A little Lesotho

Neil's been trying to fit in a trip to Sani Pass before it's tarred all the way. The Chinese have tarred the road from Sani Top to Afriski already.
They are busy surveying on the South African side now.
As I write, even I am amazed at what we manage to fit into this traveling lifestyle of ours. One day after returning to Joburg from Kruger, I had knee surgery; just an arthroscopy and ten days later I'm enjoying my own creation - Khalua hot chocolate - in the highest pub in Africa at Sani Top Chalets! Safe to say it was our trusty old Hilux bakkie that has now done over 320 000 kms that got me to the top; no hiking or cycling was involved.

We met Tracy in Himeville. Sadly, the old Himeville Arms Hotel is a bit jaded these days but the chef did do a pretty good curry. The South African side of the border is below Sani Pass and the Lesotho border is cleared at the summit. It's a hair-raising 4x4 trip, especially the last zig- zag bends and especially in bad weather. The views of the Drakensberg mountains are spectacular. For early September it is freezing cold up there. We loved the cozy pub at the top, which has an extensive wine collection and pretty good set menu for dinner. Their soups are legendary but who wouldn't rate soup in that weather. The chalets are lovely and cosy with log fires. Best you shower in the evening because there's no water in the morning due to freezing pipes overnight. Nothing a full English breakfast can't cure though.

Sani Pass

Highest Pub in Africa

We drove from Sani to Khatse Dam along some pretty bad roads and through some of the most rural and isolated communities you will find anywhere in Southern Africa. The landscape was very dry and arid but the peach trees that have been planted at all the homesteads were flowering a beautiful pink.
The Khatse Dam itself is an engineering marvel but the hotel is like a varsity res circa 80s,  old South Africa style; face brick and Marley tile.

Chasing to Khatse before sunset

Khatse

The next day we drove all the way down to Ramabanta Trading Post Lodge,  a beautiful little guesthouse near Baboon Pass and a staging point for the Roof of Africa Rally. We didn't do the legendary 25km pass which serious 4x4 enthusiasts take anything from 5 to 10 plus hours to complete.

At Ramabanta Lodge, Baby it's cold outside...

On day 4 we circumnavigated Northern Lesotho via Maseru and Oxbow Lodge and back to Sani Top for another round of hot chocolate, wine and home- style cooking.
The next day it was back down Sani Pass to Himeville to drop Tracy off and head back to Joburg. 

Kruger anytime...

Sunset near Wakkerstroom

Anytime of year, any camp, North or South, I love camping in Kruger. It was a pleasure sharing the experience with first time visitors too. We have our rituals. Setting up camp alongside the fences to see the hyena and other game up close. Braaing every night. Drinking too much wine around the fire. Jaffles.Seeing at least 20 species of bird from your camping chair. Waking up before dawn to brew coffee and be first in line when the gates open. Then being lucky enough to catch the lions on the road as if by order. The leopard that ran away. Ground Hornbills. Lilac Breasted Rollers. Bateluers and Martials. Saddlebills.

Kwa- Zulu Natal in August

Being winter, we avoided camping in the Cape and chose KZN instead. We travelled from the farm to Hluhluwe Backpackers with the Benders clan. It's very conveniently located a few kilometres from the main gate into Hluhluwe but it's seen better days. The owners and staff have lost all enthusiasm for service and upkeep mostly due to everyone smoking too much zoll. We had wonderful sightings of elephant and rhino in the park and spent a day travelling to Mkuze too.

Next up , another 3 nights camping at Cape Vidal. It's really beautiful with lovely beaches and coastal bush. Exciting night visitors to our private camp were honey badgers and a civet.
During the day you can be plagued by monkeys; lots of Vervets but also the more rare and more beautiful Samangos. 

We spent a week in timeshare at Umchlanga, which turned out surprisingly better than expected. We caught up with family and friends and did a bit of exploring in Durban. 
We went on a quest for the best Bunny Chow in Durban and ended up at Sunrise Chip and Ranch in Overport. Very tasty, very spicy, very cheap..very Durban! For those who don't know, Bunny Chow is a quarter or half loaf of bread hollowed out and filled with curry and is usually a take away eaten with your fingers. There are variations on the story of it's origins from the Indian caddies at the very colonial Durban Country Club not being allowed to eat off the fancy crockery to a beach front take away giving homeless people a meal and not having disposable containers available in those days.
For a taste of Durban Indian food beyond Bunnies and Rotis, we visited The Brittania Hotel and the Sea Bell. Both with highly recommended and highly authentic Durban Indian cuisine. 

Warwick St barbers

Muti Shop, Durban

Umchlanga Sunrise from our window

Christmas in July

Midmas is a tradition (excuse for a party ) that started in SA sometime in the early nineties. Christmas is in the middle of the summer and so the turkey and ham is served cold with salads or we have a braai and everyone is outside in the sun or on holiday at the beach. If you wear those silly tissue paper hats coloured beads of sweat drip down your forehead and there's no gluwein. And Father Christmas is way too uncomfortable with that fake beard and red velvet suit on. So, we have another party in winter in June or July. With hot roast turkey and gravy and everything including gluwein and a log fire. We decorate with the Christmas stuff we bought on sale at Woolies on the 27th December last year.
Maizefield farm has seen its fair share of these parties over the years and this year we had a great party as always. Pics below...