Andrew and his new love.
Wow, all at a sudden, just before going around a bend, their was a big thumping sound coming from the engine bay, and suddenly I lost control of my steering. I screeched to a stop, swerved into a side ditch, and the engine bay was full of crunching sounds, like the fan was hitting something.
I then slowly drive the car to a flat spot, wondering.
First thing that came to my mind, was to get assistance, but then I found out that mobile phone signal was very weak, I could not reach the emergency assistance tel no. for the car rental company. What to do? I figured it would take a good hour or two to walk out to the main road to get help ! By then, it would be dark.
But funny enough, in between all my thoughts, my phone rang, it was Andrew who was expecting me in Pietermaritzberg, some 100 Kms away....I told him about the trouble, and be expecting me late, but hopefully, I may not need his help !!
Fortunately, no sooner, another car appeared, two gentlemen popped out on seeing my situation. On lifting up the bonnet, we noticed that the engine had came out of its mounting, and probably resting on one of the front axles.
One of the gentlemen grabbed a set of tools from the boot of his car, and we set about taking off the battery to see the state of the engine mounting.
Yes, we found the culprit, one of the bolts of the mounting block has broken. It has two bolts, the other one was undamaged but was totally loose, not screwed in at ALL. I have only one conclusion, that is, the loose bolts must has been loose for a long time, leaving only the 2nd bolt to take the load, and eventually broke.
We used the jack to jack up the engine enough to resecure it with just the remaining bolt.
Fortunately, the car ran alright afterwards, and it probably should work long enough to reach the main road, even Pietermaritzberg, which is only 40-50 Km away.
I thanked the two gentlemen for their helps, and they accompanied me to drive out onto the main road before heading off.
Fortunately it was a smooth drive to Pietermaritzberg. Andrew and his new girlfriend Penny were waiting anxiously....and we had a most enjoyable dinner and a few heartfelt laughs at some of the stories of the trip, at least for me, anyway !!
Next Post : Day 57 - 59 Pietermaritzberg to Hluhluwe
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