Home » Lesotho » One Year Africa: Six Hectic Days in the Mountains: Mokhoabong Pass to Ha Lejone

There is a road running between Mokhoabong Pass and the village of Ha Lejone, via Thaba-Tseka and Katse and from there on it is a broad modern tarmac road.

One Year Africa: Six Hectic Days in the Mountains: Mokhoabong Pass to Ha Lejone

Maarten de Boeck
2006-05-01 19:47:44

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this and that for me it was a pleasure.

In the valley I stumbled on a neat lawn of green grass to pitch my tent.
I encountered another lone man. He wore a brown blanket. Under his arm he had a small scythe and a bunch of green grass he had been cutting. I asked him for a photograph. The sun was shining. His shadow fell on the green grass beside him. Dark blue clouds filled the heaven behind him.

No Cars...Please

I departed early in the morning to Ha Lejone, which was only 12 km away. Along the way I lost my balance and fell, but without any harm. I met more and more people. Children, but also women, called and asked for sweets. 'Sweets?' 'I don't have any!' I muttered.
I emerged at the long Malibamatso Bridge, spanning the Katse Reservoir.
I followed the broad asphalted road for the remaining 8 km to Ha Lejone. The past days I had hiked through remote country, on pathways or no pathways, but now I embarked on one of the most modern roads on the entire continent of Africa.
With one last effort I marched the last strenuous kilometres to Ha Lejone. I proceeded as fast as I could, but my feet hurt on the hard surface. My legs were painful. My body yearned for rest. Along the way cars had stopped to offer me a ride, but I was determined to resist the sin. It had been my goal to 'walk' between Mokhoabong Pass and Ha Lejone and jumping into a car would mean disavowing my idea and myself.
I was worn-out when I reached Ha Lejone. The journey had required a great deal of my stamina and arriving made me emotional with a great deal of satisfaction.

It was 01.00 pm. I decided to travel to Ficksburg in South Africa to fetch money and a new visa. The same day I managed to travel to Maputso, cross the border to Ficksburg, hitch a ride with a sympathetic Afrikaner to a bank and back, cross the border again and travel all the way back to Katse, passing Ha Lejone and Malibamatso bridge. It was night when I reached Katse. I had in mind to spend the night at Collin's place, a chap I had got friends with in Katse. In the dark I sauntered to the trailer park and Collin's little house. I was afraid I would not find it but luckily I did. I knocked on the door but nobody opened. Collin was not there. I saw no other choice than to spend the night under the lean-to of the little house. I was hungry again. I had run out of food. I had to wait till the next morning to go to the supermarket to get something.