I recently went on a four day village-to-village pony trek through remote wilderness in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, a tiny landlocked country in southern Africa. During the many hours a day that my guide and I rode through winding trails and over rocky passes, absolute quiet became the norm. With the exception of thudding horse hooves, the only other sound was that of an occasional breeze tickling tall grasses.
That is, until the bells came.
The first time I heard this unfamiliar cacophony, it sounded like there might be a band playing just over the next hill. But it turned out to be bells large and small, around the necks of cows, sheep, and goats, clanking loudly as a shepherd boy prodded them along. The intermittent herds and their bells became such a familiar sound over the next days, I finally bought a few from young shepherds who were both delighted and slightly puzzled by my bell enthusiasm.
The collection of bells (including one with an old padlock as a makeshift pendulum) now hang in my living room. Sometimes I give them a good shake and am instantly transported back to Lesotho’s remote hills. Someone more clever might even have turned them into a wind chime.
Either way, it’s a fantastically authentic souvenir from one of my favorite travels. Have a listen to the bells here for yourself in the video below.
