Zimbabwe - the surprise package

When I was a kid my uncle and aunt returned from living in Southern Rhodesia and that kindled a desire to go there sometime. Well Southern Rhodesia is now called Zimbabwe and nearly 50 years after their return I've made it.

We only spent 5 days in Zimbabwe but by the time we left it had in many ways become my favorite of the countries visited; not because of the sights and the scenery, good though they were, but for the people. They were universally cheerful, friendly, welcoming despite often being under obvious great personal economic hardship.

Economic hardship is one of those handy euphemisms you adopt as you travel in Africa to try and protect yourself from some of the brutal reality of the difference between your tourist lifestyle and the locals -what it really means in the case of Zimbabwe is that 50% of the people are mal-nourished, many obviously seriously so. The frequently given justification is that being there and spending money is making a difference to people's lives,  which is a valid point but fails to address any of the bigger ethical issues about the disparity of wealth distribution between nations, nor the fact that by being there you are to a certain extent rubbing people's noses in it.

Back to the touristy stuff. First stop over the border was Vic Falls,  which somehow manage to both live up to its billing and slightly disappointed at the same time.

Onwards from there to Matobo National Park - this has been the unexpected green of the trip so far. A reserve full of stunning (but largely unphotographable) scenery, giant balancing granite boulders and the place almost entirely to ourselves.

From there it was next the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, after the pyramids the largest stone structures in Africa and probably the greatest ruins you've never heard of (go on Google them because my photos do it no justice). A bit of an eye opener because I had never learnt about southern africans pre- colonial city state history.

I enjoyed Zimbabwe so much I plan to go back for a slower and broader explore when I get on the bike -which is not long now.