More of South Africa and a Bit of Lesotho

Continuing on from my previous post from the Drakensberg I think I need to add just a thing or two. On the rainy day hike I hadn't gotten far when I encountered a group of baboons - not my favorite creature to encounter in the wild alone. I decided to backtrack and found a couple sticks which I ended up using as trekking poles. When I returned to the baboons, I'm not sure if it was the sticks or seeing a giant looking person in a bright yellow poncho, but they decided not to bother me at all. I had a great day in a beautiful spot unthreatened by creatures! (I truthfully think they were more threatened by me!) Onward to Underberg in the Southern Drakensberg. I described the road in my previous post and thanks to my host, Ese, was able to avoid the rock detour by going about 20 minutes out of my way and worth every moment! It had rained and I might still be there had I not taken her advice. ` The place in Underberg was just amazing, especially for the price! It was more a one bedroom cottage completely equipped and even with a bottle of sherry, compliments of the hosts. I had some interesting dreams there and I atribute that to the sherry! There was a short walk to a pond and great birds in the area as well as a beautiful garden. Once again, I could easily have stayed longer. However, my main reason for visiting Underberg was to take a tour to Lesotho (pronounced Lesutu), a small country within South Africa. I was not disappointed! The photos will give you an idea. The road is very long, very rocky and winding. It is not for the faint of heart! We were in the clouds for a part of the trip and then emerged into the sunshine and saw a totally different way of life! The people who inhabit the top of this mountain are called the blanket people by some as they raise sheep (merino and angora I believe) and make the most beautiful blankets that they wear as it is cold and windy there. They don't drive and travel most places by horseback or walking and are mainly shepherds. They can't grow vegetables there as it's too high and too cold but food is sometimes delivered and they also take taxis to the closest town for supplies occasionally. What a trip! Here are some pics. 

Dussie

Long Crested Eagle

Part of the road

Proteus growing wild

Another part of the road

Along the way

After a long and arduous drive by our very competent guide Somandla we reached the top of Sani Pass and entered Losotho - a different world!

 

I wanted this blanket!

I am now in Hout Bay near Cape Town, a truly beautiful place.  I am fortunate to have friends here who are generous with their time and their space and it has been just wonderful.  We are almost at the bottom of the world and the winds outside currently validate that.  They are fierce but will subside during the night and tomorrow will be another great day with the bluest of skies, a gorgeous beach and surrounded on all sides by unbelievable mountains that change color depending on the time of day.       My trip is drawing to a close and I'm sad to leave and happy to see my family and friends - and to find a flight home!  The trip has not been without its hitches from identity theft, a ding in my rental car which I'm still not sure of how it happened and a flight that went though the middle east.  All has been resolved thank goodness and if all goes well I'll be home in about 10 days.  I still have things to do, penguins to see (again) and new things to discover as well as having fun and enjoying my time with  time with Sue and Vince.   That being said, how lucky to have been able to see and touch and help capture wild elephants and rhinos for conservation, to see incredible sights and to hike in beautiful wilderness.  I have gotten to love Africa. I have met the kindest people everywhere I've been and will leave a bit of my heart here.  

Above and following 2 photos are parts of the 12 apostles 

On the way to Cape Town

Hout Bay Harbor and the Sentinel  

Hout Bay 

 And last (but certainly not least) here is a project done by Sue, Vince and me.  This will be mounted in a spot above their pool.  It's been great fun.  Tomorrow we will get it on the wall . . . fingers crossed!

 

A Walk on the Wild Side

 It seems I should start at the beginning of this trip as I jumped into the middle. At Phinda we stayed in an old farmhouse.  There were six of us - 5 women ranging in age and locati from 20 to me and from Colorado, Australia, Tasmania and South of London. There was one young (18) man from the Netherlands doing his gap year volunteering at various parks in Africa.  We shared a kitchen and two bathrooms and got along wonderfully and laughed a lot!  We also arose and were on the road by 4 to 5 a.m. depending on the day.  We left at 3:30 a.m.on my last day there and spent 7 hours looking for a bull elephant name Pica who evaded us.  This was because he was the right size and age to move to a different park along with a younger, smaller male.  A substitute was found for Pica and the process went on with the same amount of work and incredible expertise by the team at Phinda that I had witnessed with the rhinos.  "We" succeeded in darting two elephants - no easy thing and lifting them by crane in a 3 step process to a transport vehicle to be driven to another park.  The elephants alone weighed over 16 tons!  This has happened only rarely in the park with many guides saying they had never witnessed it.  I was fortunate enough to be there that week!  So lucky!! I, of course, have miles of video but cannot share due to people's privacy.  The smaller elephant that I'm standing by did not fall in the open and lucky for him he was asleep and didn't hear the din of several chainsaws sawing as we moved brush so the truck could get in to pick him up.

My face by a giant elephant foot!

Me and the small elephant

Loading onto the truck - Step 2

 

The truck transporting two elephants

 Here are some other animals we were lucky enough to see while at Phinda.

Endangered Black Rhino

Pregnant Cheetah

 

Cheetah cub

Tortoise in the road

My "pet" warthog just outside my window

The animals that would be in our yard after being out all morning was so very cool!  We had a warthog family, some wildebeests, sometimes a herd of impala or nyala and the above rhino and her young were across from the entrance to our house on many evenings.  

So I am now in the Central Drankensberg mountain range after spending one night in Pietermaritzburg. The owner, Gail, and I got along famously and once again I wished that I was staying longer but I will get to spend one more night there before I turn my car in at the Durban King Shaka International Airport!  This is some really beautiful country with hikes that are many, varied, well-marked and just breathtaking.  I was fortunate to arrive on the day of an afternoon concert by the Drakensberg Boy's Choir - a world renowned school right across from my little rondavel and so I went.  No photos or phones are allowed to record but it was moving.  The first half with classical mixed with Bridge Over Troubled Water as well as Cyndi Lauper so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes.  The second half was typical African songs from the area - mostly Zulu and just incredible.  I was also fortunate that the Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey center was open as they are closed on Fridays and Mondays.  I debated going but am so happy I did.  Here are just a few photos.

Verreaux's Eagle

 

Owl

Cape Vulture

Finally for a bit on this amazing place.  I hiked yesterday and it was very hot and sunny and ended up putting my feet in a lovely little pool by a stream.  Today I hiked in a rain poncho and got rained on several times but still had a great hike.  Since I've returned to my cute little rondavel, it has rained consistently and forced some flying insects out of the ground which made some ducks show up and they would jump in the air to catch the insects.  Hysterical to watch.  There is also a bright orange sunset while it's raining.  What a place.  Tomorrow I leave to head South to the Southern Drakensberg where there is a detour through a village with the road consisting or rocks the size of baseballs.  Fun trip!  Worth it though.  Beautiful!

Yesterday in the sun

Today between rains

My temporary hom