http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Zimbabwe/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Zimbabwe en-us Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:18:50 UTC Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:18:50 UTC Let me start by saying the internet here in Zimbabwe literally takes 20 mins to load Google and so I cant upload photos here but as soon as connection gets better I will chuck them up.Well since last week we have done a fair bit. I left you in Cape town which is where we stayed a couple more nights. Wilson and I climbed Lions head which is a stand alone mountain beside table mountain and we nearly http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-349938.html We also had a nice trip to Great Zimbabwe where we visited the old ruins of Zimbabwe.We saw how they lived in the old days.We had a wonderful day going on a Rhino trek walking safari to find a Rhino. Yes we saw a rhinoFirst 2 males and then a female with a cub we were pretty close. pic's will come.Victoria Falls was next stop. Vic FallsWe spent 2 nights in Vic Falls the waterfalls were amaz http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-342543.html We came to an unanimous decision that it was time we had a day of rest. So we did nothing today other than enjoy relaxing in the attractive campsite.We were awakened by four horses around or cars horses which we presumed were kept to provide riding safaris for punters. They roamed pretty freely around the dam and visited us at dawn. Of course those amongst us with a real love for horses were http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-342376.html Ianrsquos birthday he had his last one at Dongola on the Nile in Sudan which meant he opened several cards from his family at breakfast. We set off early for the Park some 30 kms to the south and east of Bulawayo and paid our entrance fees at the gate. Everywhere was extremely dry and the evidence of burning was distressing. There were very few animals about but we did manage to see 5 R http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-342374.html Because it gets so hot so quickly during the day we started early at the Gt Zimbabwe ruins. Both Camilla and I commented that the nearest thing we had seen to this site was Machu Pichu in Peru. Numerous stone walls built within a circular wall which at its basersquo was 6 metres thick and 4 metres thick at the top. To me the surprise was that there was so much left of a civilisation which http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-342373.html We set off early only to discover after we had left the park that I had a puncture in my back left wheel. It took us two old fogies about half an hour to change the wheel and we were very hot and very dusty by the end. My first puncture and I hope the last This all happened in the village of Chiamanimani where the good lady said we must visit the Anglican church. We did and there just a http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-342372.html Dawn at 5 am is a bit unkind to us old fogies but we were up a little later as our first stop was the Museum in Matari which didnrsquot open till 9 am and about which we had heard so much. But first we stopped to refuel.No problems but we were interested to find an aged English lady working in the Fuel Station Shop. There was not much for sale but she had organised a small bakery there sellin http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-342370.html We were up at dawn 5.30 am to be certain to get to the Immigration Office when they opened at 8am we located the place yesterday. We were there early where the youngsters in the street were more than ready to find us parking slots and to look after our vehicles. While awaiting the office to open we were looking through the shop window of a gunsmith cum safari operator when he turned up himse http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Harare/blog-342367.html We were ldquodiscoveredrdquo at breakfast when a cheerful local man turned up with his 2 dogs and armed with a catapult. He hunted regularly thus equipped and told us that he then traded the rabbits he killed for maize flour. Nobody had any money. He looked fit and well himself and was delighted to chat with us as we packed up to go. Our first encounter with a Zimbabwean.We then set off to http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Harare/blog-342363.html Hey guys Over the past month we have travelled through Malawi into the Zimbabwe capital Harare and then to Victoria Falls where duey bungy jumped off a bridge 111 meters high We also went white water rafting class 5's down the Zambezi river and loved it Then travelled to Botswana by hitchhiking and minibus to see the animals in the Chobe River hippos and crocs and elephants and then t http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-341888.html Ready for the rest Here goes...So Saturday morning we were supposed to leave at 5 am to go to Hwange National Park so that we could go on our game drive in the afternoon. However the truck wouldnrsquot start. Some kind of problem with the engine. Our driver worked on it for a while and then the Antelope Park mechanic ended up having to take it to his workshop. At 930 am we finally left. Irsq http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-338980.html We're back from Zimbabwe safe and sound Basically it was amazing Amazing Spectacular crazy fun and amazing Okay so let's see how long it takes to tell you all about it...So we were supposed to leave at 530 so that we could be at the border at 6 when it opened. We got our first glimpse of the rest of the trip by leaving late. Then it took a couple hours at the border because for some reason http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-338583.html Hello all currently writing from Zimbabwe that country that you are not advised to go through I will explain why.Anyway last time i spoke i had just done the skydive in Swakopmund in Namibia since then I went to Etosha national park which was amazing within 15mins of gettin in the park at the first water hole we saw Elephant Zebra Antelope and warthog and there were so many on the horizon aswe http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-328964.html The political social economic and security situations in Zimbabwe are volatile and could deteriorate quickly without warning.U.S Department of State websiteWhere you're going is the only place in the world where the geese chase you.Ian Malcom The Lost World Jurrasic ParkFinally I reached the third and last crusade of my Indiana Jonessaga of adventure posts on this blog. The day after r http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-325857.html From Zanzibar to Zambezi...not that easy to connect. I took three flights