blog 2

Wobbls visit to Zimbabwe Blog 2

And so we set off across and around the country. We saw Graham and Elaine off at 06h00 as they left for an 8 hour trip to Vilancoulos in Mozambique where they have sighted an old railway carraige as the hub of a beachfront residence. Amazing to view the photos of the developpment of a naked bush site on the dunes into this fantastic thatched accomodaton with the train carraige as its focus. We will meet them again in Kariba to spend 3 days on a houseboat and hopefully get some successful fishing done. Bring on the "Tigerfish"!!!
Wee travelled down to Mutare on toll roads and the quality of the road was a real surprise to us. More surprising is how the brain can remember the various landmarks that we used to set ouselves on our trips back and forward to Harare all those years ago. Almost as if time has stood still with so little real change in towns and environment. Certaily lots more traffic and people. Amazing the numbers of modern japanese and  european cars on the road and a speed limit of 120 km/hour means they are all rushing tp pass me on the road. Even 70 seater buses doing 140 up hill with blind rise . Courtney was horrified by the bus drivers poor behaviour. So good to see the big granite kopjes again and on 3 occasions baboons on the side of the road. we couned unfortunately at least 8 dogs dead as roadkill on side of road . every 20 kilometres or so groups of 3-4  police standing around but not doing formal roadblocks. allmost just a visible presence as a deterrent. Only one formal roadblock and just aved through.


   We stopped briefly in Mutare then headed through to Inn on the Vumba. basic accomodation but clean. We settled ourselves in then did a trip up to Leopards Rock hotel arriving in a big thunderstorm and shower and got a bit soaked getting from car to the reception. Had Vumba coffee and scones and then a walk down to golf course once rain cleared. Quuite nice view down into Burma Valley from terrace of hotel once rain ,mist and cloud disappeared.

 


Great 4 course dinner at Inn with a great waiter with wicked sense of humour. Suggested I did do a test taste of the bottle wine to "make sure not Vumba vinegar." and he suggested "we enjoy our Soup a doopa"

Off to Chimanimani tommorrow after tea with Skalk and Joan DuPlessis and hopefully Lourensa Nel.

"Frog and Fern", Chimanimani  here we come!!!