After landing at a remote mountain village last week delivering gas for winter heating, I asked the nurse how cold it had been getting. By his response it was clear that winter was there, and the mountains had decided to skip the unnecessary season of fall and get straight to the point.
Grain threshing at Kuebunyane
He asked what it was like in countries like North America with all the snow and extreme cold in winter, and with my answer (very cold, but you are always warm when inside) I was reminded at the difference between an African winter and a ‘Western’ one: While Africa doesn't reach the -40 deg temps that Minnesota reaches, it does get below zero inside and outside, and that makes all the difference. Sometimes in Africa it seems like you are cold all winter, especially the people in the mountains.
A young shepherd sitting close by to watch the airplane at Semenanyane
There has been a lot going on in the world over the last 2 months. But in the remote mountains, it feels like life as normal. This is probably because they are remote enough that COVID isn't yet a high level concern. It could also be that they have regular day-to-day survival on their mind. Life in the mountains with winter approaching is a tough time. Crops are usually being harvested and stored, with the harvesting taking up long days for whole villages.
Unloading cleaning supplies, gas and clinic supplies
The lockdown in Lesotho has caused everything to slow down. The government department that we fly for, the Department of Health, has also seen a slowing down of their work, as they are restricted like the rest of the world with working from home. As such, we have just being doing emergency and high priority flights. In the last two weeks however, as the most remote clinics get ready for winter, we have had a number of high priority cargo flights.
We can get 3 of the 96kg gas bottles in the back of the C206.
We essentially fill up the plane with as much cargo as we can. This is usually a combination of 96kg (211 pound) LP gas bottles and clinic supplies including drugs and day-to-day necessities. Some places are so remote that we even fly wood and coal to them, as it's the only way to get access to that kind of heating fuel.
Unloading gas at Matsaile
I enjoy these flights because I get to be the sole occupant of the plane, and it gives me a chance to review emergency procedures, and practice some vital skills that passengers don't usually enjoy very much! I also get to do something very practical in delivering much needed supplies to the remote communities.
Food for the nurses at Semenanyane