Blog 5 Chipinge Chiredzi

Blog 5
So the rain continues to put a damper on our travels. All the way to Chimanimani not to even get a glimpse of the mountains. Likewise throughout the usually magnificent views from Skyline junction down to the Rusitu Valley the rain and fog meant we were confined to the immediate roadside view only. Even at Waterfalls we were unable to even see the family graveyard of the Moodies.

Chipinge has changed tremendously with huge amounts of new building across what was once a golfcourse and all up the sides of the valley on the right travelling in. We have been told this development is all based on the money that became available following the surface diamond find near HotSprings in the lowveld. The club is non existant and the bowls section is now a pre school.

 

 


The road from the club down around to the Chipinge clinic was just one big pothole. Arriving outside the Chipinge Clinic where we sweated our hearts out to develop a small cottage hospital and senior care home was to say the least gut wrenching. I have been unable to post photos along with the blog for some reason but they are up on facebook and tell the story more than words can do justice. What a waste of so many years of community in terms of time , money and resources.this is where Brendan was born and it was gut wrenching to see the state of the delivery ward and post natal ward area.

 



We were however glad to see that 4 of the 6 units built at the back of the clinic were in used . It appears the really nice one in the photos belongs to Mrs Barkhuizen and she uses this when not out at Mvurachena school.

We were lucky enough to be given permission to visit and have a look around our old house that we built with the support of the community and the Trust. It remains in good condition and has recently undergone some internal refurbishment with new tiled floors and en-suite.  The family who have recently purchased are chuffed with the home and it was great sharing some of the stories around the building of the home and some of the trials and tribulations we had to deal with.

 

 

We spent a wonderful afternoon and evening with Hazel Odendaal on her dairy farm. The road was a challenge and once again the family had to trudge some way through the slippery red mud so I could negotiate some testing patrs in the car with less weight reducing the risk to the undercarraige.

We spent the evening reminiscing about the people who had been lost to the neighborhood and the trials Haazel had experienced following the taking of a large part of the farm and the unexpected heart attack that took her husband Duff away. She is a wonderful disciple for her faith in god and expressed her belief in his guding hand over her through her trials and her current predicaments. She is such an example of the stoicism of the farmers of our country. She made us so welcome and fed us like kings and we were very sad to have to move on in the morning. I spent some time with the local farm mechanic trying to sort out a blowing exhaust but we had to compromise and settle for some exhaust gum and tape .

 









We were kindly assisted by some local friends who happened to visit Hazel and they took Renene and the kids back into town whilst I slipped and slided down the farm track in the mud back to the main road and then into town.

We had an emotional meeting with the young woman who was the nursemaid and domestic carer for the two children when they were growing up. It was fantastic to hear how she has been able to educate her son,who used to play with Brendan as they grew up. He attended the local Mt Selinda High School and awaits his results for 3 GCE A level exams. We hope to be able to meet him in Marondera on our return to Ruwa .

 

Once again the rain made the opportunity to walk around Chipinge impossible so we headed off to Chiredzi. The road between Tanganda junction and Chisumbanje was the worst we have experienced and we travelled at 40 km/hr dodging constant potholes. Anormally 2 hour trip took us 3 hours. We w lucky enough to catch up with Trevor Gifford and his Wife Karen on the side of the road. They were kind enough to delay their trip to Humani ranch so as to enable our meeting. Really good to hear from Trevor first hand his experiences and his views on the future of the country.

 

 We then went into Chiredzi town and explored to centre , drew some more money, resolved some cell phone issues and found our old house (Where Renene and I started our married life)and the clinic I used to work from. Unfortunately the road out to the mill and the medical centre was so bad we decided to abandon that part of our exploration. The rain was persistent and so on we traveled to Triangle where  Courtney was born to meet with two very special friends , George and Tarns Webster.

Blog 4 - Chimanimani

Well here we are at the Frog and Fern in Chimanimani after great catchup with Skalk and Joan DuPlessis plus Pierre and Lourensa Nel at Karen,s cafe in downtown Mutare. Good to hear their news and to see how the Nel kids have grown.

