Northern Drakensberg

We didn't go to St Lucia. Instead we rode to the northern Drakensberg mountains near the Amphitheatre Mountain. The ride took a lot longer than expected. We got here Friday night. It was dark and pouring rain by the time we finally arrived. It wasn't a fun way to end the ride but it taught me a valuable lesson. Any day that we are riding somewhere we need to leave as early as possible.

Two days ago we were hiking in a park and someone stole my license plate. I finally felt like things were moving forward and now this happens. I went to the police office today to get an affidavit to say that it happened.

Tomorrow we have to go back to Durban. The police told me I need to go and cancel the plates. They said that someone may have taken them to commit a crime. I really don't want anything to happen to the friend who let me register it in his name so Im obligated to go back.

My friend Rob, the guy Im riding with from the UK, is going to go back to Durban with me. Hes already overstayed his visa. I heard that you have to pay for everyday past your visa expiration. I hope thats not the case. I feel bad because we have to loop back and also because I have to inconvenience my other friend to cancel the plates. This entire trip has been an uphill battle. I feel like it will be great in the end, but right now its really frustrating.

Durban 2

It took a lot more effort than I expected to get the license plates for the bike. I went to the South African consulate and found out that it was impossible to register the bike in my name without a different type of visa. In order to get the visa I would have had to fly back to the US and apply for it, then I would have had to prove South African residency. If I hadn't already paid for the bike I probably would have said screw it at that point.

Instead of registering it in my name I registered it under a friend's name who works at the hostel. I finally got the bike with plates yesterday. Today we went to the police station and got an affidavit that said I could take the bike out of the country.

Tomorrow we are heading up the coast of South Africa to St Lucia. After that we plan on going to Swaziland.

I think we are just about ready to get this trip started.

Durban

Ive been in Durban for a few days. Its been a nice time. I went surfing a few days ago. Its the third biggest city in SA so it has a lot going on.

I bought a motorcycle on Friday. Tomorrow I need to get the license plates sorted out. Its a small Honda 125. Its a brand new bike so it should work well as long as it doesn't get stolen. I met an English guy who is planning on driving from here back to the UK. I don't know how far Ill go but it seems like a good opportunity to get things rolling. We are planning on driving up the coast through Mozambique. No real plans, but were heading north soon.

Sani Pass

We were in Lesotho for a few days. Most of the traveling we did was via 15 passenger vans. What that really means is they fit in 17-19 people and then load bags and food everywhere they can. Its difficult to move or stretch at all, Im usually completely covered other peoples stuff. We went to Katse for a night. It wasn't too exciting but there was a local village that was nice. From what I saw, Lesotho full of people living in the rural mountains riding horses everywhere and farming.

Next we took vans through the mountains to Mokholong. We travel by van from 530 am to around 8 pm through mountain passes, including a 6 hours wait at a bus station (empty gravel parking lot). We transferred vans twice, once we got out of the second van we were in the middle of the mountains and fortunately there happened to be a truck there. If there wasn't we would have had to asked the locals to sleep in their huts.

Yesterday we went over Sani Pass and found a nice hostel on the South African side. Its beautiful here and the hiking is really nice. We are paying around $11 a night (150 Rand) for a bed. Tomorrow I think Ill head to Durban and make my way down the coast to Cape Town.