Day 69: Golela Border post to iNgwavuma

A bed is a bed. Time to get going.

It was a pleasant enough sleep but I awoke to find a stream of ants had made their way into my bag where some food was. Eish. It was time to go. I thanked the tenant who let me stay and I was soon on the N2. I soon passed over the Pongola River before taking a left and heading up on a road that would take me past the Jozini Dam.

Back into South Africa

N2 for a little while.

Pongola River

I was wandering how one gets over the Lebombo and Umbombo mountain range I had been riding past the last few days and I had my answer. I had to go over it. Literally. There was nothing to do but laugh or wimp out and skip this section and carry on with the N2 which to me was not an option. It was time for some heavy metal energy so out came the Ipod and I was off. Slowly but surely I became the entity know as sweat pig, but I was climbing this beast with heavy riffs blasting through my skull. And the view got better and better the higher I got where finally I could see the whole of the Jozini Dam.

Why no tunnel?

Nothing to do but pump out the metal tunes and turn into sweat pig.

Getting there.

Looking back.

Being rewarded with veiws. The pros of being a sweat pig.

Enjoying the pros.

Goats.

I finally reached the top where I wrongfully thought I was done with climbing but the ups and downs continued around the corner. Thankfully they weren’t as steep as the one leading up to it. The road took me all the way to the town of Jozini where one has to go right through the middle and it was super busy with people and cars everywhere. Was a good energy to feel. I eventually rested a little at the Jozini Dam wall. Quite a spectacle. Wonder what it would look like if it gave way all of sudden? From there on the road was much flatter and I covered enough distance fairly easily before the fatigue of all the hill climbing took its toll on me.

Over the main hump.

The pongola river making its way to Jozini Dam. Kinda reminded me of Blyde River Canyon.

Damn, thats a big dam, Jozini.

Damn Wall.

All that pressure. What it must look like if the wall gave way. I'm sure by now, you readers have noticed by now my strange obsession with wanting to see massive wanton destruction, mainly nature related.

Beyond the damn wall. Safe for now.

Hell yeah. Found it.

I stopped at a house alongside the road and approached the people staying there. They didn’t understand much English and I didnt understand their language either at all, but luckily a boy by the name of Sfundo came to my rescue. I found him to be incredibly bright and interested in everything I was doing and I was really grateful that he was there to make this a whole lot easier. He acted as translator when I met his grandmother who allowed me to camp in the garden for the night. He had to shout into her good ear I recall now. After setting my tent up I followed Sfundo to meet his one friend who worked at the small general dealer nearby. We talked a little before we headed back as it was now pretty dark. I also met Sfundo’s father when he came back from where ever he was. I had mentioned to Sfundo how much I was enjoying all the sugar cane on this trip, and Sfundo came back with what was the thickest piece of sugar cane I had ever seen!! He then cut me off a two sections long width for the road tomorrow. The thing was like a baton! Let’s see you attack me now potential muggers, Ill beat you with sweetness. I also gave him some of my Swaziland currency I had as he mentioned he liked tourism with the hope that he gets to see many different kinds in the future with whatever tourism job he gets. He told me that he was going on a field trip to Durban tomorrow so would have to leave super early, so I said just wake me up so that I can say goodbye. Then it was sleepy time.

Distance 60kms