STILL MUDDLING THRO.

Dear Friends,

I crossed Lesotho as best I could by hitch hiking or travelling in the mini bus taxis.  Mini bus taxis expensive and you are crammed tight in with boxes and luggage and dismantled bicycle.   Lesotho is remote in the extreme and could have been the middle of Gobi or Patagonia.

I was able to visit Befole school to object of the charity African Support and Assistance Project.  But for the time being my report is for the Chairman's eyes only.

The bike is not running great.  I was given a significant problem when I received the bike from the airport.  The baggage people had broken my front break lever completely off so I only have a rear break.  I dont trust the rear wheel, there is play in it.  Also chain problem.  Hopefully I can nurse the heap  to Cape Town.  I mean the bike not me.

I have freshened up today in my first 'Backpackers'.  They have every thing.

Best Wishes

Andrew

MUDDLING THRO IN LESOTHO

Dear friends,

Sorry for the lack of posts.  I just got back into South Africa after 5 days getting body....Internet room now closed.   Sorry.

Andy

Internet is rare & brief here.

ARRIVED IN LESOTHO

Hello friends,

Thankyou for looking at the blog now.  I am in the Lesotho town of Buthebutha.  This cycle is rather tough going due to the hot weather and the fact I have too luggage on the bike.  I have picked up the habit of hitch hiking with the bike and it has been effective.  I have met a good number of kind souls through this.  I mension in despatches Basil and Trisha and certainly the great Lieb of Dundee town.  I visited Rorkes Drift battle site on the rough back roads.  I am pushing on today possibly to reach Hlotse or Maseru.  No promises.

Please excuse the brief entry, this happens when I am slogging my way through.

I expect that provided I can get some lifts I will be in Lesotho for about 6 days.  So I hope I take your luck.

Best Wishes

Andy

ROOF CLIMBERS

Hello,

A lot of hopes for The Oxford Roof Climber's Rebellion rest with the Oxford Playhouse Theatre.  The Playhouse has had the play for the best part of 3 months.  This I take to be a good sign.  A sign that they are giving it serious and substantial consideration.  If the Playhouse dont take the play we will have to think again and look at other options, probably along the lines of a staged reading of the play.  More news at a later date.

Best Regards

Andy

LESOTHO EXPLORATION EXPEDITION

Hello,

My trip to South Africa and hopefully Lesotho is near.  I set off on Friday afternoon.  Flying with the excellent Emirates to Durban via Dubai.  Take off time from Manchester is 8:15 pm.  There are 3 hours of waiting in Dubai airport.  Not a bad thing.  Dubai airport has everything, including free internet access point.  I will reach Durban at 5 pm on Saturday.  It will take a couple of hours of flaffing at the airport, rigging the bike up and such.  I hope to be able to buy a sim card before leaving the airport to try and find a camp spot.  I will be taking my gortex bivi-bag, so it could be a rough camp.  Somewhere sheltered and away from view.

Day one (Sunday), I will begin moving north with the ultimate objective of Rorke's Drift.  Not sure how far it is but I may need to get a lift if the going is too slow.  Another battle site I hope to visit is Isandlwana, which is about 15km from Rorke's Drift.

The prize of this expedition is to enter Lesotho and cross that country.  Sometimes when you read about Lesotho it is like contemplating something out of King Solomon's mines.  Will see.

Best Regards

Andy

THE OXFORD ROOF CLIMBERS REBELLION

A play by Stephen Massicotte for which I have great expectations.  We have been working on this play 'The Oxford Roof Climbers Rebellion' for about 3 months.  We are trying to organise a production to coincide with the TE Lawrence Society symposium in September 2014.  We are awaitning a decision from the Oxford Playhouse Theatre.

BLOG RE-LAUNCH - SOUTH AFRICA

BLOG RE-LAUNCH - 4th JANUARY 2012

A significant expedition is imminent, inshalla.

Objectives:

1.  To fly Emirates to Durban
2. Cycle to Rorkes Drift and Isandlwana battle sites
3. Cycle to Ladysmith
4. Inshalla, cross into the small mountainous kingdom of Lesotho
5. Cycle dirt roads to the centre of Lesotho and try to make contact with representatives of BEFOLE Primary School.
6. Cycle a winding mountain road to a Col of over 2,000mts to pass back into South Africa
7.  Cross the Drakensburg mountains to reach Durban.
8. Get train or bus from Durban to Port Elizabeth
9. Cycle the Garden Route to Oudtshorn.
10. Visit Ostrich farm and see if I can train to ride on these birds.
11. Cycle to Cape Town.
12. Climb Table Mountain from base to top.
13. Fly Emirates Cape Town to Dubai.