It’s a beautiful day. The sun is shining and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. I’m sitting on the koppie behind the Sani Lodge near Underberg where I’m spending the night, looking up at the Sani Pass.
The peaks are clear of clouds, and I’m hoping with all my heart that the good weather will last over the next couple of days while I drive to Agulhas via Lesotho after a visit to the north.
Later that afternoon the wind picks up, and the later it gets, the stronger the wind blows. This doesn’t bother me too much, I live in Agulhas, where wind is made.
The next morning the sky is filled with clouds and the wind is unpleasant. The pass is covered in cloud, but nonetheless I decide to push on and see how it goes. After all, I can always turn around if things get too hairy …

‘I’m sleeping right here tonight’

From the hotel to the South African border post the road gradually deteriorates, but it’s not nearly as bad as the Baviaanskloof and I enjoy the drive.
At the border post I quiz a custom official about the road ahead. He says it’s an 8-km “bumpy ride” to the top.
However, he isn’t concerned about the weather and I decide to continue.

Leisurely I drive on, amazed by the natural beauty.
The pass is steep with quite a few hairpin bends in short succession.
There’s snow on the mountains around me, but the road’s still looking good.
Then, about two-thirds of the way up the pass, it starts snowing lightly.
It looks as if someone has cut open a down duvet and is softly sprinkling the contents on the mountains. Absolutely beautiful!
But despite the lovely snow, I’m starting to worry, because there is nowhere to make a U-turn.
And what’s worse, trouble is brewing around the next bend: The weather has suddenly changed, the wind is bearing down from the cliffs at a frightening speed and snow is covering everything in white.

The Fortuner ploughs on through the snow but I don’t look left or right; I just stick to the middle of the road.
Then, suddenly, I land in deep snow, lose momentum … and then she stops dead!
I try to go forward, but the Fortuner just spins.
“I’m sleeping right here tonight!” is all I can think of.
I try again, but the vehicle just slips sideways.
Next thing an Isuzu bakkie rounds the bend above me.
Seeing me battling, the driver gets out, puts rocks under his tyres and directs me with hand signals – wait, wait, slowly!
He slip-slides through the wind and snow and looks around the Fortuner for rocks to put under my tyres.
The Basotho man doesn’t speak English, but he does say, “Start fast!” Which I do, but the Fortuner simply spins. He shows me I should try again.
I activate the diff lock, and miraculously the Fortuner clambers out of the snow like a true Sir Edmund Hillary.
My Basotho angel cheers, I push on and hear him say, “Short distance”.
As I round the next bend and look down, he’s still standing there to see if I’m OK.
I quietly thank him.
Slowly but surely we crawl through the snow.
Around the last hairpin bend the wind is super strong and it’s snowing heavily.
We strain up the last uphill and, finally, we’re at the top!