Wednesday, December 17, 2008

OMO

OPERATION: MOUNTAIN OUTREACH
"Teaching Rural Lesotho about HIV/AIDS, One Herdboy at a Time"


OMO, that's what we called our 6-day backpacking trip, and rural HIV/AIDS outreach. Three fellow Peace Corps volunteers and I, Chris Conz, Pam, and Casey, like to mix work and pleasure. Chris planned and routed a beautiful hike for us through the south-eastern Drakensberg Mountains within Lesotho. We started in Sehlabathebe, somewhat near my home in Qacha's Nek, and ended at Sani Pass where there is a lodge and the only road connecting South Africa to the dramatic mountain escarpment in eastern Lesotho. The hike was gorgeous and full of untouched mountain scenery and rivers. I want to tell you all about the hike, but... it's 3am, the sleepy apex of an all-nighter with a computer and internet in Lesotho's capital. I just don't think I can write logically for much longer. Also I'm writing a report of our trip to send to Peace Corps Headquarters, so you can expect to see that in the next few weeks for my own take on the mountain adventure. For now though, my friends have already posted a story and photos from the hike. I'll leave you with their links and a few photos of my own. :)

Fellow Hikers' Blogs:
Pam: http://ponderosapam.blogspot.com/
Chris Conz: http://chris.conzfamily.org/blog/

Please forgive my laziness. If I don't post again before Xmas, Merry Christmas everyone! And Happy New Year