The temperature was beginning to change. I could see the sign of vapour inside the windscreen. I could tell that it was getting cooler outside, but the temperature in the inside was getting hotter. I was not aware if the heater was switched on. My temperature rose. I felt like vomiting. Then I took off my jacket. I wanted to cool down. But, I experienced no change. I looked at the door next to me for a window winder, but there was nothing.

“Please open this window,” I said to the driver, pointing at the window next to me.

“Are you hot?” the driver asked.

“Yes,” I replied. “I feel like throwing up.”

“Are you not getting used to travelling on the high altitudes?” He asked, pressing a button on his right door. Then the window next to me was half-opened.

“This is my first time,” I said, as I stuck out my nose through the now opened window to inhale the cool air.

The cool air entered the vehicle and my temperature reclined slowly. I began to pay attention to the good environment in front of me. I was so overwhelmed. Then I took out my Nokia and started taking pictures. I was very fascinated by the natural beauty. The view was so amazing.

“Athe ho hotle hakaale mo!” I exclaimed, marvelling at what I was looking at.

The woman sitting in front of me also took out her mobile phone and started taking photographs. It was really fun. No one could pretend not to see this fine art made by nature. I never thought the vehicle could climb up to reach the highest point of the pass. Though I was excited and taken aback, I couldn’t stop the fear from piercing me now and then. What would happen if the vehicle fails, loses control and slips away? I asked myself, but the answer eluded me.

The vehicle kept going up until it was eventually at the top of the Mafika Lisiu Pass. I had a sigh of relief.

I remember the last curve we passed, before reaching the top. It was so scary. This curve seemed as if the U-shape concrete wall was built beside the road to make the U-turn curve. I think the engineers got some headache when working on it. Below this curve was a steep slope. No one can fall from this point and survive. After passing this last curve, I made a short-silent prayer to thank God for having survived.

I remember looking at Hlotse, the town of Leribe, from a distance, which lay a few miles away from the top of the Range Mountains, above the Mafika Lisiu Pass. The view was so wow! It was as if I was looking at another country from the sky. It was like a dream. But, I was just only catching the glimpse of the total beauty of my motherland, Lesotho.

***

Tell us: Which places have you visited and how did you find them?