yesterday i got back from a looong weekend in durban and the drakensberg mountains with katrina and nicole. we had a really great time and it was good to get out and see some more of south africa.
in durban, we went to a market, had indian food, went to a beach, saw a great band play, and met some cool people both when we were out and at our hostel. durban is a cool city in some regards, but it was kind of overwhelming at times and difficult to figure out where the "good places" were to hang out. luckily we had some advice so we weren't totally lost, but the city just doesn't seem as tourist-friendly as cape town is. i guess we're spoiled here, but i'm really glad that i'm studying in cape town. i think it's good when traveling confirms for you that you are happy with where you live.
our time in the drakensberg was the highlight of our trip. we rented a car, and after getting lost for ONE HOUR around durban, trying to find the highway in order to get OUT of the city (i was driving... a slightly stressful situation), we finally were on our way. the drive was beautiful and scenic, through mountains and valleys. our hostel was nice and it was therapeutic to get out of the city for a while.
on saturday we went through the sani pass into lesotho, the "mountain kingdom." the drive up was insanely rough and bumpy, but gorgeous. after the final treacherous ascent, we finally made it up into lesotho, where it was significantly colder than it was at our hostel and also raining.
we only saw a tiny bit of lesotho, but i'm so glad we visited. the village at the top was simply a handful of circular huts, and there are sheep and shepherds strewn about. as a sort of coming-of-age ritual, teenage boys are sent out to be shepherds, by themselves, with their flock, for about six months. they then return to their homes for six months and the cycle continues. some of them choose to pursue different careers once they're adults, but some of them choose to become shepherds full-time. their lives are so incredibly different than ours, and different than anything you can find in the U.S. the country seems to be untouched; it is completely secluded up in the mountains.
before heading down again, we stopped at the highest pub in africa. outside it was dreary and cold, but inside i was surprised to find an entirely different atmosphere - it felt like a warm, cozy ski resort, full of people and guitar-playing and happiness. i could have stayed there all day, but (kind of) unfortunately we had to descend back into south africa.
in all, it was a fun trip. it felt good to get back to cape town, though. i always feel that way, which is a good thing.
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