 


Driving in Mutare was hair raising to say the least. No traffic lights working and very few people recognising the usual right of way rules. Bit of a lottery so quite relieved to exit the city and get onto the open road. We did have to double back into the city outskirts to get fuel as we became a little apprehensive whether we should risk half a tank. Just Our luck to drive into one of the heaviest thunder storms as we exited Mutare and driving at 40km /hour hardly able to see the road.

 

Beautiful once the rain cleared and we stayed clear of rain until almost in Chimanimani though we obviously just missed the second big downpour as the rivers were running up to the top of their banks and water and rubble were being washed across the road as we climbed up the pass into the skyline junction.
I loved the bushlined drive up the escarpment.

Unfortunately the access road to our accomodation was really rough and ungraded gravel/metal road and we had to pick the one largest rock in the centre hump to knock a hole in our exhaust. Renene , Courtney and Brendan had to eventually get out and walk to take the weight out the car so I didnt do any more mischief to the floor pan. They had to walk a couple hundred metres in the rain till the road evened out. We then had to scrabble around for bricks and planks to get the car over a large drain in the driveway so as we could access the car park and unload our luggage. Tomorrow will be interesting returning to the village. Hopefully the weather will clear tomorrow so we can see the mountains before we head off. It is a 1 and a half hour walk to Bridle Veil Falls so we will have to discuss that in morning as I dont believe we should abuse the car any further. We will likely have to find a garage with a pit to check the undercarraige tomorrow.

What a wonderful cottage .Large rondavel with huge centre rock lined chimney making the centre bearing for thatched roof. Large fireplace into sunken lounge. Good use of space within the circle with second floor mezzanine . Main bedroom downstairs with
en-suite. 9 inch or more rock walls to around 4 metres.

blog3- the Vumba

GOOD MORNING VUMBA MOUNTAINS"
We woke this morning to the most surreal sunrise over the border mountains of the Eastern Highlands . Talk about contrasts . As you can see absolutely crystal clear but over the next 15 minutes the fog rose obliterating the view and we are now sitting in a complete whiteout.

The haunting coo of a distant dove echoes across the valley. Dripping sounds of rain from the overhanging branches strike the verandah roof . The morning chorus of birds is awakening as we sit and sip hot tea and discuss our next few months or the year of 2015. What does it hold in store for us? Are we comfortable with twelve months of an itinerant lifestyle with no fixed abode ? It is exciting yet at the same time daunting. Can we return here to Africa and explore further opportunities in a magnificent environ such as we sit today. Is our future in the Pacific Islands working with their people surrounded by the jewel that is the pacific ocean?.
Questions questions!!!!

So onto a new day in Zimbabwe. The anticipation of travel through to Chimanimani to the bed and breakfast accomodation of the Frog and Fern. One step closer to Chipinge and a town and community so very formative in all our lives. We bumped into Hazel Odendaal completely by chance at the Inn in the Vumba and we are excited to have the opportunity to stay the night with her in Chipinge when we get there Tuesday. We have heard that parents of family we know reside in our old home at 280 Aerodrome road so it seems likely we will be able to visit and see what changes have occurred over time. Will the protea bushes remain? , have they grow as we planned. ? What of the macadamia plantation and the pecans.? I am really interested to see what has become of Chipinge Clinic. 7 years of hard slog and innovation together with the community to build the small cottage hospital and its associated facilities. Is it just a forgotten shell? Or is it still a vital functioning part of the fabric of the Chipinge community?. Time will reveal all!
So one foot forward into a new day brimming with excitement but first breakfast then tea and scones with Skalk and Joan Du Plessis and maybe Lourensa Nel and then the journey continues.

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!!!

