2012 has been a fabulous year of travel, and I count myself truly lucky. But across the six African countries we visited, some experiences stood out as highlights. Here are seven of them; follow the links to find out why they were so special.
 Even if you usually find engineering talk as enticing as imagining your parents having sex (eeuw!), it’s hard to resist the fascination of Lesotho’s Katse dam project once you stand next to the dam wall and discover just how bug-like you are by comparison. It’s even harder not to be impressed when you consider some of these facts.  Don’t you love it when something turns out better than you thought it would? Maybe our expectations of the Katse Lodge in Lesotho were just low, but it sure was a nice surprise.  Think Lesotho and what do you see? Blankets, ponies and Basotho hats? So do most people. But for me, it’s also about steep snaking passes that take your breath away. You can’t avoid them – and you wouldn’t want to.  Anyone can tell you that apart from the capital, Maseru, Lesotho is a bit off the beaten track. So too are some of its attractions, like the Kome cave dwellings near the little village of Mateka.
 Thaba Bosiu cultural village Don’t get me wrong. I love Lesotho and I love its friendly people, I love its climate and its stunning peaks and valleys. I love everything about it except for the disappointment of unfulfilled potential.  You can’t go far in Lesotho without seeing people wrapped in colourful Basotho blankets, or blankets spread out on rocks and bushes to dry after rain. So when someone offers you a peek into their secret language, you don’t refuse.
 Maletsunyane Falls Lesotho. It’s so beautiful it hurts. Just as picturesque as Switzerland or Austria though nowhere near as wealthy and so, for the tourist, rather less spoiled. It’s impossible not to fall in love with it. | About meI'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel to people, wildlife and conservation. I'm happiest in the middle of nowhere, meeting the locals, trying something new, or simply watching the grass grow. CategoriesAll ArchivesMarch 2013 |
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