Victoria Falls was always close to the top of our travel list here, but we assumed we’d be going via Zambia. However, some of Marnie’s colleagues at Wits convinced her that Zimbabwe was safe for tourists, so we took the plunge.
The trip didn’t start well. We stood waiting on a packed shuttle bus for twenty minutes while the crew resolved a baggage issue before we were allowed to board our plane. The mood was lightened somewhat by the picture snapping Japanese tourists who had to be shooed off the runway right after landing. Customs was not as amusing. There were two lines, but ours was moving so slowly that most of the plane arriving after us went through customs before we did. We didn't find our transport to the hotel until I noticed a gentleman with a sign reading “Marran Shafer”. So we were off.
A few things about Zim. One, it is just too weird going to an ATM and having it spit out US greenbacks. To combat their spiralling inflation, Zim went to the dollar standard a year ago, though South African Rand are readily accepted. Two, after living in SA for over a month, we were overjoyed to go to a country with no electric fencing or razor wire, where one can walk down the street in the middle of the night without worrying. Three, people are eager to point out how much better off Zim is than during the financial crisis. They desperately want tourists to return to the country, and in Victoria Falls I would have no qualms recommending they do so. That said, the Zanu-PF government commits horrendous human rights violations against their people, and until President Mugabe bites it, the country can’t move forward.
It’s obviously too cumbersome to write about the entirety of our trip in one blog, so I’m breaking it down into little nuggets for your reading enjoyment.
The trip didn’t start well. We stood waiting on a packed shuttle bus for twenty minutes while the crew resolved a baggage issue before we were allowed to board our plane. The mood was lightened somewhat by the picture snapping Japanese tourists who had to be shooed off the runway right after landing. Customs was not as amusing. There were two lines, but ours was moving so slowly that most of the plane arriving after us went through customs before we did. We didn't find our transport to the hotel until I noticed a gentleman with a sign reading “Marran Shafer”. So we were off.
A few things about Zim. One, it is just too weird going to an ATM and having it spit out US greenbacks. To combat their spiralling inflation, Zim went to the dollar standard a year ago, though South African Rand are readily accepted. Two, after living in SA for over a month, we were overjoyed to go to a country with no electric fencing or razor wire, where one can walk down the street in the middle of the night without worrying. Three, people are eager to point out how much better off Zim is than during the financial crisis. They desperately want tourists to return to the country, and in Victoria Falls I would have no qualms recommending they do so. That said, the Zanu-PF government commits horrendous human rights violations against their people, and until President Mugabe bites it, the country can’t move forward.
It’s obviously too cumbersome to write about the entirety of our trip in one blog, so I’m breaking it down into little nuggets for your reading enjoyment.
Marnie, I'm glad you emailed me yesterday that you had gone to Zim-- otherwise this would have come as quite a shock. I'm pleased it was a safe and fun experience for you.
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