Day 7 : Lesotho Bound

0530 breakfast and departure for Semonkong. 07.00 We finally set off on our travels around Teams 1 and 3 travelling together on Jensen’s coach and 2 hired Ford 4 x 4 pickup trucks. The roads in South Africa were in good condition and the drivers reasonably courteous, we had been advised that this will not be the case when we cross the border. Lesotho apparently has few roads and driving is considered hazardous.


We cross the border and enter Maseru late in the afternoon, we follow a tarmac road to the Sentebale Charity office, where the cadets have a meeting and photo opportunity with Lesotho’s Prince Seesio.

We left the charity office during the last hour of daylight. we are now heading in the direction of Semonkong, as we drive through the Maseru suburbs we observe the changing life styles, poverty and deprivation is so evident yet the Lesotho population appear extremely happy, always waving their hands and smiling at every opportunity.



With fading light we pick up a moutain track, the tarmac roads and shanty type buildings have now been replaced with a single dusty track the properties we can now see are traditional African style round huts with straw roofs. Mechanical vehicles and western style clothing become a rare sighting, instead we now see people dressed in multi coloured blankets and balaclavas, they were mostly travelling on foot with some riding or walking horses and donkeys.


In total darkness and near freezing temperatures we finally arrived at the Semonkong Methodist Children’s Centre after a whopping 16 hour challenging drive through difficult and rugged terrain we eventually arrive at the Semonkong Methodist Children’s Centre.