Blog 13 –Kariba

We made our way via various dead end turning to eventually find the observation point at Kariba looking down over the dam wall.

There were a number of NyamiNyami statues at the information point which provided the opportunity to take some pictures together with Courtney’s tattoo.

We then went to Kariba Heights to the original village which was to say the least disappointing. Once a thriving hub and a really pretty environ it is now neglected and scruffy. The Heights Hotel is abandoned soon to maybe be the site of a new NGO . We had trouble finding the Chapel dedicated to the Italians lost during the building of the dam. It used to have pride of place but now is hidden behind scruffy buildings .

We also went in search of the house Prop,Rina, Renene and Pey lived in but it was difficult to spot the exact house though we were in the general correct area.

We drove back down to fill with petrol and find a working ATM as we needed a top up. Bumped into some local folk who gave us directions to a local accommodation at Lomagundi Cottages which tipped the decision to remain a further night in Kariba. We paid a nostalgic visit to the Carribea bay Hotel where renene and I had spent a few nights during our honeymoon. We appeared to to be the only people on the premises and it was clearly run down. We were told only 2 of the prior 6-7 hotels were still operational.

After a marginally “thick” shake at a local takeaway we made our way to the Lomagundi cottages on the lakeshore passing some prestigious lodges on the way.

We settled in with a light lunch,beer and wine and spent a pleasant afternoon in the pool and around its small harbour. Met some interesting locals who use the pub as their local watering hole . One couple arrived from Kariba by boat.! We had to set four or five mossie coils in our room to chase out swarms of mosquitoes that had become resident in the rooms we were allocated. If you gave the curtains a shake they just swarmed out. The presence of the coils and the use of fans and the airconditioner seemed to persuade them there were better environments elsewhere .

We had a great meal out on the patio overlooking the lake having pent some time watching local fisherman plying their trade not 20 metres from a wallowing pod of hippos. . The bream factory business was just alongside so there was some activity to see there as well.