Riding from the Lesotho border to Coffee Bay - our current location on the South African “Wildcoast” - we passed 50,000km (since leaving Singapore). A quick high five and we continued through the region of Kwazulu Nata towards the Indian Ocean, before getting lost in fog. More on that later…

Before entering Lesotho we spent a few chilled out days in Bethlehem. Errol and his family were great hosts (thanks guys!!) and took time out to show us around. We checked out a nearby game lodge, dropped in at the local airport - home to some cool crop dusters plus other winged machines…

… and fooled around with a couple of baby lion cubs. It’s common for local families to care for them until they’re about 4 months old. Then they become too agressive.

From Bethlehem it was on to the nearest border with Lesotho. It was one of the least used and we hoped this fact would help us get a visa for Iza (we were too lazy to apply for it before hand). At first it was “no visa, no entry!”. But after the senior officer got US$50 we were in! No, we don’t consider this a bribe because its also the same amount as for an official visa

Lesotho is something else. Situated in the most ‘westernized’ part of Africa, it has none of the infrastructure or ‘conveniences’. Its spectacular mountain scenery and open spaces, reminded us more of Mongolia and Central Asia.

The locals ride around on horses, dressed only in shorts, gumboots and a blanket…

Its possible to wild camp anywhere as long as the village chief is consulted beforehand. Expect a welcome from the school kids in the morning…

Only some of the major roads are paved and we soon found ourselves riding along a dirt track which twisted its way mountain over mountain. After crossing the Mafika Lisiu Pass (3,090m a.s.l) we headed for the eastern town of Mokhotlong, but were stopped short half way by a flooded bridge. It turned out there was another bridge but it was 50km away, only for pedestrians and accessed via a rocky footpath. It seemed like our sort of thing…

And it was, only more difficult than we expected. On a section just before the bridge we literally hauled the bike down a rocky cliff. We carried the panniers down separately and repeated the process on the other side (uphill). Totally exhausted we pitched our tent outside a shop at the nearest village, drank a beer in triumph and hit the sleeping bags.

Next day was another long one, with a steep climb up Sani Pass.

We only spent three days in Lesotho, but promised ourselves that someday we’ll come back. Maybe in winter when the whole country is covered in snow and ski runs open up!!

Once back in South Africa we thought we were in for an easy ride, but the closer we got to the coast the more dense the fog got. Stray sheep didn’t help to navigate the potholes nor the fact that we got lost taking a more ’scenic’ route. In the end we didn’t find it, had to backtrack to the main road and arrived in Coffee Bay well after dark. Lesson = potholes, dense fog and night don’t make for good riding…