The Long Way Home

The door bell rang at about 8.00pm. This should have been Mike to take us to his house. The power was still out so the intercom didn't work. I went out to the gate and checked who it was through a crack in the door. Not being able to work out who I bobbed up and down trying to get a glimpse over the top of the gate. Thankfully it was Mike, we still couldn't take and chances. I unlocked the gate and rolled it open letting him in and then slid it shut and re-locked it as he drove in. Even though we were ready to head out there and then wasted some time just to make sure that the staff were properly settled again in case Mikes arrival had disturbed them. Unusually for us we did this by having a beer. It was really quite important that they didn't know we had left until they got up in the morning.

Making sure there were envelopes for both Micky and Sisser we closed the front door, said bye to Bubbles and left. Driving to Mikes was nerve wracking, as we were now out of our comfort zone and into a new different and potentially risky phase. Harare streets are very quiet after dark and it was be unlikely that we would be stopped on the 15 min journey. Still that didn't stop the paranoia rising again and heartfelt relief when we finally drove into Mike house. The plan was really very simple - get up early drive from Harare up to the Zambezi, cross the river by boat to somewhere yet to be confirmed. Get picked there up by Jim Squirrel, then sort out our visa's and fly out.

Sat outside on the veranda Mike and his wife looked after us very well with drinks and little snacks, and told us about their life in Zim both before and after things got bad. It made me feel sad for all the people who had been displaced, harmed unnecessarily - though very heartwarming to hear that others were still around and willing to fight for what is right. Somewhere in between all this we had a fantastic roast dinner which really hit the spot. Though it had been a long day the adrenaline had kicked in, even knowing that the tomorrow would possibly be just as tiring it still wasn't until about 1.00am that we went to bed.

I'm not sure what woke me up first the alarm going off at 3.00am or cars arriving in the drive ready to be in our convoy. It had been decided, not by us, that the we should each travel in our own car and to be safe make sure that we were at Karoi by 6.00am as that's when the road blocks generally got set up. One thing we had to was to decide on the equipment - what to leave and what to take with us. We had to make sure that we looked like tourists - just in case we were stopped so the only things we had were a still camera and the little video camera. Everything else - mics / computers / Bgan had been packed up ready to be left until they could be picked up at a later date. I don't know how but as part of the travel arrangements one the farmers wives was going to Zambia with her boys too - as it was half-term and she would take the equipment. When she turned up it was in a covered pickup. She had three boys with her - aged from 6 to 12 or so as well as the mother in law. One of the boys was on the back seat and two on the flatbed. I was a bit taken back and did say that it wasn't necessary to take it as if caught it wouldn't be good - a couple of times. The answer was "of course I'm going to take it - no ones going to stop a woman with three kids". The bags were backed under the mattress in the back and off they went. I wasn't particularly happy about it but there was NO arguing!

Stocked up with freshly cooked bacon and rolls courtesy of Mike's wife we set off at about 3.30am. Stuart was in the lead car with Mike and Andy - towing a speed boat, just to add to the rouse that we were going fishing trip. Nick followed with Bruce and I brought up the rear with Booty.

We drove for about 2 1/5 hours not passing much in the way of traffic - the odd lorry here and there but in the whole it was generally quiet. Booty and I chatted along the way about life, love and the world.... quite bizarre given that we were strangers but it was a very rounded conversation. Born in Zimbabwe he came from a generation of cattle farmers and all he wanted to do was farm cattle. Like everyone else they had been kicked off their land. Mugabe was not living up to his promises - even to the 'new' farmers and the whole place was going to rack and ruin. It was once the bread basket of Africa and now provides merely crumbs. For Booty to reestablish a herd is not as easy as growing crops and for it to become self sustaining and have the ability to grow in size takes around seven years before you can even start selling getting a reasonable turnover. That's a long time, proper planning and investment is needed so the whole country can get back on its feet - it will take longer than that. We can only hope that things do change. No matter what happened he would never leave - Zimbabwe was his country - his home.

We stopped at Karoi at 6.00am for breakfast. Yet again the chicken pies came out - absolutely stunning and washed down with a really good flask of coffee. There I decided that if ever I get the chance I will come back and do this again properly - with these guys - but with out the stress.

Next stop was the 'escarpment'. This was the edge of the Zambezi river valley where we could see Zambian hills in the background and feel freedom again. A really beautiful sight as the sun rose and burnt off the low lying mist from the valley floor. We met up with the pickup here and got the kit back - safe and sound as promised. The bacon and rolls were broken out too. what a great place to have our second breakfast. This was more like it - really going on a fishing trip. It was only then that I felt we had really come out of harms way. And by co-incidence our package would have been running for the first time.



We then drove down into the valley and after 20 mins or so headed off down a dirt track through the bush towards the river and the fishing camp. Booty pointed out the baobab trees that had been scored by elephants with an itch and explained how the fighting in the dense bush either side of the road was a complete nightmare in days past.



It was 10.00am when we finally stopped. The fishing camp was a collection of basic structures with a dining area, wash facilities and some bunks up in the rafters. Basic but obviously did the job. It was felt good to exchange paranoia for a relaxing beer! Having been up since 3.00am it didn't matter what the actual time was - it was cold wet and very very enjoyable in the good company of our chaperone's. Thankfully Jim wasn't anywhere close so we didn't have to get up and go anywhere soon, just had the time to mellow for a while. Another change was being able to take photo's without any risk of them being found.



At last a picture of Nick - the one with the beard - not at all a spy I hear you cry - just a cool dude!!



The toilet was shared with a couple of frogs. Presumably because the taps were cool.



Back on the deck with more beer flowing you can really see how much more relaxed we now were. Stuart still trying to get hold of Jim to work out where he was and our plan for the next few hours.



As it turned out we had a good few hours until Jim would arrive so we had time before lunch for a quick spin on the river. Once the boat we had brought up had been launched we headed out with Andy for a quick touch of wildlife spotting.



It wasn't hard as there were loads of hippos around.



Do you see those hills in the background - that's Zambia - just have to get past these damn Hippos!



'What you think you're getting past me - never.'



No matter how much you think you live in the a modern world it never ceases to amaze me how much people use what they have to hand when they have to. This fisherman is is his dugout canoe - used to be a tree.



I'm sure this is what Stuart looks like first thing in the morning. Quite a good look.



On our way round we caught up with the guys who were already at the camp. They had gone out earlier and had pulled up on the shore for a quick break.



This basically involved drinking - it was noon when we found them and they were well on the way to being absolutely plastered.



Father and son with their respective catches. There were mean teeth on that fish. Definitely not a vegetarian. The two boys out fishing as well seemed to have another simple job. Whenever anyone had an empty bottle in their hand it was replaced with a full one. They did it well.



Most of the conversation was based around how messed up Zimbabwe was or which Sky weather girl they fancied the most!! Don't necessarily agree with them about which one...



Caught napping in the mid-day sun!



Despite having crocs in the river I knew I was safe going for a pee. I had my hat on.



Just a good looking tree.



This was my job - to replenish Stuart & Nick. Stuart does look worried - it was the last of the beer.



Eventually we found a small herd of elephants wandering along the banks of the river.



Absolutely stunning creatures. They did raise their ears and make a move towards us to warn us away. Thankfully we weren't beached in the shallow water for long and were able to carry on.



Somehow I think one of us had seen elephants in the wild before.



Just to prove that there were crocodiles in the river as we passed this one it quickly sneaked back into the river. Can't see it?



The grey-ish brown lump in the water are its eyes just to the left are the nostrils. Horrible nasty evil creatures. Having escaped becoming lunch we made our way back to camp - starving.