ZanzibarDar Es SalaamJohburgLivingstone.All this with a night over in Johburg my first short stop in the city. Landed in Zambia in Livingstone ready for the short drive to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe across the famous oldbridge. For your info the Falls are 34 in Zimbabwe and only 14 in Zambia with the best views http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-312214.html I am writing from the sky. We are flying from the Kasane Airport in Botswana to the Baines' Camp landing strip in the bush. Appropriately we're flying on a bush plane. The plane seats twelve passengers a pilot and a copilot right now there are nine people on board including our solo pilot. We're stopping twice before we arrive at Baines' to pick up and drop off other passengers. We spent http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-310986.html This afternoon around 1230pm we arrived at the Zimbabwe Airport. When we left Johannesburg this morning we were advised to hurry off the plane upon arrival because Zimbabwe Immigration writes all tourist visas by hand. We did hurry and we were third in line. Thank God. It took twenty minutes to process the six of us. I can't imagine how long it took for those passengers who didn't get the http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-309766.html Well we flew into Joburg and were already late for our connecting flight. Then we lost our luggage. I know great. Anyways luckily we had someone who met us at the airport and reasoned with the people at the check in counter to let us through all the lines. I can't say that it was bad We took a tiny little plane to Victoria Falls. It was aweinspiring to look out the window of the plane an http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-306909.html Well it's been a while since my last post. We've been deep in what we call the real Africa where there isn't even electricity much less internet access. All of my tourmates and I have agreed that this is what we expected out of Africa.After Windhoek we stayed at an amazing campsite just inside Botswana. We played volleyball for hours and partied with a few other tours. We then went to the O http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-301458.html After Chobe some of us crossed into Zimbabwe to experience a lion walk. This was incredible. The African Lion Environmental Research Trust raises lions from cubs teaches them how to hunt and then releases them into a large area 10000 acres where these lions will form prides and raise their own cubs. These new cubs who do not see or come into contact with humans will then be relocated in ar http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-292291.html Zimbabue http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-291747.html The past few days have been fairly relaxing. We were able to take it easy while most of the others were at the Okavango Delta and it was nice to be able to sleep in beyond 5am for a couple of days. We left the Delta on Wednesday and drove for ages and ages before we reached the town of Kasane which is on the border between Botswana and Zimbabwe. As soon as we got off the truck we split into two http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-287203.html Due to political situations in Zimbabwe we are skipping overlanding through there but still managed to visit briefly to see our friends jump in the bridge in the Zimbabwe side of a bridge that span through the Victoria Falls. http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-284668.html DilemasHow to get to Vic Falls has been the biggest dilema of the trip so far. We weren't sure whether to brave Zimbabwe with all the political trouble food shortages and fuel shortages. On the other hand it would cost us nearly 500 to get over to Zambia for the night as Brits get whacked with a visa fee 3x bigger than anyone else and then you need to pay for a ferry third party insurance a http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-281467.html ZimbabweWersquore in Zimbabwe but wersquove actually just nipped across the border into the northwestern most corner to the tourist town of Victoria Falls. Irsquom not going to sit here and write long lists of adjectives to describe the falls or list lots of facts and figures on them thatrsquos a job for Wikipedia. What I will say is that they were as spectacular as you can imagine. Thi http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-281384.html Zimbabwe was probably one of the more interesting countries we've been to economically. It's really hard to describe the experience. When we arrived the street rate for US dollars was 50000000 to one. However the bank rate was only 30000 to one. So we were either forced to change on the street or use US dollars exclusively. Luckily we had a contact that could change the money for us so th http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-273035.html 100000 inflation rigged elections but spectacular waterfallsI arrived in Zimbabwe a day late due to Air Namibia's technical difficulties but being honest I didn't miss much. Basically there are two options for seeing the Victoria Falls Zambia Livingstone Town and Zimbabwe Victoria Falls Town which are separated by the Zambezi river that is crossed by a big bridge where you can do the th http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-263514.html On the 21 December we set off on our second Oasis overland trip. This time a 33 day trip from Harare down to Cape Town taking in the sights and highlights of Zimbabwe Botswana Namibia and South Africa. We flew in to Harare and stayed at the Rocks campsite just outside the city and waited for our truck to arrive On that rainy Friday afternoon the big yellow truck pulled in to the campground and http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/blog-253368.html This morning I walked over the border from Zimbabwe to Botswana and then caught a local bus into Kasane. Over the river I can see Namibia but it will be weeks yet before I set foot there.I flew into Johannesburg last Tuesday and stayed overnight at my favourite local hostel Shoestrings. It's located close to the airport in an area safe enough to walk about in and the owners offer free picku http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Victoria-Falls/blog-249926.html But first a recapA while back just after New Year we crossed to the Zimbabwe side of the Victoria Falls. The falls themselves were just as great from this side as the other but the spray was stronger so the view wasn't as clear. The town of Victoria Falls was a sad sight really. We had prepared ourselves for the situation in Zim and expected to see empty shelves in shops but what we weren't r http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Zimbabwe/Bulawayo/blog-239012.html