Wanderings: Climbing Mount Emlembe

August 14, 2018

We arranged for a guide to take us up Mount Emlembe, the highest point in Swaziland at 6,109 feet. Benjamin met us and we set out for the 5 mile (one way) hike to the summit about 2,000 feet above the village.

Along the way, he told us about some plants and their usages. Various plants are useful for colds, for tea, for sleeping, etc. The rubbings from snail shells found on the mountain are applied below the eyes to protect them from the sun.

We passed a number of cows pasturing on the mountain. If a cow is killed by lightning on the slopes (1), the meat can be cooked on the wood of local protea trees and eaten where the cow fell. Moving a lightning-struck cow (or its meat) into the village would encourage the lightning to follow.

On our descent, we stopped at the house of Benjamin's 81 year-old mother for a chat. She spoke English quite well, and inquired about how long the flight from the U.S. was. She said she was afraid to fly, a view generally shared by my wife. While we were chatting, a herd of goats was released from a nearby barn. They dashed to their pasture as fast as third graders released for summer vacation from school.

Upon return from our 10-mile trek, I soaked my tired body in ice (2).

(1) Benjamin says lightning strikes cows about a half dozen times a year on the exposed higher elevations of the mountain.

(2) Actually, it was the pool at the lodge. But, given that it was late winter, the effect of swimming in the pool or soaking in ice was almost the same (a).

(a) Daytime temperatures in Bulembu average in the high 60s at this time of year. During our visit, there was a warm spell with temperatures in the mid 80s.