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journal entries22 Oct 04: [TS] Etosha Nat Park
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zimbabweAs soon as we entered Zimbabwe we instantly felt the economic tragedy within. Australian citizens now require a visa to enter and it must be paid in a foreign currency. They don't want their own money because it loses value so quickly through high inflation. Ok, we'll just get some foreign currency then. Yep from Namibia and Zambia because Zimbabwe won't give you any. Then apart from the border post, some businesses in Victoria Falls will only accept foreign currency, so over to Zambia you go. The local currency is Zimbabwean dollars and $500 of them will buy you a box of matches, $20000 a chocolate moose and $1.3 million will buy dinner. When people beg you for money, they want thousands or American dollars. The inflation rate is so high and without even calculating depreciation, a car in 1999 bought for $75000 is now worth $50 million. Tourist numbers are falling and local business people are leaving because the government is raising taxes and medical costs are extremely high. The company that supplies fuel to Zimbabwe is forced to stop supplying because the government doesn't pay them which means fuel shortages which means less production. Its like self sabotage. I reckon Year 8 students could run this country better economically than its being run now. With this sort of strain on the people of Zimbabwe you'd think that they would be depressed but their not. Their wonderful, happy and intelligent people. You do get some street hasslers in the tourist areas who want American dollars but everywhere else they are polite and courteous people. In Victoria Falls we jumped over to the Zambian side to get some cash and check out the falls from that side. Wow the falls are spectacular. I could just imagine what David Livingston thought when he first got here. We walked across nearly the whole top rim of the falls going for swims in rock pools. We found one on the very edge with the drop being only a few inches away. The Zambezi river is 1.7 kilometres wide at the falls but the water level was not that high which was great for the whitewater rafting we did the next day. One thing you see a lot of in Vic Falls is videos in bars and restaurants of rafts flipping over with bodies flying all over the place. We were pumped. Our crew consisted of a nervous 70 plus New Yorker, a very nervous Croatian girl with her Irish husband (I never thought those two countries could make a match) and us. It was fast and furious with grade 5 rapids. The big ones were morning glory, the muncher, three ugly sisters and the mother in law which was the meanest. We managed to keep it pretty straight and upright through these but Damien managed to get bounced out of one that wasn't even a classified rapid. He exited flying shoulder height pass me and into the water. We named that rapid "The ripple". The crew dined at the Victoria Falls hotel which is the original hotel built about a hundred years ago. It is a symbol of British rule back then. It has a cigar room, champagne room, trophy room, massive dining rooms, curved staircases, courtyards, lawns and heaps more. An amazing place that takes a long time to have a good look around. Next day went on a helicopter flight over the falls which was great. Jumped on jockey scales there and saw some big numbers. I said to the guy there that it wasn't working properly and he said it was working perfectly. Later that day we went on a sunset cruise. You'd think that these were romantic situations but half a dozen beers and a bottle of rum later WE were cruising. One thing about sunset cruises is that the sun is in your eyes until it sets and then the cruise is over. Next morning as I was getting the van ready to get going to Bulawayo, I started what I thought would be a short chat to a South Australian camping next to us. I didn't think South Australians had so much to say. Damien arrived back and took over for me and we eventually got going. I asked Damien not to wave to people with an open hand as I had read that it was a symbol for one of the political parties here but he just can't help himself. Fifty kilometres down the road we got stopped at a police road block. The vehicle papers were requested which we produced. The policeman then said ''you have one missing wheel nut and will have to go over there (pointing) and pay the fine". Damien and I bursted out laughing but the policeman was serious. ''Its for your safety" his superior said, making us continue our laughing. It was too funny to fight so we paid the fine (one chocolate moose) and received an open arrest. Who knows we could be on Interpols most wanted list for this. We arrived into Bulawayo (which used to be called The Killing Place until they realized that they shouldn't make it so obvious) that evening and went to a restaurant and bar. Next morning had a look around town and then headed for the Great Zimbabwe ruins which was home to an intelligent civilization between 1200 and 1500ad. They built structures around rock outcrops using rock, (mainly granite) heating it up and then cooling it quickly with water which would crack the rock into square flat shapes making a good sometimes straight solid stone wall.(try and say that one Kenny) The Great Zimbabweans were into everything pottery, weaving, mining and the king had over a hundred wives. The king's palace was high on a rock outcrop overlooking the rest of the community and we sat in his cave and then on his highly perched rock thinking about what it would be like to be king. We drove into the capital Harare that night arriving after midnight , after helping some local guys change a tyre on the side of the road without a jack. Up pretty early next morning having to do some business on the other side of the city, I really felt the energy of the place and the people. Thousands of well dressed organized sophisticated people just moving around doing their business. I got back to our motel and decided to have a game of golf. On the way to golf I walked past the main cricket ground and it reminded me of not seeing any cricket here or even hearing people talk about it. Not even any kids playing cricket in the streets. Cricket may be a white mans game here and there's hardly any white people. The future of Zimbabwean cricket is looking a bit flat at the moment. Golf however was full of life. The Royal Harare course was in beautiful shape and thoroughly enjoyed the game with some locals. Pea size hail started falling on the 18th green but I was not going the rush my putt. A thundering lightning strikes near and my caddie and heaps of black fellas working on the course start running for their lives. They must still have some strong beliefs from above. While I was at golf, Damien went for a look around town. His trusting nature got worked over again when he went to change some money. Damien handed this guy $20 American dollars and the guy handed Damien the bundle of notes and then took off. Damien didn't bother running after him and then checked the bundle. It had one $10000 Zimbabwean note on the outside (half a chocolate moose) and plain paper inside it. Maxwell Smart would have said He fell for the old bundle of plain paper notes wrapped up using one $10000 Zimbabwean dollar note trick. We stayed another night in Harare and despite the little con and not being able to get any fuel here we had a great stay. Zimbabwe on a whole is a wonderful place with wonderful people. People here openly talk about politics and are just accepting things as they are at the moment. Having elections won't make any difference as they are rigged. These people here have suffered enough and have been most patient. Mugabe is 85 now and people here feel like there's no one like him waiting in the wings. People here are showing real character to put up with this for so long and are sure to get their rewards. With a good leader and a sensible administration this country will return to the glory days of The Great Zimbabwe. |
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email us!tom@stuckintoafrica.com.au | damien@stuckintoafrica.com.au
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