Last night at Sani Top Lodge was memorable, with a fantastic dinner of roast lamb with all the trimmings, including mint sauce. Just like home, and more difficult to believe given that we’re at the top of a rugged mountain pass in the kingdom of Lesotho.
Followed by a great sleep in the little round hut, just like the locals use, except with a shower and toilet and hot water and a decanter of sherry….
Coal fire burning through the night and glowing fiercely in time with the howling wind that increased all night but at least blew away the clouds at the top of the pass.
An early start, and down the pass. The top section is a series of very tight hairpins over rough rocky ground, and it drops away so steeply that as you turn in you can’t see where the track goes. A thrilling ride.
And then I drove nearly 1000 miles through the Great Karoo, also known as the valley of desolation.
Enormous expanses of land, edged with mountains. And then you crest a mountain pass and that landscape unfolds itself to reveal that it is ten times bigger on the other side.
So it’s big, then?
Oh yes.
How big exactly?
Ooh. Very.
…
A long day, but by pulling a double stint I’ve earned myself an extra day of r&r in Cape Town, before I have to fly home and go to work for the next 26 years to pay for this trip….
