In Southern Africa, Zimbabwe was my favorite!
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou
I left Maun, Botswana at 6am and arrived at the Plumtree border in Zimbabwe 10 hours later. The Plumtree border is primarily used by local folks who have been going back and forth long before the “border” was designated as such. The atmosphere in Zimbabwe was disarming and I immediately felt less guarded. Upbeat Zimbabwean dancehall music was a great soundtrack to the crowded ride from the border to Bulawayo — my final destination. The front seats were reserved for two police officers trying to get a ride to town. Only later did I realize how the recurring tactic was a great way to get waved through the endless checkpoints in Zimbabwe.
I spent a total of two week in Zimbabwe, crisscrossing the entire country. From Bulawayo, I took an overnight train headed for Victoria Falls. I spent the night in a sleeper car listening to the sound of the train as we traversed rural towns all the while looking out my window at the stars filled sky. I stopped in Hwange National Park for the first half of my day. From there, I hitched a ride with a truck driver who was making deliveries to supermarkets in Hwange city and then on to Victoria Falls.
We had great conversations! “It gets a little lonely in this truck sometimes and as you can see, I don’t have a radio” he told me after we finished the last delivery and headed to Victoria Falls. He dropped me off at my hostel and we bid each other farewell. I spent the following day touring the majestic Victoria Falls!
On my way to Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, I visited Great Zimbabwe which is described as one of “the greatest medieval city” in the world. Touring the ancient ruins, one is reminded of the great civilizations and technological advancements long before European conquests into the continent.
Harare welcomes you in that quintessential african capital city way — street vendors selling everything on the sun with and the sound of assistant drivers yelling their destinations while hanging on one foot on a crammed and rapidly moving minivan.
As a solo traveler, random encounters often turn into some of the most memorable experiences. While in Harare, I joined a crew of construction workers headed to the eastern highlands for a project. They were renovating a lodge in an area called Vhumba, in Murate, near the border with Mozambique. While they were staying for two weeks, I joined them for the weekend and helped out with some of the work. Viewing the stars in the southern Hemisphere with zero light pollution while we made dinner was the perfect way to end our day.
Life is not easy in Zimbabwe. The country has immense economic challenges. The currency shortage is devastating for hard working people who are not able to get their own money out of the bank when they need it the most. Throughout the country, I saw long lines of people waiting at the bank hoping to withdraw money before the bank runs out — a daily occurrence. At the supermarkets, I was asked many times by desperate people to let them pay for my groceries with their cards and I give them my cash — often, the only way to get any cash. For all of the optimism and genuine hospitality, the pain of people is real and one has to wonder how long this resilience will last. The Zimbabweans I have met will tell you about it, if you ask them, but they are not the type to complain.
I spent my last day in Zimbabwe with a local journalist and poet, T. In T, I met a kindred spirit who was equally fascinated by African markets. For a couple of days, he took me around some of the busiest markets in the country. First we started in Highfield — home of the Zimbabwean liberation heroes. He pointed out historical places, like the stadium where Bob Marley performed during the independence ceremonies. We visited Mbare, birthplace of Zimbabwean dancehall! Here, you come face to face with the under belly of the city. The cramped apartments was once single man dwellings for workers but currently housing families of a half dozen or more. Just steps away from the residential areas of Mbare, you will come across hard working people, whose ingenuity will blow your mind. In the commercial areas, one’s gender stereotypes are quickly shattered. At the bus terminal, the money changers — traditionally a man’s job — was dominated by women holding wads of cash and calling customers. In Mbare market, there were women welders and even carpenters.
Southern Africa is esthetically stunning — Cape Town will take your breath away; the wildlife in the Okavango delta is humbling; the Swazi mountains during sun set is out of this world; the Mozambican beaches are special; the site of the Victoria falls is majestic and I can go on and on and on. These are experiences that anyone can have and are largely independent of the local people. When I think of the places I have travelled to, it is the people who make it special for me. In Southern Africa, Zimbabwe was my favorite! I met genuine, trusting, giving, fair, smart, and dignified people. For all of the economic challenges the country faces, the resilience and sense of humor of the people is uplifting. My first but certainly not my last time in this special country! See you another time Zim! Now on to West Africa — my ancestral region.
