Since we came back in South Africa, our route mainly criss-crossed the Kwazulu-Natal province. This area, the Zulus are native from, collects inestimable underwater and inland jewels. To complete our Zululand panorama, we leave the coast to the Drakensberg heights, a mountain chain overlapping the Lesotho border. A country entirely encircled by South Africa. The Sani Pass in the south part sounds good. We drive to meet it but for the occasion we leave our car downhill and hop on a more suitable 4x4 vehicle. The hairpin bends draw a track which zigzags upwards the valley. The proeminent rocks dot the road. The car swings. 40 minutes to cover 8 kilometers. The Lesotho border closes the ascent. A barren land swept by a wind which lashes our faces.
We begin our short hike up to the Hogson peak. A 360-view promontory. At the foot of the hill, the track which splits the valley up to the Sani Pass, all around the desolate and serrated rock of the Drakensberg. Plain, massive and motionless. We feel far from the profusion of colours, the vivacity and delicacy of the coral reef we had as background a few days before. Thus, we can sum up the ends of Kwazulu-Natal. One day sunbathing close to the ocean and the next one wrapping up warmly to struggle against the cold of the mountain.
Keyword - trekking -
Thursday 31 July 2008
trekking in Lesotho
By dorian on Thursday 31 July 2008, 18:17 - RTW2-South Africa
Tuesday 20 November 2007
The exhausting ascent of Avalanche peak
By dorian on Tuesday 20 November 2007, 21:14 - RTW-New Zealand
It turns out to be hard to make a choice between the appealing sceneries of the coastal road and the voluptuous curves of the asphalted ribbon that opens to the mountains of the middle of the island. At the chance of a bend, we turn on the left and dip again into the New Zealand Alps for a day. A blend of wooden houses mark the boundaries of the Arthur's Pass village. A small fistful of tourists converge here, most of them tempted by the ascent of the 1000m-overhead Avalanche peak.
The next morning, we start the ascent. Some portions liken more to rock-climbing than trekking and require a high caution. The climb seems endless. The calves burn and the water leaks through our pores to cool down the machine. Our eyes look upwards and hope for a little bit of flat land at the end of the visible path. But, after a curve, the nature makes fun of us and keeps on with an even more difficult slope. The ascent goes on and on. Then, the continuity of the forest suddenly ends and a barren hill, incrusted with patches of snow rises above the clouds. The fist up, we enjoy the last meters of the ascent. The nature, after being so exhausting, cheers us up with a panoramic vista.
A tongue of clouds devours the valley, the snow softens the raw lines of the mountains and a keas' family celebrates our arrival.
Some landscapes are picked thanks to numerous aches and repeted efforts. A shooting screenplay for masochists that finishes with a happy end : an inexpressible excitement where we are perched on the summit.
Saturday 10 November 2007
The Franz Josef and Fox glaciers
By dorian on Saturday 10 November 2007, 19:31 - RTW-New Zealand
The west coast road vanishes into the small Franz Josef village. The adventurer-wannabes seeking for glaciar expeditions gather in this place. The ideal spot to familiarize oneself with the pleasures of the ice activities. But, living close to the Alps, walking on the glacier doesn't tempt us and the prohibitive rate backs our choice up. However, we go to the bottom of the glacier treading on a small marked-out path.
We carry on a stroll around the Matheson lake. When the weather is fine, we can enjoy the relection of the mount Cook. We need a lot of imagination to make it out behind the thick veil of clouds. However, the walk is nice.
Our last stroll of the day drops us off in a viewpoint which overlooks the Fox glacier. A crystalized blue sea which races down the gentle and rocky slopes of the hill.
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