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Kingdom of the Sky
In July, 14 Valley Park students went to South Africa...
From Durban airport, they went by bus to Underburg. 'The grounds at Khotso farm were beautiful,’ said Sixth Form student, Loren, ‘and the owners of the ranch left a lasting impression on us all.’
Students trekked into the mountainous country of Lesotho, known as ‘The Kingdom of the Sky’. ‘The people were so welcoming when we arrived in Thāmatu village,’ said Sixth Form student, Bibi. ‘Learning a little of the Sesotho language from the children and playing games was some of the best fun we had the whole expedition.’
Whilst in Lesotho, their guide taught them how to bake Basotho bread, and they built a netball court for Thāmatu Primary School. ‘The school only had four classrooms,’ said Loren. ‘It was a huge difference to the facilities we have.’
Students also went on a five mile trek to see some bushman paintings. ‘The preservation of the paintings evidences their passion for conservation,’ commented Bibi.
Next, students embarked on the trekking phase of their expedition. ‘We went on hikes around the mountainous terrain,’ said Loren. ‘We were always on the lookout for dangerous wildlife.’
They also visited Saint Lucia, a coastal town known for the hippos which enter at night, drawn in by the bright lights. ‘Hippos are vegetarians but if one sees you as a threat, they can attack,’ said Bibi.
After they visited the markets in Saint Lucia, which had crafts ranging from African Zulu masks to beaded jewellery, they visited the beach. ‘It was covered with white sand,’ said Loren. ‘There were signs warning people not to go in the water because it contains hump back whales and great white sharks.’
Students went on a sunset boat tour to see the hippos and crocodiles up close. ‘We saw a pod of about 35 hippos huddled together in the river,’ said Bibi. ‘Being this close to them was incredible.’
The safari at Hluhluwe Imfolozi Game Reserve was a highlight of the trip. ‘It’s so different seeing animals in the wild compared to seeing them in captivity,’ said Loren. ‘One of my favourite sights was seeing two galloping giraffes. Giraffes rarely gallop in captivity, so this was a real privilege to witness.’
Loren and Bibi, Sixth Form