Blog 16 – The Smithies and “Neighbour – Neighbour” Wazara

Blog 16 – The Smithies and “Neighbour – Neighbour” Wazara

We found our way to Arundel shops to do a bit of souvenier shopping, find a new battery for Courtney’s phone and top up our cellphone data . Amazed to find you can get a I phone 6 won 24 month contract for US$80. Much less than I am paying for my contract in NZ.

We then made our way to our very good friends Mike and Debbie smith who have a wonderful home in Borrowdale.

 Debbie made us most welcome and Russel, their son, and Courtney just hit it off just like they had never been apart. They were best friends (even a couple) at age 5-6  years before we left and have had occasional correspondence over the years. Russel has just completed his B Com at University of  Capetown ( an “IKEY” like me ). It was great to see the quick repartee between the two. 

 

 

Trevor the youngest and who is one of the many kids I delivered in Chipinge arrived at lunch. Trevor was the third “baby” we had seen in Zimbabwe. The first was Tyla Taylor in Harare, the second Willem Nel in Mutare and now Trevor. 

After lunch we went to the Mug and bean at Borrowdale to meet with Mathew and Priscilla Wazara who we knew when working in Chiredzi For Hippo Valley Estates. Matthew was a doctor colleague and initially lived as a single man as our neighbour. He was often over visiting and developed the nickname “neighbour –neoghbour”.

Mathew has subsequently qualified as a general surgeon and works as a lecturer and surgical team leader at the local Government Hospital and has a successful private practice. He does outlying clinics for triangle sugar estate travelling with a team of 6 to do specialist surgery for the estate. He also does twice a year pro bono work at a district hospital in a similar fashion with his team of 6 in his old home area. It was really great to catch up with the two of them .Priscilla runs a market garden business with 8 tunnels supplying tomatoes and cucumber.etc to local businesses. After too short a catch up and some good laughs about our escapades in the past ( some of which Matthew attributed to me but I had little memory of ) we said a sad goodbye and returned to the Smithies for a wonderful dinner .

 Mike returned around 17h30 and we spent a wonderful eveing. Debbie made a superb Beef Wellington and “milk tart”. Her boys complained about the 7 year gap since they last were privileged to get milk tart and how come it took the “Jelleys’visit” to bring it back on the table.

A great evening all in all and it felt like we had never been apart. 14 years later!!!!

We woke for an early breakfast so Mike could get off to work. We really need to see them soon again as the fellowship, comfort and laughter were fantastic.

we had arranged to meet some further friends at the Smithies. Jeanette Norvall and her daughter Kristy-lee were our neighbours at 280 Aerodrome road in Chipinge. The two mums became great friends and the two daughters climbed back and forth through the fence to play at each others homes. 

Unfortunately we could not spend the second night we had hoped for as we needed to get off to a fantastic last minute opportunity to stay overnight at Imire game park and the kids were to get the chance to ride an elephant.

A sad farewell again and off we go .