Five days in Zimbabweee and five minutes in Zambia

I can't believe it's been 8 days since I last blogged...what an eight days it has been.

Monday - Wednesday we were cutting down the grass on either sides of the fence so that in the winter, when it's super dry and the fires start, they create a barrier around the fence that the fire can't travel as quickly. While I was minding my own business, cutting away, I noticed a squatters camp on the other side of the fence. When I looked up, there was a small, 8 year old boy watching me. I waved and said Hi, but he didn't speak English. For a good half an hour he just sat at the fence, watching me work. I sang a little bit even to the music on my ipod and he'd smile. It was very touching.


We went for our game drive late last week as it was Mary's last night here...saw the usual zebras, giraffes, Sprinbok, Blesbok, Wildebeast etc. but then we also saw our first warthog. I thought I'd include a picture of little Pumba haha.


Pumba!


My view from the back of the truck:


Thursday morning we hit the fence checking to see if there were any holes where perps try to cut and get into the conservation. We all split up and followed our own paths around the perimeter and we each had a map of the conservation. I had to go past Karls house (the owner), behind the big dam and then to a green fence where Mary would leave the truck for me. I would pick up the truck and drive it over to meet the girls in the field closest to the south... I literally felt like I was on Survivor Africa or Mantracker or something. To stay with the fence, I had to crawl up huge hills thick with brush and remember, everything in Africa has thorns or prickles. I had to cross streams and go downhill through trees and grass over my head. Just as I rounded one of the corners, I heard a loud snort and came face-to-face with a wildebeast. I was taking video's the entire time of me talking into the camera like a reality show...I can't get videos off my memory stick here, but when I get home you'll laugh at me. I was bleeding and sweating and tiptoeing around the wildebeast when finally the green fence came into view and I was sooo happy to see it!!! Crazy lil morning.

Thursday afternoon we did Beef Cor - going to get the meat for the Vulture Shack. Last time I was there, some of the guards had asked where I was from and when I said Canada, they asked if I could bring some novels with me next time, they loooove reading they said. So, sure enough I pull up to the gate and the guards are there, "Did you bring them?!" and I had, 5 books for them. They were ecstatic!

SO, Friday morning we left for the airport. It was an hour long flight and arriving in Zimbabwe was a little surreal. The airport is tiny, there is one terminal, the signs say, "US? Rands? We take any kind of money!" I was pleased to see my name as soon as I came around the corner and met Future, my ride back to the hotel, along with his friend Cawden. There were tribal dancers right as soon as I came off the plane and when the sunshine hit me, I felt that this place was really special.They were awesome, upon meeting them I felt like they were buddies. We go to the Highway Bottle Store and grab a couple beers (hey it's 11 a.m. why not) and I arrive at the backpackers. I meet Fiona and her family, the sweetest people I've ever met. Little did I know, they would soon come to adopt me as family :)

Cawden and me - he is a very talented web designer and developer:

Victoria Falls Backpackers, managed by Fiona & Family - the best of the best:

The first night there, I went for the sundowners cruise which was beaaautiful. We saw an elephant through the trees, a hippo who snorted at us and hopped out of the water long enough for us to see how gigantic he was, and a sneaky little crocodile.Afterwards, I went out for my first night there, into the township first and met Future's cousin and uncle and then to a couple of different bars. For the next three days, that was my lifestyle...sleeping during the day, waking up to hang out with Fiona, Byron and the family around the pool, sitting around the fire and drinking wine at night and then heading off into the townships and going out. It was surreal.

Our little hippo friend:

The view of the Falls from the cruise. It rains 24/7 by the falls:

The croc's head is right below the big branch...center of the picture, you can barely see him:

View from the boat as the sun went down:

The day I went to see the falls, we got absolutely SOAKED. Coming back from the falls, there were three elephants in the road, so everyone just pulled over and waited. We eventually had to turn around because they were taking too long. Just a normal day there. There were monkeys in the trees above us and warthogs in town.

Just some elephants on the road:

Future's little cousin who I couldn't completely communicate with, but came to love. I bought him a huuuge bag of suckers my last day there. He was so cute and always very shy with me.

One of the nights we had a giant white toad in the bathroom. Ryan & Amy, a very sweet couple staying at the hostel as well, captured it and brought him to the party.

One night we all went to Shoestrings...these are a couple of my buddies:

Eating around the fire...listening to music:

One day, Lauren (a wonderful girl from Texas staying with us) and I went to see "The Big Tree". It's a 1500 year old tree and is roped off so you can't touch it, but was impressive to say the least.

We then walked over the bridge to Zambia and did the cliche "one foot in Zimbabwe, one in Zambia" picture.

A beautiful view of the falls in the far left off the bridge in Zambia. There were always at least three or four rainbows everywhere around the falls:

We walked through town, where you get absolutely bombarded by locals to purchase anything they may be selling, although all of them are selling the same thing. They had a good run with the blonde hair...each wanted to know where we were from, what our names were. Their names were all very clever, we met a Happiness, a Christoper Columbus...On the last night there, we went to SPAR to pick up meat and veggies for our braai and on the walk home, there were literally 8 baboons on the road in front of us, crossing the street, wild boars running around and at the same time Lauren was attacked by a bee. Hahaha only in Africa...

Our braai was very special, as we made chicken, sausages, beans, pap and tomato gravy. My first meal without using any cutlery! Future laughed at me as I was rolling my pap with both hands, apparently that's a no-no, you take it in your right hand, roll it, and dip it into the gravy and beans. It was absolutely delicious. Lots of laughs around the fire and then off for one last night pretending to be a local.

Fiona making a miracle out of the meat we brought back for the braai:

The always exciting elephant crossing signs that are so necessary!

My favourite family of Zimbabwe, Fiona, Byron and the girls:

I will never, ever forget the time spent in those 5 days. The people of Zimbabwe are beautiful, caring, (persistent some might say! haha) but so, so loving. They are happy to be alive and man, they made me happy too. Being able to see the lives of them in the townships makes me feel that each day is the biggest gift we have. Lets celebrate it!

Only 6 more days here at Klip Kop and then off to Cape Town for (hopefully) a quieter exploration trip. Then, reuniting with the girls in Amsterdam. Hard to believe.

Love to you all!