blog day 1

Wobbls visit to Zimbabwe Blog 1

At long last an opportunity to stop and consider our last few days. All the excitement at Beulah with the extended whanau/family for a Xmas eve get together before off to  Auckland for a few hours sleep at a local airport hotel. Fantastic meal at Molten restaurant in Auckland under extra care from host Rensha Bouwer, Renene's cousin who is head chef. Besst calamari and prawns  I have ever tasted!! 03h00 rise and shine and the beginning of 30 hours travel with Xmas day experienced in Auckland New Zealand ,Sydney Australia , Johanessburg South Africa and Harare Zimbabwe. The longest xmas day the Jelley's have ever experienced.
 Not much sleep but the anticipation some degree of remedy for that. Johanesburg airport clean and the folk really friendly. Bit of a hassle as we had to collect our baggage and then re book our luggage through to Harare and go through customs and immigration again . 20h00 arrival at Harare airport to see our good friend Graham Leach waving to us through the windows of the concourse. . Not changed a bit in the 14 years since we last were together. Crazy Graham was dressed in adult version of Courtneys old Mvurachena school uniform. What a surprise.
Quickly through the formalities as clearly we were the last flight in and all staff keen to get away and have some time to celebrate what was left of Xmas with their families . So many memories from the get go driving around the ring road at end of the Harare airport runway where we as boys growing up used to travel home to our house at New Sarum . Memories of days chasing birds with pelletgun amongst the trees at end of the runway and learning to drive an old Ford Prefect on the dirt road around the grass runway. Thoughts of friends we grew up with at Kutsaga tobacoo research station. The interesting ride through the back roads of Ruwa reminicient of our travel at night through Samoa with all the people walking the middle of the road and having to drive carefully around the pot holes and ditches in the road let alone people and dogs. Past a shebeen at full volume withh what appeared to be over a 100 people gyrating under the open sky enjoying their Xmas evening .
Then our arrival at the Leach household to the expected rambling homestead with a  wonderful collection of dogs of all makes and models and personality. Sat around the great big kitchen table and it was just like the old days of laughter and hilarity. Graham personality not changed a bit and elaines dry sense of humour and chuckle which brings warmth to ones heart. It as if we have never been away. The need for sleep curtailed our evening and after a shower by torchlight when the power failed mid hair shampoo we hit the sack. The cacophony of frogs in the nearby pond a distraction . After a fitful night the start of a new day.

 

one forgets so easily the large rambling properties in Zimbabwe with green grass in the gardens , huge  trees towering over the homestead , the noises of cockrels crowing, sheep bleating and dogs barking in the distance. Friendly domestic staff challenges our memories of the Shona language with greetings of "Mangwanani - maswere se ". Great to sit around the kitchen table and share eggs and bacon and stories of camping in Mozambique. We went off to the supermarket to get beers and wine for a shared lunch with further friends from Chipinge. Pick and Pay was a large clean fully stocked supermarket with everthing you could want. No different to New Zealand New World or Countdown.
  As we drove along there were numerous hiace taxis full of people , vendors all along the roadside selling anything from a pile of tomatoes to bricks for building. A huge growing sprawl of new residences are developing all around Ruwa but without council services apart from roading. Elaine took us to divine for water at one residence and it appears many residents are now putting down boreholes and then have huge tanks above roof level and we presume septic tanks for sewerage. Some residents are taking water from superficial wells dug alongside the road.

We met up with old Chipinge residents Rich and Louise Taylor , Charles and Charmie Taffs ,Loiuse's sister Natalie and husband Simon plus a whole brood of unruly teenagers including Ashley Trobridge visiting from New Zealand. Bountiful lunch of leg of mutton aand pork all swilled down with copious amounts of Castle Lager. Certainly a challenge getting my head around having more than a couple of beers and then being in control of a vehicle back to the Leaches after an afternoon full of laughter , sharing of many anecdotes and incidents from Chipinge days and Chipinge Clinic. Amazing how comfortable one can feel despite so many years away. Clearly business and survival a challenge here from talking to the boys. Education and medical aid take a big chunk out of everybody's take home pay. Anything up to US$900 a month for a small family medical aid . US$ 4000 a term I believe for private senior schooling.

 

 

 

 

It has been amazing though how more affordable things are relative to new Zealand $ for $ but obviously not income for income.
Can of beer 0.80c . Three chickens for similar price of one large chicken in NZ. Movies and large popcorn for $ .
Wonderful opportunity to catch up with an old contemporary of my Dad Gordon Wright and his son Mike who I grew up with and was at Guinea Fowl School with me. Gordon flew Hunters like Oudad Geldenhuys and we had a beer in his "den" which was full of old Rhodesian airforce memorablia , all the old aircraft and a picture of the crews who did the Hunter ferry back to Salisbury from UK.

So off to Mutare and the Vumba mountains tomorrow and our circular journey around Zimbabwe begins.