Ah, Lesotho, the mountain kingdom! I just returned from a trip to Lesotho, a very small country that is completely surrounded by South Africa. Though I was only there for 10 days, I was fortunate enough to have spent plenty of time taking in the scenery, the people, and the culture. And, did I mention the food? They eats loads of meat in Lesotho, which isn’t necessarily an issue for me since I love lamb and chicken, not to mention fish…pretty much everything. Including Chinese, since there’s a huge Chinese population.
Anyway, my friend/colleague and I arrived in South Africa on a Friday, after about 20 hours in the plane. We stayed in Johannesburg for a night (which I’ve heard is pretty dangerous), and even ventured out on the free shuttle to an apparently very posh part of the city that just happened to be right near the airport. From what I saw, South Africa is a marvelous country. There’s so much history too. I definitely want to go back and explore when I have some time off. I’ve heard Cape Town is amazing. Though, I feel like if I ever travel there, I’ll want to immediately pack my bags, my home, and my husband, and settle there. It’s that kind of place! Not to mention the wine! To die for. Our team ended up having dinner in Ladybrand, South Africa a couple of times during our stay, which was fun. There were so many checkpoints to get through, it was wild.
We finally made it to Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, about 2 days into our journey. The airport was tiny, so tiny only three planes a day make use of the landing strip. Because it’s in the southern hemisphere, it was a bit chilly when we first arrived and everything was super dry (I should have brought my chapstick) and golden. But, the country was breathtaking and picturesque. Maseru is surrounded by these glorious peaks that just randomly pop up out of nowhere. I’ve never seen anything like it. And it’s very rural, the villages are completely spread out. It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, and yet there wasn’t that intense feeling of poverty that I’ve gotten when I’ve traveled to other developing countries.
The Basotho were amazingly friendly. Since I was there working on my project, I wasn’t just playing tourist, I was actually working alongside our counterparts who were so helpful and open and warm. The embassy driver was kind enough to drive me around during my stay so I could get some shots of the city and the surrounding areas. Our hotel was also on top of a mountain, with hiking trails, so, during my time off, I was able to get some photos from high up.
All in all, it was a great trip! I’m sure I’ll be going back again…and hopefully I’ll have more time to partake in the many adventures the country has to offer. Apparently, pony-trekking is a big thing. And rafting…. And skiing…in Africa. Who knew?!
Peace.
by khannaphotography
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